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The g-C3N4-BiOBrxI1-x nanocomposites were successfully prepared using solvothermal methods. The obtained g-C3N4-BiOBrxI1-x composites had tunable band structures and displayed preferable photocatalytic performance for CO2 reduction irradiated by visible light. Moreover, comparing to pure g-C3N4 and corresponding BiOBrxI1-x, all the obtained g-C3N4-BiOBrxI1-x nanocomposites exhibited distinctly higher activity for CO2 reduction, with 5% g-C3N4-BiOBr0.25I0.75 nanocomposites displaying the best photocatalytic performance. Enhanced photocatalytic performance of g-C3N4-BiOBrxI1-x nanocomposites may arrive from their advantages of high efficiency of electron-hole separation, tunable band structures, and rapid charge transfer. Moreover, a possible visible light induced photocatalytic mechanism on g-C3N4-BiOBrxI1-x nanocomposites was further proposed.

AgIO₃/Ag₂O/Ag nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activities were synthesized by a onestep coprecipitation method at room temperature. The optimum hybrid of AgIO₃/Ag₂O = 1.25:1 with Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) loading (denoted as AA125) exhibited superior photocatalytic activity, demonstrating 97.19% tetracycline (TC) degradation within 60 min under simulated solar irradiation. This was approximately 10.44 and 2.63 times higher than that of pure Ag₂O and AgIO₃, respectively. The advanced photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to the synergetic effects of the heterostructured AgIO₃/Ag₂O/Ag and the strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Ag NPs generated on the surface, which improved the separation and transfer efficiency of photoinduced electron-hole pairs. The results from radical scavenger experiments indicated that the degradation of TC was driven mainly by the participation of superoxide radical (·O-₂).

Constructing heterojunction is an effective way to enhance the catalytic activities of semiconductor photocatalyst owing to its special synergistic effect. In this study, a novel p-n heterostructured CdWO₄/BiOCl nanocomposites were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal and subsequently chemistry bath method. The photocatalytic performance of CdWO₄/BiOCl heterojunctions was investigated by degrading phenol and RhB under simulated solar light irradiation. Highly improved photocatalytic activities were achieved on all CdWO₄/BiOCl heterojunctions compared with both pure CdWO₄ and BiOCl. The CdWO₄/BiOCl heterojunction with optimal mole ratio of 25% CdWO₄ displayed the highest photoactivity with RhB and phenol being completely degraded in 15 min and 6 h, respectively. Mechanism analysis revealed that the interface of p-n heterojunction of CdWO₄/BiOCl composites can produce spontaneously electric field which can effectively separate photogenerated electrons and holes. Moreover, the active species research demonstrated that holes and superoxide radicals proved to be the principal active species during the photocatalytic process. This work demonstrated that the CdWO₄/BiOCl photocatalyst may be a promising material for purifying the organic contaminant in practical application.

3D hierarchical structure BiOX(X ═ Cl, Br)-(CMC) assembled from 2D nanosheets with {010} facets exposed have been successfully synthesized by the assistance of biomass solvent CMC-Na. All the nitrogen adsorption isotherms and photoelectrochemical results reflected that BiOX(X Cl, Br)-(CMC) exhibit higher specific surface area, superior optical absorption efficiency and separation efficiency of photoinduced electron-hole than BiOX(X═Cl, Br) 2D nanosheets exposed with {001} facets. Besides, 96.5% and 60.3% of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) were photodegradated in 60 minutes under the visible light irradiation catalyzed by BiOBr-(CMC) and BiOCl-(CMC), which is much better than BiOBr and BiOCl. The formation and enhanced photocatalytic activity of 3D hierarchical structure BiOX-(CMC) may be ascribe to the bi-functional groups of CMC, which can affect the crystallization process and morphology of BiOX. According to the merit of environmental friendly and improved photocatalytic activity of the 3D hierarchitecture, we believe that this work broadens the possibility of designing efficient BiOX photocatalyst with {010} facets exposed.

Bi2MoO6-BiOCl nanoplate composites were successfully synthesized by a simple solvothermal process. The morphology, microstructure and optical properties of the as-prepared Bi2MoO6-BiOCl nanocomposites were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). A noteworthy enhancement in the visible-light-responsive photocatalytic degradation of RhB was observed over the Bi2MoO6-BiOCl nanocomposites compared to its individual components. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of Bi2MoO6-BiOCl nanocomposites could be attributed to the heterojunction interface in the composite, which can both efficiently separate photogenerated electron-hole pairs and also restrain the recombination of photoinduced charges.

