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Molten salts synthesis (MSS) is a simple and potential technique for ceria nanoparticles (NPs) production, but the relevant effects of salt medium and cerium precursor on the synthesized ceria NPs need further attention. In the present work, we investigated the influences of frequently employed KCl–LiCl and KOH–NaOH molten flux and typical inorganic cerium precursors on the characterizations and photocatalytic property of ceria NPs. Results show that the CeO2 NPs obtained in molten KOH–NaOH flux have smaller particle/crystal sizes but more serious agglomeration than that from KCl–LiCl flux. UV–Vis DRS spectra reveal that the ceria synthesized in molten hydroxides from the cerium nitrate precursor has the narrowest band gap of 2.87 eV in studied ceria samples. The ceria NPs obtained from KCl–LiCl flux have wider band gaps of 3.15–3.29 eV and faster recombination rates of photo-generated e− and h+. It was found that the ceria NPs obtained in molten KCl–LiCl salt show better photocatalytic activities for methylene blue (MB) degradation and may be due to the uniform size distribution and well-dispersed particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AgBr/TiO2 nanofibers were fabricated by a combination of hydrothermal and electrospinning methods. Ti(OC4 H9)4 / PVP nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning method using Ti(OC4 H9)4, PVP and absolute ethanol as raw materials. TiO2 nanofibers were obtained after calcination at 500 °C to 1 000 °C. AgBr nanoparticles were immobilized on TiO2 nanofibers under hydrothermal condition. AgBr/TiO2 nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and differential thermo-thermogravimetric (TG-DTA) analysis respectively. The photocatalytic property of TiO2 and AgBr/TiO2 nanofibers were studied using methyl orange(MO) as degradation substrate to simulate dye waste water. The results indicate that the TiO2 nanofibers with the additive amount of 100 mg have better photocatalytic properties after calcined at 800 °C. The photocatalytic degradation rate of AgBr/TiO2 nanofibers is found to be higher than that of the TiO2 nanofibers under the same conditions. The degradation rate of methyl orange by AgBr/TiO2 nanofibers is about 96%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum-doped zinc oxide film was deposited on a glass substrate by mist chemical vapor deposition method. The influence of different aluminum doping ratios on the structural and optical properties of zinc oxide film was investigated. The XRD results revealed that the diffraction peak of (101) crystal plane was the dominant peak for the deposited AZO films with the Al doping ratios increasing from 1 wt % to 3 wt %. It was found that the variation of AZO film structures was strongly dependent on the Al/Zn ratios. The intertwined nanosheet structures were obtained when Zn/O ratios were greater than Al/O ratios with the deposition temperature of 400 °C. The optical transmittance of all AZO films was greater than 80% in the visible region. The AZO film deposited with Al doping ratio of 2 wt % showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency between the wavelength of 475 nm and 700 nm, with the high first-order reaction rate of 0.004 min−1 under ultraviolet radiation. The mechanism of the AZO film influenced by aluminum doping ratio during mist chemical vapor deposition process was revealed.

The TmFeO3 nano powder with perovskite type adsorbed on carbon were prepared by hydrothermal method. Their specific surface area, thermal stability, absorption property and physical structure of the crystal were analyzed by X-ray diffraction(XRD), thermal gravimetric-differential thermal analyzer(TG-DTA), ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer(UVVis) and gas chromatograph. The photocatalytic properties of TmFeO3 powder was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange using dysprosium lamp as visible light source. The experimental results show that TmFeO3 adsorbed on carbon prepared by hydrothermal method has better crystallinity, higher thermal stability, larger specific surface area, larger visible absorption range and better absorptivity. The experimental results of photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange show that the degradation rate of TmFeO3 adsorbed on carbon methyl orange reaches 88% after light irradiation for 140 min and is 1. 5 times of TmFeO3 prepared by ordinary hydrothermal method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A one-dimensional Co(II) complex {[Co2(TIMB)(NO2–IPA)2(H2O)2]·H2O}n (1) (TIMB = 1,3,5-tris(2-methylimidazol-1-yl)benzene, NO2–H2IPA = 5-nitro-1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid) is synthesized and characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and the elemental analysis. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that 1 is a 1D polymeric loop chain based on [Co4(NO2–IPA)4] and [Co2(TIMB)2] loops. Complex 1 exhibits an emission band at 358 nm (λex = 322 nm) and good catalytic photodegradation of RhB. Furthermore, there are antiferromagnetic interactions between the magnetic Co(II) centers in 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cotton Textile Technology is the property of Cotton Textile Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Leaf veins are used as the biological template, then dipping them in the ferric chloride solution to get the precursor. After carbonization and oxidation, the environmentally friendly biomimetic morphology carbon/α-Fe2O3 composites are synthesized successfully. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption test, Ultraviolet-Visible light spectrum (UV-Vis) and hydrogen production by water splitting are used to characterize the morphology and photocatalytic properties of materials. The results show that the morphology of template can be copied completely by biomimetic morphology carbon and ferric oxide. The specific surface area of materials is about 75.2 m2/g and the band gap of materials is reduced to 1.9 eV. After being illuminated for 360 min, the hydrogen yield of composites is about 436 µmol/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Dalian Polytechnic University is the property of Journal of Dalian Polytechnic University Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Natural attapulgite was used to decrease the solution of methylene blue under ultraviolet irradiation to explore its photocatalysis and optimize. The functional group structure of natural attapulgite was characterized by XPS and UV-Vis, and then the decolorization rate of methylene blue solution was taken as the response value. Based on the single-factor experiment, the response surface method was used to further explore the photocatalytic influencing factors of natural attapulgite and determine the best experimental conditions. The experimental results showed that there was a small amount of 6-coordination Ti and anatase TiO2 on the surface of natural attapulgite, and the photocatalytic performance was significant. Single factor initial concentration and addition amount, secondary term addition amount, interaction term initial concentration and addition amount had significant effect on decolorization rate of methylene blue solution. The optimal process parameters predicted by the model were as follows: initial concentration 18.90 g/mL, photocatalytic time 16.55 min, dosage 0.04 g and decolorization rate up to 98.95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO/CuS nanocomposite was synthesized by hydrothermal technique using two different sulfur source such as TU = thiourea and TA = thioglycolic acid. Pure ZnO and CuS (TU and TA) nanoparticles were synthesized, and a comparative analysis was performed. X-ray diffraction discloses the average crystalline size of the ZnO/CuS (TU and TA) to be 18 nm and 12 nm, respectively. HR-TEM exhibits a particle size of 27.50 nm and 30.50 nm for ZnO/CuS (TU) and ZnO/CuS (TA). Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis confirms the surface area of ZnO/CuS (TU) to be 1.246 m2/g and ZnO/CuS (TA) to be 11.086 m2/g. The band gaps were estimated to be 3.1 eV for ZnO/CuS (TU) and 1.6 eV and 2.64 eV for ZnO/CuS (TA). The photocatalytic activity of ZnO, ZnO/CuS (TU) and ZnO/CuS (TA) nanocomposites was investigated by the solar irradiation of mordant black 11 dye in an aqueous medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new zinc(II) coordination complexes [Zn(pda)(3-bpcd)0.5] (1) and [Zn(pda)(3-bpoa)]·H2O (2) have been synthesized by self-assembly of 1,2-phenylenediacetic acid (H2pda), semi-rigid/or flexible bis(pyridyl)-bis(amide) ligands [3-bpcd = N,N′-bis(pyridin-3-yl)cyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxamide, 3-bpoa = N,N'-bis(3-pyridyl)octandiamide] and zinc nitrate. Complex 1 is a 2 D layered framework derived from the 1 D [Zn(pda)]2n ribbon-like chain and the bidentate 3-bpcd, which is a (3,4)-connected (42·63·8)(42·6) topology, then the adjacent layers are linked by hydrogen bonds to build a 3 D supramolecular network. Complex 2 displays a 3 D framework based on the 1 D [Zn(pda)]2n ribbon-like chains and the 1 D [Zn(3-bpoa)]n chains, which represents a (3,5)-connected (42.65.83)(42.6) topology. Two bis(pyridyl)-bis(amide) ligands with different flexibilities play an important role in constructing final topological structures for title complexes. Moreover, the fluorescent properties of two zinc(II) complexes and their fluorescent sensing properties toward small solvent molecules have been studied. Additionally, the photocatalytic properties of complexes 1 − 2 toward the degradation of dyes have been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a series of BaLaxGdxFe12-2xO19 (x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8)/PANI (polyaniline) nanocomposites synthesized for investigating the photocatalytic properties. Barium hexaferrite doped with La3+ and Gd3+ prepared via a sol-gel auto-combustion method and then the binary nanocomposites fabricated by the in situ polymerization method. (Fourier transform infrared) FTIR, (x-ray diffraction) XRD, (field emission electron microscopy) FESEM and (vibrating sample magnetometer) VSM confirmed the formation of binary nanocomposites. In FTIR analysis, the peaks at 431 and 580 cm-1 wavenumbers supported the formation of barium doped hexaferrite. At 1463 and 1554cm-1 wavenumbers, the formations of quinoid and benzenoid rings were observable. The XRD patterns of nanocomposites proved the formation of PANI by appearing the amorphous peak at 2θ=23.05 and 26.05 degrees beside the hexaferrite phase. In FESEM pictures, the sphere shape of PANI masked the whole nanoparticles of hexaferrite. In VSM hysteresis loops, by doping La3+, the saturation magnetization increased to 74 emu. Then, by adding non-magnetic part (PANI) to the magnetic hexaferrite, the saturation magnetization decreased to 11 emu. The photocatalytic properties of samples performed under the irradiation of UV-Vis light. All samples presented the photocatalytic properties. Hexaferrites as a semiconductor generated the electron-hole pairs under irradiation. PANI prevented the accumulation of electron-hole pairs on the valance band and consequently accelerated the photo-degradation of methylene blue. Kinetic studies and calculation of the correlation coefficient (R2) value which was about 0.98, proved that the photocatalytic reactions followed the Pseudo-first order kinetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvothermal reactions of AgNO3 with 9,10-anthraquinone-1,5-dicarboxylic acid (H2L) and 4,4'-bipyridine (bipy) gave rise to a metal-organic framework, namely [Ag(L)(bipy)]n (1), which was structurally characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, and X-ray diffraction analysis. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that 1 exhibits a 2D 44 topology framework assembled by dinuclear [Ag2(COO)2] units, L and bipy ligands. 1 displays highly sensitivity in the detection of nitrobenzene (NB) as a fluorescent sensor. Moreover, 1 exhibits a relatively good photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under UV irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving photocatalytic activity of traditional photocatalysts is one of the actual topics. We fabricated the single phase multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films on SiO2/Si substrates using sol_gel method and analyzed the effect of thermal annealing on photocatalytic properties of the film. Experimental results show that all the samples had a single perovskite rhombohedral structure and are randomly oriented. The estimated band gap values of the films are 2.63, 2.88, and 2.92 eV, respectively. BiFeO3 thin films show good photocatalytic properties in the degradation of methylene blue solution under visible-light irradiation. These results indicate that the microstructure, optical, and photocatalytic properties of BiFeO3 thin films have a strong dependence on annealing temperature. We hope that this work could provide a new route for preparation of highly efficient photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study describes the effect of europium doping in enhancing the optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles. Eu doped ZnO (EZ) nanoparticles were prepared by the soft-solution method with varying the dopant concentration. The structure and phase analysis have been carried out by x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement which shows the size of the particles lies in 30–60 nm range. Improved crystallinity in ZnO is also observed along with lower angle shift of XRD peaks and increase in lattice parameters like unit cell volume which may be explained as the substitutional effect of Eu at Zn sites. Microstructure of the sample has been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the images show the average size of EZ nanoparticles is in the range of 30–50 nm. Both XRD and TEM studies give the evidence of Eu incorporation in ZnO lattice. The EZ nanoparticles exhibit intense red emission upon excitation of 400 nm light which are characteristic 4f-intra-shell (5D 0 -7F 2) transitions of Eu3+ other than the defect emissions of host ZnO. The dopant ions are located in ZnO by substituting Zn2+ at a low-symmetry site (C 3v) and also near the surface in some distorted lattice sites. The photocatalytic activity has been evaluated by degradation of hazardous methyl orange (MO) dye with exposure to UV light. Among the tested samples, the sample with optimal doping concentration shows notable photocatalytic activity and achieved 90% degradation of MO dye within 180 min of UV irradiation. This photocatalytic activity of EZ has been found to be better as compared to that of ZnO in identical experimental conditions. Unlabelled Image • Synthesis of Eu doped ZnO showing high photocatalytic activity in methyl orange (MO) degradation • ZnO:Eu provides larger surface area and higher active sites for degradation • Up to 90 % degradation of MO has been achieved by Eu doped ZnO samples • ZnO:Eu shows intense red emission bands along with defect emissions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new Ni(II) coordination polymers (CPs) [Ni(TP)(L1)(H 2 O)] n (1) and [Ni(TP)(L2)] n (2), were synthesized via hydrothermal reaction (H 2 TP = terephthalic acid, L1 = 1,6-bis(2-methylbenzimidazol-1-yl)hexane, L2 = 1,6-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol-1-yl)hexane, and