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A microgrid scenario that consists of electric vehicle (EV) station, combined heat and power (CHP) co-generation, main power grid, and external natural gas station, as well as thermal energy storage water tank is considered in this paper. By jointly considering the uncertainty of real-time electricity price, electricity and heat demands and EVs’ behaviours, the EVs’ batteries are used as energy storage adjusters to reduce the time-averaged operation cost, which includes energy acquiring cost from main power grid, the natural gas cost for CHP generation and heat only generation. We propose a real-time energy management algorithm for EV based microgrid by adopting Lyapunov stochastic optimization technique which optimizes the microgrid average cost without knowing future price, demands and other system information. Furthermore, our approach can accommodate a wide spectrum of characteristics of EVs, including the independent charging/discharging action, dynamic charging energy limits, and lifetime-guaranteed battery. Lastly, extensive simulations are provided to demonstrate that our proposed algorithm can outperform the other three alternatives.

© 2019 American Chemical Society. Zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have attracted extensive attention in recent years, benefiting from their high safety, eco-friendliness, low cost, and high energy density. Although many cathode materials for ZIBs have been developed, the poor stability of zinc anodes caused by uneven deposition/stripping of zinc has inevitably limited the practical application of ZIBs. Herein, we report a highly stable 3D Zn anode prepared by electrodepositing Zn on a chemically etched porous copper skeleton. The inherent excellent electrical conductivity and open structure of the 3D porous copper skeleton ensure the uniform deposition/stripping of Zn. The 3D Zn anode exhibits reduced polarization, stable cycling performance, and almost 100% Coulombic efficiency as well as fast electrochemical kinetics during repeated Zn deposition/stripping processes for 350 h. Furthermore, full cells with a 3D Zn anode, ultrathin MnO2 nanosheet cathode, and Zn2+-containing aqueous electrolyte delivered a record-high capacity of 364 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.1 A g-1 and good cycling stability with a retained capacity of 173 mAh g-1 after 300 charge/discharge cycles at 0.4 A g-1. This work provides a pathway for developing high-performance ZIBs.

Active carbon/BiOI microspheres were first prepared using a facile one-step solvothermal route from Bi(NO3)3·5H2O, KI, active carbon, and ethylene glycol. The phase structure, morphology, and optical properties of the as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra. HRTEM mapping results showed that within the composites, active carbon particles dispersed well onto BiOI spheres. The apparent variations in binding energies and photocurrent measurement results verified that the interactions between both components are strong. As a consequence, these active carbon/BiOI composites exhibit an enhanced photocatalytic reduction activity of Cr(VI) under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation when compared with pure BiOI. This work can strengthen the application of BiOI-based micromaterials in treating wastewater contaminated by highly toxic and intractable Cr(VI).

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Rechargeable zinc ion battery is considered as one of the most potential energy storage devices for large-scale energy storage system due to its safety, low-cost, high capacity and nontoxicity. However, only a few cathode materials have been studied for rechargeable zinc ion batteries. Here, we firstly report manganese sesquioxide (Mn2O3) with Mn(III) state as cathode material for rechargeable zinc ion battery. The α-Mn2O3 cathode displays a reversible capacity of 148 mAh g−1, which is relatively high among all the reported cathode materials for ZIB. The cathode also exhibits good rate capability and excellent cycling stability with a long cycle life up to 2000 times. The ion storage mechanism of α-Mn2O3 in zinc ion battery was also revealed. The pristine α-Mn2O3 undergoes a reversible phase transition from bixbyite structure to layered-type zinc birnessite during the electrochemical zinc ion insertion and extraction. The results not only benefit for the practical application of rechargeable zinc ion battery, but also broaden the horizons of understanding the electrochemical behavior and mechanism of rechargeable zinc ion batteries.

Synchrotron radiation is an advanced collimated light source with high intensity. It has particular advantages in structural characterization of materials on the atomic or molecular scale. Synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction (SR-XRPD) has been successfully exploited to various areas of hydrogen storage materials. In the paper, we will give a brief introduction on hydrogen storage materials, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and synchrotron radiation light source. The applications of ex situ and in situ time-resolved SR-XRPD in hydrogen storage materials, are reviewed in detail. Future trends and proposals in the applications of the advanced XRPD techniques in hydrogen storage materials are also discussed.

