Co-precipitation Approach Research Articles

Morphological evaluation and boosted photocatalytic activity of N-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared via Co-precipitation method

Pristine and nitrogen (N) doped zinc oxide (ZnNxO1-x, x = 0, 0.005, 0.01, and 0.02) nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized using chemical co-precipitation approach. The formation of pure crystalline wurtzite ZnO phase without any second phase during N-doping was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of N-doped ZnO samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis ensured the effective inclusion of nitrogen into ZnO matrix. The morphological analysis revealed the formation of nanorods as a result of N-doping. The optical band gap calculated from UV–vis spectroscopy was observed to decrease up to 1 mol.% N doping followed by a subtle increase. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed that electron-hole recombination was the least for 1 mol.% N doped ZnO NPs. ZnN0.01O0.99 NPs showed superior photocatalytic activity among all samples due to rod-shaped NPs and reduced electron-hole recombination, which was accessed by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB).

Magnetic ferrite nanoparticles coated with bovine serum albumin and glycine polymers for controlled release of curcumin as a model

To conquer the low water solubility and bioavailability of curcumin (CUR), to corroborate its functional qualities and to broaden its applicability in the pharmaceutical sector, numerous nanoscale methods have been widely exploited for its administration. Because of its polycystic, biodegradable, biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and non-allergenic properties, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glycine (Gly) have been actively investigated as natural biopolymers for decades. Various BSA and Gly-based nanocarriers with unique features for CUR delivery, such as magnetic ferrite nanoparticles, are being developed (MNPs). In this work, magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4)/BSA and nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4)/Gly nanocomposites loaded with CUR (drug model) were manufactured for the first time using a chemical co-precipitation approach to create biocompatible drug nanocarriers. It was found that the synthesized MgFe2O4/BSA and NiFe2O4/Gly nanoparticles have a uniform particle distribution and their size is much less than 100 nm. Saturation magnetization in MgFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 reaches 13.07 and 33.4 emu/g the remarkable peak of magnetization decreases to 10.99 and 32.36 emu/g after the addition of polymers. These analyses also showed the presence of chemical bonds in the structure of the nanocomposite. The curcumin diffusion process in NPs were determined using a mathematical modeling. The yielding of the product for MgFe2O4/BSA and NiFe2O4/Gly in 200 h is about 72 and 63%, respectively. Also, regressed relative diffusivities (D/R2), including effective steric hindrance, were determined as 5.75 × 10−4 and 2.72 × 10−4 h−1 for MgFe2O4/BSA and NiFe2O4/Gly, respectively. It shows that there is a significant steric barrier that significantly deviates from the molecular diffusion of the liquid. As a result, the low effective release of curcumin in the particles is more noticeable. Our study demonstrated the effective relationship between the polymer architecture and the biophysical properties of the resulting nanoparticles and shed light on new approaches for the design of efficient NP-based drug carriers.

An investigation of the activity and mechanism of the catalytic oxidation of toluene by FeMnOx catalyst

To examine the influence of Fe-Mn interactions on the catalytic removal to toluene, FeOx, MnOx and FeMnOx catalysts were manufactured via co-precipitation approach. FeMnOx catalysts presented the optimal low-temperature catalytic toluene activity which attained 100 % removal of toluene (T100) at 270 ℃. The physical and chemical characterization of the material confirmed an increased ratio of Mn3+/Mn4+ and Oads/Olat bonds caused by to the formation of Fe3+-O-Mn3+ bonds. Concurrently, the low-temperature catalytic activity for toluene increased with the increased density of oxygen vacancies, the changed properties in oxygen vacancies and the enhanced oxidation capacity of surface activated oxygen species. In situ DRIFTS experiments were performed to infer different toluene degradation pathways on three catalysts. The catalytic routes for toluene over FeMnOx catalyst was different at 150 ℃ and 260 ℃. At 150 ℃, as the surface oxygen vacancies were not fully activated, the reaction pathway was toluene → benzyl alcohol → benzaldehyde → phenol. The path of toluene over FeMnOx catalyst at 260 ℃ was toluene → benzyl alcohol → benzoaldehyde → benzoate → maleic anhydride and carbonate → H2O and CO2. As compared with MnOx and FeOx catalysts, FeMnOx catalyst could oxidize benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde and phenol at 150 ℃. This decreased the energy required to open the ring of benzene and accelerated the catalytic oxidation rate.

