H2O Nanorods Research Articles

Hydrated WO3.0.33H2O nanorod for an excellent anode materials enables high performance and long-cycle stability for aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Metal dissolution and solid electrolyte interface layer growth are the most challenging issues in a reversible aqueous Zn-ion battery. To address this issue, an electrolyte-material marriage must be devise. Herein, we have develop the unique hydrate WO3.0.33H2O nanorods that integrate the layers and hexagonal tunnel structures for an aqueous Zn-ion battery. However, the one-dimensional morphology and confinement of the hydrate molecules of WO3.0.33H2O nanorods enable the superhighway and sub-second electron transport. Owing to this unique property, WO3.0.33H2O nanorods exhibit a capacity of 91 mAh g−1, which is two-fold higher than the three-dimensional WO3 cube in 1 M ZnCl2 electrolyte. Additionally, WO3.0.33H2O nanorods exhibit excellent durability and coulombic efficiency of 94 % and 99 % after 3000 cycles, respectively. To further examine the electrolyte suitability, the WO3.0.33H2O nanorods show excellent reversibility of the insertion and deinsertion of the Zn2+ ion in 1 m ZnCl2 compares to 1 M ZnSO4 and 1 M Zn(CH3COO)2 electrolytes. Therefore, this unique construction of hydrates WO3.0.33H2O nanorods would be a new avenue for designing the anode materials for a reversible aqueous Zn-ion battery.

Boosting N[tbnd]N tri-bond activation and NH3 generation rate through simple surface Ag modification

NH3 photosynthesis from nitrogen remains a big challenge due to the extreme difficulty for the activation of NN bond. In this work, Ag-modified MoO3·0.55 H2O nanorods (named as Ag@Mo) are prepared by a simple photoreduction method. Under visible light (λ ≥ 420 nm) for 60 min, the NH3 yield over 2%Ag@Mo (molar ratio of Ag to MoO3·0.55 H2O) reaches 242.0 μmol·gcat−1, which is about 2.8 times higher than MoO3·0.55 H2O under the same conditions. The effect of Ag modification on photocatalytic ammonia synthesis is explored through experiments and theoretical calculations. The excellent photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag and the successful construction of Mott-Schottky junction, which improves light utilization efficiency and reduces carrier recombination efficiency, respectively. Moreover, density functional theory calculations theoretically prove that over Ag@Mo, Ag provides new adsorption sites, and the NN tri-bond length is elongated by about 16.2%, confirming that Ag modification obviously promotes the activation of NN tri-bond. The ammonia generation rate is obviously higher than the previously reported results.

ZnO Additive Boosts Charging Speed and Cycling Stability of Electrolytic Zn–Mn Batteries

HighlightsLow pH value of electrolyte suppresses the charge capabilities of electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries.Unique solid phase alkaline properties of zinc sulfate hydroxide hydrate endow the electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries with greatly enhanced charge capabilities.The highly active Zn2Mn3O8·H2O nanorods array deposited during the charge process improve the discharge efficiency and stability of electrolytic Zn–Mn batteries.

Defect-engineered composite with ammonium vanadate and 1T-MoS2 for superior aqueous zinc-ion battery applications

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are competitive energy-storage systems owing to their high ionic conductivity, safety, low cost, and eco-friendliness. Vanadium-based oxides have gained research interest as cathode materials for AZIBs because of their high capacities derived from their multivalent states and layered structures. However, vanadium-based oxides continue to exhibit poor performance as electrodes owing to critical issues, such as structural collapse, cation trapping, and poor electrical conductivity, which limit their practical application. Defect-engineered composite cathode materials consisting of (NH4)2V6O16·1.5H2O (NVO) nanorods and metallic 1T-MoS2 nanosheets were fabricated using a sonochemical method. NH4+ and H2O were co-intercalated into the NVO interlayer and served as pillars for stabilizing the layered structure. The 1T-MoS2 nanosheets promote fast charge transfer by providing conductive networks to the NVO. Furthermore, the oxygen defects in the NVO lattice weaken the electrostatic attraction between the inserted Zn2+ cations and the lattice oxygen layers, facilitating reversible Zn2+ (de)intercalation during charging–discharging. Consequently, the Od-NVO/Oi-MoS2 electrode exhibited a high capacity of 370.5 mAh/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g. In addition, it exhibited a high capacity of 141 mAh/g and maintained 92.5% of its initial capacity after 2000 cycles at 10 A/g.

