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Semiconductor photocatalysis has drawn much consideration from scientists in the current decade. The photocatalytic procedure is an eco-friendly process that has been recognized as a promising alternative for the removal of several hazardous pollutants. The deficiencies of current photocatalytic systems, which limit their technical applications, include low-utilization of visible radiation, fast charge recombination, and low migration capacity of the photo-induced electron-holes. In the present study, Tl4HgI6 nanostructures have been successfully fabricated through a simple precipitation route. The impact of the TlI stoichiometric ratio to HgI2, and the types of surfactants was explored in terms of the purity, structure, scale, and shape of the samples. The bandgap of nano-Tl4HgI6 was evaluated via diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to be around 2.05 eV, which is suitable for photocatalytic performance. Raman spectroscopy results corroborated the X-ray diffractometry results and revealed that the Tl4HgI6 nanoparticles were successfully fabricated. The structure, shape, and scale of the products were studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that different factors had a notable effect on the morphology and size of the products. The maximum antibacterial activity of Tl4HgI6 was determined against S. aureus, E. coli, and M. catarrhalis. These outcomes demonstrated that Tl4HgI6 displays efficient bactericidal activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. The anti-biofilm activity revealed that the best biofilm decrease was recognized at higher Tl4HgI6 concentrations (2 × the minimum inhibitory concentration). This represents the first study of the investigation of the photocatalytic activity of Tl4HgI6 nanostructures. The photocatalytic performance was studied to eliminate various dyes and with different dosages of the catalyst under UV and visible light. The results indicate that these nanoparticles can remove organic dyes with high efficiency.

The rational design of proficient and durable active materials is an important task for rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Herein, AlV3O9/SnO2 binary nanocomposites (AVS) were fabricated by a low-temperature and short-time PEG-assisted hydrothermal method combined with subsequent calcination. The as-prepapred 3D hierarchical flower-shaped AVS micro/nanosphere composites showed a more specific capacity than those of pristine AlV3O9 (AV) structures due to the coupling effect of two different energy-storage materials. Therefore, SnO2 with a preferable conductivity was equipped with facile electron transport among AlV3O9 and electrode layers. Notably, we followed the changes of the SnO2 content (5, 10, 20 wt%) to investigate the cycle stability, rate capability, and Couloumbic efficiency during the battery testing. As a positive electrode for a Li-ion battery, the cell with AVS nanocomposites including 20 wt% SnO2 was able to deliver a high specific capacity of 611.02 mA h g−1 at a current rate of 0.1C, which represented an upgrade over pristine AlV3O9 (233.05 mA h g−1). The assembled battery with AVS flower-shaped nanocomposites could be steadily cycled for 75 times at a current rate of 1C with an efficiency as high as ∼99%. Therefore, AlV3O9/SnO2 nanocomposites offer considerable promise to realize an operationally attractive Li-ion battery electrode.

Graphical abstract, Highlights • Introducing a facile sonochemical approach for the efficient preparation of new photocatalytic nanocomposites (Dy2O3-SiO2). • Remarkable effect of SiO2 on improving photocatalytic performance of Dy2O3. • Excellent photocatalytic performance of sonochemically fabricated Dy2O3-SiO2 nanocomposite in removal of organic pollutants under sunlight, for the first time. • Enhanced optical absorption and having a high specific surface area were responsible for enhanced photocatalytic performance. • Significant effect of sonication on the synthesis of high-performance binary Dy2O3-SiO2 nanophotocatalys., The present study is on the fabrication of new photocatalytic nanocomposites (Dy2O3-SiO2) employing a basic agent, tetraethylenepentamine (Tetrene), through a simple, efficient and, quick sonochemical approach. The features of the fabricated photocatalytic nanocomposite were examined employing a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic methods such as XRD, EDS, TEM, FTIR, DRS, and FESEM. The outcomes of morphological studies demonstrated that by proper tuning of sonication time and ultrasonic power (10 min and 400 W), a porous nanocomposite composed of sphere-shaped nanoparticles with a particle size in the range of 20 to 60 nm could be fabricated. The energy gap for the binary Dy2O3-SiO2 nanophotocatalyst was determined to be 3.41 eV, making these nanocomposite favorable for removing contaminants. The photocatalytic performance of the optimal nanocomposite sample was tested for photodecomposition of several contaminants including erythrosine, thymol blue, eriochrome black T, Acid Red 14, methyl orange, malachite green, and Rhodamine B. The binary Dy2O3-SiO2 nanophotocatalyst exhibited superior efficiency toward the decomposition of the studied contaminants. It was able to degrade the erythrosine pollutant more effectively (92.9%). Optimization studies for the photocatalytic decomposition of each contaminant demonstrated that the best performance could be achieved at a specific amount of contaminant and nanocatalyst. Trapping experiments illustrated that hydroxyl radicals were more effectively involved in the decomposition of contaminant molecules by Dy2O3-SiO2 nanophotocatalyst.