Fabrication of an efficient MXene based ternary nanocomposite of bismuth vanadate-bismuth sulfide as photocatalyst for the degradation of harmful industrial effluents

The current research work is based on the synthesis of BiVO4 (BVO), Bi2S3 (BS), a binary composite of BiVO4 and Bi2S3 (BVO-BS), and MXene-based ternary nanocomposite of BiVO4 and Bi2S3 (BVO-BS/MXene). BVO nanoparticles and BS nanorods were synthesized by co-precipitation and hydrothermal approaches respectively. While the binary (BVO-BS), and ternary (BVO-BS/MXene) nanocomposites were synthesized by an ultra-sonication method. The fabricated semiconducting materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, and Scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the optical and electrochemical properties of synthesized samples were studied by UV–visible spectroscopy and Mott-Schottky/Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis respectively. The photocatalytic removal efficiency of prepared samples was tested against an organic dye (Congo red) and pharmaceutical drug (Ciprofloxacin). The experimental results showed that (BVO-BS/MXene) ternary nanocomposite removed 92.5% congo red and 36.95% ciprofloxacin from wastewater under the visible light irradiation of about 70 min. While the binary composite; BVO-BS removed only 71.30% congo red and 22.61% ciprofloxacin within 70 min of irradiation. This outstanding degradation ability of BVO-BS/MXene for both Congo red and Ciprofloxacin as compared to binary composite (BVO-BS) was due to its large surface area, low charge transfer resistance (Rct = 0.96 ohm), and low electron-hole pair recombination. Hence, BVO-BS/MXene is a novel and promising photocatalytic material that could be used as an efficient photocatalyst for environmental pollution remediation applications.

Elucidating the significance of molecular interaction between sulphur doped zinc oxide nanoparticles and serum albumin using multispectroscopic approach.

Ingenious nanomaterials with improved biocompatibility and multifunctional properties are gaining vital significance in biomedical applications, including advanced drug delivery and nanotheranostics. In a biological system, these nanoparticles interact with serum proteins forming a dynamic corona that affects their biological or toxicological properties producing undesirable effects. Thus, the current study focuses on the synthesis of sulphur-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO/S NPs) and characterizing their mechanism of interaction with serum proteins using multispectroscopic approach. ZnO/S NPs were synthesized by employing a co-precipitation approach and characterized using various analytical techniques. The results of interaction studies demonstrated that ZnO/S NPs interact with serum albumins via the static quenching process. Analysis of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH and ΔS) revealed that the binding process is spontaneous, exothermic and van der Waals force or hydrogen bonding plays a major role. The interaction of ZnO/S NPs with tyrosine residue in bovine serum albumin was established by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. In addition, the results of UV-visible, circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared, Forster's resonance energy transfer theory and dynamic light scattering spectroscopic studies revealed that the ZnO/S NPs interact with albumin by inducing the conformational changes in secondary structure and reducing the α-helix content.

A New Cu/Fe Layer Double Hydroxide Nanocomposite Exerts Anticancer Effects against PC-3 Cells by Inducing Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis.

Prostate cancer treatment poses significant challenges due to its varying aggressiveness, potential for metastasis, and the complexity of treatment options. Balancing the effectiveness of therapies, minimizing side effects, and personalizing treatment strategies are ongoing challenges in managing this disease. Significant advances in the use of nanotechnology for the treatment of prostate cancer with high specificity, sensitivity, and efficacy have recently been made. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize a novel Cu/Fe layer double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposite for use as an anticancer agent to treat prostate cancer. Cu/Fe LDH nanocomposites with a molar ratio of 5:1 were developed using a simple co-precipitation approach. FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, and zeta potential analyses confirmed the nanocomposite. Moreover, the MTT cell viability assay, scratch assay, and flow cytometry were utilized to examine the prospective anticancer potential of Cu/Fe LDH on a prostate cancer (PC-3) cell line. We found that Cu/Fe LDH reduced cell viability, inhibited cell migration, induced G1/S phase cell cycle arrest, and triggered apoptotic effect in prostate cancer cells. The findings also indicated that generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation could improve the biological activity of Cu/Fe LDH. Additionally, Cu/Fe LDH showed a good safety impact on the normal lung fibroblast cell line (WI-38). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the Cu/Fe LDH nanocomposite exhibited significant anticancer activities against PC-3 cells and, hence, could be used as a promising strategy in prostate cancer treatment.