Microgrid is a system composed of a micro power, electrical loads, an energy storage system, and control units. In this study, we presented a novel household smart DC microgrid based on the DC microgrid model. We developed a suitable voltage standard for our microgrid system. Then we analyze the correlation between solar and wind energy based on the practical meteorological data acquired from National Renewable Energy Laboratory and we discuss how to estimate the priority of solar and wind energy. Furthermore, we proposed a novel coordination control strategy of a DC microgrid based on DC bus signaling, which consists of the control of the converter using renewable energies and the control of the inverter for the energy storage system. We further proposed a novel topology of smart DC circuit breaker for the communication between the load and DC bus. The working principle of the topology was validated by simulation which demonstrated that the circuit breaker can not only realize breaking of mechanical switch with zero current input, but also work as a basic module of power router to achieve energy routing.

Ni-doped ZnO hollow microspheres were fabricated by calcining the mixture of zinc and nickel citrate precursors at 500 °C for 2 h. The structure, composition, Barrett–Emmett–Teller specific surface area, and optical properties of Ni-doped ZnO samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, wave length dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, and ultraviolet (UV)-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that the as-synthesized Ni-doped ZnO microcrystals possessed much higher photocatalytic activity than pure ZnO in the decomposition of methylene blue under UV-light irradiation. The present work suggests that Ni-doped ZnO hollow microspheres can be applied as an efficient photocatalyst for water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes.

Quaternary nanocomposite of rGO@SiO 2 @FeOOH@Ag was fabricated via a green and facile hydrothermal method. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques were employed to characterize the nanocomposite. Under a suitable reaction condition, well-dispersed Ag and FeOOH nanoparticles on the reduced graphene oxide sheets were obtained. Trace detection of congo red and sudan IV is studied based on the quaternary nanocomposite as efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering platforms. It has been found that the as-prepared rGO@SiO 2 @FeOOH@Ag composite exhibit enhanced surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance for detecting trace of organic colorants compared with graphene@Ag in our early reports. This work is of importance in theory research and practical application based on the SERS effect of complex nanocomposite.

The uniform Ag@AgBr core–shell microspheres were synthesized by a very facile wet-chemical route in aqueous solution, including a reduction process to prepare sphere-like Ag core and a deposition process to synthesize AgBr shell. X-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the formation of Ag@AgBr core–shell heterostructures which had been achieved by this simple method. Field emission scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results of the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr composite revealed that AgBr particles were deposited on the surface of sphere-like Ag core. Under visible-light (λ >420 nm) and real sunlight irradiation, the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr samples exhibit high activity and good stability for the photodegradation of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) in water. The present work suggests that the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr core–shell microsphere can be applied as a visible light-activated photocatalyst in efficient utilization of solar energy for treating water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes in environment. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the as-synthesized Ag@AgBr composite might be attributed to accelerated separation efficiency of electron–hole pairs on the interface of the Ag@AgBr hybrids and improved visible-light absorption abilities when AgBr is coupled with Ag.

Reduced graphene oxide/Ag nanoparticles hybrids (rGO/AgNPs) were fabricated via a green and facile hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized materials were characterized in detail using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Under a suitable dosage of silver ions, well-dispersed AgNPs on the reduced graphene oxide sheets were obtained. The surface plasmon resonance properties of AgNPs on graphene show that there is an interaction between AgNPs and graphene. Trace detection of organic dyes is studied based on rGO/AgNPs hybrids as efficient surface enhanced Raman scattering platforms. It has been found that the suitable experiment parameter is crucial to trace detection of organic dyes molecules. This work is of importance in the practical application in device-design based on the SERS effect of noble metal/reduced oxide graphene (or oxide graphene) hybrids.

ZnO/Ag nanocomposites with adjustable surface-enhanced Raman scattering performance and photocatalytic activity were synthesized by a photochemical method. The as-prepared samples were investigated using various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques in detail. Solvents play a key role in controlling the morphologies and properties of these nanocomposites. Detection and degradation of organic dyes is studied. It has been found that suitable experimental parameters are crucial to the detection and degradation of organic dyes molecules. The work is of great importance in practical applications based on the surface-enhanced Raman scattering and photocatalytic performance of noble metal/oxide metal nanocomposites, which could be used for detection and degradation of organic dyes and pollutants.