An electrochemical palladium/ferric oxide (Pd/Fe2O3) nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was fabricated by hydrothermal method of Fe2O3 and electrochemical deposition of palladium nanoparticles, respectively. As-prepared Pd/Fe2O3 composite modified electrode exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the catalytic oxidation of nitrite compared to Fe2O3, PdNPs modified electrodes and bare electrode. The parameters such as the influence of amount of Pd nanoparticles deposition onto the Pd/Fe2O3 modified electrode (ME) and effect of solution pH were investigated and discussed in detail. Under the optimal conditions, the Pd/Fe2O3 modified GCE can be used to detect nitrite concentration in a wide linear range of 10 and 1000 μM with the detection limit of 0.1 μM. The presence of Cu2+, Na+, Cl-, PO3-4 SO2-4, Mg2+ K+, NO-3, and NH+4 showed a trivial effect on the response of nitrite determination, revealing that developed modified electrode has an excellent anti-interference ability to common ions. It also shows good stability and reproducibility.

Herein, a novel visible-light-driven heterojunction AgI/WO3 nanocomposite was successfully prepared using a facile two-step hydrothermal-precipitation process and applied for photodegradation of organic pollutants. The information of phase structures, morphology, optical properties of the asprepared samples was analysed in detail by XRD, TEM, EDS, STEM, DRS measurement and so on. Formation of the heterostructure and intimate interactions between AgI and WO3 can promote highly effective photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation, which enable the heterojuctions to perform excellent photocatalytic activity as greatly enhanced photocatalysts compared to that of pristine AgI and WO3 for decomposing Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible light irradiation. In addition, the AgI/WO3 (1:1) nanocomposites exhibit optimal photocatalytic activity. Moreover, the as-prepared samples exhibit good stability, which is favorable for its potential application. Additionally, we have an analysis on a possible photocatalytic mechanism based on trapping experiments together with other experimental results.

In this paper, a series of Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl 1−x Br x composites with adjustable band gap has been fabricated by using a facile two-step synthetic method. The photocatalytic activity of Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl 1−x Br x was evaluated by photocatalytic decomposition of phenol aqueous solution under simulated solar light irradiation. The result shows that Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl 0.75 Br 0.25 (1:5) composite possesses the best photocatalytic activity among all the as-prepared samples. The photocatalytic activity of Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl can be enhanced mainly owing to the strong light absorption ability by loading Ag 3 PO 4 on the surface of BiOCl, while the photocatalytic activities of Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl 1−x Br x (x = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) composites could be enhanced by restraining the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. The enhanced solar-light photocatalytic activities of Ag 3 PO 4 -BiOCl 1−x Br x composites could be ascribed to the adjustable energy band structure, which facilitates the separation of photoinduced carriers. In addition, superoxide radicals ( O 2 − ), holes (h + ) and OH are considered to dominate the photocatalytic degration process. Moreover, a possible mechanism of deep understanding on the base of experimental results was proposed.

An electrochemical sensor ground on nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was exploited for the detection of nitrite. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) ensure the morphology of the nanocomposite consisted of NiO nanoparticle and MWCNTs. High Resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) reveals that the structure of NiO nanoparticles and MWCNTs. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) persuasively verified presence of the C, Ni and O element. The electrochemical character of the nanocomposite were researched by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the behavior of electrochemical oxidation to nitrite on NiO/MWCNTs/CP was explored by chronoamperometry. In tests, the NiO/MWCNTs/CP shown a sensitive current response toward nitrite, the oxidation peak current are linearly related to nitrite concentration in the range from 10-6 M to 10-4 M (R = 0.997) with a sensitivity of 3.53 μA μM-1 and a detection limit of 0.25 μM (S/N = 3). The validity of utilizing the proposed electrode to determine nitrite in tap water was also demonstrated.

A novel BiIO4/Ag3PO4 nanocomposite photocatalyst was synthesized through hydrothermal and chemical precipitation methods. The as-prepared samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degradation of phenol under visible light irradiation. BiIO4/Ag3PO4 nanocomposite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than BiIO4 and Ag3PO4, with 5% BiIO4/Ag3PO4 nanocomposite displaying the highest activity. The enhanced photocatalytic performance may be due to the formation of BiIO4/Ag3PO4 heterojunction interface, which is beneficial to the separation and migration of the photogenerated electrons and holes. In addition, the active species trapping experiment demonstrated that •O2− and •OH were the major active species during the photocatalytic process.