Rare earth Gd-doped NiFe2O4 @2D layered carbonaceous composite: Synthesis, structural evaluation and photocatalytic parameters studies

NiFe2O4 (F-1) and rare earth metal (Gd) doped NiFe2O4 (F-2) were prepared via a co-precipitation approach. Gd-NiFe2O4@rGO (F-3) was prepared via an ultrasonication route for the degradation of pendimethalin under sunlight. The structural confirmation of as-fabricated samples was done via XRD. The Tauc plot of F-1 showed a bandgap energy of 2.79 eV and F-2 exhibited a bandgap energy of 2.63 eV. The optical band gap was lowered due to the presence of rare-earth metal ions. NiFe2O4 and Gd-NiFe2O4 showed 48.88 %, and 61.11 % degradation of pendimethalin. Gd-NiFe2O4@rGO nanocomposite showed the highest degradation efficiency. It exhibited 84.44 % degradation of pendimethalin in 140 min at the rate of 0.01 min−1. The reason for the greater activity is due to the insertion of rare earth (Gd) ions and rGO sheets in the nickel ferrite. The doping with rare earth metal ions lowers the recombination of electrons and holes which was further supported by the addition of carbonaceous material. The surface area of the nickel ferrite was improved by rGO sheets and in turn more active sites were formed on the surface of the catalyst which fastens the rate of reaction.

Synthesis of ternary Fe-Ca-La oxide composite as highly effective adsorbents to remove phosphate from aqueous solution

A co-precipitation approach has been used to produce a novel iron-calcium-lanthanum (Fe-Ca-La) trimetallic composite for the removal of phosphate from water. The composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, which showed that Fe-Ca-La exhibited an amorphous structure and there were aggregations of small particles with varying size on the surface of the composite. The adsorption amount of phosphate by the composite was highly pH-dependent, and the optimal adsorption occurred at acidic condition (pH < 7). The maximum adsorption amount of phosphate on Fe-Ca-La was 103.48 mg g−1, which was higher than many other adsorbents. The Langmuir model could well simulate the adsorption isotherm of phosphate by the composite. The adsorption was a highly endothermic spontaneous process, and the enthalpy (ΔH0) and entropy (ΔS) of adsorption process were 4.16 kJ mol−1 and 74.56 J mol−1 K−1, respectively. Batch experiments revealed that > 95% of the phosphate was removed from water after 4 h, and the removal percentage of phosphate still reached 73.3 % after 5 consecutive adsorption/desorption recycles. The presence of other anions had a limited effect on the adsorption capacity of phosphate on Fe-Ca-La composite (CO32− > SO42- > Cl− > NO3−) at relatively high concentration. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic and ion exchange experiments indicated that phosphate adsorption on the ternary composite via a complicated combination of electrostatic attraction and outer-sphere complexation effects. Fe-Ca-La with ternary structure have advantages of easy production, low cost, great adsorption capacity and high resistance to anion interference, which can provide potential applications for phosphate removal in water environment.