Navajoite phase V5O12•6H2O nanorods with ultra−long lifespan for aqueous zinc−ion batteries

Aqueous zinc−ion batteries have attracted wide attention because of their low cost and high safety advantages, whereas the cathode materials with stable internal structure and fast transfer channels are urgently needed. Herein, a Navajoite phase V5O12•6 H2O nanorods has been prepared via a facile hydrothermal method, and proved to be a good choice as the cathode of ZIBs because of the excellent structural stability and special Zn2+ ion transfer channel. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the as−fabricated V5O12•6 H2O nanorods can disclose a high rate performance (405 mA h g−1 under 0.1 A g−1), a long−term cyclability (81.2% maintained after 20,000 cycles under 10 A g−1) and an excellent energy output (338.04 Wh kg−1 at 227 W kg−1). In addition, various ex−situ characterizations have revealed the electrochemical mechanism in V5O12•6 H2O cathode during reversible Zn2+ ion intercalation/de−intercalation process. The impressive electrochemical performance of V5O12•6 H2O cathode shows its high potential in practical applications.

Citrulline-induced mesoporous CoS/CoO heterojunction nanorods triggering high-efficiency oxygen electrocatalysis in solid-state Zn-air batteries

Interface engineering is recognized as one of the effective strategies to optimize the electrocatalytic behavior of catalysts via triggering surface reconstruction and charge redistribution. However, the deliberate control over rich-phase boundaries in a simple and effective manner is still challenging. Herein, an effective bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst of mesoporous CoS/CoO heterojunction nanorods (CoS/CoO PNRs) is constructed through two-step topological transformations of Co(CO3)0.5OH·0.11H2O nanorods induced by unique citrulline molecule. The designed CoS/CoO PNRs present multiple advantages of mesoporous rod-like architecture, abundant heterointerfaces, increased oxygen vacancies, as well as dual-phase synergy, which trigger outstanding electrocatalytic performance towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with low overpotential (265 mV at 10 mA cm−2), low activation energy (Ea = 36.14 kJ mol−1) and robust long-term stability. The CoS/CoO PNRs is also demonstrated to be highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with a positive half-wave potential (0.84 V), making the CoS/CoO PNRs a potential bifunctional oxygen catalyst. As an air-cathode, the CoS/CoO PNRs can enable the solid-state Zn-air battery to achieve a large power density, a fast dynamic response, and long cycle life, outperforming that assembled with commercial Pt/C + RuO2. Theoretical calculations finally unveil that the interfacial electron transfer from CoS to CoO modulates the electronic structure of CoS/CoO, and subsequently adjusts the binding strength of the intermediates in the OER and ORR. This work opens up a new design strategy for the synthesis of high-efficiency oxygen electrocatalysts to be applied in energy-related electrochemical devices.

Silver Trimolybdate (Ag2Mo3O10.2H2O) Nanorods: Synthesis, Characterization, and Photo-Induced Antibacterial Activity under Visible-Light Irradiation.