The deficiency of drinking water sources has become a serious crisis for the future of the world that the photocatalytic process is one of the most favorable methods for removal of artificial dyes and poisonous organic impurities. In the present study, rapid ultrasonic treatment was performed to obtain La2Sn2O7/Graphitic carbon nitrides (LSO/CN) nanocomposites with advanced photo-catalytic performance. Broccoli extract was utilized as a natural surfactant with active surface groups to control nucleation and growth of formed crystals with the creation of spatial barriers around the cations, and finally prevent nano-product agglomeration. Changing experimental parameters in synthesis reaction in turn offers a virtuous control over the nano-products size and shape. The shape and size distribution of particles was considered via diverse characterization techniques of microscopic and spectroscopic. The photocatalytic behaviors along with a kinetic study of the nanoparticles were examined by elimination and degradation of different artificial dyes under the UV waves. Effect of particle size, weight ratio of LSO:CN, type of dye, scavenger kind, dye and catalyst loading was designated on altering proficiency of nano-catalyst function. Also, the probable mechanism of removal dye by photocatalytic function was studied.

Herein, successful synthesis of pure Dy2ZnMnO6 nanoparticles as a new double perovskite was reported. The samples were prepared using various base and surfactants under ultrasound waves (30 W and 20 kHz). The effects of base type and surfactant type as effective parameters on morphology and size of products and the roles of calcination temperature and sonication as operative procedures on purity of products were investigated. According to the results tepa was chosen as favorite base to produce the smallest particles with the most homogeneity and T ≥ 900 °C was considered as desirable calcination temperature for synthesis of pure product. It seemed that high temperature of ultrasound waves can decrease the required calcination temperature, so facilitates the achievement of pure product. Moreover, photocatalytic performance of the prepared product was examined by decolorization of three dyes including Eriochrome Black T, Methyl orange and Methyl violet under UV irradiation. The most and the least percent of degradation were assigned to Methyl violet (90.44%) and Methyl orange (48.39%), respectively. Paramagnetic property of this product was considered as the other advantage for its photocatalytic performance because of it can be easily separated by magnetic field and recycles again.

Here, we offer an easy and eco-friendly sonochemical pathway to fabricate Nd2Zr2O7 nanostructures and nanocomposites with the help of Morus nigra extract as a new kind of capping agent. For the first time, the performance of Nd2Zr2O7-based ceramic nanostructure materials has been compared upon NOx abatement. Diverse kinds of techniques have been employed to specify purity and check the attributes of the fabricated Nd2Zr2O7-based nanostructurs by Morus nigra extract. Outcomes revealed the successful fabrication of Nd2Zr2O7 nanostructures and nanocomposites applying Morus nigra extract through sonochemical pathway. All nanostructured samples have been fabricated through ultrasonic probe with power of 60 W (18 KHz). Further, the fabricated Nd2Zr2O7-based ceramic nanostructure materials can be applied as potential nanocatalysts with appropriate performance for propane-SCR-NOx, since the conversion of NOx to N2 for the best sample (Nd2Zr2O7-ZrO2 nanocomposite) was 70%. In addition, in case of Nd2Zr2O7-ZrO2 nanocomposite, the outlet quantity of CO as an unfavorable and unavoidable product was lower than the rest.

In the present study, Tl4CdI6 nanostructures were synthesized via a facile sonochemical method. The effect of molar ratio of TlI to CdI2, reaction time, power of sonication, and the capping agents was investigated on morphology, size, and purity of the products. The as-prepared nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, field emission scanning, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The optical property of Tl4CdI6 nanoparticles was investigated by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), and the band gap was estimated about 2.82 eV. The photocatalytic behaviors of the nanoparticles were investigated by removal and degradation of different organic dyes under the UV irradiation. The results indicated a highest degradation for acid black 1 of 85.7% in 110 min. This sample was selected as an optimum sample for photocatalytic application.

For the first time, a simple and rapid sonochemical technique for preparing of pure Cd2SiO4 nanostructures has been developed in presence of various surfactants of SDS, CTAB and PVP. Uniform and fine Cd2SiO4 nanoparticle was synthesized using of polymeric PVP surfactant and ultrasonic irradiation. The optimized cadmium silicate nanostructures added to graphene sheets and Cd2SiO4/Graphene nanocomposite synthesized through pre-graphenization. Hydrogen storage capacity performances of Cd2SiO4 nanoparticle and Cd2SiO4/Graphene nanocomposite were compared. Obtained results represent that Cd2SiO4/Graphene nanocomposites have higher hydrogen storage capacity than Cd2SiO4 nanoparticles. Cd2SiO4/Graphene nanocomposites and Cd2SiO4 nanoparticles show hydrogen storage capacity of 3300 and 1300 mAh/g, respectively.

