Hydrothermal Treatment Research Articles

Enhancing the stability of DSSC by Co-activation of microwave synthesized TiO2 with biomass derived carbon dots

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) that utilize natural dyes have garnered interest due to their low cost, eco-friendly manufacturing process, and competitive photovoltaic performance. However, their efficiency and stability issues have hindered their widespread implementation. To enhance their performance, this paper proposes a novel approach of modifying the photoanode with carbon dots (CDs) to align the band gap for easier carrier collection. The material properties were thoroughly characterized by examining their structural, morphological, optical, and electrical properties. In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO2) was synthesized using the microwave-assisted solvothermal method, while nitrogen-doped CDs derived from Citrus medica fruit juice were prepared using a simple hydrothermal treatment. Three sets of Natural Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (NDSSC) devices were created using co-activated photoanode (CD/TiO2) and unmodified photoanode (TiO2) with Platisol T/sp coated ITO serving as the counter electrode. Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and Onion (Allium cepa) peel extracts were utilized as sensitizers and Iodolyte HI-30 as the electrolyte. The most efficient device attained an efficiency of 3.5 % with Voc = 0.81 V and Jsc = 6.57 mA/cm2. This marks the highest efficiency reported using Hibiscus as a sensitizer with the current configuration, accompanied by prolonged device stability. This study showcases the potential of Citrus medica-derived nitrogen-doped CDs in achieving durable device stability.

Alpha nickel hydroxide electrodes improve aqueous rechargeable batteries capacity

Nickel hydroxide electrode materials have been improved for the use in Ni-based rechargeable batteries such as Ni-H2, NiMH, NiCd, NiFe, and NiZn batteries. A stabilized α-phase Ni1-xAlx(OH)2, synthesized using wet chemical coprecipitation methods while controlling pH accurately followed by hydrothermal treatments at 165 °C, is reported. Variations in synthetic routes, dopants and morphology had strong influence on the electrochemical performance. Morphological control, crystallinity and surface modification by Co(OH)2 were important for the better performance. Conventional battery grade β-Ni(OH)2 is usually made of a spherical particles, but we find that circular shaped particles can be advantageous. Hydrothermal treatments increase sample crystallinity and discharge capacity. A hydrothermal treated Ni0.8Al0.2(OH)2-LDH sample reaches a discharge capacity of 368 mAh g−1 and a corresponding Ni0.9Al0.1(OH)2 reaches 405 mAh g−1. Both have a circular-like morphology and the later shows a tap density of 1.52 g cm−3 and volumetric energy density of 531 mAh cm−3. Only a modest Co(OH)2 surface coating is needed to reduce the polarization behavior, increase the redox reaction reversibility and electrode kinetics via formation of CoOOH species after electrochemical oxidation.

Smartphone-based sensing and in vivo and in vitro imaging of Mn(VII) based on nitrogen-doped red fluorescent carbon dots.

Smartphone-assisted visual assay platform provides novel insight for the real-time in-field quantitation of intended analytes in resource-insufficient areas. Herein, nitrogen-doped red fluorescent (FL) carbon dots (R-CDs) were developed for the timely on-site quantitation of Mn(VII) using the smartphone-assisted assay platform. R-CDs, possessing a desirable bright red FL at 616 nm under a 470 nm excitation, were fabricated through hydrothermal treatment adopting passion fruit and neutral red as precursors. Interestingly, bright red FL at 616 nm are gradually quenched upon introducing Mn(VII) based on the inner filter effect, concurrently accompanying with significant FL color variation from bright red to dark red. Inspired by the above-mentioned phenomena, hue-saturation-values (HSV) of real-time captured images could be precisely quantified through a color recognition APP within the smartphone, of which the V/S values could be employed to quantify Mn(VII) with a linear range of 50-400 μM. Furthermore, confocal fluorescence imaging of HeLa cells and zebrafish larvae demonstrates that R-CDs could be employed for the visual determination of Mn(VII) in vivo and in vitro, illustrating that R-CDs possess powerful practical application prospect in biosystem.