The present study reports the synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial properties of silver trimolybdate (Ag2Mo3O10.2H2O) nanorods. The synthesis was performed using a conventional hydrothermal method. The sample was characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV–Vis–NIR diffuse reflectance, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The direct antibacterial activity was evaluated using the microdilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). To assess the ability of Ag2Mo3O10.2H2O nanorods to modulate antibacterial resistance, the MIC of aminoglycosides was established in the presence of a subinhibitory concentration of this substance alone and associated with LED light exposure. The characterization of the sample indicated that the synthesis of silver trimolybdate generated nanometric crystals with rod-like morphology, without secondary phases. The treatment with Ag2Mo3O10.2H2O nanorods alone or combined with visible LED lights exhibited clinically relevant antibacterial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This nanostructure presented a variable antibiotic-modulating action, which was not improved by visible LED light exposure. Nevertheless, LED lights showed promising antibiotic-enhancing activities in the absence of Ag2Mo3O10.2H2O nanorods. In conclusion, silver trimolybdate dihydrate nanorods have antibacterial properties that can be photocatalysed by visible-light exposure. While showing the potential use to combat antibacterial resistance, the simultaneous combination of silver trimolybdate, visible LED lights, and antibacterial drugs should be carefully analysed to avoid antagonist effects that could impair the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy.

A facile method for pre-insertion of cations and structural water in preparing durable zinc storage vanadate cathodes

Na2V6O16·1.96H2O and K2V6O16·2.13H2O nanorods are prepared by a facile stirring method at room temperature as cathodes for zinc ion batteries.

Folic Acid-Conjugated Silica-Modified TbPO4·H2O Nanorods for Biomedical Applications

We report on the synthesis and characterization of folic acid-conjugated silica-modified TbPO4·H2O nanorods for biomedical applications. The uniform shape TbPO4·H2O nanorods with a hexagonal phase were successfully synthesized by wet chemical methods. A novel TbPO4·H2O@silica-NH2 nanocomplex was then formed by functionalizing these nanorods with silica and conjugating with biological agents. The field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray diffraction reveal the morphology and structure of the nanorods, with their controllable sizes (500-800 nm in length and 50-80 nm in diameter). The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to identify chemical substances or functional groups of the TbPO4·H2O@silica-NH2 nanocomplex. The photoluminescence spectra show the four emission lines of TbPO4·H2O@silica-NH2 in folic acid at 488, 540, 585, and 621 nm under 355 nm laser excitation, which could be attributed to the 5D4-7 F j ( J = 6 , 5 , 4 , 3 ) transitions of Tb3+. The TbPO4·H2O@silica-NH2 nanorods were conjugated with folic acid for the detection of MCF7 breast cancer cells. The obtained results show a promising possibility for the recognition of living cells that is of crucial importance in biolabeling.

Facile synthesis and efficient photoelectrochemical reaction of WO3/WS2 core@shell nanorods utilizing WO3∙0.33H2O phase

One-dimensional (1D) WO3/two-dimensional (2D) WS2 heterojunction nanostructures are of great interest in various photoelectrochemical (PEC) and electrochemical applications. In this study, we introduced a simple and effective route to synthesize 2D WS2 shell layer on WO3 nanorods by utilizing WO3∙0.33H2O phase. The formation of WO3∙0.33H2O nanorods was critically affected by hydrothermal reaction temperature. The WO3∙0.33H2O phase was preferentially transformed into hexagonal WO3 and 2D WS2 through oxidation and sulfurization at 450 °C, respectively. The 2D WS2 shell layer was more favorably formed on WO3 nanorods, which were synthesized at 180 °C and possessed a significant amount of WO3∙0.33H2O phase (referred to as W-180), than on WO3 nanorods with predominant monoclinic WO3 phase, which were synthesized at 200 °C (referred to as W-200). Thus, the WO3/WS2 core@shell nanorods from W-180 exhibited significantly enhanced PEC performance because of the improved charge transfer properties attributed to the advantageous heterojunction effect of 1D WO3/2D WS2. The new synthesis route from WO3∙0.33H2O phase to 2D WS2 can be applied to synthesize various WO3/2D WS2 heterojunction nanostructures, such as thin films, nanoparticles, and nanorods.

