Bismuth Oxide Research Articles

Evaluation of the theranostic characteristics of chitosan-decorated bismuth oxide nanoparticles conjugated curcumin and 5-aminolevulinic acid as a biocompatible targeted nanoplatform in CT and breast cancer radiation therapy

Developing safe and effective multifunctional nanomaterials for cancer therapy is crucial. A highly effective contrast agent is necessary for optimal results in CT scans during radiotherapy.we synthesized bismuth oxide using the sol-gel method, coated it with chitosan, and added layers of 5-aminolevulinic acid and curcumin. The curcumin in the nano complex makes it ideal for targeted applications.Bi2O3/CS@5-ALA-CUR NPs with a size of about 80 nm and exceptional stability were synthesized and fully characterized through FTIR, XRD, DLS, and TEM analysis. An MTT assay showed that Bi2O3/CS@5-ALA-CUR NPs had the highest cytotoxicity at 160 μg/mL with radiation after 48 h incubation time on SKBr-3 cells, with no significant cytotoxicity on normal cells. Bi2O3/CS@5-ALA-CUR NPs increased the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enhanced radiosensitization effects by up to 450 %. SKBr-3 cells were CT scanned after 48 h incubation with 400 μM concentration, revealing the highest X-ray attenuation at 80 kVp. Bi2O3/CS@5-ALA-CUR NP injection and 2 Gy radiation exposure at 6 MV significantly reduced tumor size in female BALB/c mice compared to controls.These exciting findings suggest that Bi2O3/CS@5-ALA-CUR nanoparticles have immense potential as theranostic agents for diagnosing and treating tumors, with the added benefit of being guided by CT imaging during radiotherapy.

Aqueous Solution-Gel Deposition of Copper-Based Photo-Electrodes for Multipurpose Photo-Electrochemical Systems

Efficient valorization of solar energy is expected to contribute significantly to a sustainable supply of energy and fuel sources, as well as the reduction of atmospheric pollution. To this end, photo-electrochemical systems show encouraging potential by converting light into chemical energy. These devices rely on semiconducting photoanodes and/or -cathodes that absorb light efficiently and generate electron-hole pairs with sufficient energy for initiating redox reactions. Several copper-based oxides exhibit appropriate band edges for both photo-electrochemical water splitting and CO2 reduction [1]. This, in combination with their bandgap values, low toxicity, and earth-abundance, has recently increased the attention for copper-based photo-electrodes for multipurpose photo-electrochemical systems. Substantial photocorrosion of CuO and Cu2O is the main issue restricting their application as functional photo-electrodes. In contrast, copper-based ternary oxides are found to be significantly less susceptible to photocorrosion. The citrate-based aqueous solution-gel method has proven to be a versatile approach for the formulation of stable aqueous metal ion precursor solutions, and the subsequent synthesis of (doped) multi-metal oxides by this method has been demonstrated numerously. [2,3] Still, due to the flexible redox chemistry of copper, the solution-gel synthesis of phase-pure copper-based ternary oxides remains challenging. This work describes the synthesis of copper-based photo-electrode materials by focusing on copper ferrite (CFO), copper tungstate (CWO), copper niobate (CNO), and copper bismuth oxide (CBO). The formulation of the respective precursor solutions is described, and their thermal decomposition is investigated. Thin-film photo-electrodes are deposited on transparent conductive substrates by spin coating. The phase purity of the resulting copper-based oxides is determined by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Using UV-Vis spectroscopy, the optical bandgap of the oxide semiconductors is calculated. Furthermore, the photo-electrodes are subjected to linear sweep voltammetry in dark and under illumination to evaluate their photo-electrochemical performance. [1] Wang et al. “Insights into the development of Cu-based photocathodes for carbon dioxide conversion” Green Chem. (2021) 23, 3207[2] Van den Rul et al. “Aqueous Solution-Based Synthesis of Nanostructured Metal Oxides” in “Handbook of Nanoceramics and Their Based Nanodevices” (2009) Ed. T-Y Tseng and H. S. Nalwa[3] Marchal et al. “Precursor Design Strategies for the Low-Temperature Synthesis of Functional Oxides: It’s All in the Chemistry” Chem. Eur. J. (2020) 26, 9070 This work has received funding from the Belgian federal government through the ETF project T-REX and from the VLAIO network “Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship” through the Catalisti Moonshot project SYN-CAT. Part of this work was financially supported by TNO in the framework of the “Energy Conversion and Storage” Early Research Program.

