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[Display omitted] • NiVCuO/C 60 nanocomposites synthesized for the first time by solution method. • Recent advances in properties modified with fullerene were discussed. • Excellent photocatalytic application modified with fullerene. • Tuning the band gap and surface of the NiO catalyst. • Degradation of dyes (MB, RhB, SO, and CR) dye more efficiently. NiO act as an efficient photocatalyst, and an appropriate design is necessary to support simultaneous highest photon absorption and lower charge carrier recombination. In this study, V/Cu were co-doped in NiO nanoparticles and then coupled with fullerene (C 60). X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy are used to investigate the structural variations. Further characterization tools were used to disclose the origin of surface imperfections inside the nanostructures, including Raman, UV, and PL spectroscopy. XPS was employed to examine the chemical composition of Ni, Cu, V, and C. EDX confirmed the elements in NiVCuO/C 60 composition. These imperfections decrease the charge carrier recombination and improve photocatalytic degradation (∼99.8%) of RhB dye, with a rate constant ∼0.042 min−1 under sunlight exposure. In addition, NiCuVO/C 60 has degradation efficiency of 99.5, 98.6, and 75% towards SO, MB, and CR dyes, respectively. The fabricated NiVCuO/C 60 nanocomposite achieved the high degradation required for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Direct dual Z-scheme Sm 2 O 3 -WO 3 -La 2 O 3 heterostructured nanocomposite successfully prepared via co-precipitation approach. • Boosted photocatalytic activity of Sm 2 O 3 -WO 3 -La 2 O 3 towards different dyes pollutant. • Mechanistic insight confirmed the better electron-transfer/separation by direct dual Z-scheme. • Superior super-capacitive and antibacterial behaviour of nanocomposite. • Efficient material for energy storage, water purification, and biomedical applications. In this study, heterostructured dual Z-scheme Sm 2 O 3 -WO 3 -La 2 O 3 nanocomposite (NC) and bare Sm 2 O 3 , WO 3 , and La 2 O 3 nanostructured (NSs) were prepared using a co-precipitation approach. The comparative electrochemical, photocatalytic, and antimicrobial properties of NC and NSs were studied. The XRD spectrum exhibits the formation of bare NSs and NC having cubic-Sm 2 O 3 , monoclinic-WO 3 , and hexagonal-La 2 O 3 phases. FESEM results showed mesoporous morphology of NC. The higher electrical conductivity 261.33 mho-cm−1 and lower optical energy bandgap 2.55 eV were obtained for NC. The photodegradation tests exhibited that NC photocatalyst has degraded 99% (methylene blue), 96% (Methyl orange), 99% (safranin-O), 48% (p-nitroaniline), and 98% (methyl red) dyes pollutants in 40 min sunlight radiation and showed strong inhibition activity against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, P. Vulgaris , and P. aeruginosa bacterial strains with zones of inhibition (ZOI) 31 mm, 30 mm, 30 mm, 28 mm, and 31 mm, respectively. Electrochemical studies revealed the excellent capacitive characteristics of NC with a specific capacitance 532F/g at a scan rate 5 mV/s, energy density 48.0278 W h Kg−1, and power density 0.3782 KW Kg−1 at 0.006 A/cm2 current density. Furthermore, the present study revealed a novel composition for environmental remediation and energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based materials are mostly used in supercapacitor due to control porosity, higher surface area, and easy processing for electrode production. However, it is still challenging to fabricate carbon/metal oxide-based nanocomposite electrodes with various structures and configurations for supercapacitors, particularly for miniaturized electronics. Here, in the present study, CeO2–Nd2O3/rGO ternary nanocomposite was synthesized by facial co-precipitation route, which evident enhanced capacitive performance than CeO2–Nd2O3 binary composite, bare CeO2, and Nd2O3. The rGO was homogeneously anchored on the surface of CeO2–Nd2O3 nanoparticles, forming a semi-spherical morphology. The electrochemical performance of all electrodes was investigated by different measurements. The ternary composite have a higher specific capacitance of 1265 F g−1 at 3 A g−1 current density and maintained 99% retention after 2000th cycles, showing excellent cycling performance and rate capability compared to other grown products. The excellent electrochemical pseudocapacitive performance