This paper presents a new approach to preparation of neodymium vanadate nanostructures via facile sonochemical route. Several parameters were compared to reach optimum size and uniformity of as-made samples. These factors include sonication time, sonication power, solvent and using ethylenediamine as alkaline and capping agent, for the first time. Neodymium vanadate nano-photocatalyst applied in decolouration of dye as organic contaminant. Effect of type of dye, type of irradiation source, pH and catalyst loading was described on improving efficiency of catalyst function. Numerous techniques were specified in order to determine purity, morphology and optical properties of products consist XRD, FT-IR, EDX, SEM, TEM and DRS.

Nd2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity have been obtained through simple and rapid sonochemical route in presence of putrescine as a new basic agent, for the first time. The influence of the mole ratio of Si:Nd, basic agent and ultrasonic power have been optimized to obtain the best Nd2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites on shape, size and photocatalytic activity. The produced Nd2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites have been characterized utilizing XRD, EDX, TEM, FT-IR, DRS and FESEM. Application of the as-formed Nd2O3-SiO2 nano and bulk structures as photocatalyst with photodegradation of methyl violet contaminant under ultraviolet illumination was compared. Results demonstrated that SiO2 has remarkable effect on catalytic performance of Nd2O3 photocatalyst for decomposition. By introducing of SiO2 to Nd2O3, decomposition efficiency of Nd2O3 toward methyl violet contaminant under ultraviolet illumination was increased.

The principal focus of this investigation is to prepare the SrMnO3 nanostructures by different chemical methods such as ultrasonic, co-precipitation, microwave, and hydrothermal methods. The influence of calcination temperature, and ultrasound irradiation power, and the presence of surfactant investigated on morphology and size of SrMnO3 nanostructures. As-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The results indicated that by changing in method and reaction condition, product appeared in different size, morphology, and uniformity. The morphology and size of nanostructures have been influenced on the properties of nano-SrMnO3. For investigation of properties, the SrMnO3 was used in catalytic water splitting for O2 evolution in presence of (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6. The effect of nano-catalysts and the concentration of (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 have been studied on O2 evolution reaction. Results show that the efficiency of water splitting increased by enhancement in the size and uniformity of catalysts and introduced the SrMnO3 as a new and efficient catalyst for O2 evolution reaction.

It is the first time that PbFe12O19 nanostructures were successfully synthesized by sonochemical method. The instrumental and experimental parameters were optimized to achieve the appropriate product. The results showed that Pb+2 to Fe+3 molar ratio and the type of capping agent as experimental parameters and time and power of sonication as instrumental variables can influence on the purity and particle size of products, respectively. According to the results, the synthesis process could improve to sol-gel assisted sonochemical method in presence of PEG as capping agent. In this method, pure product obtained by using the high temperature and pressure in sonication treatment and hydrolysis and condensation processes in sol-gel method, simultaneously. Concurrent presence of sonication treatment and PEG were necessary for preparation of pure hexaferrite nanostructures. Because of metal oxides nanostructures as major product and hexaferrite as minor product were produced in the absence of them. So, sol-gel assisted sonochemical method can be introduced as an effective method for preparation of hexaferrite nanostructures. Furthermore, it was found that the instrumental parameters should be optimized, because of increasing the time and power of sonication is not always favorable for preparation of ultrafine particles and small structures.

Attempts are continuing to discover novel and efficient solutions to promote water grade and industrial sewage treatment. For the first time, we present a novel Cs2HgI4 photocatalyst functional below visible radiation. Cs2HgI4 nano photocatalyst has been prepared via an accelerated sonochemical approach to examine its photocatalytic progression. Several construction circumstances, including variations of power and time of sonication and performance of different surfactant types, were conducted to produce fine particles with uniform morphology. FESEM images attested that the presence of surfactant had an adverse and destructive effect on the morphology of products. The bandgap for Cs2HgI4 nanostructures was determined to be approximately 2.3 eV, making these nanostructures desirable for photocatalytic applications. The photocatalytic data confirmed that Cs2HgI4 could destroy acidic coloring agents greater than basic ones. The highest photodegradation was observed for methyl orange with 76.8%.