Properties of cement Portland composite prepared with Barium sulfate and Bismuth oxide for radiation shielding

Radiation is useful but can be harmful to humans if used carelessly. Therefore, radiation protection equipment is necessary for workers. In this paper, we aim to study a cement composite with BaSO4/Bi2O3 for protection against X-rays and gamma rays. The shielding ability was measured using a diagnostic X-ray with energies of 60–120 keV and gamma rays of Cs-137, Ba-133, Co-57 and the morphology structure was determined including radiation protection properties. The results showed that Portland cement with a high concentration of BaSO4/Bi2O3 had the ability to absorb radiation from X-rays in the range of 95.54–99.87% and gamma energy in the range of 93.37–98.88%. Moreover, the composite of BaSO4/Bi2O3 induced a homogenous structure of Portland cement possibly affecting the strength of the material. In addition, Portland shielding can be designed for use in related applications in various energy ranges including ones that are environmentally friendly and suitable for the development of radiation protection in the future.

Photocatalytic reduction of chromium(VI) using multiwall carbon nanotubes/bismuth oxide nanocomposite under solar irradiation.

Semiconductor photocatalysis is the most efficient advanced oxidation processes for wastewater treatment. A new carbon-based photocatalyst bismuth oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotube (Bi2O3/MWCNT) nanocomposite has a considerable impact on improving photocatalytic performance. Bi2O3/MWCNTs (BMC) nanocomposite was prepared through the hydrothermal processing with 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 wt% of MWCNTs. The preparedphotocatalysts have been thoroughly examined by various techniques. The X-ray diffraction confirmed the prepared photocatalyst as α-Bi2O3 with high crystallinity. The band gap of Bi2O3 and BMC 7.5 nanocomposite was found to be 2.41 and 1.94eV. The prepared photocatalyst revealed smooth and porous merged flower-like structure with respect to the addition of MWCNTs. The model pollutant chromium(VI) (Cr(VI)) has been used to check the reduction efficiency of the prepared photocatalyst under solar irradiation. It was found that BMC 7.5 nanocomposite showed enhanced photocatalytic metal ion reduction (87.48%) compared to pristine Bi2O3 (69.29%). The preliminary photocatalytic Cr(VI) ion reduction experiments were carried to determine the photoreduction efficiency of pristine bismuth oxide and bismuth MWCNT nanocomposite. The kinetic study on Cr(VI) ion reduction obeyed pseudo-first-order rate kinetics for both the prepared photocatalysts. The efficiency of the photocatalysts was further analysed by reusing the same up to 3 cycles without loss of the efficacy.

Effectively Reinforced α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO Sensor for Selective Modality Sensing of a Hazardous Phenolic Compound.

The phenolic compound trichlorophenol (TCP) is an ingredient in fungicides and herbicides. This compound's high stability, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and poor biodegradability result in severe environmental and biological health issues. Consequently, it is crucial to have an affordable and sensitive method for detecting TCP in environmental samples. In this study, α-phase bismuth oxide microplates and polydopamine-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO) were synthesized using a simple ultrasonic method and characterized with various analytical and physical characterizations. The conversion of the catechol moieties present in the resulting PDA-RGO material into quinones facilitates productive interactions with diverse functional groups, such as hydroxyl, amine, and imine. Consequently, the compounds 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) engages in electrochemical interactions with the aforementioned functional groups. As a result, TCP shows more excellent selectivity on the designed α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO/SPCE sensor. Under the optimized conditions, the sensor demonstrated a lower detection limit (0.0042 μM), a limit of quantification (0.0078 μM), good sensitivity (2.24 μA μM-1 cm2), a wide linear range (0.019-190.7 and 212.7-1649 μM), and pinpoint specificity. The efficacy of the sensor is additionally validated through the accurate identification of TCP residues in water, soil, and food samples.