of the ternary composite-based electrode could be ascribed due to rGO and its interfacial contact with CeO2–Nd2O3. The improved electrode conductivity generates plentiful active sites for charging and discharging and provides an easy path for the fast transportation of ions. These results open an innovative pathway for fabricating rGO and metal oxide-based composite in developing electrochemical energy storage devices for commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, pristine anatase titanium oxide (TiO2), vanadium oxide (V2O5), and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanopowders (NPs), and tri-phase TiO2–Y2O3–V2O5 nanocomposite (NC) were prepared via a simple co-precipitation method. The grown products were characterized by employing a range of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The XRD diffraction pattern confirmed the formation of NC having TiO2 tetragonal, Y2O3 cubic, and V2O5 orthorhombic phases. FTIR spectra evident the presence of metal–oxygen bond in NPs and NC. The energy bandgap (2.55 eV) of NC is found in the range of visible region specified its use as an efficient photocatalyst under sunlight illumination. EDX analysis confirmed the existence of Ti, Y, and V in the nanocomposite. The antibacterial studies against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Proteus vulgaris bacteria by varying concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40 mg ml−1) showed that the NC has higher antibacterial activity than individual oxides. The photocatalytic activity exhibited that NC has the highest degradation efficiency 99.29%, 90.69%, and 99.83% against methylene blue (MB), safranin-O (SO), and methyl orange (MO) dyes as compared to pristine TiO2, V2O5, and Y2O3 NPs under 80 min direct sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the grown NC is a good candidate for treating organic pollutants and bacteria inactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Direct dual Z-scheme ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 , PANI-ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 , and rGO-ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 (NCR) heterostructure nanocomposites were fabricated via co-precipitation and ultra-sonication routes. • Good reusability, substantial stability, and high photodegradation efficiency for MB, MR, and P-Nitro dyes under sunlight, by rGO anchored photocatalyst. • The higher antibacterial performance of rGO-ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 against E. coli , S. aureus , and P. vulgaris bacterial strains. • The charge carrier separation and transmission were synergistically boosted by Z-scheme and rGO sheet. In this work, a direct dual Z-scheme ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 (NC), polyaniline PANI-ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 (NCP), and reduced graphene oxide rGO-ZnO-Ho 2 O 3 -Sm 2 O 3 (NCR) heterostructure nanocomposites were fabricated successfully. The XRD diffractograms confirmed that ZnO has hexagonal, while Ho 2 O 3 , and Sm 2 O 3 have cubic phases in all grown composites. FTIR data exhibited the existence of the PANI, rGO, and metal–oxygen vibration. Raman spectra revealed the presence of optical phonon modes of individual oxides in nanocomposites. PL results disclose the lower charge carrier recombination rate in NCR. SEM images confirmed the anchoring of roughly spherical nanoparticles of NC with PANI and rGO. The UV–Vis analysis showed that the optical energy bandgap was 2.95 eV, 2.88 eV, and 2.81 eV for NC, NCP, and NCR, respectively. The EIS results exhibited a lower charge transfer resistance of NCR than others. The photocatalytic performance against MB, MR, and P-Nitro dyes under sunlight exhibited NCR > NCP > NC efficiency for all dyes in 60 min. The recyclability tests have confirmed the reusability upto six cycles. The antibacterial activity against E. coli , S. aureus , and P. Vulgaris bacteria displayed a higher activity for NCR. The boosted photocatalytic and antibacterial performance of NCR have ascribed the existence of Z-scheme supported with rGO, promote electron/hole separation and hinder the charge carrier's recombination. The results clearly demonstrate that the as-grown nanocomposites can be used as an effective material for bacterial disinfection and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal oxide nanoparticles and their composites with conducting polymers, specifically Polyaniline (PANI) were utilized for fabricating nanoscale supercapacitor (SC) electrode materials. In the present study, we have synthesized pristine Pr 2 O 3 , NiO, Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles, binary PANI-Pr 2 O 3 , PANI-NiO, PANI-Co 3 O 4 , ternary Pr 2 O 3 –NiO–Co 3 O 4 , and quaternary PANI-Pr 2 O 3 –NiO–Co 3 O 4 spherical core-shell nanocomposite using co-precipitation and ultra-sonication methods. The grown samples were characterized with different analytical techniques. The XRD pattern revealed that the as-synthesized products were crystalline with Pr 2 O 3 hexagonal phase, NiO cubic phase, and Co 3 O 4 cubic phase in pure and nanocomposites. The Williamson-Hall, Scherrer, and size-strain plot methods were employed to study the crystalline development and contribution of micro-strain. FTIR pattern exhibited the metal-oxygen and PANI bond vibrations. FE-SEM images shown the spherical core-shell shape morphology of quaternary nanocomposite. EDX evident the presence of praseodymium, cobalt, and nickel in synthesized samples. UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed the absorption in the visible region. The IV graphs showed a higher conductivity of quaternary nanocomposite. The cyclic voltammetry results revealed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a higher specific capacitance 500 Fg-1 as compared to binary nanocomposites 134 F g−1 (PANI-Pr 2 O 3), 143 F g−1 (PANI-Co 3 O 4), 256 F g−1 (PANI-NiO), and PANI (90.8 F g−1) at a scan rate of 5 m Vs−1. The GCD results also showed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a higher specific capacitance of 905 F g−1 at current density 1 A g−1 with maximum energy density and power density of 87.99 kWhkg-1 and 2.6 k W kg−1 , respectively. The EIS curve also confirmed that the quaternary nanocomposite has a lower polarization resistance (R p) and solution resistance (R s). The higher capacitance of quaternary nanocomposite can facilitate ion transfer, and the formation of its core-shell structure flourish to enhance surface-dependent electrochemical properties. Furthermore, this study gives a novel research idea to manufacture electrode materials for supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, environmental pollution due to discharge of organic pollutants from food, textile, and pharmaceutical industries into clean water and development of contagious diseases due to pathogenic organisms provide impetus to material researcher to fabricate novel design for efficient photocatalyst and antimicrobial agents. In this regard, designing a core-shell heterojunction catalyst based on metal oxides is considered an auspicious approach. In present study, combating the problems of singular oxides, core-shell PANI-CeO 2 -Fe 2 O 3 –NiO nanocomposite (PCFN) and CeO 2 –Fe 2 O 3 –NiO nanocomposite (CFN) was synthesized through sol-gel and oxidative polymerization route with cetyletrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The XRD, FTIR, and Raman confirmed the formation of nanocomposites with core-shell morphology composed of PANI (shell) and oxides (Core) in PCFN with a particle size of 52 nm (TEM). Surprisingly, PCFN has lower band gap, e−/h+ recombination, and larger charge transfer character than CFN. The decomposition test using MB and MO dyes showed that PCFN degraded 99%, 98%, while CFN degraded only 73% and 54%, respectively, under 50 min sunlight illumination. The reusability was assessed up to 7th cycle for PCFN. The influence of operational parameters (catalyst dose, dye concentration, pH) was tested for PCFN. Further, the antimicrobial action against S. aureus (gram + ve), E. coli (gram -ve) were also tested. The supreme performance of PCFN has been credited to heterostructure dual Z-scheme formation and core-shell morphology supported with PANI, which suppresses the e−/h+ recombination process by promoting their separation. The present finding indicated that the PCFN is a promising modifier for bacterial disinfection and acts as a superb photocatalyst through core-shell formation with PANI support. • Synthesis of core-shell PANI-CeO 2 -Fe 2 O 3 –NiO nanocomposite via solution method. • Enhanced photodegradation of MB and MO dyes under natural sunlight. • The higher ability to inhibit the growth of S. aureus and E. coli bacterial strains. • Dual Z-scheme heterostructure formation leads to better charge transfer. • Efficient catalyst for dye pollutant elimination and bacterial