Study on Effects of Hydrothermal Heat Treatment Method on Fertilizer Efficiency of Biomass Waste

This study explores a new way of utilizing biomass waste as fertilizer based on the hydrothermal heat treatment method. Hydrothermal heat treatment was carried out on common biomass waste, including corn stalks, livestock manure, and vegetable waste. by heating them to 120°C and then to 240°C respectively, while measuring the contents of organic matter, total nutrients, and humus in hydrothermal solid products. The experimental results are as follows. With the increase in temperature, the pH of three kinds of biomass waste hydrothermal products is reduced to different degrees. The content of organic matter in the solid products of corn stalk increased with the increase of temperature, the content of organic matter in the hydrothermal products of vegetable waste was opposite to that of corn stalk, and the content of organic matter in the hydrothermal solid products of pig manure was higher than 30% at different temperatures. The total nutrient content of the hydrothermal product of corn stalk decreased first and then increased with the increase of temperature, and reached the minimum value of 10.12 g/L at 180°C. The total nutrient content of the solid product of vegetable waste showed a negative correlation with temperature, and the total nutrient content of the raw material of pig manure was 60.55 g/kg. The total nutrient content of solid products after different hydrothermal temperature treatments was 41.8–59.03 g/kg, which was lower than that of raw materials. With the increase of temperature, the humic acid content of the solid product of corn stalk first increased and then decreased, the humic acid content of hydrothermal product of pig manure continued to increase with the increase of temperature, and the humic acid content of hydrothermal product of vegetable continued to increase with the increase of temperature. At 210°C, the contents of humic acid and fulvic acid reached the maximum, and the humification rate reached the maximum of 0.856.

Efficient Glucose Isomerization to Fructose using Photoregenerable MgSnO3 Catalyst with Cooperative Acid-Base Sites.

The isomerization of glucose to fructose plays a crucial role in the food industry and the production biomass-derived chemicals in biorefineries. However, the catalyst used in this reaction suffers from low selectivity and catalyst deactivation due to carbon or by-product deposition. In this study, MgSnO3 catalyst, synthesized via a facile two-step process involving hydrothermal treatment and calcination, was used for glucose isomerization to fructose. The catalyst demonstrated outstanding catalytic performance, achieving a fructose equilibrium yield of 29.8% with a selectivity exceeding 90% under mild conditions owing to its acid-base interaction. Notably, spent catalysts can be regenerated by photoirradiation to remove surface carbon, thereby avoiding the changes in properties and subsequent loss of activity associated with conventional calcination regeneration method. This novel approach eliminates the energy consumption and potential structural aggregation associated with traditional calcination regeneration methods. The acid-base active sites of the catalyst, along with their corresponding catalytic reaction mechanism and photoregeneration mechanism were investigated. This study presents a demonstration of the comprehensive utilization of catalytic material properties, i.e., acid-base and photocatalytic functionalities, for the development of a green and sustainable biomass thermochemical conversion system.

Lignocellulosic biomass-derived carbon quantum dots (CQDs): A novel approach utilizing organosolv lignin from Moso bamboo waste

Converting lignocellulosic materials to carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has garnered significant interest to transform biomass wastes into highly valuable products. We chose to use lignin as our feedstock because high-value products more readily utilize cellulose and hemicellulose. Lignin, arguably the most underutilized and complex biopolymer within any biomass, presents an appealing yet overlooked opportunity. While some may argue that lignin-based CQDs are no longer groundbreaking, this is because existing studies typically rely on commercially available lignin, ignoring biomass-derived sources. Therefore, in our pioneering research, we utilized organosolv lignin, prized for its structural purity and extracted from Moso bamboo waste, as the carbon source in a facile two-step technique to synthesize luminous CQDs. The process involved the addition of 2,4-diaminobenzenesulfonic acid, a mild-organic acid that acted as a source for both nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S). A 12-h hydrothermal treatment at 200 °C with 0.1 M of acid addition attained the best result. The resultant CQDs display strong green fluorescence, with the highest quantum yield of 17.7% seen in N and S co-doped CQDs. With their obvious and specific fluorescence quenching impact on Fe3+, CQDs demonstrate great potential as a fluorescent nanoprobe for metal ion detection. This CQD nanoprobe responds very sensitively to Fe3+ between 0 and 500 μM (R2 = 0.9803), with a detection limit of 0.15 μM. This research not only presents a unique alternative nanoprobe for the sensing field using renewable biomass lignin, but it also paves the way for the long-term, cost-effective, and scalable manufacturing of CQDs.