N-doped ZnO micropolyhedrons were fabricated by calcining the mixture of commercial ZnO (analytical grade) and NH4NO3 at 600 °C for 1.5 h, in which NH4NO3 was utilized as the nitrogen source. The structure, composition, BET specific surface area and optical properties of N-doped ZnO sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that the as-synthesized N-doped ZnO microcrystals possessed much higher photocatalytic activity than N-doped TiO2 (which was synthesized by calcining the mixture of P25 TiO2 and NH4NO3 at 600 °C for 1.5 h) and commercial pure ZnO in the decomposition of formaldehyde under visible-light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The present work suggests that NH4NO3 is a promising nitrogen source for one-step calcination synthesis of microcrystalline N-doped ZnO, which can be applied as a visible-light-activated photocatalyst in efficient utilization of solar energy for treating formaldehyde wastewater.

Ag/Ag 2 O/Ag 2 CO 3 microcomposite was fabricated by a one-step hydrothermal route from AgNO 3 , NaHCO 3 , and Poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), utilizing PVP as the reducing agent. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the forming of Ag/Ag 2 O/Ag 2 CO 3 microcomposite was achieved by this hydrothermal method. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra of both pure Ag 2 CO 3 and Ag/Ag 2 O/Ag 2 CO 3 microcomposite displayed a band gap edge at about 390−420 nm. Compared with pure Ag 2 CO 3 , an enhanced broad tail from approximately 400–800 nm appeared in the UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum of Ag/Ag 2 O/Ag 2 CO 3 microcomposite. The photocatalytic results indicated that the as-synthesized Ag/Ag 2 O/Ag 2 CO 3 microcomposite was a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light irradiation.

Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite was synthesized via chemical precipitation from pure CeO 2 microspheres, AgNO 3 , and NaHCO 3 . X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the forming of Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite. Field emission scanning microscope and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results of the as-synthesized Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite revealed that Ag 2 CO 3 particles were uniformly deposited on the surface of CeO 2 microspheres (core). UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra of both pure CeO 2 and Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite displayed a band gap edge at about 360−390 nm. However, compared with pure CeO 2 , an additional broad tail from approximately 400 nm to 800 nm appeared in the UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum of Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite. The photocatalytic studies indicated that the as-synthesized Ag 2 CO 3 /CeO 2 microcomposite was promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light irradiation.

N-doped CeO2 microspheres were fabricated by a one-step low temperature (180 °C) solvothermal route from Ce(NO3)3·6H2O, HNO3, and ethanol, utilizing HNO3 as the nitrogen source. The structure, composition, BET specific surface area and optical properties of N-doped CeO2 sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence, field emission scanning electron microscopy, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that as-synthesized N-doped CeO2 microspheres possessed much higher photocatalytic activity than that of pure CeO2 in the photocatalytic activity of aqueous rhodamine 6G under visible light (λ>420 nm) irradiation. Moreover, the photocatalytic results indicated that the as-synthesized N-doped CeO2 was a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light irradiation.

Sn-doped ZnO nanorods were fabricated by a hydrothermal route, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, UV–vis spectroscopy, Raman spectra, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, and room temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy. Solid-state NMR result confirms that Sn 4+ was successfully incorporated into the crystal lattice of ZnO. Room temperature photoluminescence showed that all the as-synthesized products exhibited a weak UV emission (380 nm) and a strong visible emission (540 nm), but the intensities of the latter emission increased with increase in Sn concentration. The improvement of visible emission at 540 nm in the Sn-doped ZnO samples was suggested to be a result of the lattice defects increased by doping of Sn in zinc oxide. In addition, the photocatalytic studies indicated that Sn-doped ZnO nanorods are a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes.

Na-doped ZnO nanowires with an average diameter of ~ 40 nm have been fabricated by a thermal decomposition route at temperatures around 400 °C. Their properties have been investigated using X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, Raman spectra, photoluminescence spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra. Photoluminescence spectra showed that the as-synthesized ZnO samples exhibited strong visible emission with a major peak at 420 nm. Furthermore, intensity of the visible emission at 420 nm enhanced as the increase of Na concentration. The improvement of visible emission in the Na-doped ZnO samples should be a result of the surface defects increased by doping of Na in ZnO. Their antibacterial activities were also evaluated by determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Escherichia coli 25922 in vitro. Antibacterial tests indicated these nanomaterials showed good antibacterial properties after UV illumination for a short time.