"Needle" hidden in silk floss: Inactivation effect and mechanism of melamine sponge loaded bismuth oxide composite copper-metal organic framework (MS/Bi2O3@Cu-MOF) as floating photocatalyst on Microcystis aeruginosa

Photocatalytic technology showed significant potential for addressing the issue of cyanobacterial blooms resulting from eutrophication in bodies of water. However, the traditional powder materials were easy to agglomerate and settle, which led to the decrease of photocatalytic activity. The emergence of floating photocatalyst was important for the practical application of controlling harmful algal blooms. This study was based on the efficient powder photocatalyst bismuth oxide composite copper-metal organic framework (Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF), which was successfully loaded onto melamine sponge (MS) by sodium alginate immobilization to prepare a floating photocatalyst MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF for the inactivation of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) under visible light. When the capacity was 0.4 g (CA0.4), MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF showed good photocatalytic activity, and the inactivation rate of M. aeruginosa reached 74.462% after 120 h. MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF-CA0.4 showed a large specific surface area of 30.490 m2/g and an average pore size of 22.862 nm, belonging to mesoporous materials. After 120 h of treatment, the content of soluble protein in the MS/Bi2O3 @Cu-MOF-CA0.4 treatment group decreased to 0.365 mg/L, the content of chlorophyll a (chla) was 0.023 mg/L, the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased to 3.168 nmol/mgprot, and the contents of various antioxidant enzymes experienced drastic changes, first increasing and then decreasing. The photocatalytic process generated·OH and·O2-, which played key role in inactivating the algae cells. Additionally, the release of Cu2+ and adsorption of the material also contributed to the process.

Enhancing gamma-ray shielding with bismuth oxide-infused boron oxides

Enhancing gamma-ray shielding with bismuth oxide-infused boron oxides

Conversion of the Bi2O3 to Bi2S3: An ion exchange strategy for tailoring the surface morphology with accrued energy storage performance

A novel salt-mediated ion exchange strategy for changing the crystal structure and surface morphology of the bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) to bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) with accrued energy storage performance has been investigated. Upright standing nanoplates of the Bi2O3 obtained at room-temperature (27 °C) on 3D nickel-foam (NiF) using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method after immersing it in thermal autoclaves in different sulphur salts at 120 °C for 8 h convert into nanocrystalline Bi2S3 having walnut, network, nanowire, and nanoflower-type surface morphologies. The electrochemical investigations carried out using electrochemical measurements reveal a noteworthy increase in the specific capacitance (SC) of the Bi2O3 nanoplates after forming Bi2S3 i.e. changing the phase and surface morphology. Compared to pristine Bi2O3 (221F g−1), the SC performances of network (1576 F g−1), walnut (358 F g−1), nanowire (296 F g−1), and nanoflower (836.6 F g−1)-type Bi2S3 electrode materials are higher in a 6.0 M KOH electrolyte solution. Furthermore, the network-type Bi2S3 of 22.02 m2 g−1 surface area exhibits remarkable stability, as evidenced by its 93 % capacitance retention even after 2000 redox cycles over other electrodes. The as-manufactured Bi2S3//nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2) asymmetric supercapacitor device, wherein the Bi2S3 acts as a negatrode and Ni (OH)2 positrode, delivers an outstanding energy density of 65.9 Wh/ kgat a power density of 988 W Kg−1. A twin cell assembly is envisaged for glowing the ‘CNED’ panel comprising approximately 42 LEDs with full luminosity. This idea of changing the crystal structure and surface morphology can be applied to other metal oxides to change their structures, surface areas, and morphologies for higher energy storage performance.