Ternary heterojunction photocatalyst Ag/AgIO3/BiOCl and Ag/AgIO3/BiOCl(CMC) were prepared to solve the contaminants of TC antibiotics residue in water and volatilizing HCHO in indoor air. Morphology modification, heterojunction construction, dominant facet controlling and surface plasma resonance strategies were merged into to modify the photocatalyst. First, biomass solvent assisted synthesis of AABC-CMC does a favor for harvesting the visible light and improving the adsorption of organic pollutants compared to AABC. In addition, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) have been successfully anchored on the surface of heterostructure to enhance the adsorption of visible light, and act as a visible light “trigger” for two wide band gap components of heterojunction. Non-centrosymmetric AgIO3 and band gap matching in heterostructure accelerates separating and transferring of electron-hole pairs, and reduces the probability of recombination. Besides, the IEF differing in BiOCl(CMC) and BiOCl results the difference of photocarriers migrating path when composited with AgIO3.The shorter transmission distance in the AABC-CMC reduces the recombination of photocarriers in the bulk and improve photocatalytic property of AABC-CMC. The possible charge transfer mechanism and key radicals differs in photodegradating process, O2− and OH plays a major role in photo-degrading TC and HCHO, respectively.

The zinc-doped CdWO4 photocatalyst was successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal process. The influences of zinc doping on the phase structures, optical properties, morphologies and photocatalytic activities of the CdWO4 catalyst were investigated. The results showed that the zinc-doping can enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of CdWO4 with the highest activity obtained on the Zn-doped CdWO4 (Zn/Cd ratio of 0.1) for degradation of rhodamine B(RhB) under simulated solar light irradiation. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity may be attributed to the zinc doping which can change the band gap of the catalyst and subsequently inhibit the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes.

A novel BiOBr/ZnWO 4 p–n heterojunction catalyst was fabricated for the first time via a facile deposition method. The morphology and structure of the catalyst were characterized by SEM, TEM, HR-TEM, EDS, XRD, UV–vis DRS and BET. The results show that ZnWO 4 nanoparticles conjugated firmly with BiOBr nanoplates with the crystal structure of monoclinic ZnWO 4 and tetragonal BiOBr. The photocatalytic performance of the catalysts was evaluated through decolorization of rhodamine-B (RhB) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation(λ > 420 nm). BiOBr/ZnWO 4 heterojunction catalyst shows much higher photocatalytic activity than that of BiOBr and ZnWO 4 . 30% BiOBr/ZnWO 4 heterostructure exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity with almost complete removal of RhB in 16 min. Moreover, good recyclability was also obtained from the BiOBr/ZnWO 4 heterojunction catalyst. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency of the BiOBr/ZnWO 4 heterostructures may be related to the formation of p–n heterojunction interface between BiOBr and ZnWO 4 which reduced the recombination of electrons and holes.

In this study, Bi2WO6 doped with different barium contents were successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal route at 180 °C for 12 h. The as-synthesized samples were characterized in detailed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffusere flectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS) and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET) theory. Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated by photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under simulated solar light. As a result, the photocatalytic properties were enhanced after Ba doping and the Ba-doped Bi2WO6 with RBa = 0.15 showed the highest photocatalytic activities of 96.3% RhB was decomposed in 50 min. Close investigation revealed that the proper Ba doped into Bi2WO6 could not only increases its BET surface area, decrease its crystalline size, but also act as electron traps and facilitate the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activities of Ba-doped Bi2WO6 were further investigated.

A novel Fe3O4@SiO2@BiOBr photocatalyst was synthesized through a solvothermal method with the addition of core–shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles. The results show that the photocatalyst is flower-like microspheres with diameters ranging from 2 μm to 3 μm. The as-prepared photocatalyst shows excellent photocatalytic performance in degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm) with superior stability and reusability. The introduction of the silica interlayer can suppress the direct contact of the Fe3O4 core and BiOBr to a great extent, resulting in the increased separation efficiency of the photo-induced electron–hole pairs and then higher photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, it can be completely recovered simply by applying an external magnetic field, indicating highly potential applications in wastewater treatment without secondary pollution.

The nanoporous Co3O4 film was prepared by an electrodeposition method. The surface morphology and composition of the nanoporous Co3O4 film were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochromic properties of Co3O4 film are investigated in an aqueous alkaline electrolyte (0.1 M KOH) by means of transmittance, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements. The as-prepared nanoporous Co3O4 film exhibits a noticeable electrochromism with reversible colour changes from pale yellow to dark blue and fast switching speed (3.0 and 2.6 s).

