Abstract
Recent advances in preparation and use of gallium and indium nanoparticles and nanocomposites are briefly presented. The following applications of the obtained materials are outlined: (i) Preparation of sensors for measuring in air of gaseous pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, ozone, hydrogen), vapours of volatile organic compounds (methanol, ethanol, butanol, acetone, liquefied petroleum gas), and humidity, including the basics of the sensing mechanism; (ii) removal of water pollutants by photocatalysis and/or adsorption. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the potential of gallium and indium nanoparticles and nanocomposites and the further studies needed to achieve the implementation of these materials in the real life.
Highlights
Gallium (Ga) and indium (In) are minor metals applied in advanced technologies needed for the society sustainable development and for our everyday comfortable life
Two main directions are used to influence the interaction between the semiconductor metal oxides (SMOs) surface and target gas and to improve the gas sensing properties: (i) Application of nanomaterials, including decoration with metal nanosized particles (NPs), since the performance of SMOs based sensors strongly depends on grain size, specific surface area and morphology of the sensing material
It can be said that Ga and In NPs and nanocomposites are materials showing potential for application in environmental protection
Summary
Gallium (Ga) and indium (In) are minor metals applied in advanced technologies needed for the society sustainable development and for our everyday comfortable life. Gallium arsenide is mainly used to manufacture integrated circuits (ICs) and optoelectronic devices. Ga consumption in ICs was 68% of the total Ga used in 2018 in the USA, optoelectronic devices accounted for 30%, the left to 100 % was used in research and development, medicine, etc. Application of In and Ga in the advanced renewable energy technologies (solar cells, electrodes for hydrogen (H2) production via water splitting, etc.) and the environment protection activities (pollutants sensing, monitoring and removal) is gaining increased interest recently. The exceptional properties of NPs and nanomaterials attracted the attention of scientists and a tremendous amount of work has been carried out in the area of synthesis, characterization and use of those materials in industry, medicine and the environment protection. Applications (still niche) of Ga and In NPs and nanomaterials for green energy production and the environment protection are reviewed. An attempt is made to present examples covering the diversity of these applications
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