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Absorbable hemostatic materials have great potential in clinical hemostasis. However, their single coagulation mechanism, long degradation cycles, and limited functionality mean that they have restricted applications. Here, we prepared a sodium hyaluronate/carboxymethyl chitosan absorbable hemostatic foam (SHCF) by combining high-molecular-weight polysaccharide sodium hyaluronate with carboxymethyl chitosan via hydrogen bonding. SHCFs have rapid liquid absorption performance and can enrich blood cells. They transform into a gel when it they come into contact with blood, and are more easily degraded in this state. Meanwhile, SHCFs have multiple coagulation effects and promote hemostasis. In a rabbit liver bleeding model, SHCFs reduced the hemostatic time by 85% and blood loss by 80%. In three severe and complex bleeding models of porcine liver injury, uterine wall injury, and bone injury, bleeding was well-controlled and anti-tissue adhesion effects were observed. In addition, degradation metabolism studies show that SHCFs are 93% degraded within one day and almost completely metabolized within three weeks. The absorbable hemostatic foam developed in this study is multifunctional; with rapid hemostasis, anti-adhesion, and rapid degradation properties, it has great clinical potential for in vivo hemostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrophilic hemostatic sponge plays an important role in trauma bleeding control because of its robust coagulant functions. However, its strong tissue adhesion can easily result in wound tear and rebleeding during removing the sponge. Herein, the design of a hydrophilic anti-adhesive chitosan/graphene oxide composite sponge (CSAG) that possesses stable mechanical strength, rapid liquid absorption and strong intrinsic/extrinsic coagulation stimulations, is reported. For one thing, CSAG exhibits outstanding hemostatic performance, which significantly outperforms two commercial hemostats in two in vivo serious bleeding models. For another, CSAG shows low tissue adhesion; its peeling force is approximately 79.3 % lower than the commercial gauze. Moreover, in the peeling process, CSAG triggers partial detachment of the blood scab, because of the exist of bubbles or cavities at the interface, allowing the CSAG to be easily and safely peeled off from the wound without rebleeding. This study opens new avenues in constructing anti-adhesive trauma hemostatic materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monometallic M1(M Ni/Cu/Fe/Co) silicates and bimetallic Ni-M2(M Cu/Fe/Co) silicates hollow spheres with mesoporous structure and the controllable morphology have been synthesized successfully via one-step sacrificial template method under hydrothermal conditions. The catalysts were obtained by reducing the corresponding silicates in situ under the hydrogen atmosphere at a certain temperature. All the silicates and the catalysts M1/SiO2 and Ni-M2/SiO2 hollow spheres have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) thoroughly and systematically. The morphology and reaction conditions of bimetallic Ni-M2 silicates hollow spheres depend on the second metal M2, which has been verified by SEM, TEM and XRD. From the results, it can be concluded that bimetallic silicates possess better physical properties in favor of the catalytic activity. Bimetallic Ni-M2/SiO2 hollow spheres had higher catalytic property than the monometallic M1/SiO2 and the conversion of nitrobenzene could reach 100% within 3h using Ni-Cu/SiO2 and Ni-Fe/SiO2 hollow spheres as catalysts. Monometal and bimetal transition silicates hollow spheres with mesoporous structure and controllable morphology have been synthesized successfully using one-step sacrificial template method, and the corresponding reduzates used as catalysts were obtained using in suit reduction under hydrogen atmosphere, which the catalytic property has been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of highly active and cost-effective nanoporous W-doped Ni–Fe–P catalyst on nickel foam (NF) was synthesized by a facile electroless plating method. The W-doped Ni–Fe–P/NF catalysts exhibit extraordinary catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline media, capable of yielding a current density of −10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of only 68 mV. Furthermore, the catalysts also show efficient activity towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with an overpotential of 210 mV at j = 10 mA cm−2 as well. The W-doped Ni–Fe–P/NF electrocatalyst exhibits a long-term durability over 13 h test. • A new highly active and cost-effective W-doped Ni–Fe–P/NF electrocatalyst. • A simple synthesis method: electroless composite deposition and fast dealloying. • A remarkable electrocatalytic activity towards HER and OER. • The W-doped Ni–Fe–P/NF electrocatalyst exhibits a long-term durability over 13 h test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective hemostasis for noncompressible bleeding has been a key challenge because of the deep, narrow, and irregular wounds. Swellable gelatin is an available hemostatic material but is limited by weak mechanical strength and slow liquid absorption. Herein, the design of a gelatin and graphene oxide (GO) composite sponge (GP-GO) that possesses stable cross-linked networks and excellent absorbability, is reported. The GP-GOs are constructed via the thermal radical polymerization technique, using methacrylate gelatin (Gel-MA) and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) as the crosslinker, while GO is uniformly fixed in the network via the curing reaction to further strengthen the stability. The optimized GP-GO 5 with GO addition (5 wt%) exhibits high porosity (> 90%), distinguished liquid absorption rate (106 ms), rapidly responsive swelling (422% expansion within 10 s), and stable mechanical properties. The addition of GO effectively reinforces coagulation stimulation of GP-GOs though the stimulation of platelets and the enrichment effect at the interface, significantly reducing the blood coagulation index (BCI) (< 17.5%). Hemostatic mechanism study indicated the liquid absorbability of GP-GOs is the critical foundation to trigger the subsequent physical expansion, blood cells enrichment, and coagulation stimulations. Besides, GP-GO 5 exhibits excellent biosafety assessed by hemolysis and cytotoxicity. Under the synergistic effects, the biocompatible GP-GO 5 showed excellent hemostatic properties in the hemostasis of severe bleeding and noncompressible wounds compared with a pure gelatin sponge (GP) and the commercial hemostatic agent Celox™. This study demonstrated a promising candidate for practical application of noncompressible wound hemostasis. [Display omitted] • A series of GP-GOs with stable covalently cross-linked networks are prepared. • GO efficiently