Poly(3-chlorothiophene) (PCT) was electrochemically polymerized on the surface of tungsten oxide (WO3) in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-metyllimidazolium hexafluorophosphate by a potentiodynamic method. The PCT/WO3 films were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Cyclic voltammetric experiment results showed that the electrochemical activity of the PCT/WO3 composite film was significantly improved due to the contribution of unique structure and interactions between PCT and WO3.

In this article, the Ag nanoparticles were synthesized on indium tin oxide conducting glass (ITO) substrate using the electrochemical deposition method. The morphology analysis of the deposits using scanning electron microscope (SEM) reveals that the sizes and densities of the Ag nanoparticles were tuned by varying the time of electrodeposition. The structure of the deposits was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The prepared Ag nanoparticles electrode was then applied to detect hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in 0.01 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffer medium. The present electrochemical sensing platform exhibited good electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H2O2. The detection sensitivity of the sensor was 0.237 mA mM−1. This method is very simple, inexpensive, and undemanding, thus it should be extensively applied in many fields for the detection of H2O2.

Organic/inorganic nanocomposite films based on poly(3-methoxythiophene) (PMOT) and WO 3 were prepared by a consecutive two-step electrochemical method. The products were characterized in detail by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopies (FTIR). The results show that the PMOT/WO 3 nanocomposite films consist of two layers, the substrate WO 3 with 30 nm grains and superstratum PMOT, which average grain size is 60 nm. The obtained PMOT/WO 3 nanocomposite films were also characterized by cyclic voltammetry to investigate their electrochemistry properties which display significant enhancement of electrochemical activity than that of pure PMOT and WO 3 films.

Mo-doped WO3 nanowires were fabricated by a hydrothermal method in the presence of K2SO4. The physical properties of prepared nanowires were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the obtained products are nanowires with diameters ranging between 10 and 20 nm, and lengths of about 600 nm. Its photoactivity was evaluated through the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution. Effects of the molybdenum concentration on the photoactivity of the obtained samples were investigated detailedly. The experimental results indicated that the Mo-doping enhanced the photoactivity of WO3 nanowires.

In this Article, a green chemical synthetic route was developed to synthesize Te/C nanocables by using glucose as reducing agent and carbon source, Na2TeO3 as a tellurium source, and surfactant cet...

Ag/C nanocables with cross-linked structure were obtained through the reduction of Ag + with glucose in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) under hydrothermal conditions. In the process, glucose acts as reducing agent and carbon source, and the final morphology of the product was determined by the SDS concentration. The formation process of nanocables included two evolution stages: the synthesis of the Ag nanowires with cross-linked structure by the SDS assistant; the carbonization of glucose and the formation of an amorphous carbon layer on Ag nanowires surface.

Dysprosium hydroxide and oxide nanorods were prepared directly from commercial bulk Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3} crystals by facile hydrothermal process at 130 and 210 deg. C, respectively. The as-synthesized dysprosium hydroxide and oxide nanorods were investigated by various techniques of XRD, TEM, SEM, and EDS. In the process, the temperature was found to play important roles in determining produce dysprosium hydroxide and oxide nanorods.

CoWO4 nanorods were synthesized at 453 K for 12 h by a hydrothermal technology from Na2WO4 · 2H2O and CoCl2 · 6H2O in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The as-synthesized CoWO4 nanorods were characterized by various techniques of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray detector. Luminescent properties of the samples were measured at room temperature. The results showed that CoWO4 products are nanorods with diameters of about 20 nm, and lengths ranging between 100 and 200 nm. CoWO4 nanorods display a very strong PL peak at 453 nm with the excitation wavelength 300 nm. The possible formation mechanism of CoWO4 nanorods was suggested.

WO 3 nanowires were fabricated by a hydrothermal method in the presence of K 2 SO 4 . The nanowires exhibit a well crystallized one-dimensional structure with 10 nm in diameter and several microns in length. Effects of other alkali salts (KNO 3 , NaNO 3 and Na 2 SO 4 ) on the morphologies of WO 3 nanocrystals were also investigated. The important role of K 2 SO 4 salt in the WO 3 nanowires synthesis has been demonstrated.