Fostering Bioplastics Circularity through Hydrothermal Treatments: Degradation Behavior and Products

Fostering Bioplastics Circularity through Hydrothermal Treatments: Degradation Behavior and Products

Investigation of Hydrothermal Carbonization of Exhausted Chestnut from Tannin Extraction: Impact of Process Water Recirculation for Sustainable Fuel Production

This study explores the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process applied to the exhausted chestnut produced by the tannin extraction industry, utilizing process water recirculation to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the conversion process. Tannin extraction from wood typically involves hot water treatment, leaving behind residual wood biomass known as exhausted wood. These by-products maintain their renewable properties because they have only been exposed to hot water under a high pressure, which is unlikely to cause major alterations in their structural components. Hydrothermal treatment was carried out at temperatures of 220 °C and 270 °C for 1 h, with process water being recirculated four times. This investigation focused on analyzing the effects of recirculation on the yield and fuel properties of hydrochar, as well as characterizing the combustion behavior of the obtained hydrochar. The results indicated that recirculation of process water led to improvements in both the mass and energy yields of hydrochar. The mass yield of the hydrochar samples increased by 5–6%, and the ERE of the hydrochar samples increased by 5–8% compared to the HTC reference sample. However, alterations in the combustion characteristics were observed, including decreases in ignition temperature and combustion reactivity. The results indicate that, with PW recirculations, the combustion index decreased by about 14% and 18% for 220 °C and 270 °C, respectively. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of utilizing HTC on chestnut tannin residue with process water recirculation to produce stable solid fuel and provides insights into the combustion behavior of the resulting hydrochar.

Mupirocin/hydroxyapatite composite suspended in transcutol P-spiked hydrogel: In vitro characterization and in vivo wound healing assessment

Objectives: Natural hydroxyapatite (HAP) has been utilized as a drug carrier owing to its excellent bioactivity and biocompatibility. This study is aimed at formulating mupirocin/hydroxyapatite composite suspended in hydrogel. The appropriate quantity of the penetration enhancer (Transcutol-P®) was also investigated. Materials and Methods: The HAP was isolated from bovine bone by hydrothermal treatment, calcined at 1000oC and held for 2 hours in an electric furnace to remove the organic contents. The bones were milled, sifted using 150 µm mesh sieve and characterized. Olive oil, which contains oleic acid, was utilized as a natural capping agent to prevent agglomeration of the particles in the formulation. The quantity of Transcutol-P® was varied with mupirocin used as the active pharmaceutical ingredient for the management of acute wound in Wistar rats. In this animal study, the wound closure rate was evaluated. Results: The formulation with the 0.6%v/v, of Transcutol-P® gave the best wound closure rate of 30.05 mm2/day. The in-vitro study showed that the formulation containing 0.6%v/v Transcutol-P® released 63.9% of the drug after 75 minutes while 42.4% was released at the same time interval when the concentration of the penetration enhancer was increased to 1.2%v/v. The mupirocin-encapsulated HAP hydrogel composite showed high resistance against staphylococcus saprophyticus with inhibition zone of 37.3 mm. Conclusion: The mupirocin encapsulated in HAP allows for sustained release of the antibiotic and thus serves as a veritable drug carrier suitable for wound healing applications. Transcutol-P® (0.6%v/v) is effective in facilitating drug release, which is reflected in the increased wound closure rate in Wistar rats.

N, S, P tri-doped porous graphene electrocatalyst with excellent oxygen reduction activity for zinc-air battery

The heteroatom-doped graphene has attracted a lot of research due to its excellent physical, chemical and electrochemical properties considered to be the most promising electrocatalytic material for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Multi-doping can exert the synergistic effect between different doped heteroatoms and effectively improve the catalytic activity of doped graphene catalysts. N, P, S tri-doped graphene catalysts were prepared by simple and convenient hydrothermal and high-temperature treatment. The experimental results show that different phosphorus sources have a significant impact on the structure and performance of the prepared catalyst materials. The NSP-Gr-1 catalyst shows the high onset potential (1.035 V), half-wave potential (0.79 V) and limiting current density (−5.33 mA cm−2) for ORR. The power density of the zinc-air battery assembled with the NSP-Gr-1 catalyst achieves 163.1 mW cm−2 at 186.7 mA cm−2, which is much higher than the maximum power density of 140.0 mW cm−2 at 190 mA cm−2 for commercial Pt/C. The discharge stability under different current densities is outstanding.