reinforces liquid absorption and coagulation stimulation of GP-GO. • Absorbability of GP-GO is critical for its multi-mechanism synergistic hemostasis. • Hemostasis of GP-GO for noncompressible wound significantly outperforms the hemostat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic functionalization of interface coagulation stimulation and liquid absorption capacity is the key to improve the hemostatic efficiency of hemostats. Herein, we prepared a graphene-ophicalcite (OPH) heterogeneous composite sponge (GOCS) by using the heterogeneous gradient composite strategy. The sponge took cross-linked graphene sponge (CGS) as the main skeleton, allowing the OPH to be controllably positioned on the surface of GOCS. The heterogeneous strategy gave full play to the advantages of the material. On the one hand, GOCS had excellent liquid absorption ability, which enriched blood cells and other coagulation components at the wound interface after contacting blood. On the other hand, the OPH at the interface obviously activated platelets and rapidly triggered coagulation cascade reactions, exhibiting fast response and feedback characteristics for coagulation signals. Under the synergistic effects, the blood clotting index value of GOCS was reduced to 33.87 ± 9.97%, which was significantly lower than those of OPH (46.33 ± 16.85%) and CGS (67.53 ± 5.35%). Importantly, GOCS rapidly stopped bleeding within 51 s in the rat femoral artery model, suggesting its great potential in the field of hemostasis. Therefore, this study provides a new idea for the design and preparation of hemostatic materials via heterogeneous strategy. [Display omitted] • Graphene/ophicalcite composite sponge (GOCS) is developed by a heterogeneous way. • Ophicalcite anchored on GOCS surface shows superior ability to activate platelet. • GOCS maximizes hemostatic effect by mimicking the process of coagulation cascade. • GOCS shows excellent hemostatic performance and stops bleeding within 51 s in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchically porous hematite (Fe 2 O 3 ) nanostructures composed of aligned nanorods with diameters of about 12 nm have been synthesized via a one step thermal decomposition method of the commercial FeC 2 O 4 ·2H 2 O powders. The porous structures and sizes of Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures can be controlled by adjusting the calcination temperatures. This method is facile, high-yield and cost-effective for the large-scale mass production. When evaluated for lithium storage capacity, the hierarchically porous Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures obtained from the calcination temperature of 400 °C exhibits high reversible discharge capacity (901.3 mAh g −1 at the initial lower rate of 0.2 C), superior rate performance (221.3 mAh g −1 at 10 C) and excellent cycling stability (416.4 mAh g −1 after 1000 cycles at 5 C). The reasons are explored in terms of the reduced diameters of nanorods and the finely constructed porous structures, which facilitate the fast and effective transfer of Li + ions, and accommodate the large volume expansion during the charge and discharge cyclings. The facile one-step thermal decomposition method can be expected to open up opportunities in designing high-performance electrode materials with hierarchically porous features for lithium ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared by chemical vapor deposition with Cu2O nanoparticles as a catalyst and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared absorption spectrum (IR). Effects of hydrogen reduction, acid treatment and growth temperature on component and structures of CNFs were studied. According to the IR analysis, both ‒C‒C‒ conjugated bonds and ‒CH3, ‒CH2‒ saturated groups existed in carbon nanofibers. The degree of their oxidation was determined by the growth conditions. While the activity of the catalyst varied with temperature. The growth mechanism of CNFs was also discussed in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel method was investigated to synthesize carbon fiber florets using copper tartrate catalyst precursors by catalytic chemical vapor deposition at 300°C. Samples were obtained for different growth periods. On the basis of electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction characterizations, a growth model for the formation of fiber florets was proposed as well as the branching of fibers nearby copper catalyst particles. These findings could facilitate the understanding of the catalytic growth process of different carbon materials including carbon nanotubes and graphene under different reaction parameters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Basic magnesium carbonate (Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O) microrods with a surface structure of “house of cards” have been synthesized without any alkaline reagent, using rod-like particles, magnesium carbonate trihydrate, as templates. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The transformation process from rod-like MgCO3·3H2O particles to Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O microrods with a surface structure of “house of cards” was recorded. Preliminary discussions on possible growth mechanisms of Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O microrods are also proposed in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Orthorhombic single-crystal CeCO3OH flower-like nanostructures have been successfully synthesized on a large scale by the hydrothermal method at 120°C using Ce(NO3)3·6H2O as the cerium source, aqueous urea as both an alkaline and carbon source and polyvinyl alcohol as surfactant. Polycrystalline CeO2 nanostructures have been obtained by thermal decomposition–oxidation of single-crystalline CeCO3OH flower-like nanostructures at 500°C in flowing air. CeCO3OH flower-like nanostructures and CeO2 nanostructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), room temperature UV/vis absorption spectrum, differential scanning calorimetric analysis (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The high absorption in the UV region for CeO2 nanostructures indicated that this material was suitable as UV-blocking material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Octahedral Cu2O particles and Cu2O nanowires were synthesized by a simple solution-phase route using N2H4·H2O as reducing agent at room temperature. Amorphous carbon nanofibers were synthesized using octahedral Cu2O particles and an acetylene gas source at atmospheric pressure. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. SEM and TEM images indicated that most of the obtained octahedral Cu2O particles had an edge length of 400–700nm. The obtained nanowires had uniform diameters of about 15nm, and the length of the nanowires ranged from 5 to 10μm. The XRD result revealed the amorphous feature of the nanofibers. IR spectrum revealed that the nanofibers consist of –CH, –CH2, –C and –CH3 groups. The concentrations of N2H4·H2O and NaOH played important roles in controlling the geometric shape of the Cu2O. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The pure silica mesoporous molecular sieve MCM-41 was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Pd/Si-MCM-41 was prepared by the incipient wetness impregnation of pure silica MCM-41 with mixed solution of PdCl2, ethanol and CH2Cl2. The samples were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms at 77 K. The XRD and TEM results reveal that Pd is actually anchored inside the pores of Si-MCM-41 and the Si-MCM-41 structure is clearly maintained after impregnation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fusiform hexagonal prism SrCO3 microrods were prepared by a simple solvothermal route at 120°C, and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. By controlling the content of ethylene glycol (EG), it was found that ethylene glycol (EG) played an important role in the formation of such SrCO3 microrods. Finally, effects of other solvents on the products, including 1,2-propanediol and glycerin, were also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mn‐doped (1‐x)Bi0.5(Na0.8K0.2)0.5TiO3‐xBiAlO3 (Mn:BNKT‐xBA) thin films were synthesized on lanthanum nickelate‐coated silicon substrates by sol‐gel method. The second phase issue of the film can be effectively addressed by optimizing the substrate, and the maximum polarization and breakdown strength can be increased by introducing the proper amount of Al3+, which is advantageous for the film for energy storage. The results have shown that the Mn:BNKT‐0.03BA film exhibits superior ferroelectric properties (with remanent polarization (Pr) of 23.72 µC/cm2, maximum polarization (Pmax) of 75.37 µC/cm2), which could be an excellent candidate for ferroelectric thin film capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The core-shell SiO2/Mg(OH)2 spheres were synthesized under ambient conditions, with the aid of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) to modify the morphology and dispersion of the products. The solid and hollow core-shell SiO2/Mg(OH)2 spheres with different morphologies, such as convex-pointed, gyrus-like and honeycombed, controlled by the ratio of silica and magnesium chloride, were obtained and investigated by means of XRD, EDS, TEM and SEM. The formation mechanism of core-shell SiO2/Mg(OH)2 structure was discussed in detail. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) flower-like ZnSe microstructures with six petals in excellent symmetry have been successfully prepared by a simple solvothermal route using diethanolamine to control the morphology, and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) and UV–VIS. The formation processes were discussed and confirmed by carrying out a series of controllable synthesis. It was found that diethanolamine played an important role in the formation of such 3D novel structures. By controlling synthetic parameters, different 3D morphologies of ZnSe were obtained. This convenient method may be applicable to prepare other chalcogenide semiconductors with the 3D morphologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: SrCO3 hexahedral ellipsoids have been prepared by a simple solvothermal route at 120 °C using glycerin as the solvent to control morphology. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to characterize such hexahedral ellipsoids. Effects of the content of glycerin and the reaction time on the products were investigated. Finally, the growth mechanism of SrCO3 hexahedral ellipsoids has been preliminary presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bundle-like structures consisting of single crystal cerium hydroxide carbonate (Ce(OH)CO3) nanorods have been synthesized successfully by a hydrothermal method at 100 °C using cerium nitrate (Ce(NO3)3·6H2O) as the cerium source, aqueous carbamide both as an alkaline and carbon source and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize such bundle-like structures. SEM and TEM images show that Ce(OH)CO3 bundle-like structures were composed of nanorods with diameters of ∼100 nm. The XRD pattern and electron diffraction (ED) pattern indicate that Ce(OH)CO3 has a pure orthorhombic single crystal structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: SnO2 hollow microspheres have been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) were used to characterize such hollow microspheres. SEM image shows that SnO2 microspheres with diameters of 0.5–1 μm are composed of SnO2 nanoparticles with about 15 nm in diameter. Some broken microspheres indicate the hollow spherical structure. XRD shows that SnO2 hollow microspheres have tetragonal structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] Non-desirable solar energy absorption and poor charge transfer efficiency are two problems that limit the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) photocatalytic techniques. Herein, a metal-free boron-doped graphdiyne quantum dot (BGDs) modified hollow tubular g-C 3 N 4 photocatalyst (BGD/TCN) was synthesized to activate PMS and achieved effective space separation of carriers for degradation of bisphenol A. With 0.5 mM PMS, the degradation rate of bisphenol A (20 ppm) was 0.0634 min−1, 3.7-fold higher than that of TCN itself. The roles of BGDs in the distribution of electrons and photocatalytic property were well identified by experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The possible degradation intermediate products of bisphenol A were monitored by mass spectrometer and demonstrated to be nontoxic using ecological structure activity relationship modeling (ECOSAR). Finally, this newly-designed material was successfully applied in actual water bodies, which further renders its promising prospect for actual water remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Cu2+ drives the spontaneous formation of AgCl on Ag surface via microcell reactions. • Potential bias promotes the process due to surface enrichment of Cu2+. • Self-supported nano-Ag were obtained from by electro-reduction of AgCl. • The nano-Ag shows good activity and stability to the oxygen reduction reaction. • The approach provides an alternative way to prepare self-supported nanoporous metals. Abstract Self-supported nanoporous metals are promising catalysts and battery materials due to their continuous channels, excellent conductivity and high surface area. In this work, we found that Cu2+ cations could promote the spontaneous formation of AgCl on Ag surface via microcell reactions. Applying a potential to the silver electrode promotes the surface enrichment of Cu2+ cations, and further speeds the formation of AgCl. After electro-reduced, AgCl was transformed to self-supported silver electrode