Hexagonal WO3·0.33H2O Hierarchical Microstructure with Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation Activity

Structural design and morphological control of semiconductors is considered to be one of the most effective ways to improve their photocatalytic degradation properties. In the present work, a hexagonal WO3·0.33H2O hierarchical microstructure (HWHMS) composed of nanorods was successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method. The morphology of the HWHMS was confirmed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the synthesized product was orthorhombic WO3·0.33H2O. Owing to the unique hierarchical microstructure, the HWHMS showed larger Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface and narrower bandgap (1.53 eV) than the isolated WO3·0.33H2O nanorods. Furthermore, the HWHMS showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue under visible-light irradiation compared with the isolated nanorods, which can be ascribed to the narrower bandgap, larger BET specific surface area, and orthorhombic phase structure of the HWHMS. This work provides a potential protocol for construction of tungsten trioxide counterparts and materials similar to tungsten trioxide for application in gas sensors, photocatalysts, electrochromic devices, field-emission devices, and solar-energy devices.

Solid-state synthesis and superior electrochemical performance of MnMoO4 nanorods for asymmetric supercapacitor

Excellent stability and low synthetic cost of electrode materials are very important for the practical application of supercapacitors. Herein, an eco-friendly and extremely simple solid-state chemical synthetic strategy was used to construct the one-dimensional MnMoO4·0.9H2O (MMOH) and MnMoO4 (MMO) nanorods. Surprisingly, the obtained one-dimensional nanorods exhibited superior cycle stability as a supercapacitor electrode material. The long cycling life with 112.6% retention were obtained after 10,000 galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles. In addition, the electrochemical properties of the obtained MnMoO4 were significantly improved after removing the crystal water in MnMoO4·0.9H2O, then the specific capacitance was increased by 2.4 times. When the power density reached 187.4 W kg−1 in asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device, the total cell exhibited an outstanding energy density of 23.5 Wh kg−1. The excellent electrochemical properties can be ascribed to the good electrical conductivity and more effective quality of active material for one-dimensional nanostructure after removing crystal water from MnMoO4·0.9 H2O. This work created a simple solvent-free method to construct one-dimensional MnMoO4 nanorods and provided a prospective electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Proton solvent-controllable synthesis of manganese oxalate anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Manganese oxalates with different structures and morphologies were prepared by the precipitation method in a mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and proton solvents. The proton solvents play a key role in determining the structures and morphologies of manganese oxalate. Monoclinic MnC2O4·2H2O microrods are prepared in H2O-DMSO, while MnC2O4·H2O nanorods and nanosheets with low crystallinity are synthesized in ethylene glycol-DMSO and ethanol-DMSO, respectively. The corresponding dehydrated products are mesoporous MnC2O4 microrods, nanorods, and nanosheets, respectively. When used as anode material for Li-ion batteries, mesoporous MnC2O4 microrods, nanorods, and nanosheets deliver a capacity of 800, 838, and 548 mA h g−1 after 120 cycles at 8C, respectively. Even when charged/discharged at 20C, mesoporous MnC2O4 nanorods still provide a reversible capacity of 647 mA h g−1 after 600 cycles, exhibiting better rater performance and cycling stability. The electrochemical performance is greatly influenced by the synergistic effect of surface area, morphology, and size. Therefore, the mesoporous MnC2O4 nanorods are a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries due to their good cycle stability and rate performance.

Promoting Zn2+ storage capability of a vanadium-based cathode via structural reconstruction for aqueous Zn-ion batteries

A promising VO2·0.81H2O (VOHO) nanorods cathode with an excellent performance towards Zn2+ storage was developed via the structural reconstruction of commercial V2O5 (VO) nanoparticles by a simple hydrothermal treatment.