disinfection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, core double-shell direct dual Z-scheme ZnO–Ce 2 S 3 –MnO 2 nanocomposite was synthesized via a hydrothermal route along with pure ZnO, Ce 2 S 3 , MnO 2 , and characterized by numerous characterization tools for application in synthetic dyes degradation. The XRD, Raman, and FTIR analyses have confirmed the nanocomposite formation. TEM images exhibited the core double-shell morphology with an average particle diameter of 81 nm and stacking of ZnO, Ce 2 S 3 , and MnO 2. EDX confirmed the existence of desired elements in the grown composition. The varied oxidation states, presence of defects, and fast charge transfer were also revealed from XPS, PL, and EIS. The ZnO–Ce 2 S 3 –MnO 2 nanocomposite has an optical energy bandgap of 2.84 eV, capable of decomposing harmful dyes with excellent efficiency, 99.81% MB, 97.62% MO, 88.5% MR, and 58.9% EY in 40 min sunlight exposure. The effect of several operating parameters is also observed and obtained results showed the optimal catalyst dose was 20 mg, pH of 8, and dye concentration of 10 ppm. The scavenger's experiment suggests that •O 2 − and •OH are the main active radicals in the photodegradation reaction which is also evident in the dual Z-scheme formation. The MnO 2 and ZnO layers covered the Ce 2 S 3 (core) and dual Z-scheme formation allows rapid kinetics of redox reaction and provides plenteous channels for transfer of photo-generated charge carriers during photocatalysis. Thus, core double-shell direct dual Z-scheme photocatalysts having inorganic components could be an excellent choice for photocatalysis at the industrial level, particularly for water purification. [Display omitted] • Novel core-double-shell Dual Z-scheme photocatalyst ZnO–Ce 2 S 3 –MnO 2 was synthesized. • The effect of catalyst dose, pH, dye concentration, and reusability was studied. • Dual-phase Z-scheme boosted redox reaction kinetics with better charge transfer/separation. • •O 2 − and •OH dominated MB, MO, MR, and EY degradation under sunlight. • Durable and efficient photocatalyst designed for practical water purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Direct dual Z-scheme TiO-WO 3 -CeO 2 heterostructured nanocomposite successfully synthesized by co-precipitation route. • The nanocomposite TiO-WO 3 -CeO 2 showed boosted photocatalytic activity towards different pollutants. • Systematic investigations confirmed the superior charge separation by direct dual Z-scheme. • Enhanced antibacterial activity of nanocomposite against various pathogenic bacterial strain. • The higher super-capacitive behaviour of nanocomposite. [Display omitted] Direct dual Z-scheme heterostructured nanocomposite TiO 2 -WO 3 -CeO 2 (NC) and pristine metal oxides nanostructures (NSs) were fabricated using a facile co-precipitation route. XRD, FTIR, and Raman data have confirmed the formation of NSs and NC. FESEM images showed quasi-mesoporous morphology of as-grown nanocomposite. EDX analysis confirmed the existence of titanium (Ti), cerium (Ce), and tungsten (W) in grown NC. The energy bandgap of NC was narrow 2.45 eV as compared to NSs. The higher electrical conductivity and lower recombination rate of NC were observed in IV and PL analysis. The photodegradation efficiency of NC was recorded 99.8% after 60 min under sunlight radiation against methylene blue (MB), which was significantly higher than NSs. NC catalyst has shown excellent photodegradation against other organic pollutants and has superior recyclability up to 7th cycle toward MB dye with a ~ 6% deficit in photodegradation efficiency. The antimicrobial activity results indicated the higher inhibition ability of NC against E. coli , K. pneumoniae , S. aureus , P. Vulgaris , and P. aeruginosa with maximum inhibition zone diameter 25, 29, 26, 28, and 27 mm, respectively. The electrochemical tests including CV, EIS, and GCD exhibited the superior capacitive behaviour of NC. These results demonstrate that grown NC is an efficient material for electrochemical devices, water purification, and biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tin oxide coated molybdenum oxide nanowires (SnO2/MoO3) are synthesized by a combination of hydrothermal and wet chemical routes. The electrochemical capacitance properties of the SnO2/MoO3 core shell composite nanowires are measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge method in 1M Na2SO4 aqueous solutions. The results showed that specific capacitance