Acceleration of Zeolite Crystallization: Current Status, Mechanisms, and Perspectives.

Zeolites are important classes of crystalline materials and possess well-defined channels and cages with molecular dimensions. They have been extensively employed as heterogeneous catalysts and gas adsorbents due to their relatively large specific surface areas, high pore volumes, compositional flexibility, definite acidity, and hydrothermal stability. The zeolite synthesis normally undergoes high-temperature hydrothermal treatments with a relatively long crystallization time, which exhibits low synthesis efficiency and high energy consumption. Various strategies, e.g., modulation of the synthesis gel compositions, employment of special silica/aluminum sources, addition of seeds, fluoride, hydroxyl (·OH) free radical initiators, and organic additives, regulation of the crystallization conditions, development of new approaches, etc., have been developed to overcome these obstacles. And, these achievements make prominent contributions to the topic of acceleration of the zeolite crystallization and promote the fundamental understanding of the zeolite formation mechanism. However, there is a lack of the comprehensive summary and analysis on them. Herein, we provide an overview of the recent achievements, highlight the significant progress in the past decades on the developments of novel and remarkable strategies to accelerate the crystallization of zeolites, and basically divide them into three main types, i.e., chemical methods, physical methods, and the derived new approaches. The principles/acceleration mechanisms, effectiveness, versatility, and degree of reality for the corresponding approaches are thoroughly discussed and summarized. Finally, the rational design of the prospective strategies for the fast synthesis of zeolites is commented on and envisioned. The information gathered here is expected to provide solid guidance for developing a more effective route to improve the zeolite crystallization and obtain the functional zeolite-based materials with more shortened durations and lowered cost and further promote their applications.

Evidence of the Electrochemical Ca2+ Intercalation in Anatase Nanotubes

Here, we demonstrate the electrochemical intercalation of Ca2+ ions within the lattice of anatase nanotubes (a‐NTs) synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of TiO2/NaOH precursors followed by Na+/H+ ion exchange and H2O‐loss at high temperature in air. Scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy confirm the formation of nanosized anatase, whereas transmission electron microscopy highlights the formation of nanotubular morphologies with an average diameter of 10 nm. TiO2 electrodes are able to deliver reversible specific capacities in aprotic batteries vs. calcium metal or in hybrid configurations vs. capacitive activated carbon using aprotic electrolytes (i.e., Ca(BH4)2 in tetrahydrofuran or Ca(TFSI)2 in dimethoxyethane, respectively). The electrochemical intercalation of Ca2+ ions into the anatase lattice is confirmed by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy in close comparison with Na+ and Li+ intercalations. Ca2+ incorporation leads to the partial amorphization of the TiO2 lattice despite the limited Ca/Ti ratio (i.e., 0.09) obtained in discharge. The analysis of the extended X‐ray absorption fine structure region allows the determination of the local structure of the incorporated Ca2+ ions and confirms that a disordered environment is obtained after the electrochemical reaction.

Effect of stirring and KOH/NaOH Ratio on Phase Formation in Hydrothermal Synthesis of KNbO3-NaNbO3 Particles

This study investigates the hydrothermal synthesis of KNbO3-NaNbO3 particles, which contains compositions of interest as lead-free piezoelectric materials. Precursor solutions containing Nb2O5, NaOH/KOH were hydrothermally reacted at 190 0C for 15hours using either a conventional reactor or a reactor with stirring. For 50% KOH or lower, the product was cubic or elongated cuboid/belt-shaped NaNbO3, whereas solely KOH resulted in hexagonal plate-like KNbO3. When 75% KOH was used, the product was a mixture of large K5Na3Nb6O19·9H2O hexagonal plates and smaller NaNbO3 cubes. We hypothesized this phase segregation was induced by highly concentrated microenvironments, and stirring would prevent that. Accordingly, stirring hydrothermal treatment of 75% KOH solution produced only K5Na3Nb6O19·H2O hexagonal plates, which could be transformed to K0.7Na0.3NbO3 by calcination. By reducing the hydrothermal treatment time to 1 – 6hours we isolated reaction intermediates, and based on them propose a kinetics-controlled mechanism for hydrothermal reactions of Nb2O5 and KOH/NaOH.