Optimization of nanostructured Zr doped bismuth oxide (Bi2O4) thin films for physical and biological properties

Sol-gel dip-coating deposition was used to create Zr-doped Bi2O4 thin films with Zr in the range of 1-5 wt%. The monoclinic Bi2O4 phase was confirmed by an X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. After Zr doping in Bi2O4, there was a minor change in crystallite size and a reduction in the lattice parameters. UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometry showed a decrease in the band gap of Bi2O4. These films were useful as absorbing layers for solar cells due to their decreased band gap, which allowed them to absorb a wide range of visible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. SEM micrographs for each film showed an almost spherical-like appearance. The agglomeration of Bi2O4 into bigger particles with a lower surface area may be the cause of the decrease of the dielectric constant with an increase in Zr concentration. The AC conductivity of thin films increased with an increase in Zr concentration. Electrochemical charge-discharge test findings revealed the specific capacitance, power density, and energy of Zr-doped Bi2O4. Magnetic measurements of Zr-doped Bi2O4 nanostructures revealed ferromagnetic ordering at the surrounding temperature. The rise in saturation magnetization that occurred with an increase in Zr doping emerged from the formation of defects in the Bi2O4 lattice caused by oxygen vacancies and structural inhomogeneity, which promoted the growth of bound magnetic polarons. Additionally, Zr doping improved the photocatalytic qualities of Bi2O4. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of Zr-doped Bi2O4 nanoparticles was attributed to the higher UV-VIS light absorption and the reduced recombination rate of the photoinduced electron-hole pair making it a promising substance for water filtration. When Bi2O4 was combined with Zr, it inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which was gram-positive while, Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were gram-negative bacterial stains. Zr doping in Bi2O4 improved its antibacterial action.

Gamma radiation shielding properties of unsaturated polyester /Bi2O3 composites: An experimental, theoretical and simulation approach

Conventional gamma radiation shielding materials, such as lead and lead-based composites are heavy and hazardous to human health and the environment. This particular aspect has prompted research into alternative shielding materials. The key objective of this work is to investigate Bismuth Oxide and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR)-based polymer composite material as a radiation shielding. The investigation used a gamma spectrometer consisting of an HPGe detector and the radioactive point sources 60Co, 133Ba, and 137Cs that have energies ranging from 81 keV to 1332 keV for experimentally evaluating mass attenuation coefficient (MAC). Subsequently, the experimental results for MAC were compared with the corresponding values obtained from WinXCOM and Geant4 simulation. Our findings indicated that the mass attenuation coefficient values of experimentally investigated composites align well with the theoretical and simulated values. In addition, we examined the half-value layer (HVL), tenth-value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), and radiation protection efficiency (RPE) parameters. From the study, it can be inferred that lead (Pb) can be replaced by UPR+50 wt% Bi2O3 composite for low-energy gamma-ray shielding applications.

Improving the Electrical Conductivity of the Composite Comprising Bismuth Oxide, Activated Carbon, and Graphite for Use as a Battery Anode

This research is concerned with the synthesis and characterization of a composite material that may be used as a battery electrode. Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) was synthesized from Bi(NO3)3·5H2O, Na2SO4, and NaOH mixed with commercial activated carbon and graphite. The composite formation process was carried out using the hydrothermal method at 110 °C for 5 h. The characterization data indicated the composites produced contained Bi2O3 with a monoclinic crystal system, and Bi2O3 particles were evenly distributed in the composite. The composites were characterized to be mesoporous, with the electrical conductivity reaching 10−1 S m−1. The development of this composite material has potential applications in the field of energy storage, particularly in the development of battery anode.