In this work, highly photocatalytically active Ho2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites have been designed and applied for decomposition of methylene blue pollutant. Ho2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites have been produced by new, quick and facile sonochemical process with the aid of tetramethylethylenediamine as a novel basic agent for the first time. The effect of the kind of basic agent, ultrasonic time and dosage of Ho source on the grain size, photocatalytic behavior and shape of the Ho2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites have been evaluated for optimization the production condition. FESEM, EDX, FT-IR, DRS, XRD and TEM have been applied to characterize the as-produced Ho2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites. Use of the as-produced Ho2O3-SiO2 nanocomposites as photocatalyst via destruction of methylene blue pollutant under UV illumination has been compared. It was observed that SiO2 has notable impact on catalytic activity of holmium oxide photocatalyst for destruction. Introducing of SiO2 to holmium oxide can enhance destruction efficiency of holmium oxide to methylene blue pollutant under ultraviolet light.

The paper proposes a new approach to Schiff-base ligand assisted sonochemical synthesis of iron vanadate. In this disquisition, we tried to comparing various factors and reaction condition on morphology, size and uniformity of as-obtained samples. Some parameters including Schiff-base capping agent (Bis(acetylacetone) ethylenediamine = H2acacen), electrolyte (NH4F), solvent and reaction time were investigated to reach optimum condition. XRD, FT-IR, EDS, SEM and TEM were used in order to determine purity and structural morphology of as-synthesized products. Also, we explore the possibility of coupling vanadium pantaoxide into iron vanadate that improves optical properties and photocatalytic activity. With this in mind, FeVO4/V2O5 nanocomposite was prepared via in-situ ultrasound-assisted procedure by using NH4F in one step. Influence of different parameters such as type of dye (Rhodamine B = Rh B, Phenol red = Ph R and Methyl violet = MV) and light source (Ultraviolet and visible) on photocatalytic ability of samples were studied.

In this work, nickel sulfide (NiS2) nanostructures were successfully synthesized using a new nickel source by the simple hydrothermal method. These nanostructures were produced by reacting [Ni(pht)(H2O)2] as an organometallic precursor with various sulfur sources, including: thiourea, CS2, (NH4)2S and cysteine. The effect of type of sulfur sources on the morphology and purity of products was investigated. According to the investigations, increasing the release rate of sulfur from source increased the size of products and the by-products. The products were characterized by different analyses such as: X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that using massive precursors can be considered as an effective way for production of nanomaterials without using any capping agents. The optical properties of NiS2 nanostructures were studied by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The band gap of this product was estimated about 2.2 eV that proved this compound can be considered as a semiconductor. The obtained band gap was more than the NiS2 bulk due to the quantum effects in nanomaterials. The degradation percent of two dyes: erythrosine and phenol red dyes in the presence of this product as a photocatalyst under UV irradiation obtained about 57 and 71, respectively.

The ceramic nanocomposite of NiO-SnO2 has been known as a professional gas sensor in many fields. In this work, this nanocomposite was prepared with a simple in-situ method successfully. NiO-SnO2 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained NiO-SnO2 is crystalline with a cubic structure. The photoluminescence measurement reveals one emission peak at about 3.18 eV at room temperature. In addition, this compound shows a good performance in degradation of organic dyes in a photo-catalytically reaction.

Zinc vanadate (Zn3V2O8) nanostructures have been successfully synthesized via simple, rapid and solvent-free solid-state method by using different complex precursors of Zn and NH4VO3 as novel starting materials. Effects of various zinc (II) Schiff base complex precursors and calcination temperatures were investigated to reach optimum condition. It was found that particle size and optical property of the as-prepared products could be greatly influenced via these parameters. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Photoluminescence and ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of zinc vanadate nano and bulk structures were compared by degradation of phenol red aqueous solution.

Particle-like Co 3 O 4 –CeO 2 nanocomposite was synthesized via a facile thermal decomposition process in the presence of fructose as a green capping agent and ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate as Ce source. The effect of various parameters such as different cobalt sources, calcination temperature and time were investigated on the size and morphology of products. The transmission electron microscopy observations indicated that the synthesized products have a particle-like shape with an average diameter of 18–35 nm. For the first time, the electrochemical hydrogen storage performance of Co 3 O 4 –CeO 2 porous nanocomposite was investigated via chronopotentiometry method in aqueous KOH solution in this paper. The electrochemical measurements showed that this product has a good hydrogen storage capacity at room temperature. Its maximum discharge capacity was 5200 mAh/g after 20 cycles. Therefore, Co 3 O 4 –CeO 2 porous nanocomposite showed that it is a good candidate for electrochemical hydrogen storage.