Enhanced foaming and surface properties of soybean glycinin via hydrothermal treatment at acidic conditions

Enhanced foaming and surface properties of soybean glycinin via hydrothermal treatment at acidic conditions

Ultrasensitive detection of trace Hg(Ⅱ) in acidic conditions using DMABR loaded on sepiolite: Function, application and mechanism studies

Fast and real-time detection of trace Hg(Ⅱ) by fluorescent probes under acidic conditions is urgently required due to the high toxicity and accessibility to creatures and human being. However, fluorescent probes for Hg(Ⅱ) detection in environmental samples are rarely reported due to the protonation potential of acidic mercury sources. In this study, the SD probe was developed by 5-(p-dimethylaminobenzylidene) rhodanine (DMABR) loaded on sepiolite by hydrothermal treatment, and showed excellent Hg(Ⅱ) detection performances for mercury sources at pH 4–10 due to buffering ability of the hyperconjugated lactam rings. Sepiolite functioned as the support skeleton to decrease intermolecular transition, and thus increased the sensitivity. At pH 4, the SD probe showed high selectivity and sensitivity for Hg(Ⅱ) among various species, with low LOD and binding constant of 4.78 × 10−9 M and 1.34 × 106 M−1, respectively. Through DFT calculations, MAS 1H NMR and 2D-COS analysis, the detection mechanism was demonstrated as SN1 substitution of the spontaneous leaving H on amino groups in the transient state during tautomeric equilibrium, rather than the expected high-affinity sulphydryl. Additionally, the SD probe exhibited promising potential in quantifying water-soluble and bioavailable Hg(Ⅱ) in acidic polluted soil and water samples. Moreover, real-time detection was realized by paper-based strips.

Thermodynamic stability of selected ASb2O6 and A2Sb2O7 phases (A = Ca, Ba, Cd, Sr, Zn)

– Antimonates with the stoichiometry ASb2O6 and A2Sb2O7 have a wide range of applications in many areas of materials sciences and geosciences. In this work, we have derived thermodynamic properties of ASb2O6 (A = Ba, Ca, Sr, Zn, Na2, Cd) and A2Sb2O7, (A = Ca, Cd) with a combination of high-temperature oxide-melt calorimetry, relaxation calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The samples were synthesized by solid-state techniques, characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, and found to belong to different structural types (rosiaite, trirutile, ilmenite, pyrochlore, and weberite). The Gibbs free energies of formation at T = 298.15 K from elements are (all data in kJ·mol–1) –1691.7±4.8 (BaSb2O6), –1710.8±4.7 (CaSb2O6), –1219.3±4.1 (CdSb2O6), –1674.4±4.9 (SrSb2O6), –1302.0±3.4 (ZnSb2O6), –1596.9±5.4 (Na2Sb2O6), –2407.6±8.0 (Ca2Sb2O7), –1497.6±7.5 (Cd2Sb2O7). The DFT calculations allowed to extrapolate the experimental heat capacity up to T = 1000 K and to calculate phase diagrams. They show that the syntheses of these compounds should be feasible either by hydrothermal treatment or solid-state reaction (using carbonates) with Na2Sb2O6 as a precursor at relatively low temperatures. The only exception seems to be the phase SrSb2O6 that is predicted to be unstable in a solid-state reaction involving Na2Sb2O6 and SrCO3.

Biorefinery electrification of brewers’ spent grains using plasma bubbles for sustainable production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