Neutron attenuation in some polymer composite material

The scientific paper presents studies of the radiation-protective features of a polymer composite material for protection against space radiation based on poly-tetra-fluoro-ethylene, Bi2O3 bismuth oxide, WC tungsten carbide, B4C boron carbide, TiH1.7 titanium hydride shot. The composite provides for a high degree of protection against ionizing radiation, including protection against exposure to secondary neutrons: macroscopic fast neutrons removal cross-section (E > 2 MeV) 0.1331–0.1414 cm−1, thermal-velocity neutrons removal cross-section (E < 0.4 eV), cm−1 0.1183–0.1257 cm−1. A shield made of the tailored composition of the proposed 6 cm thick polymer composite attenuates the intensity of neutron radiation by more than 50 % at energies from 0.1 to 5 MeV, in particular, the greatest attenuation of the neutron radiation intensity occurs at an energy of 0.1 MeV with a sharp increase in attenuation when passing through a 2 cm thick shield and complete absorption occurs passing through a 6 cm thick shield. This material can be used to protect astronauts and radio-electronic equipment from the effects of adverse or harmful space factors, including exposure to secondary neutrons, and this material can also be used to protect crews of ships with mobile nuclear reactors such as atomic submarines and nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Effect of pro‐oxidants on the aerobic biodegradation, disintegration, and physio‐mechanical properties of compostable polymers

AbstractBiodegradable polymers are gaining momentum to resolve the globally acknowledged plastic waste problem. Understanding, characterizing, and developing new generations of biodegradable plastics is crucial to provide industries with alternative green materials that can fully satisfy biodegradation rates and lifetime specifications. This study evaluates the influence of metal pro‐oxidant additives on the degradation properties of various biodegradable polymer systems. For this purpose, iron (III) stearate (FeSt3) and bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), as oxidant agents, were incorporated into poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), cellulose acetate (CA), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and thermoplastic starch (TPS) bioplastics. The material performances and biodegradability properties due to the additives on the resulting bioplastic formulations were investigated. A mechanism was proposed in which both pro‐oxidant additives can accelerate the thermo‐oxidation processes under composting conditions and cleave the polymer chains into smaller fragments to stimulate the biodegradation rate through microorganisms' activity. The study revealed that both pro‐oxidant additives, FeSt3 and Bi2O3, effectively improved the biodegradation process for all tested polymers except TPS, which already had a very high biodegradation rate. The observed change in the barrier and mechanical properties due to the additives were within tolerable limits of corresponding neat polymers.

Enhanced sintering ability and electrochemical performance of Gd0.1Ce0.9O1.95 composited with (Dy0.2Zr0.05Bi0.75)2O3 for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

By compositing cerium oxide (Gd0.1Ce0.9O1.95, GDC) with the dysprosium-zirconium co-doped bismuth oxide (Dy0.2Zr0.05Bi0.75)2O3, or DZSB, a novel DZSB-GDC composite electrolyte is developed, which has excellent sintering ability and ionic conductivity. Reverse coprecipitation is used to prepare nano composite electrolyte powders, and the sintering and electrical properties with varying DZSB composite ratio are examined. After sintered at 1200 °C for 10 h, all composite electrolyte pellets can achieve densities of more than 95 %. Furthermore, as the DZSB ratio increases, the densification rate increases and the starting temperature of the densification stage decreases. 10DZSB-GDC shows the highest conductivity (σt) and has an activation energy of 0.92 eV below 550 °C, which is 8.9 % lower than that of pure GDC. At 400 °C, the grain boundary conductivity of 10DZSB-GDC was 113.8 times that of pure GDC. The ionic conductivity of 10DZSB-GDC remain stable at 0.015 S cm−1 at 600 °C for 4200 h without any decay. The open-circuit voltage and peak power density of 10DZSB-GDC based cell are 0.914 V, and 441.1 mW cm−2 at 750 °C, which is 1.1 and 2.1 times that of GDC-supported cells, respectively. This indicates that 10DZSB-GDC is a promising electrolyte material for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells.

Spin–orbit coupling enhanced electron–phonon superconductivity in infinite-layer BaBiO2

The recent discovery of infinite-layer nickel oxide superconductors has highlighted the importance of first-principles simulations. We predict an infinite-layer bismuth oxide superconductor BaBiO2, which is isostructural to NdNiO2. In this work, electronic structure, lattice dynamics, and electron–phonon interaction are studied, with special attention paid to the influence of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) on the above-mentioned quantities. Our calculations show that the structure will be dynamically stable under pressure and induce superconductivity, whether SOC is considered or not. In addition, SOC will significantly enhance the electron–phonon coupling (EPC), resulting in an increase in EPC constant λ from 0.43 to 0.73. We further find that the Fermi surface nesting is partially responsible for its superconductivity. A strong SOC changes the Fermi surface and enhances the nesting, and the EPC becomes stronger. Our results propose a bismuth-based superconductor, demonstrating the importance of SOC for its superconductivity and providing clues for further experimental synthesis.