structurally characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and IR spectra. CP 1 exhibits a 2D hcb layer, which is further extended into 3D supramolecular architecture by classical O–H⋯O hydrogen-bonding interactions. CP 2 possesses a 3D 4-connected sra framework. Both CPs possess high thermal stability and promising photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation. The photocatalytic mechanism was investigated by introducing benzoquinone (BQ), the ammonium oxalate (AO), and tert -butyl alcohol (TBA) as superoxide radical (·O 2 −), hole (h+), and hydroxyl radical (·OH) scavengers, respectively. Two Ni(II)-based coordination polymers(CPs) have been synthesized. CP 1 exhibits an uninodal 3-connected hcb network with the point symbol {63} and extended to a 3D supramolecular framework by the classical O–H⋯O hydrogen-bonding interactions. CP 2 possesses a 3D sra network. They display high photocatalytic capacities for degrading the methylene blue (MB) solution. Image 1 • Two Ni(II)-based coordination polymers have been synthesized and characterized. • CP 1 displays a 2D hcb layer which further extend into a 3D supramolecular framework. • CP 2 possesses a 3D 4-connected network with SrAl 2 topology. • Both CPs show high photocatalytic efficiency for MB degradation. • The photocatalytic mechanisms of two CPs were investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Ni doping amount is < 0.02, Ni2+ ions enter into the ZnS lattices to form solid solution, which could inhibit the effect of Ni impurities on the quick recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs and provide more active sites for photocatalytic H2 production. However, with further increasing the value of Ni2+, the photocatalytic activity of the samples decreases. In particular, when the doping of Ni is > 0.3, excessive Ni doping will result in NiS impurity levels (IL). NiS IL will increase the probability of recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, which has negative influence on the photocatalytic H2 production. Moreover, Zn0.98Ni0.02S photocatalyst prepared at 180 °C for 12 h exhibits the best photocatalytic activity for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (PHER) with an initial rate of 457.11 μmol h−1 g−1, which is about 5 times higher than that over pure ZnS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver doped cadmium sulfide as quantum dots/multi walled carbon nanotubes composites were prepared by chemical methods. The prepared nano-samples were characterized by photoluminescence (PL) and UV–Vis spectroscopy, field emission-SEM, Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The DLS result of as-prepared samples was indicated the average size of 5.0, 5.5, and 6.0 nm for CdS quantum dots, CdS/MWCNTs, and CdS/MWCNTs nanocomposites, respectively. The band gap values of CdS QDs, CdS/MWCNTs, Ag-CdS/MWCNTs (2:1), Ag-CdS/MWCNTs (1:1) and Ag-CdS/MWCNTs (2:1) were 2.80, 2.75, 2.70, 2.55, and 2.55 eV, respectively. The specific surface area values of CdS QDs, Ag-CdS/MWCNTs, and Ag-CdS/MWCNTs (1:1) were 47.245, 234.591, and 275.365 m2 g−1, respectively. The prepared samples were investigated towards photo-degradation of crystal violet as a dye compound under ultraviolet light illumination. The amount of photo-decomposition activity of the Ag doped CdS/MWCNTs nanocomposites could be substantially raised. The research work result provides an effective method to prepare several nano-photocatalysts with UV light sensitive progress for degradation of dye compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-doped titania (C:TiO2) films were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering using CO2 as a carbon source. The as-prepared films were annealed at different temperatures in vacuum condition. A TiO2 film using O2 gas was also prepared for comparisons with C:TiO2. The structure and composition of the as-prepared, the TiO2 films and the annealed C:TiO2 films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, whereas the surface morphology of the C:TiO2 films was measured by atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, photocatalytic properties of the films were evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange (MO). The results indicate that the photocatalytic property was improved when carbon was doped into TiO2 films, and the C:TiO2 films consist of anatase and TiO phases. The experimental results of the MO's degradation confirm that the annealing process at various temperatures can modify the surface morphology of the films and the content of oxygen vacancies in the films. Consequently, the variations in surface topography and oxygen vacancy potentially enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI heterojunctions were in-situ obtained. • Activity of the Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI heterojunctions has been largely enhanced. • S-scheme heterojunctions and OVs together enhance the photocatalytic activity. • Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI photocatalyst exhibit higher activity than the blank BiOI. Herein, novel S-scheme Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI heterojunctions were in-situ obtained through a hydrothermal method and post-roasting of BiOI prepared with the assistance of coconut shell. Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI photocatalytic materials was investigated by a series of characterization techniques. Abundant oxygen vacancies (OVs) were generated during the roasting process, proven by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) results. The existence coconut shell in the preparation process can effectively enhance the separation efficiency of carriers of the samples fabricated. Photocatalytic activity of Bi 4 O 5 I 2 /BiOI toward destruction of rhodamine B (RhB) and tetracycline (TC) is 5.5 and 4.5 times of that of the blank BiOI, separately, and h+ plays a major role in the destruction reaction. This demonstration suggests that in-situ preparation of S-scheme heterojunctions by roasting of BiOI prepared with the assistance of coconut shell provides an effective path for preparation of highly efficient BiOI-based catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An Ag(I) coordination polymer with trans,trans -muconate (muc), and 1,3-bis(4-pyridylpropane) (bpp) forming a 3D supramolecular sandwich architecture has been synthesized and structurally characterized. • The polymeric network consists of the silver-bpp cationic host that alternates with 2D 'water–muc' guest anionic layers. The sandwiched water-muconate anionic layer is formed by H-bonded water molecules-anions comprising hexagonal (H 2 O) 6 clusters. • The Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots quantify the weak intermolecular interactions in the crystal packing arrangement, confirms intermolecular hydrogen bonds (51.2% of the total Hirshfeld surface) are the key to constructing the supramolecular complex. • Through the interaction with BSA, the complex induced significant fluorescence quenching (of BSA), indicating a solid binding affinity for the protein. • The Ag(I) coordination polymer offers photocatalytic properties by degrading the toxic organic methylene blue dye. The sonochemical reaction between silver salt, 1,3-bis(4-pyridylpropane (bpp) and trans,trans -muconic acid (H 2 muc) formed an Ag(I) coordination polymer with a 3D supramolecular sandwich architecture, {[Ag 8 (bpp) 8 (H 2 O) 3 ].