A facile approach was developed to prepare Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 nanostructures. Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 nanostructures were prepared by applying cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate and dysprosium nitrate as Ce and Dy precursors. It was found that the kind of connecting agent, space-filling template and chelating agent were significant factors for the control in shape and size. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy (DR-UV-vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) techniques were applied to characterize the Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 nanostructures and investigate their optical characteristics. To examine the photocatalytic activity of as-produced Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 nanostructures, the photocatalytic degradation of erythrosine dye as water pollutant was carried out. The results of the photocatalytic investigations suggest as-obtained nano-sized Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 product as a new, proper and efficient candidate for photocatalytic usages under UV illumination.

The design of nanostructures with favored shape, particle size and structure is one of the most important fields of nanoscience. To reach this target hydrothermal method is one of the most applicable methods which allow us to obtain favored structures by changing some parameters. This review focuses on synthesis of some transition metal sulfides by hydrothermal method because of technological importance of this group of material. The common sulfides of Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag and Cd are introduced and a mechanism proposed for their synthesis. The effects of temperature and time reaction, surfactant, reactants concentration, metal and sulfur sources and etc. on the morphology, particle size and some properties of the products are investigated. SEM and TEM images show the morphology and size of the as-synthesized samples. Chemical composition of the samples is characterized by XRD, EDS and etc. The magnetic, optical and thermoelectric properties of the metal sulfides are investigated.

In this work, CdTiO3 nanoparticles were synthesized through reaction between Cd(CH3COO)2.2H2O, Ti(OC4H9)4, trimesic acid as a new chelating agent and ethanol as solvent by Pechini sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that CdTiO3 nanostructures have rhombohedral structure with diameter of about 35.61 nm. The structure, morphology and size of CdTiO3 nanoparticles were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM and EDAX. The optical properties of the products were studied by DRS. Based on the results of experiments, it was found that temperature and time of calcination, pH and the solvent of reaction are important parameters for formation of CdTiO3 nanoparticles. Utilizing trimesic acid (benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid) as a new chelating agent for preparation of CdTiO3 nanostructures was initiative of this work.

Thermal decomposition of organometallic and various coordination compounds are known as general method to synthesize a wide range of nanostructures including metals, metal oxides and sulfides. Herein, in order to coordinate metals and prepare suitable precursor - due to the efficient role of precursor on the particle size and morphology of products - appropriate ligands will be introduced.

A facile precipitation method with the subsequent thermal treatment has been developed for the synthesis of Zn 2 SnO 4 nanostructures in presence of tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) with long chain as a capping and basic agent. The effects of different parameters such as precursor of Zn, solvent, reaction time and temperature were studied to reach optimum size and morphology conditions. More importantly, through controlling the experimental conditions, three different morphologies of nanoparticle, nanorod and nanoplate Zn 2 SnO 4 mesoporous through one reaction were successfully obtained. In this paper, hydrogen storage capacity of Zn 2 SnO 4 nanoparticle reported for the first time. Furthermore, the mesoporous of Zn 2 SnO 4 nanoparticle showed high electrochemical hydrogen storage capacities at room temperature. After 13 cycles, the discharging capacities of the electrode still remain above 4650 mAh/g. These results indicate that the mesoporous Zn 2 SnO 4 nanoparticle may be potentially applied for electrochemical hydrogen storage.

Holmium oxide nanostructures were prepared through a facile precipitation way applying triethylenetetramine as a novel precipitant and Ho(NO 3 ) 3 ·6H 2 O as a holmium precursor. The effect of different capping agents on the size, shape and photocatalytic behavior of holmium oxide was studied. It was found that the type of capping agent has an effective role in shape, size and photocatalytic behavior control. The as-produced holmium oxide has been analyzed with applying EDX, FESEM, DR-UV–vis, TEM, XRD and FT-IR. The photocatalytic performances of as-obtained holmium oxide samples have been compared in the degradation of methyl violet pollutant under UV illumination.

In this work, nanocubes of CaSnO 3 have been prepared by a simple and green co-precipitation method. In this technique, for preparation of calcium stannate, we have used from a complex structure of calcium as a new precursor and the synthesis of CaSnO 3 have been done in water as a green solvent. Using of complexing precursors were created a congestion in reaction medium. Different conditions have been studied in synthetic approaches and optimized the effect of different parameters on the morphology of product such as precipitation agent (alkaline), pH, temperature, the rate of stirrer, surfactants and the mole ratio of surfactants for preparation product and obtain the best product in terms of quality and morphology. By using of this CaSnO 3 , two types of azo dyes (acid blue 92 and acid brown 14) have been degraded at presence of ultraviolet light from aqueous solution. Results display that the powder shows appropriate catalytic behavior for degradation of dyes (77% acid brown 14 and 67% acid black 92). Therefore these nano-cube structures have been used as photocatalysts in presence of UV light for degradation of azo dyes.