with nanoporous structures, which shows good catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction and electrochemical stability together with superior methanol tolerance property, compared to the pristine silver electrode. The approach used in this work provides an alternative way to prepare self-supported nanoporous metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of superhydrophobic coating in modern industries cannot be overstated. However, conventional superhydrophobic coatings are challenged by poor mechanical stability, single functionality, and toxic content (fluorine element), which pose a challenge to the large-scale use of superhydrophobic coatings. Herein, a MOF-based superhydrophobic coating is proposed, which is constructed by introducing self-designed small-molecule resins combined with modified ZIF-8 particles through a one-step spraying method. Notably, the coating exhibits excellent superhydrophobicity (CA = 169.05°, SA = 3.7°), mechanical stability (CA > 155° after 200 cm of wear), high oil-water separation efficiencies (for oil-water mixture separation efficiency up to 98.57 %) and satisfactory anti-corrosion property. The superior performance of the coating comes from the layer-by-layer structure formed by the γ-AP resin-coated ZIF-8 particles after curing, which the silicone in the resin forms a dense cross-linked network on the surface of the coating. In summary, ZIF-8/HDTMS/γ-AP coating not only has the advantages of a simple preparation process, wide application range, and no secondary pollution but also has excellent mechanical properties, high oil-water separation efficiency, and satisfactory corrosion resistance, which can provide new ideas to expand the application scope of superhydrophobic coating. • MOF-based multifunctional coating was fabricated through a one-step spray coating method. • The fluorine-free, hybrid layer-by-layer coating shows excellent superhydrophobicity (CA: 169.05°, SA: 3.7°). • The coating exihbits excellent chemical stability, which could be used for highly efficient oil-water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the introduction of external fields (light, thermal, magnetism, etc.) during electrocatalysis reactions gradually becomes a new strategy to modulate the catalytic activities. In this work, an external magnetic field was innovatively employed for the synthesis progress of (Ni, Zn)Fe 2 O 4 spinel oxide (M-(Ni, Zn)Fe 2 O 4). Results indicated the magnetic field (≤250 ​mT) would affect the morphology of catalyst due to the existing Fe ions, inducing the M-(Ni, Zn)Fe 2 O 4 nanosphere particles to be uniform and coral-like nanorods. In addition, the electronic structure of the catalyst was regulated by the valence state of Fe, changing the bonding of metal to oxygen atoms in different spinel sites. The results manifested that the M-(Ni, Zn)Fe 2 O 4 requires a lower overpotential of only 67 ​mV to deliver 10 ​mA ​cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline electrolyte. Moreover, M-(Ni, Zn)Fe 2 O 4 respectively as the anode and cathode electrode for the overall water splitting, the catalysis system requires a cell voltage of only 1.76 ​V to gain a current density of 50 ​mA ​cm−2, combining with an excellent discharging stability after 10 ​h. This work provides a facile synthesis strategy toward the design of efficient non-noble metal catalysts for alkaline HER and overall water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organosilane-functionalized carbon dots (SiCDs) with green emission were prepared by one-step solvothermal method. Anhydrous citric acid and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxy-silane (KH792) were used for the preparation of SiCDs. Green light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were fabricated by combination of a 450 nm-emitting blue LED chips and green SiCDs, since green SiCDs was used to convert blue light to green light. The luminous efficiency of green LEDs can reach 60.96 lm/W. The as-prepared polymerizable SiCDs are hopeful to provide new opportunity to simplify the preparation process and improve optical performances of green LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The role of superhydrophobic coating in metal anti-corrosion, oil leakage treatment, waterproofing and antifouling cannot be overstated, yet the application of conventional superhydrophobic coatings is limited due to their toxicity, poor mechanical stability, and high cost. Herein we report our design on an eco-friendly wax-derived organic-based superhydrophobic coating based on self-designed sol and eco-friendly wax and integrated the spray coating technique. The W-GPAC coating exhibits superhydrophobicity (Contact Angle: 170.6°, Sliding Angle: 5.3°) with a glass substrate. It should be noted that the coating could preserve excellent superhydrophobic property in water spray impact test (Contact Angle:160° after 500 water impact cycles), linear abrasion test(Contact Angle:160° after 120 cm linear abrasion), and acid-base durability test (Contact Angle: greater than 165° after immersion in the acidic or alkaline environment for 600 min). In addition, the coating maintains outstanding adhesion with various substrates even at freezing treatment. The superior performance of the coating comes from the folded structure formed by the drying of GPAC sol which is formed by the dense siloxane crosslinking network of GPAC sol and long-chain silane on the coating surface. Taken together, the W-GPAC superhydrophobic coating enjoys low manufacturing cost, easy degradability, and no secondary pollution, and can be applied to almost commonly used substrates with superior mechanical durability, which could provide alternative solution for superhydrophobic application. • The carnauba wax-derived all-organic hybrid coating was fabricated through a simple sol-gel/spray coating method. • The hybrid coating shows excellent superhydrophobicity (CA: 170.6°, SA: 5.3°) while being free of fluorine elements • The hybrid coating exhibits outstanding mechanical robustness and durability under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Loading MnFe 2 O 4 on the surface of TiO 2 nanotubes to construct Z-scheme heterojunction can inhibit the corrosion of 304SS. • MnFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 /TiO 2 composites broaden the absorption range of visible light. • Composites effectively reduce the recombination rate of photogenerated electrons and holes. • MnFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 /TiO 2 showed durability after a period of place 150 days of use. TiO 2 nanotubes have large specific surface area. Loading MnFe 2 O 4 on the surface of TiO 2 nanotube array can improve the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 and effectively inhibit the corrosion of 304SS. MnFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 /TiO 2 (MSTs) composites were prepared by hydrothermal method. In this study, the effect of doping SiO 2 coated MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles on the photoelectrochemistry of TiO 2 was investigated. The results demonstrated that the doped composite films widen the absorption range of visible light and effectively improve the separation rate of photogenerated electrons and holes. In addition, MSTs can provide protection for 304SS under intermittent illumination for 12 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysiloxane coatings prepared by pre-hydrolysis/condensation of methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), etraethoxysilane (TEOS), methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in the presence of acid solution were presented in this paper in order to explore their potential use as protective and self-cleaning agents for car surface. The hardness and adhesion on the substrate properties of coatings were thoroughly examined by pencil hardness tester and adhesion tester. Contact angle meter was used to measure the hydrophobic angle properties of coatings. All the properties of coatings were related closely to the composition of coating and the hydrolysis degree of organoalkoxysilane. We found that the Scratch hardness can be improved by the controlling of TEOS quality ratio and acidity conditions, while more dosage of MTMS, MTES and PDMS favor raising the hydrophobic angle. Excellent adhesion property of paint coat was obtained with the presence of γ -(2,3-epoxypropoxy) propytrimethoxysilane (KH-560). Whatever, the best self-cleaning coatings with excellent hardness and adhesion on the substrate was sample A4 synthesized by a sol–gel process of low-cost organoalkoxysilane, prepared at the quality ratio of (MTMS):(TEOS):(MTES):(PDMS):(KH-560) of 8:7:4:4:4 and water-to-precursor quality ratio of 1:7. Finally, ambient-curable self-cleaning coating suitable for large area application was obtained. The scratch hardness and adhesion strength of the coatings was 3H and 0 after hardening with a high speed, respectively. The contact angle after UV aging of the coating was 92°. The transmittance of the coating exceeded 98.5%. Meanwhile, the coating has good resistance to solvent and weather resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmon stimulation represents an appealing way to modulate enzyme mimic functions, but utilization efficiency of plasmon excitation remains relatively low. To overcome this drawback, a heterojunction composite based on graphdiyne nanowalls wrapped hollow copper sulfide nanocubes (CuS@GDY) with strong localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) response in the near‐infrared (NIR) region is developed. This nanozyme can concurrently harvest LSPR induced hot carriers and produce photothermal effects, resulting in dramatically increased peroxidase‐like activity when exposed to 808 nm light. Both experimental results and theoretical calculations show that the remarkable catalytic performance of CuS@GDY is due to the unique hierarchical structure, narrow bandgap of GDY nanowalls, LSPR effect of CuS nanocages, fast interfacial electron transfer dynamics, and carbon vacancies on CuS@GDY. This plasmonic nanozyme exhibits rapid, efficient, broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity (>99.999%) against diverse pathogens (methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli). This study not only sheds light on the mechanism of the nanozyme‐/photocatalysis coupling process, but also opens up a new avenue for engineering plasmonic NIR light driven nanozymes for rapid synergistic photothermal and photo‐enhanced nanozyme therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the photothermal conversion ability of AuAg/GDY@PEG, the in vitro antibacterial activity of AuAg/GDY@PEG was studied and a simple photothermal immunoassay method was established. [Display omitted] We prepared a biocompatible AuAg nanocages/graphdiyne @ polyethylene glycol (AuAg/GDY@PEG) composite. The combination of AuAg and GDY to obtain a synergistically enhanced photothermal effect, and the antibacterial effect of GDY and AuAg are used in combined anti-infective therapy. The in vitro antibacterial activity of AuAg/GDY@PEG was investigated, showing an impressive broad-spectrum antibacterial activity with the killing rate > 99.999%. Based on the photothermal conversion ability of AuAg/GDY@PEG, a simple photothermal immunoassay for pathogenic bacteria was successfully established. Sandwich immune response was performed on a microporous plate, the microplate containing the antibody binds specifically to the bacterium being tested, which then binds to the material with the antibody on its surface, and the signal was a change in temperature under 808 nm near-infrared light. The limit of detection (LOD) for S. typhimurium detection is 103 CFU mL−1, with a range of 103–107 CFU mL−1. This method is accurate, rapid and low-cost, which can be used for on-site detection of pathogenic bacteria in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacies of attapulgite clay (ATC)-, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 )- and silica gel (SG)-supported cobalt–cerium–boron (Co–Ce–B) substances as catalysts were investigated for the alcoholysis and hydrolysis of sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) in ethanol–water solutions. Ce served as a helpful co-catalyst among the prepared Co–Ce–B catalysts, and the catalytic activity decreased in the following sequence: TiO 2 -supported > ATC-supported > SG-supported > unsupported. The effects of Ce/(Co+Ce) molar ratio, ethanol concentration, reaction temperature, NaBH 4 concentration and NaOH concentration on the hydrogen production rate were investigated. For the ATC-supported catalyst, when the Ce/(Co+Ce) molar ratio was 10%, the catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity. Optimal NaBH 4 concentration, NaOH concentration and ethanol concentration to promote hydrogen generation rate was around 8 wt.%, 15 wt.% and 30 wt.