(muc) 4.29(H 2 O)} n , (1) consisting of the silver-bpp cationic host that alternates with 2D water–muc guest anionic layers. The latter is formed by H-bonded water molecules-anions comprising hexagonal (H 2 O) 6 clusters. The Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots have been used to quantify the weak intermolecular interactions in the crystal packing arrangement. The study showed that intermolecular hydrogen bonds are the most critical in constructing the titled supramolecular complex, accounting for 51.2% of the total Hirshfeld surface. Several spectrofluorimetric methods have been employed to investigate the binding interaction between Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and the titled complex. The complex induced significant fluorescence quenching of BSA, indicating a strong binding affinity for the protein. Static or ground state complex formation was envisaged as the primary quenching mechanism when the complex interacts with BSA. In addition, the Ag compound also offers photocatalytic properties by degrading the toxic organic methylene blue dye. A 3D supramolecular sandwich like Ag(I) coordination polymer photocatalyst with a significant binding affinity towards BSA. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strain regulation can effectively regulate the electronic, optical and photocatalytic properties of the layer numbered two-dimensional (2D) SiC/GaN heterostructures, which demonstrates its application advantages in photocatalysis and optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted] • The DFT-D3 method, which is superior to DFT-D2, was used to correct the vdW force. • The type-II energy band arrangement is found in Bi-SiC/Bi-GaN heterostructure. • Tensile strain reduces the band gap of type-II Bi-SiC/Bi-GaN, which is beneficial for photocatalytic hydrolysis. In this paper, effects of strain on electronic, optical and photocatalytic properties of SiC/GaN heterostructures are researched using first-principles approach. A double-layered Bi-SiC/Bi-GaN heterostructure with type-II band structure is found. Especially, the strain regulation (-4%∼6%) of SiC/GaN vdW heterostructures are studied for the first time. The results indicate that applied tensile strain does not change the type-II energy band arrangement of Bi-SiC/Bi-GaN heterostructure, but significantly reduces its band gap to 0.85 eV with 6% stretching. The 2% stretching satisfies the redox potential of splitting water at PH = 0 and PH = 7. In the Vis-UV region, the light absorption coefficient increases under tensile strain. This study are useful for designing of the SiC/GaN vdW heterostructure as optoelectronic devices and photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to realize sustainable development and reduce environmental pollution, scientists have been on searching for bio-based materials derived from renewable resources to replace petroleum-based materials. Herein, a bio-based polyimide aerogel derived from 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid was synthesized successfully via supercritical fluid drying. The bio-based polyimide aerogel had mesoporous structure and a large specific surface area (220 m2/g), which were highly advantageous to adsorption and photocatalysis. The bio-based polyimide aerogel possessed fast adsorption behavior (within 1 s), outstanding durability (200 cycles of adsorption and desorption), and a self-cleaning property. The bio-based polyimide aerogel could also realize continuous and rapid separation of organic solvent and water with the aid of a vacuum pump. Importantly, the bio-based polyimide aerogel exhibited superelastic (rapid recovery after 90% strain) and anti-fatigue performance (compressive strength remained 96% after 100 cycles). Moreover, the bio-based polyimide aerogel displayed effective photocatalytic activity under visible light. The possible degradation mechanism was also proposed, and radical quenching tests demonstrated that the generation of h+ and ·O 2 − was the key to photocatalytic degradation. Considering its environmental friendliness and excellent properties, bio-based polyimide aerogel provides a promising solution for oil/water separation and photocatalysis. [Display omitted] • Superelastic bio-based polyimide aerogel is first prepared. • Bio-based aerogel displayed effective photocatalytic activity under visible light. • The generation of h+ and ·O 2 − was the key to photocatalytic degradation. • Bio-based aerogel possessed fast adsorption behavior and a self-cleaning property. • Bio-based aerogel could realize continuous and rapid separation of oil and water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The interfacial behavior between oxygen atoms and ZnO is investigated. • The electronegativity can facilitate the formation of high-quality ZnO nanoflowers. • The size/piece/thickness of ZnO will increase as the electronegativity increases. • The intense interaction between ZnO and ECNF can improve photocatalytic properties. Cellulose is widely employed as a template in supporting and dispersing ZnO. The oxygen atom of the hydroxyl (–OH) groups of cellulose have a significant impact on the morphology and photocatalytic property of ZnO. This work aims to investigate the effect of different electronegative oxygen atoms of cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) on the formation and photocatalytic properties of ZnO/cellulose composites. The interaction between cellulose and ZnO has been achieved by controlling cellulose fiber size and regulating the electronegativity of oxygen atoms on the CNF surface. The results indicate that etherized CNF (ECNF) with the highest degree of etherification substitution (1.7) and the best electronegativity (−34.6 mV) can synthesize the ZnO/cellulose composite with the largest loading content of ZnO (58.9%) and the best photocatalytic activity for MO degradation (91.1%). It can be concluded that the intenser electrostatic interaction between oxygen atoms on the CNF surface and ZnO can facilitate the fixation and growth of more high-quality ZnO nanoflowers, thus improving the photocatalytic property. In a word, this work can provide a novel perspective for the efficient preparation of ZnO/cellulose composites with designable morphology and structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the structural, optical, and photocatalytic properties of rare-earth free double-perovskite compounds Ba 2 Bi 3 + (Bi 1 − 2 x 5 + Sb 2 x 5 +)O 6 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5). All samples prepared by the solid-state reaction method were formed in the single-phase monoclinic and rhombohedral perovskite oxides. Using the First Principle calculations of density functional theory, the effect of Sb substitution on band gap broadening was examined and a reasonable correlation was found with the experimental results. The photocatalytic activities were studied from the MB and IPA decomposition experiment. It was observed that Ba 2 Bi 3 + (Bi 1 − 2 x 5 + Sb 2 x 5 +)O 6 exhibited better MB degradation performance under Sb substitution accompanied by the formation of nanoparticles. IPA decomposition result supports this finding and suggested that smaller particles in the Sb substituted samples reasonably affect the CO 2 evolution performance.The maximum MB decomposition rate (about 50%) was found for the 20% Sb-incorporated sample. In contrast to the previously reported rare-earth-based double perovskite photocatalyst, a comparable performance was obtained in this research. The excellent surface morphology associated with the smaller particle sizes and better crystallinity for the Sb substituted sample promoted more active sites that facilitated improved photocatalytic activities of Ba 2 Bi 3 + (Bi 1 − 2 x 5 + Sb 2 x 5 +)O 6 double perovskite. • Rare earth-free Ba 2 Bi 3 + (Bi 1 − 2 x 5 + Sb 2 x 5 +)O 6 double perovskite. • Rietveld refinement of structural analysis by well-fitted XRD patterns. • Sb 5 + substitution affects particle agglomeration and