Enhanced thermoelectric performance of Sr0.875La0.1TiO3-δ based composites through Bi-rich inclusions in internal and external reduction environments

The electrical transport performance of bulk SrTiO3 thermoelectric materials can be optimized by incorporating uniformly dispersed conductive inclusions. Herein, the impact of Bi2O3 addition on the thermoelectric properties of La-doped strontium titanate composite nano Ti powder (Sr0.875La0.1TiO3-δ/20 wt% Ti) has been examined. During the sintering process, Bi2O3 gradually transforms into a liquid phase to facilitate Redox reactions with nano Ti and mass transfer, followed by reduction and transformation into Bi–Bi2O3 particles that precipitate at grain boundaries. The presence of nanoscale Bi-rich phases reduces carrier transport barriers at grain boundaries and enhances phonon relaxation time associated with grain boundary scattering. Ultimately, the sample containing 10 wt% bismuth oxide exhibits the lowest lattice thermal conductivity and the highest weighted mobility. This led to a maximum power factor of 498 μW/mK2 at 873 K and a maximum ZT value of 0.188 at 1073 K. This study presents a novel approach to decouple electroacoustic transport through the utilization of Redox reactions between multiple phases, offering valuable insights for the development of high-performance thermoelectric oxide composites.

Lowering the Temperature of Solid Oxide Electrochemical Cells Using Triple-Doped Bismuth Oxides.

Despite the great potential of solid oxide electrochemical cells (SOCs) as highly efficient energy conversion devices, the undesirable high operating temperature limits their wider applicability. Herein, a novel approach to developing high-performance low-temperature SOCs (LT-SOCs) is presented through the use of an Er, Y, and Zr triple-doped bismuth oxide (EYZB). This study demonstrates that EYZB exhibits > 147 times higher ionic conductivity of 0.44 S cm-1 at 600 °C compared to commercial Y-stabilized zirconia electrolyte with excellent stability over 1000h. By rationally incorporating EYZB in composite electrodes and bilayer electrolytes, the zirconia-based electrolyte LT-SOC achieves the unprecedentedly high performance of 3.45 and 2.02W cm-2 in the fuel cell mode and 2.08 and 0.95 A cm-2 in the electrolysis cell mode at 700 °C and 600 °C, respectively. Further, a distinctive microstructural feature of EYZB that largely extends triple phase boundary at the interface is revealed through digital twinning. This work provides insights for developing high-performance LT-SOCs.

Ultrahigh dark and light-improved chloride removal performance of magnetite bismuth oxide thin flakes with low crystallinity

The high concentration of chloride (Cl-) ions in wastewater poses environmental risks. The bismuth oxide (Bi2O3)-based Cl- removal method has gained significant attention due to its high selectivity towards Cl- ions. However, it still faces challenges related to strong acid condition and excessive dosage. Herein, the mixed-ferrites (M-Fe3O4) nanoparticles with broadband absorption property were combined with Bi2O3 to form to the magnetite Bi2O3 (FBO) composites. Due to the space separation of M-Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the thin Bi2O3 flakes, FBO had a loose structure, and its sample after 100 °C treatment (FBO-100) possessed weak crystallinity and the largest specific surface area, which enabled it to possess the highest Cl- removal efficiency of 98.4% at pH = 1 in the dark. Under UV-Vis-NIR irradiation, the Cl- removal efficiencies of FBO-100 at pH = 2, 3, and 5 increased from 71.4%, 56.3%, and 54.5% to 84.6%, 65.5%, and 58.0%, respectively. During the light-irradiated Cl- removal process, the heterostructures of Bi2O3/M-Fe3O4, Bi2O3/BiOCl/M-Fe3O4, and BiOCl/M-Fe3O4 were successively built, and the oxidative photocorrosion of Bi2O3 caused by holes played the predominant role in improving the Cl- removal efficiency, compared with the •OH, Cl•, and O2•− radicals. FBO-100 had stable cyclic Cl- removal performance and high safety, which is expected to be of a good application prospect for Cl- removal.