%, respectively. It can be found that the addition of ATC greatly improved the recycle ability of the catalysts in the multi-cycle tests. The surface morphology of the catalysts before and after the recycle tests was studied from SEM images. The compositions of the catalysts were determined by XRD and EDS analyses. The occurrence of NaB(OH) 4 in the alcoholysis by-product provided pertinent indications of ethanol recovery after the tests. The value of activation energy in the hydrogen generation process in the presence of ATC-supported Co–Ce–B catalyst was calculated to be 29.51 kJ/mol. An overall kinetic equation was also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel water-swellable rubber (WSR) has been prepared by dynamically vulcanized ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) blends where the cross-linked poly(sodium acrylate) (CPNaAA) was used as a super water-absorbent resin and dispersed in the NBR rubber. The mechanical properties, water-swelling behavior, weight loss and crystallization behavior of the prepared WSRs were investigated systemically. When the CPNaAA content was 20 phr above, the increase in CPNaAA dosage contributed to the decrease in mechanical properties. However, the WSRs showed strong water-swelling behaviors and the water-swelling ratio of WSRs with 50 phr CPNaAA was 669.3% at 120 h. The WSRs with 60 phr CPNaAA showed high water-swelling rate and achieved the equilibrium swelling at about 566.3% in 23 h. The secondary and third water-swelling behaviors of WSRs showed significantly rapid equilibrium swelling and remarkable decrease in weight loss. X-ray diffraction results revealed the increase in CPNaAA content would result in the reduction of crystalline structure content in EVA. Morphological study of etched surface showed that the CPNaAA particles were dispersed evenly in the WSRs and coated with cross-linked NBR rubber; moreover, field-emission scanning electron microscopic graphs showed the crystalline structure of EVA and clusters of flakes were dispersed on the etched surface of WSRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and fitness of qnrS1-carrying plasmids in hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKP) isolates. Materials and Methods: Two hundred ninety-nine hvKP strains carrying qnrS1 were collected and screened for resistance genes using PCR and sequencing. The location of qnrS1 and rmpA2 was identified by Southern blotting. The transferability and fitness of qnrS1-carrying plasmids were analyzed by conjugation experiments and plasmid stability assay. Result: In 299 hvKP isolates, the most frequently detected capsular serotype was K64 (81.9%, 245/299), followed by K1 (4.7%, 14/299) and K2 (3.7%, 11/299). All K64-hvKP were sequence type (ST) 11. The qnrS1 and rmpA2 gene mainly was located on the ∼70–210 kb IncFrepB and ∼170–220 kb IncFIB plasmid, respectively. QnrS1-carrying plasmids could be transferred into Escherichia coli J53. However, the plasmid was transferred at a low rate of 13.4% (40/299). The 40 donor isolates belong to 4 STs—ST11, ST700, ST592, and ST86, and none contains the CRISPR-Cas loci. CRISPR-Cas loci were mainly found in ST23 K. pneumoniae. The relative fitness (RF) of qnrS1-carrying plasmids in ST86 and ST11 (cotransfer with blaTEM-1 genes) was more than one and enhanced during cultivation, especially in ST86. However, the RF of qnrS1-carrying plasmids in ST592 and ST700 showed a high fitness cost. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the qnrS1-carrying plasmids in ST86 harbored more maintenance modules (SOS inhibitor protein psiB, parA, and parB partition systems) and insertion sequence (IS) elements (IS91, IS481-like, IS1380), indicating that the qnrS1-carrying plasmid in ST86 is more stable than the other types of qnrS1-carrying plasmids. Conclusion:QnrS1-carrying IncFrepB plasmids were highly prevalent and show polymorphism in hvKP strains. The qnrS1-carrying IncFrepB plasmid in ST86 hvKP should be highlighted due to its remarkable adaptability advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel water-swellable rubber (WSR) was prepared by dynamically vulcanizing polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) blends where a crosslinked poly(sodium acrylate) (CPNaAA) was used as a super water-absorbent resin and dispersed in the CPE rubber. The mechanical, water-swelling, and morphological properties were investigated. The results showed that the dynamically vulcanized PVC/CPNaAA/CPE blends exhibited obvious elastomeric behavior and could be considered as thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs). The PVC/CPNaAA/CPE TPVs showed strong water-swelling ability, with the water-swelling ratio of the PVC/CPNaAA/CPE TPV with 30/60/70 weight ratio reaching 2400% at 200 h immersion. Moreover, compared with the first water-swelling behavior, the second and third water-swelling behaviors of the TPVs showed significantly improved water-swelling ratio and a remarkable decrease of weight loss. Morphological study showed that the interface interaction between the CPNaAA and CPE was weak. The CPNaAA particles in the blends could be separated and even be pulled out from the matrix under tensile stress, leading to the formation of suspended CPNaAA particles on the fracture surface of PVC/CPNaAA/CPE TPVs. The surface of the dried TPVs was rough and significant cavities could be found. The dynamic mechanical properties were investigated and the TPVs showed the typical Payne effect. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A chlorinated polyethylene rubber (CPE)/ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) (weight ratio = 70/30) thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) was prepared by dynamic vulcanization, with the TPV being reinforced by various amounts of zinc dimethacrylate (ZDMA). The effects of ZDMA content on the mechanical and morphological properties of the TPVs were investigated. Experimental results indicated that dynamically vulcanized CPE/EVA blends without ZDMA showed an elastomeric behavior when the CPE/EVA weight ratio ranged from 90/10 to 50/50. The mechanical properties of dynamically vulcanized CPE/EVA blends were enhanced remarkably by the incorporation of ZDMA, especially when the ZDMA content was 5 phr. The fracture surface morphology of the reinforced CPE/EVA TPVs was relatively rough and drawn fibers could be found clearly. There were many ZDMA particles dispersed on the etched surface of the reinforced CPE/EVA TPVs with diameters of below about 10 μm. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) results showed that the ZDMA particles were coated with CPE, the ZDMA particles being surrounded by a large number of small crosslinked CPE particles with diameters of 1 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) based on high impact polystyrene (HIPS)/ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/waste ground rubber tire (WGRT) powder composites were prepared by melt-compounding, and the composites were compatibilized by styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS). The effects of SBS compatibilizer on mechanical properties and morphological properties of the composites were investigated systemically. Experimental results indicate that SBS had a good compatibilization effect on the HIPS/EVA/WGRT composites. Compared with HIPS/EVA/WGRT composites, the tensile strength and the elongation at break went through maximum values at a compatibilizer resin content of 12 phr, which were improved by 145% and 1280%, respectively. Morphology study shows that the interface interaction was strong in the HIPS/EVA/WGRT composites compatibilized by SBS, which contributed to the