produces nanosize particles. • Replacement of Bi 5 + state with the higher Sb 5 + state induces band gap widening. • The good crystalline fine particles created more active sites leading to comparatively better photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional BiOI/Bi 2 WO 6 Z-scheme photocatalysts were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method. Detailed characterization via SEM and TEM revealed that these photocatalysts exhibit a unique three-dimensional flower-like structure, composed of two-dimensional sheets. The results of photocatalysis mechanism analysis demonstrated that the BiOI/Bi 2 WO 6 heterojunctions have formed a Z-scheme charge transfer mechanism. Specifically, electrons transfer from the Bi 2 WO 6 conduction band to the BiOI valence band, facilitating both enhanced separation of photogenerated charges and the preservation of the strong reducibility of BiOI conduction band electrons and the strong oxidation of Bi 2 WO 6 valence band holes. This dual effect leads to increased generation of free radicals and a consequent improvement in photocatalytic property. Remarkably, when the molar ratio of BiOI/Bi 2 WO 6 is set at 40%, the first-order reaction rate constant reaches 0.089 min−1, which is nearly 5.9 times that of pure Bi 2 WO 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of titanium dioxide in the degradation of water pollutants encounters several challenges, including particle agglomeration leading to a reduction in its specific surface area and a high rate of photogenerated electron-hole recombination, resulting in a lower quantum efficiency. Therefore, in this work, we first employed sepiolite to load titanium dioxide, mitigating particle agglomeration. Building upon this, tin dioxide was coupled with it to enhance the photogenerated charge separation. The SnO 2 /TiO 2 /sepiolite photocatalytic composites were synthesized using the sol–gel method at 450 ℃. The resulting composites underwent thorough characterization encompassing phase composition, morphology, chemical valence states, specific surface area, optical properties, and photocatalytic activity. The outcomes demonstrate an augmentation in the specific surface area of TiO 2 /Sep composites following the sepiolite (Sep) loading. Among these, the TiO 2 /Sep composite (with a Sep: TiO 2 mass ratio of 10 %) exhibited the most favorable photocatalytic performance, displaying a first-order reaction rate constant of 0.010 min−1, surpassing that of pure TiO 2 by a factor of 2.0. The introduction of SnO 2 expedited the migration of photogenerated charge across interfaces, curbing the recombination of photogenerated pairs, thus enhancing quantum efficiency. In light of the presence of sepiolite, the addition of SnO 2 further amplified the photocatalytic performance. Optimal results were achieved when the molar ratio of SnO 2 :TiO 2 was set at 1:4, leading to the highest photocatalytic efficiency observed in the SnO 2 /TiO 2 /Sep composite. This composite exhibited a first-order reaction rate constant of 0.027 min−1, marking a notable 2.7-fold increase compared to the TiO 2 /Sep counterpart. The investigation of band potentials, charge transfer pathways, and the photocatalytic mechanism within SnO 2 /TiO 2 /Sep composite materials was conducted through a comprehensive analysis involving electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) valence band spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectra (EPR) and active radical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Au nanoparticles deposited α-Fe 2 O 3 (Au@α-Fe 2 O 3) particles with a well-defined structure were fabricated by the hydrothermal and the magnetron sputtering methods. After deposited 4.6% Au, Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 shows a new absorption peak at 550 nm in the UV–Vis spectrum, and its bandgap narrows from 2.20 to 1.93 eV. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity and electrochemical impedance of 4.6% Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 decrease significantly, while the photocurrent increases from 0.20 to 0.56 μA cm−2. Au nanoparticles extend the visible-light absorption performance and inhibit the recombination of electron-hole pairs of Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 particles. The photocatalytic property of Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 particles becomes more stable, and the photocatalytic efficiency of Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 particles is about 1 time higher than that of α-Fe 2 O 3 particles. • Au nanoparticles deposited α-Fe 2 O 3 (Au@α-Fe 2 O 3) particles with a well-defined structure were fabricated. • Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 shows a new absorption peak at 550 nm, and its bandgap was reduced to 1.93 eV. • Au@α-Fe 2 O 3 particles is more stable, and its photocatalytic efficiency is about 1 time higher than that of α-Fe 2 O 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural design and morphological control of semiconductors is considered to be one of the most effective ways to improve their photocatalytic degradation properties. In the present work, a hexagonal WO3·0.33H2O hierarchical microstructure (HWHMS) composed of nanorods was successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method. The morphology of the HWHMS was confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the synthesized product was orthorhombic WO3·0.33H2O. Owing to the unique hierarchical microstructure, the HWHMS showed larger Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface and narrower bandgap (1.53 eV) than the isolated WO3·0.33H2O nanorods. Furthermore, the HWHMS showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue under visible-light irradiation compared with the isolated nanorods, which can be ascribed to the narrower bandgap, larger BET specific surface area, and orthorhombic phase structure of the HWHMS. This work provides a potential protocol for construction of tungsten trioxide counterparts and materials similar to tungsten trioxide for application in gas sensors, photocatalysts, electrochromic devices, field-emission devices, and solar-energy devices.

Oxygen vacancies (OVs) have critical effects on the photoelectric characterizations and photocatalytic activity of nanoceria, but the contributions of surface OVs on the promoted photocatalytic properties are not clear yet. In this work, we synthesized ceria nanopolyhedron (P-CeO2), ceria nanocube (C-CeO2) and ceria nanorod (R-CeO2), respectively, and annealed them at 600 °C in air, 30%, 60% or pure H2. After annealing, the surface OVs concentration of ceria elevates with the rising of H2 concentration. Photocatalytic activity of annealed ceria is promoted with the increasing of surface OVs, the methylene blue photodegradation ratio with pure hydrogen annealed of P-CeO2, C-CeO2 or R-CeO2 is 93.82%, 85.15% and 90.09%, respectively. Band gap of annealed ceria expands first and then tends to narrow slightly with the rising of surface OVs, while the valence band (VB) and conductive band (CB) of annealed ceria changed slightly. Both of photoluminescence spectra and photocurrent results indicate that the separation efficiency of photoinduced electron-hole pairs is significantly enhanced with the increasing of the surface OVs concentration. The notable weakened recombination of photogenerated carrier is suggested to attribute a momentous contribution on the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ceria which contains surface OVs.