Catalytic degradation of methylene blue and bactericidal action by silver and CS-doped iron oxide nanostructures: Experimental and DFT approaches

In this research, Ag (3 and 6 wt %) and carbon sphere (CS) (3 wt. %) were successfully incorporated into Fe2O3 using a co-precipitation approach. This study aimed to degrade the methylene blue (MB) dye and investigate the bactericidal effect of doping-dependent Fe2O3. The pristine sample has good stability and is less toxic however showed poor degradation potency. To enhance the catalytic activity (CA), CS was introduced as it increases Fe2O3 adsorption capacity and improves metal oxide properties. Ag was incorporated into CS-Fe2O3, which created additional active sites and might generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). XRD patterns revealed the tetragonal and monoclinic structure of Fe2O3, and crystallinity was enhanced with dopants (Ag and CS). FTIR was performed to identify vibrational and rotational modes and functional groups of samples. SAED pattern represented the polycrystalline structure of Fe2O3 and (3 & 6 wt%) Ag/CS-Fe2O3. UV–vis spectroscopy depicted that absorption decreased with the increasing amount of Ag/CS and increased band gap energy (Eg). PL spectra of doped Fe2O3 represent the reduction in recombination rate resulting in enhanced CA. EDS spectra exhibited the presence of Fe, O, Na, Au, and C, which confirmed the elemental composition of pristine and doped samples. TEM images indicate nanorods (NRs) of Fe2O3, and HRTEM provides interlayer d-spacing increased upon doping. The nanostructures exhibited excellent CA for the degradation of MB dye in an acidic medium, around 99.44%. Ag/CS-Fe2O3 (6 wt %) nanostructures have shown a significant increase in the inhibition zone (3.65 mm) against Escherichia coli (E. coli) at high-level doses. This study suggests that (3 & 6 wt%) Ag/CS-Fe2O3 nanostructures revealed superior catalytic and antibacterial activity for wastewater treatment. First-principles calculations indicate that the adsorption energies show a relatively strong interaction between MB and (3 & 6 wt%) Ag/CS-Fe2O3.

Highly-efficient hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition over Co-doped graphdiyne under moderate temperature

Manufacturing hydrogen from ammonia decomposition is an efficient and promising approach for hydrogen utilization. However, its scalable application is significantly impeded by the requirements of precious metal ruthenium (Ru) as catalysts. Herein, we report a type of Co-doped graphdiyne catalyst for catalytically decomposing ammonia (NH3) to generate H2. The metal-doped graphdiyne catalysts were synthesized facilely using co-precipitation approach. The resultant composite catalysts significantly enhanced the reactivity and stability of ammonia decomposition. The Co-doped graphdiyne catalyst achieved nearly complete decomposition of ammonia at 550 ℃, and the conversion rate remained stable over 18 h of continuous reaction. The adsorption and decomposition of ammonia by Co-doped graphdiyne was studied by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Nitrogen binding strength was used as a descriptor to elucidate the catalyst's activity and reaction kinetics, further supported by the reaction energy barrier. Our study highlights the tremendous potential of metal-doped graphdiyne catalysts for facile hydrogen production via NH3 decomposition, enabling safe and scalable hydrogen utilization.

3D flower-like ceria silver co-doped zinc oxide catalyst assembled by nanorod for electrochemical sensing of zearalenone in food samples.

To ensure food safety and quality, the development of rapid detection of mycotoxins using sensitive and accurate methods is essential. Zearalenone is one of the mycotoxins found in cereals, and its toxicity poses a serious risk to humans. For this concern, a simple ceria silver co doped zinc oxide (Ce-Ag/ZnO) catalyst was prepared by coprecipitation approach. The physical properties of the catalyst were characterized by XRD, FTIR, XPS, FESEM, and TEM. The Ce-Ag/ZnO catalyst was used as an electrode material for the detection of ZEN in food samples due to its synergistic effect and high catalytic activity. The sensor exhibits good catalytic performance with a detection limit of 0.26µg/mL. Moreover, the efficiency of the prepared sensor was confirmed by selectivity in interference studies and real-time analysis in food samples. Our research is an essential technique for using trimetallic heterostructures to study the construction of sensors.