An extended bore length solid-state digital-BGO PET/CT system: design, preliminary experience, and performance characteristics.

A solid-state PET/CT system uses bismuth germanium oxide (BGO) scintillating crystals coupled to silicon photomultipliers over an extended 32 cm axial field-of-view (FOV) to provide high spatial resolution and very high sensitivity. Performance characteristics were determined for this digital-BGO system, including NEMA and EARL standards. Spatial resolution, scatter fraction (SF), noise equivalent count rate (NECR), sensitivity, count rate accuracy, and image quality (IQ) were evaluated for the digital-BGO system as per NEMA NU 2-2018, at 2 sites of first clinical install. System energy resolution was measured. Bayesian penalized-likelihood reconstruction (BPL) was used for IQ. EARL Standards 2 studies were reconstructed by BPL combined with a contrast-enhancing deep learning algorithm. An Esser PET phantom was evaluated. Three patient examples were obtained with low-dose radiotracer activity: 2 MBq/kg of [18F]FDG ([18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose), 2.3 MBq/kg [68Ga]Ga-DOTA-TATE ([dodecane tetra-acetic acid,Tyr3]-octreotate), and 14.5 MBq/kg [82Rb]RbCl ([82Rb]-rubidium-chloride). Total scan times were ≤ 8 min. NEMA sensitivity was 47.6 cps/kBq at the axial center. Spatial resolution at 1 cm from the center axis was ≤4.5 mm (filtered back projection) and ≤3.8 mm (ordered subset expectation maximization). SF was 35.6%, count rate accuracy was 2.16%, and peak NECR was 485.2 kcps at 16.9 kBq/mL. Contrast for IQ was 61.1 to 90.7% (smallest to largest sphere) with background variations from 7.6 to 2.1%, and a "lung" error of 4.7%. The average detector energy resolution was 9.67%. Image quality for patient scans was good. EARL Standards 2 criteria were robustly met and Esser phantom features ≥4.8 mm were resolved at 2 min per bed position. A solid-state 32 cm axial FOV digital-BGO PET/CT system provides good spatial and energy resolution, high count rates, and superior NEMA sensitivity in its class, enabling fast clinical acquisitions with low-dose radiotracer activity.

Design of High‐Performance Bilayer Solar Evaporator Using Graphene‐Coated Bamboo Prepared by Near‐Infrared Laser‐Induced Carbonization of Polystyrene

Solar seawater evaporation is a sustainable seawater desalination technology. However, how to convert low‐cost waste general plastics into highly efficient photothermal materials remains a challenge. By using the idea of “near‐infrared laser‐induced carbonization” at room temperature and in air atmosphere, polystyrene (PS) can be easily converted into graphene. Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) catalyst is proven to efficiently convert laser energy into thermal energy and transmit it to the surrounding PS matrix, promoting carbonization. On this basis, by adjusting the catalyst content and the laser energy density per unit area, laser‐induced graphene (LIG) materials with high specific surface area, fast water transport, and high solar energy absorption efficiency can be obtained. Furthermore, the LIG materials are coated on the surface of natural bamboo with a capillary structure. This bilayer evaporation device has an evaporation rate of 1.51 kg m−2 h−1 and an energy conversion efficiency of 87.1% under irradiation of 1 sun. This work not only reveals the possibility of preparing high‐value‐added graphene materials from waste general‐purpose plastics, but also proves the application prospects of LIG materials in the field of solar seawater evaporation. This will provide a feasible approach for promoting the development of carbonization of waste general plastics.