NH3 sensing performance of Pt-doped WO3·0.33H2O microshuttles induced from scheelite leaching solution

WO3·0.33H2O microshuttles (WMSs) self-assembled by numerous nanorods along the same direction were prepared based on a cheap tungsten-containing metallurgical raw material by combination processes of NaOH leaching and one-step hydrothermal method. The microstructures and gas sensing properties of various concentrations (0, 0.7, 1.0, and 1.3 mol%) of Pt-doped WMSs were investigated to improve their performance. The microstructural characterizations demonstrated that the WMSs assembled by one-dimensional WO3·0.33H2O nanorods were approximately 0.8–1.9 μm in diameter. Such nanorods exhibited a single hexagonal structure with their diameters ranging from 17 to 62 nm. The gas sensing properties indicated that Pt-doped WMSs showed superior gas sensing performance in terms of the sensor response and NH3 selectivity in the operating temperature range of 25−225 °C as compared with pure one, and simultaneously Pt doping could significantly reduce the detection limit of NH3. Especially, 1.0 mol% Pt-doped WMSs exhibited the highest response of 28.2–1000 ppm NH3 at 175 °C, which was 4 times higher than pure one at 50 °C, indicating that it is a potential candidate material for the detection of NH3 gas.

A novel sensor based on WO3·0.33H2O nanorods modified electrode for the detection and degradation of herbicide, carbendazim

In the present-day scenario, it is necessary to establish more flexible, effective and selective analytical methods that are easy to operate and less expensive. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) can be a useful technique to assess minute quantity of pollutants and in this work, an effort has been made to detect the trace quantification from the environmental samples. Herein, electrochemical sensor was fabricated using tungsten oxide nanorod (WO3·0.33H2O) for sensitive detection of fungicide, carbendazim (CBZ). Under optimal conditions, while studying the effect of pH on peak current, the highest peak current was observed at pH 4.2. The degradation of CBZ followed the mixed diffusion-adsorption controlled and quasi-reversible processess at the WO3·0.33H2O/GC electrode surface. Using WO3·0.33H2O/GCE sensor in SWV provided the lowest limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of 2.21 × 10−8 M and 7.37 × 10−8 M, respectively over the concentration ranges of 1.0 × 10−7 M to 2.5 × 10−4 M. The proposed method demonstrates potential applicability of the fabricated sensor for soil and water samples analysis in the management of creating a benign environment.

Electrocatalytic detection of herbicide, amitrole at WO3·0.33H2O modified carbon paste electrode for environmental applications

Environmental pollution by the heavy usage of pesticides has been a pandemic issue in view of the rising farming operations for increasing the crop yield to meet the requirements of food chain supply. Throughout the world, environmental pollution by the presence of pesticides, particularly the use of herbicides in large quantities to protect the crops, has posed many environmental issues. In this research, an electrochemical sensor based on tungsten oxide hydrates (WO3·0.33H2O) nanorod modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was developed for the detection of herbicide, amitrole (AMT) by the cyclic voltammeter. Hydrothermally synthesized and characterized WO3·0.33H2O nanorod was found to be sensitive towards the detection of AMT due to its superior sensing property as the sensor showed enhanced current and catalytic property when used in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) of pH 5.0 by the cyclic voltammetric (CV) and square wave voltammetric (SWV) techniques. The influence of electro kinetic parameters viz., scan rate, pH, accumulation time and temperature with respect to AMT oxidation was studied using CV. The linearity range was in between 1.0 × 10−8 M and 24 × 10−5 M and limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) was calculated to be 2.33 nM and 7.8 nM respectively. The proposed simple method demonstrated the potential applicability to detect AMT from the soil and water samples.