Design and optimization of Ni–Fe–La based catalytic system for CO2 utilization for sustainable syngas production via dry reforming of methane

The present work aims to design a robust Ni–Fe–La catalyst for methane reforming with CO2. A series of catalysts with mesoporous pore structures were prepared using a modified constant pH co-precipitation approach. Taguchi's L16 design and multi-parameter response optimization approach provide a detailed interpretation and optimization of the catalyst composition. The control parameters for the optimization study include nickel as primary active (6–24 wt %), Fe as second metal (0–9 wt%), La2O2 as a promoter to the catalyst (0–24 wt%), and rest γ-alumina as catalyst support (52–94 wt%). Various analytical and chemical methods were used to characterize optimized catalyst recipes thoroughly. According to Study findings, the reforming catalyst quality, measured by reactant conversions, deactivation percentage, and H2/CO ratio, has dramatically increased since the basic testing. The dry reforming catalyst's sustainable activity was primarily driven by the Fe metal content (wt.%), followed by the Ni metal content and La2O3. In 100 h of time on stream study, the catalyst showed excellent stability with ∼90% CH4 conversion, and it was free of any coke deposition as well as severe metal sintering. The improved synthesis method resulted in a catalyst with good physicochemical features, promoting high activity and stability in dry reforming operations.

The catalytic performance of FexMn1-xWO4 as novel wolframite-type nanocatalysts for the selective dehydration of methanol into dimethyl ether

Selective production of dimethyl ether (DME), as a second-generation biofuel, under mild green conditions is still a challenge. Herein, FexMn1-xWO4 wolframite-type materials were proposed for the first time as efficient, selective, and stable catalysts towards methanol dehydration into DME. A simple one-step co-precipitation approach was used to fabricate the nanocomposites, and their catalytic performances were evaluated in comparison to earlier studies and to the commercial γ-Al2O3 in terms of activity. The catalysts’ structure, morphology, and porosity were identified by XRD, XPS, FTIR, TEM, and N2-sorption analyses. Results of XRD and XPS confirmed the successful synthesis of FexMn1-xWO4 catalysts. Acidity of these nanocomposites were greatly influenced with the variation in x-value, calcination temperature, and doping with SO42−. The Brønsted characters of the acid sites and their weak and medium strength were investigated from PY-FTIR, chemisorption of basic probes and pyridine-TPD. The variation of the catalytic activities of these nanocomposites was strongly correlated to the variation in the catalyst acidity. The catalytic activity results indicated that Fe0.5Mn0.5WO4 catalyst calcined at 500 °C and modified with 5 wt.% of SO42- is the most effective nanocomposite with conversion values of 86 and 90% at reaction temperatures of 250 and 275 °C, respectively and all of 100% DME selectivity. The remarkable enhancement in the catalytic activity due to the doping with SO42- is attributed to the inductive effect of S = O group created on the catalyst surface. This nanocomposite could be regenerated many times with nearly the same efficiency and selectivity. Moreover, it offered a long-term stability (∼120 h) towards DME production.

Green electromagnetic interference shielding films with unique and interconnected 3D magnetic/conductive interfaces

Magnetic nanoparticle-decorated biomass-derived carbon films are intriguing green electromagnetic interference shielding composites because of their eco-friendly, high shielding effectiveness, low reflection loss, etc. However, it is still difficult to uniformly decorate magnetic nanoparticles onto a whole interconnected carbon skeleton. Herein, to overcome this difficulty, a novel in situ coprecipitation approach was developed to construct the 3D Fe3O4@carbon core-shell network with interconnected magnetic/conductive interfaces. Briefly, common filter papers (CFPs) decorated with metal ions were immersed into ammonia solutions, to in situ generate Fe3O4 nanoparticles on whole CFPs. Subsequently, Fe3O4-decorated CFPs are carbonized to obtain magnetic and conductive biomass-derived carbon films. The novel structure endows the resultant films with excellent electrical conductivity (673–732 S/m), excellent shielding (30.6 dB) and low reflection coefficient (R = 0.354). The specific SE of our films is as high as 191.3 dB/mm, exceeding that of the reported biomass-derived carbon materials.