significantly improved mechanical properties. Payne effect could be found in the strain sweep of HIPS/EVA/SBS/WGRT composites, which was related to the variation of interface interaction. The increasing dosage of SBS compatibilizer in the HIPS/EVA/WGRT composites weaken the Payne effect and led to the slow decrease of storage modulus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hexagonal phase flower-like Zn-doped CdSe (Cd1-xZnxSe, x = 0.3) semiconductor microstructures from the solid air-stable precursor have been achieved in the mixed solution of ethylenediamine (en) and ethylene glycol (EG) at 180°C for 12 hours. Characterized by powder x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, it can be seen that the as-synthesized Cd0.7Zn0.3Se is hexagonal phase, and each flower-like Cd0.7Zn0.3Se microstructure is made up of many Cd0.7Zn0.3Se nanoflakes. From the UV-vis absorption spectrum of the product, it was observed that the optical band gap energies of flower-like Cd0.7Zn0.3Se microstructures shift toward shorter wavelengths compared with CdSe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Orthorhombic single-crystalline cerium carbonate hydroxide (CeCO3OH) with one-dimensional (1D) microstructures has been successfully synthesized by a facile sonochemical reaction between cerous nitrate and urea. These 1D microstructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The as-synthesized CeCO3OH has uniform lengths and good dispersion. Synthetic parameters, such as the concentration of reagents, were found to have close relationship with the morphologies and sizes of the final products. The ultrasound-induced oriented attachment growth mechanism has been proposed for the possible formation mechanism of sample. Room-temperature photoluminescence of CeCO3OH samples with different morphologies has also been investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

CeO2 hollow microspheres have been synthesized by hydrothermal decomposition reaction of Ce(NO3)3 on the surfaces of silica microspheres. The shell thickness of CeO2 hollow microspheres can be controlled from 20 to 50nm by adjusting the concentration of Ce(NO3)3 in the reaction solution. The high UV absorption of CeO2 hollow microspheres indicates that this material is suitable as a UV-blocking material. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Basic magnesium carbonate (Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O) microrods with a surface of “house of cards” structure have been synthesized in an aqueous solution system without using any surfactants or templates during the precipitation process. By tuning the reaction temperature, the morphology evolved from microrod to microrod with a surface of “house of cards” structure. The products were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE–SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). It was found out that with the morphological transformation, their corresponding compositions also change from MgCO3·3H2O to Mg5(CO3)4(OH)2·4H2O. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Schematic of the preparation procedure of the superhydrophobic coating. [Display omitted] • The hybrid coating was fabricated through the sol-gel/spin method based on the self-design resin and silica nanoparticles. • The hybrid coating exhibited excellent highly transparent (93.6%), superhydrophobicity (CA: 160.1±1°, SA: 7±1°, σ2: 0.862). • The hybrid coating showed outstanding mechanical robustness and durability. As one of the essential components for electronic and optical devices, coating materials have been researched for many years due to the unique mechanical and optical properties. Preferably, the coating materials should be highly transparent, superhydrophobic (self-cleaning), mechanically robust, and durable so as to meet the requirements for practical applications. However, it remains a big challenge to improve the mechanical strength and durability of the coating without sacrificing its transparency and hydrophobicity through a facile and low-cost technology. Herein, an organic/inorganic hybrid coating consisting of self-designed resin with long-fluorine groups and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles was fabricated via a facile sol-gel/spin coating technology. The as-synthesized hybrid coating inherited the advantages of the self-designed resin (hardness and transparency) and hydrophobic nanoparticles (nano-structure) which displayed excellent superhydrophobicity (CA: 160.1 ± 1°, SA: 7 ± 1°, σ2: 0.862), outstanding mechanical property (CA was maintained at 140° after 200 tape peeling cycles), and high transparency (average of 93.6 %). Most importantly, the coating exhibits outstanding durability towards strong acid, UV light, water droplets, and heat, which can be crucial for its practical application especially in harsh conditions. This work describes a highly transparent, superhydrophobic (self-cleaning), mechanically robust, durable coating and promising applied in the industrials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the effects of the addition of different volume PDA in electrolyte on the electrochromic properties of composite films, composite films constructed by tungsten oxide (WO3) and (PDA) are prepared by constant voltage electrochemical deposition on Indium in oxide (ITO) substrate. The structure and properties of the composite films are characterized by infrared spectrometer (FT-TR), atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Electrochemical workstation and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy are used to investigate the electrochromic properties of composite films added different volume PDA in the voltage range of -1.0-+ 0.8 V. The results show that the as-prepared composite film in 25 mL pertungstic acid (PTA) electrolyte with 1.17 µg/mL PDA has outstanding performance, for which the optical contrast is 77%, response time for coloring and bleaching are 7.0 and 5.5 s, respectively. After 1200 cycles, the optical contrast reaches 80% of the first cycle, implying is excellent cycle stability. This work may play a guidance role for introducing self-healing properties into WO3 electrochromic composite film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile and solvent-free strategy was developed to prepare optically transparent, mechanically robust, hydrophobic coating with excellent adhesion to the substrate. • A novel GPMS-DTDA/PFTS-based coating was synthesized through a simple sol-gel method. • The GPMS-DTDA/PFTS-based coating displays ultrahigh mechanical strength with the hardness/adhesion of 9H/5B. • The GPMS-DTDA/PFTS-based coating exhibits excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 107°. A mechanically robust, transparent, solvent-free, and self-cleaning coating (GPMS-DTDA/PFTS) was fabricated based on the co-hydrolysis/condensation of the