N-doped ZnO microcrystals were fabricated by a one-step low temperature (140 °C) solvothermal route from commercial ZnO (A.R), HNO 3 , and ethanol, in which HNO 3 was utilized as the nitrogen source. The structure, composition, BET specific surface area and optical properties of N-doped ZnO sample were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence, field emission scanning electron microscopy, N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, Raman and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic results demonstrated that as-synthesized N-doped ZnO microcrystals possessed much higher photocatalytic activity than N-doped TiO 2 (which was solvothermally synthesized using P25 TiO 2 and HNO 3 ) and commercial pure ZnO in the reduction of aqueous Rhodamine 6G under visible light ( λ >420 nm) irradiation. Moreover, the photocatalytic results indicated that the as-synthesized N-doped ZnO was a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light irradiation.

Na-doped ZnO nanowires with an average diameter of ∼40 nm have been fabricated by a thermal decomposition route at temperature around 400 °C. Their properties have been investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), UV–visible spectroscopy, Raman spectra, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Room temperature photoluminescence (RT-PL) showed that the as-synthesized ZnO samples exhibited strong visible emission with a major peak at 420 nm. Furthermore, intensity of the visible emission increased and then decreased with increase in Na concentration. The improvement of visible emission at 420 nm in the Na-doped ZnO samples should be a result of the surface defects increased by doping of Na in zinc oxide. In addition, photocatalytic studies indicated that these nanomaterials showed good photocatalytic performance for organic pollutants in water.

Flower-like ZnO nano/microstructures have been synthesized by thermal treatment of Zn(NH 3 ) 4 2+ precursor in aqueous solvent, using ammonia as the structure directing agent. A number of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scan electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal analysis, and photoluminescence (PL) were used to characterize the obtained ZnO structures. The photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicated that the as-synthesized ZnO structures showed UV (∼375 nm), blue (∼465 nm), and yellow (∼585 nm) emission bands when they were excited by a He–Gd laser using 320 nm as the excitation source. Furthermore, it has been interestingly found that the intensity of light emission at ∼585 nm remarkably decreased when the obtained ZnO nanocrystals were annealed at 600 °C for 3 h in air. The reason might be the possible oxygen vacancies and interstitials in the sample decreased at high temperature.

Different morphologies of ZnO nanocrystals have been achieved controllably by agent-assisted chemical-liquid-deposition process. In this approach, no additional template materials or substrates are needed to obtain different morphologies in the reaction process. The rod-like ZnO nanocrystal has been synthesized by decomposing Zn(OH)42− directly in the solution. The slice-like and flower-like ZnO nanocrystals of hexagonal phase have also been obtained, respectively, using sodium citrate and ammonia as the structure directing agents. A very strong UV emission at ∼380 nm and green emission at ∼510 nm are observed in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the three kinds of ZnO nanocrystals. The possible formation mechanisms for synthesized ZnO nanocrystals with different morphologies have also been phenomenologically proposed.

High-performance flexible textile electrodes and fiber electrodes are produced simultaneously by a newly proposed effective strategy. Activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and ACFC/MnO2/CNTs composites are designed as high-performance flexible textile electrodes. Theses textiles can also be easily dismantled into individual fiber bundles used as high-performance flexible fiber electrodes.

Tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) thin films were prepared using conventional radio frequency (RF) planar magnetron sputtering equipped with IR irradiation using a ceramic target of In 2 O 3 /SnO 2 with a mass ratio of 1:1 at various IR irradiation temperatures T I (from room temperature to 400°C). The refractive index, deposited ratio, and resistivity are functions of the sputtering Ar gas pressure. The microstructure of ITO thin films is related to IR T I , the crystalline seeds appear at T I = 300°C, and the films are amorphous at the temperature ranging from 27°C to 400°C. AFM investigation shows that the roughness value of peak-valley of ITO thin film ( R p-v ) and the surface microstructure of ITO thin films have a close relation with T I . The IR irradiation results in a widening value of band-gap energy due to Burstein-Moss effect and the maximum visible transmittance shifts toward a shorter wavelength along with a decrease in the film's refractive index. The plasma wavelength and the refractive index of ITO thin films are relative to the T I . XPS investigation shows that the photoelectrolytic properties can be deteriorated by the sub-oxides. The deterioration can be decreased by increasing the oxygen flow rate ( fo 2 ), and the mole ratio of Sn/In in the samples reduces with an increase in fo 2 .