In this paper, we report a new and convenient synthetic method based on a reaction in an aqueous system, which can produce a new nanocomposite superionic system (CdHgI4/HgI2) at 70 °C for 20 min. It is the first time that these nanocomposites are synthesized. In this work, we have chosen lithium iodide, cadmium and mercury acetate as starting reagents. First, an aqueous solution of cadmium acetate, surfactant and lithium iodide is obtained. Second, an aqueous solution of mercury acetate and lithium iodide is prepared. Then obtained solution is added to the first solution. The effects of the surfactant and mole ratio of Cd:Hg have been optimized to achieve the best products on morphology and purity. When the molar ratio of Cd:Hg is 1:1, in the absence of surfactant also in the presence of CTAB and Triplex, pure aggregated nanostructures are formed. The nanocomposites are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electrical conductivity measurement carries out at frequencies of 100 Hz, 1000 Hz, 10 kHz and 100 kHz in the temperature range 70–140 °C. Results show that the best morphology and purity have been achieved in the absence of surfactant, in 1:1 ratio of precursors.

Nd2Sn2O7 (neodymium stannate) nanostructures were successfully produced through an improved Pechini process. For the first time, several organic acids as stabilization agent and capping agent, different pH control agents and propane-1,2-diol as esterification agent have been applied to produce Nd2Sn2O7 nanostructures. In this investigation, tin (IV) chloride and neodymium nitrate were chosen as tin and neodymium sources. The neodymium stannate nanostructures were analyzed by PL, TEM, FESEM, FT-IR, XRD, UV–vis and EDX. Based on the morphological investigation, it was found that the size and shape of the neodymium stannate depended on the type of pH control agent and organic acid. Additionally, the photocatalytic activity of as-produced neodymium stannate has been studied by degradation of methyl orange dye as water contaminant.

In present study, for the first time, ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized via a simple, novel, solvent and template free solid-state thermal decomposition of the mixed Zn(NO3)·6H2O and cochineal powders as a novel starting reagent at 600 °C for 3 h. The as-prepared product was analyzed by XRD, EDS, SEM, TEM, FT-IR and DRS. Besides, the effect of cochineal powder on the morphology and particle size of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. The results exhibited that cochineal powder prevents the sintering of nanoparticles and leads to formation of uniform particles. Moreover, the efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles as a photocatalyst for the decolorization of methylene orange (MO) has been evaluated and 90% degradation of MO was obtained after 120 min.

In this work we synthesize a novel and highly efficient photocatalyst for degradation of methyl orange and rhodamine B. In addition, a new method for synthesis of Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2@Ho magnetic core-shell nanoparticles with spherical morphology is proposed. The crystal structures, morphology and chemical properties of the as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques. The photocatalytic activity of Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2@Ho was investigated by degradation of methyl orange (MO) as cationic dye and rhodamine B (RhB) as anionic dye in aqueous solution under UV/vis irradiation. The results indicate that about 92.1% of RhB and 78.4% of MO were degraded after 120 and 150 min, respectively. These degradation results show that Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2@Ho nanoparticles are better photocatalyst than Fe3O4@SiO2@TiO2 for degradation of MO and RhB. As well as, the catalyst shows high recovery and stability even after several separation cycles.

Silver zinc tetraiodide/silver iodide (Ag 2 ZnI 4 /AgI) nanocomposites are produced through a new simple hydrothermal approach. It is found that Ag + molar ratio to Zn + 2 , time and temperature of reaction play significant roles in controlling the purity, shape and grain size of products. The techniques of FESEM, EDX, XRD, TEM and DR-UV–vis are utilized to characterize the as-obtained products and investigate their optical characteristics. Application of the as-obtained Ag 2 ZnI 4 /AgI nanocomposites as photocatalyst via photodegradation of methyl orange pollutant under UV illumination was also evaluated.

The present work focused on the synthesis and characterization of TlCdI 3 nanostructures through a new mechanical mixture of the reactants method for the first time. In this work, thallium nitrate, cadmium nitrate and lithium iodide were chosen as starting reagents. The preparation of CdI 2 and TlI for synthesis of TlCdI 3 were performed at ambient condition. The morphology, phase structure, and phase purity of TlCdI 3 can be controlled by the TlI:CdI 2 ratio and also adjusting type of surfactant. In our experimental conditions, the ideal ratios between TlI:CdI 2 was 1:1, Also the ideal surfactant was SDS. The nanostructures were characterized by using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS and FT-IR. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized products has been compared in the photodegradation activity of methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB).