Dibutyltin dilaurate, N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (curing agent), while the different amount of 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane were added to the system to reduce the surface energy of the coating. The morphology and properties of the polysiloxane-based coating were characterized by SEM, FTIR, UV–vis-NIR. The as-synthesized GPMS-DTDA/PFTS-based coating displays excellent performance with the hardness of 8H, superior adhesion (5B), high transmittance (95.2 %), hydrophobicity (CA: 107°) as well as outstanding properties of self-cleaning and weather resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphdiyne (GDY) as an emerging carbon nanomaterial has attracted increasing attention because of its uniformly distributed pores, highly π-conjugated, and tunable electronic properties. These excellent characteristics have been widely explored in the fields of energy storage and catalysts, yet there is no report on the development of sensors based on the outstanding optical property of GDY. In this paper, a new sensing mechanism is reported built upon the synergistic effect between inner filter effect and photoinduced electron transfer. We constructed a novel nanosensor based upon the newly-synthesized nanomaterial and demonstrated a sensitive and selective detection for both Fe3+ ion and ascorbic acid, enabling the measurements in real clinical samples. For the first time fluorescent graphdiyne oxide quantum dots (GDYO-QDs) were prepared using a facile ultrasonic protocol and they were characterized with a range of techniques, showing a strong blue-green emission with 14.6% quantum yield. The emission is quenched efficiently by Fe3+ and recovered by ascorbic acid (AA). We have fabricated an off/on fluorescent nanosensors based on this unique property. The nanosensors are able to detect Fe3+ as low as 95 nmol L−1 with a promising dynamic range from 0.25 to 200 μmol L−1. The LOD of AA was 2.5 μmol L−1, with range of 10–500 μmol L−1. It showed a promising capability to detect Fe3+ and AA in serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiTiO3/Bi4NbO8Cl heterostructure photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by a mechanical mixing method. The crystal structure, morphology, optical properties and energy band structures of all samples were determined by X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflection spectra (UV–Vis DRS), and Mott–Schottky tests. The NiTiO3/Bi4NbO8Cl composites were observed to possess an improved activity in the photocatalytic degradation of organic dye rhodamine B (RhB) under irradiation. In particular, Bi4NbO8Cl modified with NiTiO3 (10% in weight) exhibits the best photocatalytic performance. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the formation of intimate interfacial contact and type-II band alignment between NiTiO3 and Bi4NbO8Cl. From the results of photoluminescence spectra (PL), time-resolved decay spectra (TR-PL), photocurrent and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, the rapid separation and transportation of photoinduced charge carriers were proved. In addition, the proposed mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activities is proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The controllable synthesis of hexagonal flower-like Zn-doped CdSe (Cd1−x Zn x Se, x =0.1) microstructures from the solid air-stable precursor has been achieved by two facile steps: first, precursors were prepared directly through precipitation reactions of stoichiometric cadmium acetate, zinc acetate and sodium selenite in distilled water under ambient condition; second, pure hexagonal phase flower-like Cd0.9Zn0.1Se were produced via solvothermal treatment of the precursor compound in ethylenediamine (en) at 180°C. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. It was observed that the optical band gap energies of the as-synthesized flower-like Cd0.9Zn0.1Se microstructures shift toward shorter wavelengths compared with CdSe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Uniform and well-dispersed cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanorods, with lengths of ∼10μm, have been successfully synthesized via solvothermal routes using diethanolamine (DEA) as reagent to control morphology. Effect of other solvents on morphology of products, including ethanolamine (MEA) and triethanolamine (TBA), has been discussed. The nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A strong interfacial contact of heterostructured photocatalysts plays a key role in charges migration, thus promoting photocatalytic performance. Benefiting from the unique two-dimensional (2D) morphology and abundant terminals, 2D/2D "face-to-face" WO3·H2O/g-C3N4 heterostructured self-assemblies were fabricated employing tungsten oxide hydrate (WO3·H2O) nanoplates and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) sheets as precursors. Compared to pristine WO3·H2O and g-C3N4, the binary WO3·H2O/g-C3N4 heterostructures exhibit excellent photocatalytic performance towards water decontamination, using organic dye rhodamine B/methyl orange as probes. It is found that WO3·H2O/g-C3N4 with 20 wt% mass ratio (WHC-20) possesses the best photocatalytic activities, with about 3.05 times higher than that of pristine g-C3N4. The remarkable increase performance is attributed to the enhanced evolution of superoxide radicals (·O2−) via photoreduction in adsorbed oxygen molecules (O2−), which are promoted by efficient Z-scheme charges separation and rapid electrons transfer at 2D/2D interface. Given the low-cost, facile synthetic procedure and recycling stability, the heterostructured WO3·H2O/g-C3N4 could be served as a promising photocatalyst to deal with water contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of semiconductor heterojunctions is an efficient strategy to improve photo-induced charges separation and thus enhance photocatalytic activities. Herein, g-C3N4/TiO2 heterostructures were prepared via a facile thermal procedure, with TiO2 nanorods as matrix and g-C3N4 as visible-light sensitizer. Heterojunctions formed while precursors cyanamide polymerized to g-C3N4 and protonated titanate nanotube (H-TNTs) dehydrated and shrinked to TiO2 nanorods. Notably, confined polymerization of g-C3N4 occurred at both external surface and internal space of H-TNTs with the assistant of vacuum treatment, while NH3 released from cyanamide decomposition yielded abundant oxygen vacancies (VO) in TiO2 nanorods. Compared with pristine TiO2 nanorods, the heterostructured g-C3N4/TiO2 nanorods possess 1.7 times more active in photocatalytic removal of organic dye Orange II. A mechanism was proposed for heterostructured g-C3N4/TiO2 nanorods, being attributed to synergistic increasing light harvesting by VO and charges separation by heterojunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]