• Four structural diversity of nickel coordination polymers were hydrothermal and sonochemical synthesized. • The effects of sonication power, time and frequency on the size and morphology. • The effects of the sonication synthesis conditions and morphology on the photocatalytic efficiencies. • The highly efficient photocatalysts under visible irradiation. Four nanostructural nickel(II) coordination polymers {[Ni(ttpa)(1,4-ndc)(H 2 O) 2 ]·2H 2 O} n (1), {[Ni(ttpa)(1,3-bda)]·2H 2 O·DMF} n (2·2H 2 O·DMF), {[Ni(ttpa)(1,4-bdc)]·H 2 O} n (3) and {[Ni(ttpa)(aip)(H 2 O)]·3H 2 O} n (4·3H 2 O) were synthesized using hydrothermal and sonochemical methods (ttpa = tris(4-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)phenyl)amine, 1,4-ndc = 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate, 1,3-bda = 1,3-benzenediacetate, 1,4-bdc = 1,4-benzenedicarboxylate, aip = 5-aminoisophthalate), and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, scanning electron microscopy, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction analysis, optical band gaps, VB XPS spectra and luminescence. The effects of sonication power, time and frequency on the size and morphology of nano-sized 1–4 have been studied. 1 exhibits an unusual 2D + 2D → 3D inclined polycatenated motif based on the (3,3)-coordinated 63-hcb topology. 2 shows a (3,4)-coordinated 2D network of the bey topology. 3 presents a rare example of the 4-fold interpenetrating array of (3,5)-coordinated 3D network belonging to the 35T1 topology type. 4 displays an unusual 2D → 3D polythreaded network based on 2D sql networks. 1–4 exhibit luminescent emissions at 409, 399, 413 and 402 nm, respectively. 1–4 are semiconducting in nature, with E g of 2.12 eV (1), 2.34 eV (2), 2.32 eV (3), and 2.47 eV (4). 1–4 are good catalysts for the degradation of MB under visible light irradiation. The effects of the size and morphology of nano-sized 1–4 on the photocatalytic efficiencies were studied. The higher sonication frequency obtains uniform and smaller nano-sized coordination polymers which have higher catalytic efficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the precursor solution prepared by ZnSO4·7H2O and MOH (M = Li, Na or K), ZnO nanocrystals single doped with Li, Na, K and codoped with Na and K were prepared via a simple hydrothermal method. Their morphologies and structures were characterized by SEM, XRD, ICP, XPS and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer methods. It is found that the crystal morphology changes from the short bar shape to the long strip shape; Li+ is likely easier than Na+ and K+ to enter into the lattice to replace Zn2+ and inhibits the growth of positive polar plane while promotes the growth of negative one of ZnO in hydrothermal environment, leading to the morphology of short bars; K+ is easier than Li+ and Na+ to promote the two-dimensional nucleation and accelerate the axial growth of ZnO, leading to the morphology of long strips; Na+ and K+ have the obvious synergistic effect to facilitate the access to the lattice of ZnO. Experimental result of photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue shows that the ratio I of intensitiy of X-ray diffraction peak for (002) plane to that of (100) plane can reflect the relative area proportion of plane (002) with strong photocatalytic activity, and the photocatalytic effect may be better if the value of I is larger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two ternary Zn(II) coordination polymers were synthesized under hydrothermal condition. The crystal structure of CP 1 possesses a 3D dia framework; CP 2 shows a 2D hcb network. CP 2 displays higher photocatalytic activities for degrading methylene blue than CP 1 under UV irradiation. Two new ternary zinc(II) coordination polymers (CPs), catena-(μ 2 -phthalato)-(μ 2 -1,1′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(2-methyl-1H-benzimidazole))-zinc (CP 1) and catena-(μ 2 -phenylene-1,4-diacetato)-(μ 2 -1,1′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(1H-benzimidazole))-zinc (CP 2) were synthesized via hydrothermal process. CP 1 and CP 2 are named as [Zn(L1)(PA)] n and [Zn(L2)(PDA)] n (L1 = 1,1′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(2-methyl-1H-benzimidazole), L2 = 1,1′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(1H-benzimidazole), H 2 PA = phthalic acid, H 2 PDA = 1,4-phenylenediacetic acid)), respectively. Both CPs were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. CP 1 possesses a 4-connected 66- dia network, CP 2 displays a 2D hcb layer with point symbol {63}. UV–Vis diffuse reflection spectra, luminescence and photocatalytic properties of two CPs for the degradation of the methylene blue (MB) dye were investigated. The mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of MB was also suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A functional 1D Co(II) coordination polymer (NCST-2) was synthesized under hydrothermal condition. Furthermore, NCST-2 can act as a fluorescence sensor for Fe3+ in aqueous solution and further shows high photocatalytic activities for the degradation of MB. A Co(II)-based ternary coordination polymer with formula {[Co(BTC) 0.5 (L)(H 2 O)]·3H 2 O} n (NCST-2 , NCST = North China University of Science and Technology) was constructed from 1,2-bis(thiabendazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (L) and butane-1,2,3,4-tetracarboxylic acid (H 4 BTC) under hydrothermal conditions. NCST-2 features a one-dimensional zigzag chain, which is further extended through O H⋯O hydrogen bond and π ⋯ π stacking interactions into a three-dimensional supramolecular network. NCST-2 exhibits highly selective and recyclable performance for the fluorescence sensing of Fe3+ in aqueous solution with a linear detection range of 0–400 μM and a detection limit of 0.12 μM. NCST-2 displays high photocatalytic activities for degrading methylene blue (MB) under UV irradiation. The possible mechanism of the photodegradation towards MB was investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present paper exhibits the incorporation of Mn ions within a CeO 2 host lattice by mechanical alloying and its implications on modification of optical properties of the Mn-doped CeO 2 lattice. The gradual increase of lattice defects within the cubic fluorite-type CeO 2 lattice corresponds to the change in optical properties with varying degree of the dopant incorporation, which has been regulated by the duration of the ball milling process. The phase purity and structure/microstructure characteristics of synthesized undoped and Mn-doped CeO 2 powder samples have been evaluated using XRD, HRTEM, FTIR, Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The Rietveld refinement of XRD data reveals the detailed structural distortion and microstructure of all milled samples. HRTEM analysis reveals the structure, microstructure, presence of twin faults and yielding elongation or Lüders strains in the 6 h ball milled Mn-doped CeO 2 sample. Both XRD and HRTEM measurements ascertain the average size of CeO 2 nanocrystallites/particles are close to 10 nm. Band gap energies of all milled samples obtained from UV–vis absorption spectra reveal a blue shift at the initial stage of milling up to 2 h (∼2.4% Mn doping) and then red-shifted up to 6 h of milling (5 mol% Mn doping). Variations of structural defects and luminescence efficiency of all samples in the course of milling have been measured by analyzing respective PL emission spectrum. The 5 mol% Mn-doped 6 h milled sample shows 74% photodegradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation within 300min. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Ce 0.95 Mn 0.05 O 2-δ nanocrystallites have been synthesized by mechanical alloying. • Microstructure parameters have been ascertained from the Rietveld analysis. • HRTEM reveals the presence of twin faults and yielding elongation or Lüders strains. • Optical band gap energies initially increase up to ∼2.4 mol% Mn doping and then decreases. • Mn doped CeO 2 exhibits quenching effect in PL intensities without any blue/red shift in band position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new Cu(II) Coordination Polymer, {[Cu 2 (L) 2 (DMF) 2 ]·(DMF)} n (1), (H 2 L = 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)bis(benzoic acid), DMF = N, N - Dimethylformamide), was prepared under solvothermal condition and shown to have two-dimensional (2D) interpenetrating structure. The applications of complex 1 in degradation of organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB), rhodamin B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO), have been investigated under the UV-light irradiation with the degradation efficiency of 96%, 86.2% and 55.2%, respectively. The possible mechanism was offered on the basis of trapping experiments. Additionally, the magnetic property and thermal stability have been discussed. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A new Cu(II) Complex was prepared under solvothermal condition. • It has a two-dimensional (2D) interpenetrating structure. • It exhibits good degradation toward organic dyes under the UV-light irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two novel chiral coordination frameworks, namely {[Cd(PycAla) 2 (H 2 O)]·4H 2 O} n (1) and [Co(PycAla) 2 (H 2 O) 2 ] n (2), have been successfully prepared via the chiral pyridine-4-carbonyl-(l -alanine) (HPycALa) ligand reacting with Cd(II) and Co(II) ions under hydrothermal conditions. Crystallographic analyses manifest that both frameworks are embedded by the multifarious helixes composed of PycAla− anions and metal ions. Complex 1 exhibits a porous 3D framework with a 4-connected (64.82) topology based on different left- and right-handed helical chains. Complex 2 shows a two-fold interpenetrated 2D network with a (4,4)-connected (44.62) topology based on the anti-parallel arranged right-handed helical chains. It is worth noting that both frameworks display high photocatalytic activities in the degradation process of methylene blue (MB). The fluorescence spectrum of 1 exhibits strong maximum emission at 446 nm. In addition, 1 has K sv value of 1977 M−1, which implies it can sense the Fe3+ ion. Graphical abstract Two novel chiral coordination frameworks built by a pyridine-based alanine derivative with semi-rigid and asymmetrical configuration display effective photocatalysis and selective luminescent sensing. Image 1 Highlights • Two chiral coordination polymers were synthesized from a semi-rigid and asymmetrical alanine derivative. • Two complexes show diverse homochiral 3D framework and 2D network, respectively. • The fluorescence spectrum of 3D framework exhibits strong emission peak at 446 nm. • The complexes display higher photocatalytic activities of decomposing MB in comparison to decomposing MO. • The 3D framework is able to efficiently sense Fe3+ ion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The prepared samples were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. • The prepared samples exhibited excellent activity for the degradation of rhodamine B. • A mechanism for enhanced photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples is proposed. Abstract TiO 2 nanotube and TiO 2 -ZnO composite photocatalysts were fabricated by simple hydrothermal method, and the photocatalytic property of as-prepared samples were analyzed by the photo degradation of rhodamine B water solutions under visible light irradiation. The prepared TiO 2 -ZnO composite photocatalysts exhibited excellent property in photo degradation of rhodamine B water solution, which is better than that of P25. The enhancement photocatalytic property of target photocatalysts could be attributed to the reduced band gap energy, the enhanced-surface physic-chemical properties, the separation of photo induced electron-hole pairs and the decreased recombination rate. In addition, TiO 2 -ZnO composite photocatalysts showed good stability for rhodamine B photo degradation under visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Developing a way to prepare effective, durable and high-temperature stable anatase-based photocatalytic ceramic is of great significance. In this work, we report a crystallization method for the preparation of anatase-based glass-ceramic glaze. The raw materials were made into frit and glazed on ceramic bodies. The glazed ceramics were sintered at 1180 °C and soaked at 700 °C. The effect of soaking temperature on the crystallization process was investigated. The photocatalytic property of the glazed tiles was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange. Experimental results show that after sintering and soaking at 700 °C, nanosized anatase grains crystallize in glaze. The crystallization of anatase nanograins is attributed to the relatively high viscosity at crystallization temperature. HF etching makes more anatase grains exposed on the surface. The sample etched for 45 s shows the highest photocatalytic activity and the methyl orange is decomposed by about 90% after illumination for 35 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three POM-based host-guest compounds constituted by Keggin-type polyoxometalates (POMs): (4,4′-Hbpy)3 [PMo12O40]·2H2O (1); (4,4′-H2bpy)3[PMo12O40]2·3H2O (2) and (4,4′-H2bpy) (4,4′-Hbpy)·[PW12O40]·4H2O (3) (bpy = 4,4′-bpyridine) have been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by elemental analyses, IR, XPS spectra, powder XRD analyses, cyclic voltammetric measurements and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The three compounds all consist of Keggin-type POMs and 4,4′-bpy ligand, which are [PMo12O40]3− for 1-2 and [PW12O40]3− for 3. Through O···O interactions, Keggin POMs each other give rise to three different 3-D Supermolecular host structures, 4,4′-bpy and water molecules as guests accommodate different channels with H-bonding interactions. Discuss the pH role for the build POM based-hybrids contained 4,4′-bpy ligand. The photocatalytic properties of 1-3 have been investigated in the solid state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple approach to synthesize ZnO microstructures was reported using dodecylamine, hexadecylamine and oleylamine as template agents. The synthesized ZnO was characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, EDS mapping, FTIR, UV-vis DRS, Raman spectroscopy and BET analysis. Hierarchical oriented ZnO microstructures were obtained. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO prepared with different types of alkylamines was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). The results suggested that alkylamine control the nucleation, growth and morphology of ZnO. The photocatalytic properties of ZnO on the degradation of MB and MO decreased with increasing the alkyl chain length in alkylamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Significant progress has been made in transparent thermal insulation coating by various effective materials in recent years. More recently, Low-E coating, as a high reflection coating, has been applied in many buildings, but the coating would cause light pollution due to visible light reflection, resulting in prohibiting use in many countries. Hence, a novel transparent thermal insulation coating based on ATO/Black TiO2 is proposed in this paper. The bilayer coating exhibited a high near infrared light blocking rate of 86%, and the visible light transmittance was about 62%. Meanwhile, the structural thin films had excellent photocatalytic property, which could degrade approximately by 45% of methylene blue in 3 hours under fluorescent lamp. The double layered coating had shown a water contact