BiOI/Bi2MoO6 heterostructures with different amounts of BiOI were successfully prepared via a facile deposition method. The obtained BiOI/Bi2MoO6 photocatalysts exhibited much higher visible light (λ > 420 nm) induced photocatalytic activity compared with single Bi2MoO6 and BiOI photocatalysts. 20 % BiOI/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with almost all RhB decomposed within 70 min. However, excess BiOI covering on the surface of Bi2MoO6 can inversely reduce the photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be resulted from the function of the novel p–n heterojunction interface between Bi2MoO6 and BiOI, which could separate photoinduced carriers efficiently. Possible mechanisms on the basis of the relative band positions were also discussed.

Novel cadmium-doped Bi2WO6 nanoparticles with different Cd contents have been synthesized by a one-step route using ethylene glycol and water as solvents at 180 °C for 12 h. The as-synthesized samples were characterized in detailed by SEM, XRD, EDS, HRTEM, UV–Vis DRS, BET techniques, and so on. The results shown that with the increase of the Cd2+ addition, the crystal structure, lattice space, and absorption edge were not significantly changed and the calculated band gap value was 2.58 eV. However, the flower-like Bi2WO6 sphere was gradually destroyed. Simultaneously, the surface area and photocurrent responses of the catalysts were greatly increased. Photocatalytic activity of the Cd-doped Bi2WO6 samples was determined by monitoring the change of RhB concentration under simulated solar light. The results revealed that cadmium doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of Bi2WO6. The Bi2WO6 sample with R Cd = 0.05 displayed the highest photocatalytic activity, and the degradation rate is about two times greater than pure Bi2WO6. Moreover, the Cd–Bi2WO6 photocatalyst remained stable even after five consecutive cycles. A possible mechanism of photocatalytic activity enhancement on basis of the experimental results was proposed.

MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes have been prepared by an sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-assisted hydrothermal treatment method. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD patterns indicated that the sea urchin shaped MnO2 nanostructures were tetragonal phase. Furthermore, SEM and TEM revealed that MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes consisted of MnO2 nanorods 150−200 nm wide and several micrometers long. A growth mechanism of MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes was suggested and explained in detail.

A core–shell nanostructured magnetic photocatalyst Fe3O4@SiO2@Ag3PO4 with a grain size ranging from 200 to 400 nm was prepared via a facile and effective method. The as-prepared products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, high-angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of 10−5 M RhB solution under visible light irradiation with a cut-off filter (λ ≥ 420 nm). The results showed that nearly 100 % color removal efficiency was achieved in 45 min with the presence of Fe3O4@SiO2@Ag3PO4 photocatalyst. Furthermore, it can be easily recollected from the solution by magnetic separation and efficiently recycled without major loss of activity due to its superior magnetic responsibility and extremely high reusability, exhibiting highly potential applications in water purification avoiding the secondary pollution.

Novel heterostructure BiOI/BiOIO3 nanocomposites were successfully prepared through a facile deposition method at room temperature. BiOIO3 is a noncentrosymmetric compound that has an internal self-built electric field. BiOI was applied as a visible light absorber to sensitize semiconductors owing to its smallest bandgap. The coupling between BiOIO3 and BiOI can combine their advantages and improve photocatalytic properties. Compared with the single BiOI and BiOIO3, the heterostructure BiOI/BiOIO3 nanocomposites displayed a significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for the Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is deduced closely related to the formation of BiOI/BiOIO3 heterojunction interface whose presence is regarded to be a favorable factor for the transfer and separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes.

The β-Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets and nanocones are fabricated by a hydrothermal method, respectively. The products are characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The prepared β-Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets and nanocones are used as electrode materials to study the electrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) in 0.5 M NaOH solution. The electrocatalytic activities of the β-Ni(OH) 2 for reduction of H 2 O 2 are enhanced by change of the morphology from nanocones to nanosheets. This demonstrates that β-Ni(OH) 2 nanosheets are promising cathode catalysts for fuel cells with H 2 O 2 as oxidant, which may be in place of precious metal materials.

A dandelion-like Fe3O4@C@BiOCl magnetic nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized through a self-assembly solvothermal process. The as-prepared photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B under simulated solar light irradiation. It was found that the catalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance with superior stability and reusability in recycling, furthermore, it could be easily recovered by applying an external magnetic field, indicating highly potential applications to avoid secondary pollution in water treatment.

CNT@MoS2 nanotubes were prepared by a hydrothermal method. The products were characterized by HRTEM, EDX and XRD. The results demonstrated that the MoS2 layers coated on CNTs have a well-developed crystalline structure. CNTs can provide a topological and structural template for the nucleation and growth of the tubular MoS2 layers.