Concocting of FeO nanoparticles by coalescence of metal oxides for supercapacitor applications

Iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles have gained considerable interest from researchers over the past few decades and have a massive effect on wave absorption materials, magnetic fluid, adsorbent, and a variety of industrial applications. In this study, ferric nitrate, sodium hydroxide, and ammonium hydroxide coalesced to form FeO nanoparticles using the chemical co-precipitation approach. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-VIS analysis, Photoluminesence (PL) spectrum analysis, and electrochemical measurements were used to characterize FeO nanoparticles. As per XRD, the sample’s crystallite size was 22.63[Formula: see text]nm and 22.64[Formula: see text]nm after it was annealed at 300∘C and 400∘C, respectively. Utilizing XRD, the diffraction patterns were seen. The particles appear to have a fine surface and smooth shape, as seen by SEM photographs. For the detection of FeO nanoparticles, optical and electrochemical examinations were carried out.

Facile synthesis of a ZnO/Fe2O3 heterostructure and its graphene-reinforced composite for boosting the photo-mineralization of crystal violet and phenol

Abstract Herein, a nanostructured ZnO/Fe2O3 heterostructure and its graphene (Gr)-reinforced composite (ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr) have been synthesized via co-precipitation and post-ultrasonication approaches. The formation of heterojunction at the ZnO–Fe2O3 interface reduces the bandgap and keeps the electron-hole pairs apart. The graphene plays multiple roles to boost the dye removal effectively of the ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr composite. The charge transfer aptitude, isolation of charge carriers, and resistance at the ZnO/Fe2O3-Graphene interface were also examined by Mott–Schottky, chronoamperometric, and impedance experiments. The performance of an as-synthesized ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr catalyst was explored for the mineralization of a cationic dye (crystal violet, CV) and phenol in visible-light (λ above 400 nm) for 2 h. The ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr catalyst has mineralized 92.8 % CV dye and 50.86 % phenol after 2 h of visible-light irradiation. Moreover, the mineralization constant (k) comes to be 0.019 min−1, which is 4.2, 2.3, and 1.7 times higher than ZnO, Fe2O3, and ZnO/Fe2O3 catalysts, respectively. Increasing the dosage of the ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr catalyst from 10 mg to 30 mg increased the rate constant from 0.006 min−1 to 0.019 min−1, thereby increasing the efficiency of CV dye mineralization from 58.5 % to 92.8 %. The tuned photocatalytic activity of the ZnO/Fe2O3@Gr is due to the formation of the ZnO–Fe2O3 heterostructure and, preferentially, its conductive graphene. In fact, graphene serves the roles of an efficient electron collector, a transporter, and an effective UV/Vis light absorber, enabling the creation of active species that further boost the photocatalytic performance. According to the results of this study, the easiest and cheapest way to deal with toxic dyes in industrial waste is to make photocatalysts from semiconductive and carbonaceous materials that have integrated properties.

Efficient Adsorption Capacity of MgFe-Layered Double Hydroxide Loaded on Pomelo Peel Biochar for Cd (II) from Aqueous Solutions: Adsorption Behaviour and Mechanism.

A novel pomelo peel biochar/MgFe-layered double hydroxide composite (PPBC/MgFe-LDH) was synthesised using a facile coprecipitation approach and applied to remove cadmium ions (Cd (II)). The adsorption isotherm demonstrated that the Cd (II) adsorption by the PPBC/MgFe-LDH composite fit the Langmuir model well, and the adsorption behaviour was a monolayer chemisorption. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cd (II) was determined to be 448.961 (±12.3) mg·g-1 from the Langmuir model, which was close to the actual experimental adsorption capacity 448.302 (±1.41) mg·g-1. The results also demonstrated that the chemical adsorption controlled the rate of reaction in the Cd (II) adsorption process of PPBC/MgFe-LDH. Piecewise fitting of the intra-particle diffusion model revealed multi-linearity during the adsorption process. Through associative characterization analysis, the adsorption mechanism of Cd (II) of PPBC/MgFe-LDH involved (i) hydroxide formation or carbonate precipitation; (ii) an isomorphic substitution of Fe (III) by Cd (II); (iii) surface complexation of Cd (II) by functional groups (-OH); and (iv) electrostatic attraction. The PPBC/MgFe-LDH composite demonstrated great potential for removing Cd (II) from wastewater, with the advantages of facile synthesis and excellent adsorption capacity.