Biorefinery electrification could be implemented for sustainable refining of crude renewable resources eliminating the use of high temperatures and pressures, alkaline and acidic solutions and conventional solvents. A plasma bubble reactor using air as the feed gas was employed to enhance poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) production from brewers’ spent grains (BSG) facilitating the fractionation of protein and lignin as value-added co-products. Plasma factors (voltage, pretreatment duration, duty cycle, initial solids concentration) were evaluated with the highest overall conversion yield of glucan and hemicellulose (73 %, 0.494 g sugars/gBSG) achieved for initial solids concentration of 150 g/L. The produced BSG hydrolysate led to higher PHB production efficiency (130 g/L total dry weight, 74.4 gPHB/L, 0.32 g/g yield, 2.64 g/L/h productivity) than conventional hydrolysates produced by enzymatic hydrolysis alone and enzymatic hydrolysis combined with hydrothermal treatment. The protein and lignin losses in the remaining BSG solids were 24.1 % and 29.2 % respectively. When renewable electricity is employed, the global warming potential was estimated at 0.59 kg CO2-eq per kgPHB and the abiotic depletion potential fossil at 11.12 MJ per kgPHB for PHB production based on plasma treated BSG. In the proposed biorefinery concept, 1 kg BSG could be converted into 147.6 g PHB with a solid fraction containing 137.4 g protein and 98.4 g lignin that could be subsequently fractionated as value-added co-products. The rationale of this study is to demonstrate that BSG plasma treatment can be used for the exploitation of the full potential of BSG for the production of PHB with improved environmental impact and minimal losses of protein and lignin.

One-pot synthesis of HKUST-1 monolith for CO2 adsorption

Abstract Shape-forming technology is essential for the widespread utilization of metal-organic frameworks. We developed a one-pot synthesis method for an HKUST-1 monolith. An HKUST-1 monolith was successfully prepared by the hydrothermal treatment of a Cu monolith in an aqueous solution of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, ethanol, and nitric acid without the addition of a metal source. The prepared HKUST-1 monolith showed CO2 adsorption properties comparable to those of commercially available HKUST-1 powdery crystals.

Identification of a polyfuran network as the initial carbonization intermediate in cellulose pyrolysis: A comparative analysis with cellulosic hydrochars

Pyrolysis of cellulose is accompanied with different complex and superimposing transformations resulting in a broad mixture of isolable products with strong variations depending on the applied reaction conditions. The operative chemistry represents a challenge for analytical chemists and process engineers alike. Especially, the reactions leading to char formation cannot be described as sufficiently understood. In ongoing efforts to shed light on the major transformations during charring of cellulose, the occurrence of a thermostable condensed phase (TSCP) previously postulated as an important carbonization intermediate formed below 300 °C was revisited. It was attempted to isolate pure TSCP intermediates without cellulose contamination by applying dehydration catalysts known from cellulose based carbon fiber production and extensive isothermal treatments. It was shown that the weight loss levels off during isothermal treatment for 6 h in the temperature range of 200–250 °C, resulting in the formation of a common intermediate with an almost identical composition – irrespective of the employed temperature or catalyst. Moreover, isothermal treatment of pure cellulose at 270–280 °C for up to 12 hours also resulted in the formation of an intermediate which had a similar composition as the material prepared with added dehydration catalysts. To test the hypothesis of a proposed polyfuranic nature of the TSCP intermediate the prepared samples were compared with hydrochars obtained from hydrothermal treatment of cellulose as reference material for a polyfuranic humin. Similarities and differences are discussed and implications for the overall carbonization mechanism are summarized.

Blue pigment based on Ni-doped Zn2GeO4: addressing structure and electronic properties by combining experiment and theory

Understanding the process of color development and creating practical and efficient blue pigments is crucial in ceramics. The current work describes the synthesis and characterization of Ni2+-doped Zn2GeO4 samples with varying concentrations (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.16 mol%) as an effective strategy for tailoring their structure and electronic properties. These materials were synthesized using the coprecipitation method followed by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment at 140 °C for 10 minutes, and the as-synthesized samples underwent heat treatment at 1000 °C for 2 hours to establish thermal-colorimetric stability. The synergistic effect of the Ni2+ 3d orbitals generating energy levels as new trapping sites in a broad energy range above the valence band was verified using DFT calculations. The substitution of Zn2+ by Ni2+ at x = 0.01% changes the local electronic structure, resulting in a switchable electron transfer from the [NiO4] and the neighbor [ZnO4]and [GeO4] tetrahedral clusters to shared oxygen anions, which is responsible for the observed blue color, as confirmed by colorimetric and spectroscopic analysis. This study paves the way, shedding light on the strategic design of a new class of ceramic pigments characterized by low toxicity, a vibrant blue hue, and excellent chemical/thermal durability. Furthermore, it provides a robust platform for exploring its potential application in the color-tunable Zn2GeO4-based materials.