of SnO2/MoO3 core shell composite nanowires is 295Fg−1, which is much higher than the specific capacitance of pure individual MoO3 (69Fg−1) and SnO2 (96.6Fg−1). Moreover the synthesized core shell composite nanowires has also exhibited excellent long-term cycling stability (only 3% loss of its initial specific capacitance after 1000 cycles) which may lead to its multifarious usage in high-performance energy storage devices for future potential applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this work, tri-phase direct dual S-scheme ZnO–V 2 O 5 –WO 3 heterostructured nanocomposite and pure ZnO, V 2 O 5 , and WO 3 nanoparticles were synthesized by using a facile co-precipitation approach to investigate antibacterial and photocatalytic characteristics of the grown nanocomposite. The physical properties of as-synthesized products were examined by employing characterization techniques such as Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–vis spectroscopy. The XRD results confirmed the formation of pristine ZnO, V 2 O 5 , WO 3 nanoparticles and the existence of diffraction peaks related to hexagonal phase ZnO, orthorhombic V 2 O 5 , and monoclinic phase of WO 3 in ZnO–V 2 O 5 –WO 3 nanocomposite. The variation in structural parameters was studied by SSP, Scherrer plot, and W–H models. The energy bandgap of nanocomposite (2.63 eV) was calculated from UV–vis spectroscopy, which indicated the usability as a photocatalyst under direct sunlight. FTIR and Raman's spectra also supported the formation of the ZnO–V 2 O 5 –WO 3 nanocomposite. Spherical and roughly hexagonal morphology were seen in SEM images. EDX analysis has confirmed the existence of Zn, V, W, and O in the nanocomposite. The antibacterial test against Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus , Proteus Vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria showed higher activity. The photocatalytic performance of the ZnO–V 2 O 5 –WO 3 nanocomposite (99.8%) was the highest against methylene blue (MB) as compared to pure ZnO (78.8%), V 2 O 5 (85.8%), and WO 3 (80.0%) under natural sunlight. The degradation efficiency of ZnO–V 2 O 5 –WO 3 against cresol red (CR), rhodamine-B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), safranin-O (SO), and methyl red (MR) dyes was 67.0%, 86.6%, 98.0%, 76.8%, and 99.0%, respectively, under direct sunlight in 80 min. Different schematic models are designed to illustrate the photocatalytic reaction mechanism, whereas the separation of charge carriers and enhanced photocatalytic performance can be efficiently explained by S-scheme. [Display omitted] • Facile synthesis of tri-phase direct dual S-scheme ZnO–V 2 O 5 -WO 3 heterostructured NC and pure ZnO, V 2 O 5 , and WO 3 NPs. • SEM, EDX, XRD, Raman, FTIR, and UV–vis was carried out. • The photocatalytic performance was tested against MB, CR, RhB, MO, SO, and MR dyes. • S-scheme is more efficient than other schemes for enhancing photocatalytic activity. • The antibacterial test against different bacteria strain was performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel excellent antibacterial agent and efficient photocatalyst direct dual Z-scheme ZnO–CeO 2 -Yb 2 O 3 heterostructured nanocomposite and pristine ZnO, CeO 2 , and Yb 2 O 3 were prepared via a simple co-precipitation technique. The X-ray diffraction spectra confirmed the formation of pristine ZnO, CeO 2 , and Yb 2 O 3 , and the existence of their peaks ZnO (hexagonal), CeO 2 (cubic), and Yb 2 O 3 (cubic) in the nanocomposite. The Scherrer, Williamson-Hall, and Size-Strain plot models were used to measure the microstructural parameters. The UV–vis spectroscopy revealed the energy bandgap 3.0 eV, evident that the grown nanocomposite is a good photocatalyst under sunlight. The formation of the ZnO–CeO 2 -Yb 2 O 3 nanocomposite is further confirmed by Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Current-Voltage (IV) measurements shown the ohmic nature of nanocomposite with high electrical behavior. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed a cluster type morphology. The antibacterial activity was carried out for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The zone of inhibition (ZOI) showed higher antibacterial activity for E. coli bacteria. The nanocomposite showed the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency against methylene blue as compared to rhodamine-B, methyl orange, cresol red, and safranin-O dyes under 40 min of sunlight illumination. The impact of various parameters on the photocatalytic activity of nanocomposite, including catalyst amount, dye concentration, and solution pH, was also investigated. The scavenger's experiments were performed to ascertain the reactive species and confirmed the mechanism based on Z-scheme. The recyclability test exhibits that the as-obtained nanocomposite has high stability and can be reusable for the 6th cycles. Image 1 • Novel excellent antibacterial agent and efficient photocatalyst direct dual Z-scheme ZnO–CeO 2 -Yb 2 O 3 heterostructured nanocomposite. • The antibacterial activity was carried out for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. • The mechanism of enhanced antibacterial activity was also proposed. • The photocatalytic test was carried out against MB, MO, CR, RhB, and SF dyes under sunlight illumination. • The recyclability test exhibits that the as-obtained nanocomposite has high stability and can be reusable for 6th cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel direct dual Z-scheme ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO heterostructured nanocomposite along with simple ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 nanocomposite was prepared by co-precipitation route. The X-ray diffraction pattern exhibited the diffraction peaks associated with ZnO (hexagonal), Er 2 O 3 (cubic), and Nd 2 O 3 (hexagonal) in both nanocomposites. The FTIR spectra further confirmed the formation of nanocomposites. The energy bandgap of simple and rGO decorated nanocomposites were 3.1 and 2.82 eV. The antibacterial characteristics of grown samples showed that the rGO anchored nanocomposite has higher antibacterial activity as compared to simple nanocomposite. The ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite exhibited higher photodegradation (97.0%) against methylene blue (MB) than simple nanocomposite (86.0%). The effectiveness of grown ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite as photocatalyst was also tested for degradation of other dyes such as RhB, MO, CR, and SO. The effect of operating parameters was investigated for ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite. A possible conventional heterojunction and Z-scheme for the degradation using ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite has been designed to elucidate the photocatalytic mechanism. • ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 and ZnO-Er 2 O 3 -Nd 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposites successfully prepared. • The photocatalytic application was studied using MB, RhB, MO, CR and SO dyes. • The effect of operating parameters for the degradation of SO dye investigated. • The antibacterial activity against different bacterial strains was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, novel sunlight driven photocatalyst direct dual Z-scheme ZnO-Sm 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 @rGO heterostructured nanocomposite was synthesized through co-precipitation technique. The obtained products were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, I–V, and UV–vis to investigate structural, morphological, electrical, and optical properties. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO-Sm 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite against MB dye is approximately 98.5% at 75 min under sunlight irradiation, which is higher than simple ZnO-Sm 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 nanocomposite 78.0%. The enhanced photocatalytic properties are attributed to the presence of Z-scheme and the use of rGO, which acts as electrons/interfacial mediators and reduced electron/hole pair recombination. Furthermore, the photocatalytic experiments were also performed by varying conditions using ZnO-Sm 2 O 3 –Y 2 O 3 @rGO nanocomposite. The trapping experiments and reusability test was also carried out. Image 1 • Sunlight driven photocatalyst direct dual Z-scheme ZnO-Sm 2 O 3 -Y 2 O 3 @rGO heterostructured nanocomposite. • Structural, morphological, electrical, and optical studies of grown nanocomposite. • Detail study of photocatalytic activity. • The different possible schemes were designed to elaborate the photocatalytic mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binary NiO-Fe2O3, NiO-CdO nanocomposites, and ternary NiO-Fe2O3-CdO nanocomposite are synthesized using facile co-precipitation method, and their photocatalytic and antibacterial properties are