Different types of cobalt vanadate nanostructures such as Co3V2O8, Co2V2O7 and CoV2O6 have been successfully prepared via a simple solid-state method. For the first time, cobalt vanadate nanostructures were synthesized via Schiff-base ligand and vanadyl sulfate as a capping agent and vanadium source, respectively. The effect of a Schiff-base ligand (N,N-Bis (salicylaldehyde) ethylenediamine = H2salen) as a capping agent, molar ratio of Co: H2salen and Co:V on type of products, morphology and size of cobalt vanadate nanoparticles was investigated to reach optimum condition. The as-prepared nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmittance electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. This work is the first study on photocatalytic activity of cobalt vanadate nanostructures in different conditions. The influence of different parameters such as type of cobalt vanadate nanostructures, type of dye, size of particles and nanostructures dosage as a catalyst on photocatalytic activity of samples were studied.

In this work, cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles were synthesized from a new Cd-octanoate complex via a simple thermal decompose method. The crystallinity of the product was obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. The morphology and product size were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the CdS surface purity. Finally, the optical properties of the product were obtained from photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy.

A novel approach of preparing nanostructured Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 was developed utilizing the simple salt-assistant combustion way. For the first time, NaCl as dispersant as well as the mixtures of succinic acid and various amino acids as fuel and capping agent have been employed to produce nanostructured Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 . In this study, dysprosium nitrate and cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate were chosen as precursors. The grain size and morphology of Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 may be controlled by alteration of the kind of amino acid. The formation of as-synthesized nanocrystalline Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 and its elemental composition, shape, structure and optical characteristics are analyzed utilizing UV–vis, FESEM, FT-IR, XRD, TEM and EDS. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of as-produced nanocrystalline Dy 2 Ce 2 O 7 was examined by degradation of eosin Y dye as water contaminant under ultraviolet light illumination.

In this work, copper zinc tetraiodide/zinc oxide (Cu2ZnI4/ZnO) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by simple solid-state method. The effect of various parameters such as Cu+/Zn+ 2 molar ratio, time and temperature of reaction on morphology, size and purity of products was investigated. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning and transmittance electron microscopy (FESEM, TEM), and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Application of Cu2ZnI4/ZnO nanocomposite as photocatalyst was confirmed by the band gap estimated through UV–vis spectroscopy. To investigate the photocatalytic properties of this product, photooxidation of methyl orange (MO) was performed. The photocatalytic test shows that the methyl orange degradation was about 54.2% under UV irradiation for 90 min.

In this work, ZnTiO3 ceramics have been synthesized from the reaction of zinc acetate (Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O), tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(OC4H9)4) as precursors and ethanol as the solvent, in the presence benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid as a novel chelating agent by sol-gel method. The effect of various parameters such as reaction temperature, pH effect, effect of molar ratio of benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid to tetrabutyl titanate on morphology, size and purity of products was investigated. The as-prepared products were characterized by various analyses such as: X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmittance electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV-vis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) technique. The photocatalytic degradation was investigated using methyl orange (MO) under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Application of this product as photocatalyst was investigated through degradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV irradiation and percentage of degradation obtained about 70% after 60 min.

CoSe nanostructures are synthesized by hydrothermal route in the presence of reductant, without using surfactant. In this work, we use from SeCl 4 as a new selenium source. By varying the type of metal salt and reductant, reaction time and temperature, the method permits us to synthesize products with different morphologies. SEM and TEM images show the morphology and size of the as-synthesized samples. Chemical composition of the samples is characterized by XRD and EDS. Magnetization measurement shows paramagnetic behavior for CoSe nanostructures.

Rod-likestrontium tungstate nanostructures have been successfully prepared via the co-precipitation process by using Sr(Sal)2 (Sal = salicylidene) and sodium tungstate dehydrate (Na2WO4·2H2O) as starting materials. The as-prepared rod-like nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra, Energy Dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX), Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The effect of parameters such as temperature, solvent and surfactant were considered to obtain the best condition. Moreover, adsorption of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye on strontium tungstate nanostructures was investigated and the uptake% was determined to be > 80% in 240 min.

The NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites with different morphologies were synthesized via a facile salt-assisted combustion procedure based on the reaction between tin (IV) chloride and neodymium nitrate, in presence of the mixtures of citric acid and different amino acids as fuel and capping agent as well as sodium chloride as dispersing agent. This research is the first successful attempt for the synthesis of NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites by utilizing sodium chloride via a simple salt-assisted combustion way in presence of the mixtures of citric acid and different amino acids as fuel and capping agent. The as-obtained NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites were characterized by UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). Based on the morphological studies of the as-obtained products, it was found that the shape and grain size of the NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites depended on the Sn precursor and amino acid sort. NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites with various grain sizes and shapes were successfully produced. In addition, the photocatalytic behavior of as-obtained NdOCl-Nd 2 Sn 2 O 7 -SnO 2 nanocomposites was evaluated by photodegradation of erythrosine dye as water pollutant.

For the first time, we reported the facile synthesis of semiconducting thallium oxide nanoparticles using thallium (III) acetate as the starting reagent through the microwave and co-precipitation methods. Results showed that the microwave power, irradiation time and pH value plays an essential role in the control of final products size distribution. According to our knowledge, it is first time that ethylenediamine was used as pH controller agent in synthesis of Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles. Based on the current research, microwave method provided a simple and rapid method for the synthesis of Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles than to co-precipitation method, because of its homogeneous and fast-heating characteristics. As application for Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles, the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange with maximum decolorization of 74.2% under UV light irradiation based on Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles was obtained. Also, a pencil graphite electrode was decorated using Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles and MWCNT to provide an electrochemical devise for Cu + 2 ions sensing. This modified electrode showed agreeable responses to trace amounts of Cu + 2 in phosphate buffer solutions which the limit of detection was found to be 4.63 nmol L − 1 for Cu + 2 .

Cobalt selenide (CoSe) nanostructures are produced via hydrothermal route from the reaction of cobalt salt and SeCl4 as precursors, in the presence of surfactant (CTAB, PVA, SDS) and reductant (N2H4.H2O). It is found that the temperature reaction, type of cobalt salt and surfactant play important roles in controlling the composition, structure, morphology and particle size of products. The experimental techniques of XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX and VSM are used to characterize the products and study their magnetic properties.

The synthesis and characterization of novel high-quality and high-yield plate-like thallium(I) thiosulfate nanostructures via simple hydrothermal method between TlNO 3 and sodium thiosulfate at relatively low temperature is reported without using any surfactant and organic solvents for the first time. The as-synthesized nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra. The effect of temperature and reaction time on the morphology and particle sizes Tl 2 S 2 O 3 nanostructures has been investigated. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized products has been compared in the photodegradation activity of three anionic dyes. This effort has offered a general, simple, and effective method to control the composition and morphology of Tl 2 S 2 O 3 nanostructures in aqueous solution, which exposed potential new insight into nanostructure synthesis methodology.

In this paper, we report a facile hydrothermal route to prepare different morphologies of zinc sulfide nanostructures, using a new inorganic precursor, zinc phthalate [Zn(pht)(H2O)]n, and different sulfur sources. This study focuses on the effect of different sulfur sources on the crystal structure and morphology of the products. The structural and morphological studies of the products were performed by using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. The high temperature (over 1020 °C) hexagonal ZnS nanostructured spheres self-assembled from ZnS nanocrystals have been synthesized at a low temperature of 160 °C by using thioglycolic acid as sulfur source.

A facile sonochemical-assisted process has been developed for the morphology-controlled preparation of nanostructured zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) by using zirconyl nitrate and ethylenediamine for the first time. Effects of concentration of ethylenediamine and several solvents were studied to reach optimum condition. It was found that these parameters play important roles in controlling the morphology and particle size of the final products. The structural and morphological properties of the as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDS) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Moreover, the optical properties of as-synthesized ZrO 2 were examined by Ultraviolet visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalytic behavior of as-synthesized ZrO 2 was also examined by degradation of eriochrome black T dye as a model of water contaminant.

In this experimental work, cerium molybdate nanostructures were synthesized successfully via a simple solvothermal method. The effects of different parameters were investigated on the product size and morphology. The products were characterized via different analysis such as X-ray diffraction pattern, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fourier transform infrared. The photocatalytic activity of the product was studied in presence of three dyes and the results showed that cerium molybdate has high photocatalytic activity in both UV and visible spectra.

Scheelite-type calcium tungstate (CaWO4) nanostructures have been successfully synthesized via the co-precipitation process by using Ca(Sal)2 (Sal = salicylidene) and sodium tungstate dehydrate (Na2WO4·2H2O) as starting materials. The as-synthesized nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Influence of parameters such as temperature, solvent and surfactant were investigated to attain the best condition. This research has offered a general, easy, and efficient approach to control the composition and morphology of scheelite-type calcium tungstate nanostructures in aqueous solution. Moreover, adsorption of Rhodamine B dye on calcium tungstate nanostructures was investigated and the uptake% was determined to be >90 % in 240 min.