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The development of cooling textiles has a significant impact on energy saving and cost‐effectiveness in the context of global warming. Engineering textiles with cooling performance while maintaining their intrinsic traits, for example, lightweight, washable, comfort, and durability, is a great challenge in developing personal cooling garments. Here, the synthesis of nanodiamond/polydopamine/wool (ND‐PDA‐wool) nanocomposites through a facile dip‐coating approach is demonstrated. Different types of ND including detonation ND (DND), carboxylated ND (ND‐COOH) and hydroxylated ND (ND‐OH), are used, and dopamine templating is applied to achieve strong adhesion and bonding between fiber and ND. The morphology, structure, and properties of the as‐coated fabrics are characterized, and the cooling performance together with comfort are measured. Due to the excellent thermal conductivity of ND, the temperature difference between the coated fabrics and uncoated ones is around 2.4–3.9 °C within a short time span of 30 min. The coated ND‐PDA‐Wool fabrics demonstrated enhanced thermal stability and improved mechanical properties with excellent durability, and the water absorbency is greatly enhanced with well‐maintained air permeability. ND‐PDA‐wool composite fabrics offer a strategy to develop durable, lightweight, washable, and comfortable cooling textiles with immense potential in energy saving and reducing space cooling costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were deposited onto surface-hydrolysed PET film by an electrostatic self-assembly technique, so as to fabricate multilayer nanocomposite films. The self-assembly process was monitored by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the multilayer nanocomposite films were characterised by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the AgNPs were uniformly dispersed on the PET film, in the metallic silver state. The thermal stability of the multilayer nanocomposite films was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and it was found that the presence of AgNPs on the surface of PET enhanced the thermal stability of the PET film. The antibacterial performance of the multilayer nanocomposite films was investigated by staphylococcus aureus to monitor the number of the bacterial cells. The results suggested that the PET films after assembled 10-bilayer PDDA/AgNPs multilayer films exhibited good antibacterial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Polydopamine for in-situ growth of three dimensional(3D) ZnO/Ag nanocomposites. • Raman hot spots of Ag on cluster-like ZnO nanorods for target molecules detection. • Enhanced photocatalysis by inhibited recombination of electron-hole pairs. • PET/pDA/ZnO/Ag SERS substrate with excellent sensitivity and reproducibility. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy as an effective method in sensitive detection applications has attracted more and more attentions recently. In this work, polydopamine was taken to achieve the modification of PET film surface for in-situ growth of three-dimensional (3D) ZnO/Ag nanocomposites. Ag nanoparticles on cluster-like ZnO nanorods surface were applied as Raman hot spots for target molecules detection. SEM, XPS, and XRD were used to characterize the microstructures and morphologies of 3D SERS substrates. pATP molecules were selected to measure the sensitivity, uniformity, and durability, the surface-enhanced enhancement mechanism of Raman scattering was analyzed by finite difference time domain (FDDT) simulation method. Malachite green (MG) was further used as the demonstrative pesticide residue, and the catalytic activity was studied by the deoxidization of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). This work has indicated that SERS substrates exhibited the advantages of facile fabrication process, low cost, high sensitivity, good stability and excellent uniformity, which can be used for the rapid Raman enhanced spectroscopy analysis of environmental pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass‐based catalysis has drawn a gradually increased attention due to its eco‐friendliness, cost‐effective, and good reusability. In this work, a novel metal–organic framework (MOF) derived nitrogen‐doped zinc oxide carbon (ZnO/N/C) nanocomposites were synthesized on pine cone by solvothermal and carbonization method. Scanning electron microscopy, x‐ray diffractometer, and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to confirm the presence of N‐doped ZnO rod‐like nanostructures on the as‐prepared composites. The obtained ZnO/N/C nanocomposites were employed as catalytic materials for the decomposition of methylene blue (MB) dye and adsorption of formaldehyde (HCHO). The ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can degrade more than 90% of the MB solution within 90 min under visible light irradiation, besides, they can rapidly absorb and decompose HCHO. The high‐catalytic performance of ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can be attributed to the high‐superficial area of ZIF‐8, the carbonization that ensures the high conductivity and high‐slight absorption of carbon skeleton materials, and the accelerated transfer of photogenerated electrons. This simple and green preparation method has promoted the sustainable utilization of biomass resources with great significance for application of carbon‐based porous materials in catalytic field. Highlights: MOF derived ZnO/N‐doped carbon nanocomposites were successfully synthesized.Presence of N‐doped ZnO rod‐like nanostructures on carbon nanocomposites.ZnO/N/C nanocomposites could be used as a catalyst for MB photodegradation.ZnO/N/C nanocomposites can be readily absorption and decompose of HCHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic reactivity have significant potential for wastewater treatment. In this study, using sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) as a copper source, Cu atoms were incorporated into the center cavities of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets by hydrothermal-calcination combined processes. Cu atoms doping led to a narrower optic band gap and the dramatic improvement in photocurrent response as well as corresponding declines in the intensity of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Consequently, the photocatalytic property the Cu/g-C 3 N 4 was enhanced dramatically as evidenced by a 53.4% increase in the photocatalytic degradation rate of tetracycline. Superoxide ions and hydroxyl radicals were found to be the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing the degradation. The increased photocatalytic capability of Cu/g-C 3 N 4 might be attributed to the increased chance of intersystem crossing in photosensitizing process of Cu/g-C 3 N 4 as well as the lowered adsorption energy required for the adsorption of O 2 to the catalyst. Minor decline in the photocatalytic efficiency of Cu/g-C 3 N 4 was observed while the crystal structure of the Cu/g-C 3 N 4 remained stable after three cycles of tetracycline degradation. These results indicated the good stability of Cu/g-C 3 N 4 and the possibility of recycling the catalyst during the photocatalytic applications. [Display omitted] • SCC as a copper source was incorporated into the g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets by hydrothermal-calcination combined processes. • The Cu/g-C 3 N 4 samples showed good photocatalytic property in degrading tetracycline solution. • O 2 •− and •OH were found to be the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing the degradation. • A possible catalytic mechanism of Cu/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposites is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]