studied. The as-obtained products are characterized using different analytical techniques. The microstructural parameters were calculated using X-ray diffraction data. UV–vis spectra technique was used to calculate the bandgap and listed 3.1, 2.7, and 2.5 eV for NiO-Fe2O3, NiO-CdO, and NiO-Fe2O3-CdO nanocomposite, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of as-obtained products was tested under visible light against methylene blue (MB) dye. The NiO-Fe2O3-CdO nanocomposite has shown higher degradation efficiency as compared to binary nanocomposites and revealed improve electron–hole separation efficiency. The photocatalytic performance of NiO-Fe2O3-CdO nanocomposite was also tested for other synthetic dyes such as rhodamine-B (RhB), methyl orange (MO), and cresol red (CR). The antibacterial performance of grown products was tested against E. coli bacteria. The ternary NiO-Fe2O3-CdO nanocomposite has shown higher antibacterial activity than binary NiO-Fe2O3 and NiO-CdO nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid materials based on polyaniline derivative and metal nanofiller were reported for potential antibacterial applications. Polyorthochloroaniline/copper nanocomposites (POC/Cu NCs) were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of orthochloroaniline using ammonium persulfate as oxidant, in the presence of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) and 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylamine. CuNPs were prepared through reduction of copper chloride by using sodium borohydride as reducing agent. The composition, structure, and morphology of CuNPs, POC, and their composites were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X‐ray diffractometry, and scanning electron microscopic techniques. The antibacterial potential of nanocomposites against gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) for various loads of copper nanofiller was evaluated using viable cell counts. The outcomes showed that nanocomposites have better antimicrobial efficacy than POC under the similar testing conditions. The mechanism of the synergistic antimicrobial effect of POC/Cu NCs was also proposed. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:4524–4531, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Fabrication of fullerene based La 2 O 3 -ZnO@C60 core–shell nanocomposite. • Superior electrochemical pseudo-capacitance with outstanding cyclic stability. • Complete photodegradation of MB in 40 min under UV light. • Efficient charge separation and lower recombination. • Multi-functional material for supercapacitor electrodes and photocatalyst. Fullerene (C 60)-based carbon materials are attracting the attention of researchers because of their large surface area, three-dimensional structure, tunable architectures, and high chemical stability. In this study, the core–shell nanocomposite of lanthanum oxide (La 2 O 3), zinc oxide (ZnO), and C 60 was prepared via the solution method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images confirmed the development of core–shell with La 2 O 3 -ZnO (core) and C 60 (shell). The photodegradation test against methylene blue (MB) dye showed complete degradation after 40 min. The electrochemical performance of La 2 O 3 -ZnO@C 60 exposed large pseudo-capacitance, reversible Faradic charge-storage mechanism, and outstanding cyclic stability (93 % retention after 1000th cycle) and exhibited superior specific capacitance of 2135 F/g at 0.05 A/g with a remarkable energy density of 47.44 Wh/kg at the power density of 2.26 KW/kg. Thus, La 2 O 3 -ZnO@C 60 displayed dual functions, such as energy storage materials for next-generation supercapacitor electrodes and an efficient photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing effective and noble-metal-free electrocatalysts for the grim oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and photocatalysts for pollutant elimination is critical for long-term energy supply and environmental remediation. Herein a simple sol-gel technique is used to synthesize NiO/C60 electrophotocatalyst and is characterized via different state-of-art techniques. All the characteristic analytical studies have discovered that the structural components dramatically increased the OER and photocatalytic activity for grown NiO/C60 nanocomposite. TEM results showed that the C60 uniformly covering NiO has a particle size of 46 nm. NiO/C60 electrocatalyst has outperformed the overpotential of 