angle of lower than 5° after activating. Overall, these structural films show a great potential for applications in energy conservation windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Six functional metal-organic frameworks constructed from semi-flexible 4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)diphenyl ether (bidpe), namely: [Zn(bidpe)(mpa)] n (1), [Cu(bidpe)(mpa)(H 2 O)] n (2), [Cd(bidpe)(mpa)] n (3), [Zn 1.5 (bidpe) 2 (smpa)(H 2 O)] n (4), [Cu 1.5 (bidpe) 2 (smpa)(H 2 O)] n (5), [Cd(bidpe)(hmpa)] n (6) (H 2 mpa = m-Phthalic acid, H 2 smpa = 5-sulfonatobenzene-1,3-dicarboxylate, H 2 hmpa = 5-Hydroxyisophthalic acid), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that complexes 1 – 4 and 6 show 2D→3D supramolecular structure with a Schläfli symbol of (44·62), (4·65), (44·62), (42·6) and (63) topology, respectively. Complex 5 possesses an unprecedented (3, 4, 6)-connected 3D framework with a Schläfli symbol of (4·64·8) 2 (42·64·89)(62·8) 2. Meanwhile, complexes 1 , 3 , 4 and 6 have excellent fluorescence properties and can be used as potential luminescent sensors for sensing Cr(VI) anions, Fe(III) ions and nitrobenzene (NB) with high selectivity and sensitivity. The photocatalytic studies indicate that 1 has good photocatalytic capability in degradation of methylene blue (MB), 1 and 6 have good photocatalytic capability in degradation of methyl violet (MV). Furthermore, the possible sensing mechanism and photocatalytic mechanism have been discussed. Graphical abstract Six functional metal-organic frameworks constructed from semi-flexible 4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)diphenyl ether. fx1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hydrothermal synthesis route has been employed to synthesize Fe(NO 3) 2 -NiO composite. The studies related to the bonding in the composite were unveiled by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The investigations on structure, morphology and composition of elements in the composite were carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) respectively. SEM images of the nanoparticles display spherical morphology for both Fe(NO 3) 2 and NiO present in the composite. The optical and molecular identification studies were taken using ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy respectively. The thermal stability and characteristics of the composite were revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The composite manifests prodigious optical properties in addition to the proficient thermal stability. The band gap depicted from the UV–vis spectroscopy was 3.87 eV for NiO while 2.71 eV for Fe(NO 3) 2. Furthermore, the composite was investigated for photocatalytic characteristics using methylene blue (MB) dye by varying the time to study photodegradation. The results reveal the advantage of the composite to be used as a photocatalyst to cave in various organic impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract A multifunctional 2D Co(II) metal–organic frameworks (NCST-1) with a sql topology was synthesized under hydrothermal condition. NCST-1 /GCE exhibits remarkable performance for H 2 O 2 reduction. Furthermore, NCST-1 can act as a luminescent sensor for Fe3+, Hg2+, and Ag+ in aqueous solution and serve as photocatalyst for the degradation of MB. Abstract A new multifunctional cobalt(II)-based metal–organic framework, [Co(DCTP)(L)(H 2 O) 2 ] n (NCST - 1 , NCST = North China University of Science and Technology), was synthesized by self-assembly of Co(OAc) 2 ·4H 2 O with 1,4-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)-benzene (L) and 2,5-dichloroterephthalic acid (H 2 DCTP). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that NCST - 1 is a 2D (4,4) sheet, which is further expanded into a 3D supramolecular network by O H⋯O hydrogen bond interactions. A non-enzyme electro-catalytic sensor was developed for sensing hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) based on the NCST - 1 , which was cast-coated on glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The modified sensor exhibited a remarkable performance for H 2 O 2 reduction with an extended liner range (5 μM–7 mM, 7 mM–18 mM), a fast response time (3 s), a high sensitivity (52.55 μA mM−1 cm−2), and a low detection limit (6.86 μM) in alkaline solution. Furthermore, NCST - 1 , as a luminescent probe, displayed prominent multifunctional sensing property for Fe3+, Hg2+ as well Ag+ through fluorescence quenching effect. The emission intensity of NCST - 1 increases linearly with the increasing concentration of Fe3+ with a Stern–Volmer constant (K sv) of 1.12 × 104 M−1 and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.13 μM in aqueous solution. For mercury ion (II), K sv = 7.58 × 103 M−1 and LOD = 1.10 μM. For silver ion (I), K sv = 6.22 × 103 M−1 and LOD = 1.33 μM. Finally, the photocatalytic activities of NCST - 1 were evaluated in the degradation of methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine B (RhB), and methyl orange (MO). The degradation efficiency for MB reached up to 91.3%, although NCST - 1 hardly showed degradation ability towards RhB and MO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surfaces of eggshell membranes (ESMs) were modified by silane coupling agent (KH550) to form Si(OH)4. ESMs–supported zinc oxide (ZnO) had been successfully fabricated by microwave method. ESMs could keep their original structure and strength after the microwave treatment, and ZnO particles with high oxygen defects were closely supported on the protein fibres of ESMs. After soaking ESMs–supported ZnO materials in organic dyes wastewater for 80 min, they could not only absorb 50% organic dyes by ESMs, but also photodegradate 26% of organic dyes by ZnO. The synergistic effectiveness may significantly improve the treatment efficiencies of ESMs–supported ZnO materials on the organic dyes from the wastewater. ESMs–supported ZnO materials with a synergistic effectiveness may be a potential product for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Two Zn(II) coordination polymers (CPs), [Zn (L1) (DCTP)] n (1) and [Zn (L2) (DCTP)] n (2) [L1 = 1,3-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene, H 2 DCTP = 2,5-dichloroterephthalic acid, L2 = 1,4-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene] were hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, thermogravimetric analyses, fluorescence spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. CP 1 forms a 2D (4,4) layered structure, which is finally extended to a 3D supramolecular framework by the π-π stacking interactions. CP 2 possesses a 3D 3-fold interpenetrating dia network. Both CPs can be as highly selective probes for detection of Fe3+ in aqueous solutions based on luminescence quenching. Further, two compounds exhibit photocatalytic activities for degradation of the methylene blue under UV irradiation. Graphical abstract Two Zn(II)-based coordination polymers (CPs) have been synthesized. CP 1 exhibits 4-connected sql network with the point symbol {44.62} and extended into a 3D supramolecular framework by the π-π stacking interactions. CP 2 possesses a 3D 3-fold interpenetrating dia network. They display high photocatalytic capacities for degrading the methylene blue (MB) solution. Meanwhile, CP 1 and CP 2 show high selectivity for Fe3+ by fluorescence quenching. Image 1 Highlights • Two Zn(II)-based coordination polymers have been synthesized and characterized. • CP 1 displays a (4,4)-connected sql topological network. CP 2 possesses a 3D 3-fold interpenetrating dia network. • The complexes show high performance for photo degradation of MB. • CPs 1–2 shows high selectivity towards Fe3+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]