The Fe3O4 nanoparticles doped with cobalt ions have been successfully synthesized by the co-precipitation process. The X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the as-prepared nanoparticles. The results show that the phase structure of the nanoparticles is spinel structure of pure Fe3O4 with the particle size ranging from 40 to 50 nm. The Co-doping concentration can be controlled by changing the atomic ratio of the stock materials. The catalytic activity of the Co-doped Fe3O4 was further investigated by decomposing the phenol in liquid phase. The results show that cobalt ions doping can improve the catalytic efficiency of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in phenol degradation with catalytic reaction fitting the first-order kinetics. According to the estimated reaction rate of Co-doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles at different temperatures, the activation energy was calculated to be 45.63 kJ/mol.

In this paper, a green chemical synthetic route was developed to synthesize WO3 nanoparticles with an average size of 70 nm. The products were characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photoluminescence of the obtained WO3 nanoparticles was also investigated. The effects of the hydrothermal temperature on the crystalline phase and morphology of the products have been studied systematically. The photocatalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution. The electrocatalytic activity was characterized using voltammetric techniques. The results showed that the obtained WO3 nanoparticles have an excellent photocatalytic and electrocatalytic performance for the MB.

In this paper, Ag/C nanocables were synthesized via a one-step simple hydrothermal route by using glucose as reducing agent and carbon source, AgNO3 as silver source. The products are characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the obtained products are coaxial nanocables with lengths of several micrometers, about 200-500 nm in diameter, and a surrounding sheath about 80-100 nm in thickness. Different products including carbonaceous nanotubes and nanocables with fragmentary Ag core were obtained by adjusting time of chemical etching.

In the title complex, [CdBr2(C10H8N2)2], a crystallographic twofold rotation axis passes through the CdII ion, which is six-coordinated by four N atoms of two symmetry-related 2,2′-bipyridine ligands and two symmetry-related Br− anions.

Carbonaceous microspheres adsorbents prepared from the carbonisation process of glucose during hydrothermal treatment have been studied for Cr (VI) and phenol removal from aqueous solutions. Carbonaceous microspheres were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. It was found that there were abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of the carbonaceous microspheres. The equilibrium data of the adsorption and the effect of pH, initial concentration of pollutant and temperature of solution on the adsorption of Cr (VI) and phenol by carbonaceous microspheres were studied. The carbonaceous microspheres exhibited excellent adsorption capacity for Cr (VI) and phenol.

β-Ni(OH)2 nanoplates were prepared by hydrothermal process. The products are characterised in detail using multiform techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The results show that the products are hexagonal β-Ni(OH)2 nanoplates with the thickness of 20–40 nm and side length of 100–200 nm. Electrocatalytic property of the prepared β-Ni(OH)2 nanoplates was characterised by cyclic voltammetry (CV). CV results indicate that β-Ni(OH)2 nanoplates exhibit a remarkable electrocatalytic activity for the H2O2 reduction. Furthermore, the obtained β-Ni(OH)2 nanoplates have been employed as electrode materials for electrochemical sensing of H2O2.

Poly(3-bromothiophene) (PBrT) was electrochemically synthesised on nano-WO 3 surface in the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-metyllimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM]PF 6 ) by potentiodynamic method. The PBrT/WO 3 films were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Electrochemistry properties of the prepared PBrT/WO 3 films were characterised by cyclic voltammetry. The obtained PBrT/WO 3 nanocomposite films displayed a significant enhancement of electrochemical activity than that of pure WO 3 and PBrT films.

In the title compound, C13H28N2 2+·SO4 2−·H2O, extensive hydrogen-bonding interactions between the protonated 4,4′-(propane-1,3-diyl)dipiperidinium ions, the sulfate anions and the water molecules lead to a three-dimensional pillared and layered structure with the 4,4′-(propane-1,3-diyl)dipiperidinium ions acting as the pillars.

In the title compound, C6H14N2+·C8H4O4 2−, the protonated 1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane cations and the deprotonated terephthalate anions are alternately linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds into chains.

In the title compound, [Zn2(SO3)2(C10H8N2)2], Zn2+ and SO32− form a dinuclear unit, with an inversion center at the mid-point of the Zn⋯Zn vector. Each Zn atom has distorted octa­hedral geometry and is coordinated by four O atoms from two SO32− anions and two N atoms of the 2,2′-bipyridine ligand.

In the title compound, [Zn(C8H4O4)(C13H14N2)]n, each Zn atom is coordinated by two terephthalate and two 1,3-di-4-pyridylpropane ligands in a distorted tetra­hedral fashion. As a result, undulating layers are formed perpendicular to the b axis.