Nanocrystalline ZnO particles were prepared by a novel aqueous route from zinc nitrate hexahydrate without any requirement of calcinations step at high temperature. A comparative study of chemical reactions from zinc nitrate hexahydrate to ZnO was made under different temperature. The results reveal that with the increase of the reaction temperature, the morphology of particles seems to change from rod-like to short prism-like form. The photoluminescence band was at near 380 nm and no other bands were observable, which proved to exhibit high optical property and might have potential application in nanoscale optoelectronic devices.

Ag/ZnO nanocomposite was fabricated by a solvothermal route from Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O, AgNO 3 , ethanol, and NaOH. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the forming of Ag/ZnO nanocomposite. High resolution transmission electron microscopy results of the as-synthesized Ag/ZnO nanocomposite revealed that Ag nanoparticles were attached to the surface of ZnO. Moreover, the PL results of the as-synthesized Ag/ZnO nanocomposite indicated that the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers and the photostability of ZnO improved after ZnO is coupled with Ag. The photocatalytic studies indicated that the as-synthesized Ag/ZnO nanocomposite was a promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes.

Cu-doped ZnO nanowires were fabricated by a solvothermal route from Zn(NO3)2·6H2O, Cu(NO3)2·3H2O and NaOH. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and 63Cu solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SS-NMR) spectra results confirmed the doping of Cu into ZnO lattices. UV–vis absorption spectra of both pure ZnO and Cu-doped ZnO displayed a band gap absorption peak at about 365 nm. But, compared with pure ZnO, an additional broad tail from approximately 400 nm to 700 nm appeared in the UV–vis absorption spectra of Cu-doped ZnO. The photocatalytic studies indicated that the as-synthesized Cu-doped ZnO nanowires were a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light.

Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized via a chemical precipitation from pure ZnO nanowires, AgNO 3 , and NaHCO 3 . X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the forming of Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite. High resolution transmission electron microscopy results of the as-synthesized Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite revealed that Ag 2 CO 3 nanoparticles were attached to the surface of ZnO nanowires. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra of both pure ZnO and Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite displayed a band gap edge at about 360−390 nm. However, compared with pure ZnO, an additional broad tail from approximately 400 nm–800 nm appeared in the UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrum of Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite. The photocatalytic studies indicated that the as-synthesized Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnO nanocomposite was a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes under visible light.

An alternative two-step method has been proposed for the synthesis of Bi 2 O 3 nanowires with a diameter of about 40 nm from common and cost-effective Bi(NO 3 ) 3 ·5H 2 O, Na 2 SO 4 , and NaOH. That is, first, Bi 2 O(OH)SO 4 nanowires were prepared through the precipitation reaction of Bi(NO 3 ) 3 ·5H 2 O and Na 2 SO 4 in distilled water under the ambient condition and second, monoclinic phase Bi 2 O 3 nanowires were prepared via the hydrothermal reaction of Bi 2 O(OH)SO 4 and NaOH at 120 °C for 12 h. The resultant products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. In addition, the photocatalytic studies indicated that the as-synthesized Bi 2 O 3 nanowires were a kind of promising photocatalyst in remediation of water polluted by some chemically stable azo dyes.

A hydrothermal route has been proposed for the synthesis of PbS cage-like structures from Pb(NO 3 ) 2 , Na 2 SO 4 and Na 2 S·9H 2 O. This route involved a two-step procedure (that is, first, PbSO 4 was prepared through the precipitation reaction of Pb(NO 3 ) 2 and Na 2 SO 4 in distilled water under the ambient condition; second, cubic phase PbS with cage-like structure was prepared via the hydrothermal reaction of PbSO 4 and Na 2 S·9H 2 O at 180 °C for 12 h). The resultant products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and room temperature Raman spectra. It was observed that PbS cage-like structures had unique optical property and may be useful in further applications such as Raman detectors.