310 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2. At the applied voltage, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the catalytically active surfaces of NiO/C60 and charge transfer rate are much greater than simple NiO. It was also discovered that the grown nanocomposite remained stable for 30 h without degrading, outlasting numerous recent noble-metal-free electrocatalysts. In addition, the NiO/C60 has also exhibited excellent photocatalytic reduction efficiency for Methylene blue (MB) dye and completely degraded after 40 min under sunlight with the stability of up to six cycles. Our findings show that NiO-based water oxidation electrocatalysts and efficient photocatalysts may now be produced at a low cost with outstanding performance. Recycleable core-shell NiO/C60 photocatalyst and electrocatalyst. [Display omitted] • Development of NiO/C60 core-shell electrocatalyst/photocatalyst. • Lower overpotential 310 mV and Tafel slope 43 mV/dec at 10 mA/cm2 for OER. • Complete MB dye degradation in 40 min under natural sunlight. • Remarkable stability 1500 cycles for OER and 6 cycles for photocatalysis. • Dual-functional, low-cost, noble-metal-free catalyst with outstanding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A ternary nanocomposite of molybdenum trioxide (α-MoO 3 ) nanowires coated with a thin layer of carbon, which is intertwined with graphene oxide is synthesized by hydrothermal and ultrasonication route. It is found that high conductivity of carbon coated MoO 3 nanowires is further increased by introducing the graphene sheets. The ternary nanocomposite (rGO/MoO 3 @C) exhibits high specific capacitance, excellent cyclic stability compared to the carbon coated MoO 3 (MoO 3 @C) and virginal MoO 3 nanowires due to the synergistic effect of carbon layer and graphene. The electrochemical impedance measurements show that rGO/MoO 3 @C nanocomposite have lower charge transfer resistance as compared to MoO 3 @C and MoO 3 nanowires electrodes. Two probe electrical conductivity ( I–V ) measurements confirm the enhanced conductivity of rGO/MoO 3 @C nanocomposite relative to MoO 3 @C and bare MoO 3 nanowires. The electrical and electrochemical measurements indicate that the rGO/MoO 3 @C nanocomposite is promising candidate for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel graphitic material containing chromium oxide (Cr 2 O 3 ) nanoribbons is obtained by carbonizing a mixture of polyfurfuryl alcohol and MIL–101(Cr) at 900 °C. Morphological, structural, and chemical analysis of the product is carried out with HR–TEM, SEM, XPS, XRD, and BET surface area. The maximum BET surface area recorded for the nanocomposite is 438 m 2 g −1 . The nanocomposite exhibits a specific capacitance as high as 300 F g −1 at 2 mV s −1 and 291 F g −1 at 0.25 A g −1 , and presents 95.5% long–term cycling stability over 3000 cycles. The pseudo-capacitive role of Cr 2 O 3 nanoribbons is found to be important towards total capacitance of nanocomposite material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the charge carrier confinement of the hematite and Hematite/Molybdenum di-telluride (α -Fe 2 O 3 @MoTe 2) nanocomposites with special focus on the formation and role of interface states. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirms the existence of α -Fe 2 O 3 in trigonally distorted rhombohedral while the MoTe 2 in 2H hexagonal phase. Interfacial behavior and local chemical structure of the α -Fe 2 O 3 and α -Fe 2 O 3 @MoTe 2 nanocomposites were observed from the Mössbauer spectroscopy data. The hyperfine field splitting of the composite sample confirms the existence of the Fe3+ ions in two different octahedral environments, where 10% of surface Fe ions are in chemical interaction with the MoTe 2 layers thereby making interfacial states. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was employed to determine the band gap and band tail states, which are the key parameters in controlling the localization behavior. The conductivity, relaxation behavior and charge carrier confinement were observed by employing impedance spectroscopy. Image 1 • Synthesis of α -Fe 2 O 3 @MoTe 2 Nanocomposites. • Interface States. • Effect of MoTe2 interfacing on the Band Gap and charge carrier localization. • Mossbauer spectroscopy has been employed to understand the local chemical structure. • Impedance spectroscopy is used to understand the localization behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]