Fabrication of NiHPO3·H2O nanorods as cathode material for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor

Abstract The development of novel pseudocapacitve materials with optimal nanostructures has tremendous potential in enhancing the electrochemical properties of supercapacitors. Herein, NiHPO3·H2O nanorods were prepared via an one-step hydrothermal method. Benefiting from its high electrical conductivity, unique one-dimensional rode-like morphology and hierarichical pore structure, NiHPO3·H2O nanorods favor electron and ion transport and provide abundant electrochemical active sites for redox reactions. When applied as positive electrode for pseudocapacitor, the proposed NiHPO3·H2O electrode shows a high specific capacitance of 1405.6 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, outstanding rate capability (64.2% capacitance retention at 10 A g−1) along with good cycling stability (77.3% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles). Furthermore, the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor using NiHPO3·H2O as a positive electrode and pine pollen-derived hierarchical porous carbon as a negative electrode delivers a high energy density (42.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 449.1 W kg−1) and a long cycle life (84.7% retention after 10,000 cycles). These findings provide new opportunities to synthesize novel transition metal phosphites for supercapacitors.

Electrospun Nb2O5 nanorods/microporous multichannel carbon nanofiber film anode for Na+ ion capacitors with good performance

For the disadvantages of both the slow reaction kinetics and the poor conductivity for Nb2O5 electrode materials as sodium-ion capacitors (SICs), Nb2O5 NRs/NMMCNF film electrode with good flexibility and high electrochemical property has been fabricated by electrospinning PAN/PMMA/H2Nb2O6·H2O homogeneous viscous suspension and followed by an annealing treatment, in which the precursor H2Nb2O6·H2O nanorods are obtained by grinding H2Nb2O6·H2O nanowires, and Nb2O5 nanorods are uniformly embedded in nitrogen doped microporous multichannel carbon nanofiber. Benefiting from the multichannel network structure, Nb2O5 NRs/NMMCNF film electrode delivers the fast kinetics of Na+-storage and the superior Na-ion storage performance, it delivers outstanding rate capability (101 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1) and ultralong lifespan (91% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles at 2 A g−1). A Nb2O5 NRs/NMMCNF//AC SIC based on the Nb2O5 NRs@NMMCNF fiber film anode and the AC cathode is assembled. The energy density of the as-assembled device is as high as 91 Wh kg−1 and its maximum power density is 7499 W kg−1. This work offers a new structure design strategy toward intercalation-type metal oxide electrodes for application in SICs.

Cancer Stem Cell Target Labeling and Efficient Growth Inhibition of CD133 and PD-L1 Monoclonal Antibodies Double Conjugated with Luminescent Rare-Earth Tb3+ Nanorods

Rare-earth nanomaterials are being widely applied in medicine as cytotoxicity agents, in radiation and photodynamic therapy, as drug carriers, and in biosensing and bioimaging technology. Terbium (Tb), a rare-earth element belonging to the lanthanides, has a long luminescent lifetime, large stock displacement, narrow spectral width, and biofriendly probes. In cancer therapy, cancer stem cell (CSC)-targeted treatment is receiving considerable attention due to these cells’ harmful characteristics. However, CSCs remain barely understood. Therefore, to effectively label and inhibit the growth of CSCs, we produced a nanocomplex in which TbPO4·H2O nanorods were double conjugated with CD133 and PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies. The Tb3+ nanomaterials were created in the presence of a soft template (polyethylene glycol 2000). The obtained nanomaterial TbPO4·H2O was hexagonal crystal and nanorod in shape, 40–80 nm in diameter, and 300–800 nm in length. The nanorods were further surfaced through tetraethyl orthosilicate hydrolysis and functionalized with amino silane. Finally, the glutaraldehyde-activated Tb3+ nanorods were conjugated with CD133 monoclonal antibody and PD-L1 monoclonal antibody on the surface to obtain the nanocomplex TbPO4·H2O@silica-NH2+mAb^CD133+mAb^PD-L1 (TMC). The formed nanocomplex was able to efficiently and specifically label NTERA-2 cells, a highly expressed CD133 and PD-L1 CSC cell line. The conjugate also demonstrated promising anti-CSC activity by significant inhibition (58.50%) of the growth of 3D tumor spheres of NTERA-2 cells (p < 0.05).