Synthesis of Alq3 by a facile co-precipitation approach and study the impact of CNTs support on its microstructure and electronic characteristics for photodiode development

The global demand for renewable energy as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels has motivated the scientific community to develop highly efficient nanocomposite materials that can be used for enhancement to optoelectronic technology. In the present work, organometallics Alq3 and Alq3/CNTs were prepared by cost-effective chemical route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to identify the structural and morphological features. The hybrid Alq3/CNTs exhibited polycrystalline structure with a large surface area. The optical band gap of Alq3 film was evaluated within the visible spectrum in the range of 3.047 eV which reduced to 2.979 eV by CNTs integration. Ag/Alq3/p-Si/Al and Ag/Alq3/CNTs/p-Si/Al photodiodes were fabricated using thermal evaporating technique. Current-voltage and capacitance/conductance-voltage were measured to analyze the photodiode behavior. The main electronic parameters like were determined using different models indicating that the composite photodiode of high performance in which was decreased whereas was increased with doping. Besides, the photocurrent sensitivity was increased from to due to increase of free charge carriers.

Defect-Rich and Boron-Doped Al2O3-Supported Ru Nanocatalyst for Enhanced CO2 Methanation Activity

Presently, fabricating a stable and high-performance noble metal catalyst is still a challenging task due to the easy aggregation and growth of metal particles during heterogeneous catalysis reactions. In this regard, catalyst supports always can profoundly impact the metal dispersion and electronic interaction with active metal species, thereby significantly regulating the catalytic performance of catalysts. Herein, a new strategy for fabricating boron-doped alumina support with coordinatively unsaturated penta-coordinated Al3+ (Alpenta3+) sites via a micro-liquid-film reactor-assisted coprecipitation approach was developed. Accordingly, as-formed alumina could efficiently immobilize Ru atoms via the anchoring effect of the Alpenta3+ site to construct a supported Ru catalyst for CO2 methanation. An as-constructed Alpenta3+ site-rich and boron-doped Al2O3-supported Ru nanocatalyst exhibited a better catalytic performance in CO2 methanation along with a higher methane yield of 81.2% under reaction conditions (i.e., 350 °C, 0.1 MPa pressure, and gas hourly space velocity of 6000 mL·gcat–1·h–1), compared to other supported Ru ones over commercial alumina and defect-free alumina. It was demonstrated that the high catalytic performance was closely associated with the coexistence of surface-defective Alpenta3+ sites and B–O species, thereby facilitating the accommodation of active hydrogen species on the support during CO2 hydrogenation as well as the activation adsorption of CO2 at the medium-strength basic sites originating from surface B–O–Al structures. This work provides a new strategy to construct high-performance and stable supported noble metal catalysts through engineering alumina support with special defective structures and surface modification for the applications in advanced heterogeneous catalytic systems.

Improved interfacial interactions of modified graphene oxide/natural rubber composites with the low heat build‐up and good mechanical property for the green tire application

AbstractWith the rapid development of transportation system, the safety, reliability, and durability of green tires play an important role in modern transportation. While for the material preparation, the poor dispersion ability of reinforced filler and the weak interfacial interactions with polymer matrix seriously restricted the further application in the green tire field. Meanwhile, avoiding the use of organic solvents is also an environmental issue that needs to be considered in the preparation process. Herein, water‐soluble 2‐mercapto‐1‐methylimidazole (MMI) functionalized graphene oxide (GO‐MMI) was obtained through a simple, green and one‐step hydrothermal method. Additionally, the modified graphene oxide/natural rubber composites (GO‐MMI/NR) with different GO‐MMI content were prepared by the latex coprecipitation approach. As a result, the modified GO‐MMI could be evenly dispersed in the NR matrix through the mechanical blending and the obtained GO‐MMI/NR composites possessed the good comprehensive properties after vulcanization. Specifically, the tensile strength (26.8 MPa), elongation at break (801%), low heat build‐up (6.2°C), Deutsches Institute for Normung (DIN) abrasion loss volume (71.31 mm3) and heat resistance index (162.1°C) were synchronic‐lifting when compared with the GO/NR composites. The results demonstrated that obtained GO‐MMI/NR composites owned the promising application for the industrial‐scale green tires.