Surfactant-assisted Synthesis Research Articles

L-lysine and surfactant-assisted synthesis of NiCo bimetal oxides for electrochemical water splitting

L-lysine and surfactant-assisted synthesis of NiCo bimetal oxides for electrochemical water splitting

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of NiCo alloy with specific nanopore architecture as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries

Designing the effective active sites and reaction areas of catalytic materials is important for the development of bifunctional electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries (ZABs). In this paper, a catalyst with a uniform nanopore structure (noted as NiCo-PS) was one-pot synthesized by using transition metals nickel and cobalt as catalytic active components, sucrose as a carbon source, and triblock copolymers as a soft template. The N2 absorption and desorption isotherms curves show that the pore size distribution of NiCo-PS modified by surfactant is mainly in 3.6 nm range. NiCo-PS exhibits exceptional bifunctional electrocatalysis due to its effective triple-phase reaction interface from its mesoporous structure, with a positive half-wave potential of 0.758 V for ORR and a low overpotential of 390 mV at 10 mA ⋅ [Formula: see text] for OER. Furthermore, the rechargeable ZABs with the NiCo-PS catalyst exhibit a high open-circuit voltage of 1.31 V, a significant peak power density of 105 mA ⋅ [Formula: see text] at 0.56 V, and good stability throughout 270 h testing. This result offers valuable insights for designing catalysts that enhance the active region of the reaction within the cathodes of ZABs and hold significant promise for practical applications.

Zeta Potential and Size Analysis of Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Nanocrystals Prepared by Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis.

The crystal nucleation and growth mechanism of monodispersed metal-organic framework nanoparticles were studied using time-resolved light dynamic, electrokinetic, and powder X-ray diffraction methods. We confirmed that zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocrystals follow a nonclassical crystal growth pathway, where a fast nucleation occurs with dense liquid clusters or nanocrystals forming spontaneously when two precursors are mixed. We also explored the zeta potential and solvodynamic size changes of ZIF-8 prepared by a surfactant-assisted synthesis. Three modulators, including 1-methylimidazole (1-mIm), tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (THAM), and (1-hexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), were studied. We found that 1-mIm dramatically increases the rate of nucleation of ZIF-8. With an increasing amount of 1-mIm, which functions as a coordination modulator, the size increases, and the zeta potential of ZIF-8 decreases. Whereas THAM, as both a coordination and a deprotonation modulator, increases the size and zeta potential of ZIF-8 simultaneously, CTAB, as a long alkyl cationic surfactant, mainly adsorbs on the surface of ZIF-8, and the zeta potential of the formed ZIF-8 is controlled by the amount of CTAB in solution compared with its critical micelle concentration. Overall, we reveal that the modulator type and concentration can be used to control the size and zeta potential of the dispersed ZIF-8 nanocrystals in a colloid system. The experiments also enable identification of the nucleation and crystal growth processes of ZIF-8. The findings will be applicable to other nanocrystals in colloid systems, which are used for heterogeneous catalysis and guest molecular loadings.

Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis of Hybrid Copper(I) Halide Nanocrystals for X-ray Scintillation Imaging

Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis of Hybrid Copper(I) Halide Nanocrystals for X-ray Scintillation Imaging

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of plate-like CuS particles for high-performance symmetric capacitor

In this research, plate-like CuS particles were synthesized through a hydrothermal method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as surfactants. The effects of surfactant type and content on the structural, microstructural, and electrochemical properties were explored by the various characterization techniques. Single-phase CuS powders with a space group of P63/mmc were crystallized by decomposition of the copper-thioacetamide complex during hydrothermal treatment. The spherical morphology transformed into plate-like particles by adding the CTAB surfactant, while the PVP surfactant led to an agglomeration of small spherical nanoparticles. With adding the CTAB surfactant, the specific capacitance increased from 630 to 1806 Fg−1 at a current density of 1 Ag−1, while it increased up to 1575 Fg−1 for the PVP surfactant. A symmetric capacitor was assembled on the base of spherical CuS nanoparticles as the negative electrode and the platelike CuS particles as the positive electrode. The CuS//CuS capacitor exhibited comparable electrochemical performance including an energy density of 25.62 Whkg−1 and a power density of 1488 Wkg−1, respectively.

Enhancing photocatalytic performance through surfactant-assisted electrochemical synthesis: Surface modification of hierarchical ZnO morphologies with Ag/ZnWO4 nanoparticles

This study presents the synthesis of surface-decorated CTAB-capped ZnO nanoparticles doped with Ag/ZnWO4 through a surfactant-assisted electrochemical synthesis approach. The development of surface-decorated composites is of considerable interest for enhancing photocatalytic efficiency. We report the synthesis of pristine, binary, and surface-decorated ZnO catalysts, specifically Zn, Zn/Ag, Zn/ZnWO4, and Zn/Ag/ZnWO4. Various methods for physicochemical characterization have been utilized to verify the catalysts' structural, optical, and morphological properties. The results demonstrate the successful surfactant capping and metal doping. The synthesized nanoparticles have been tested for their photocatalytic performance against Malachite Green, an environmentally harmful organic dye, across various reaction conditions. Scavenger studies reveal that the photodegradation process is primarily driven by superoxide and hydroxyl radicals and, to a lesser extent, by photogenerated holes. The decrease in electron-hole pair recombination in the Zn/Ag/ZnWO4 photocatalyst results in an enhanced degradation of Malachite Green when exposed to visible light.

A Facile Surfactant-assisted Synthesis of Graphene Oxide/Zinc Oxide Catalyst for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye

A Facile Surfactant-assisted Synthesis of Graphene Oxide/Zinc Oxide Catalyst for the Degradation of Methylene Blue Dye

Surfactant-Assisted synthesis of α-and β-Ag2WO4 modified with Sulphur, Phosphorous, and boron and their applications in wastewater elimination

The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was utilized to synthesize a combination of α and β-Ag2WO4 phases, which were accordingly doped with 20 % nonmetallic moieties including phosphorous (p), boron (B), and sulphur (S) via a mild precipitation route. Through characterization tools, information was obtained on surface and elemental concentration distribution, vibration, optical, morphological, and electronic properties. These materials were used as nanoadsorbents and photocatalysts. The S doped Ag2WO4 adsorbent (SAgW) has the best removal results (98.7 %) and it follows the Freundlich model of adsorption isotherm. The kinetics of dye adsorption follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. It was shown to achieve removal percentages of 98.6 % for indigo carmine dye (IC) and 98.8 % for methyl red dye (MR), demonstrating that the presence of other dyes has no effect on the removal percentage. AgW (CTAB-assisted synthesis) demonstrated high photocatalytic oxidation of IC at 20 mg/L in only 40 min with first-order kinetics of 0.12 min−1, exceeding that of PAgW by 6 times.

Dimension dependent photocatalysis over Znln2S4: Controllable synthesis and catalytic mechanism insight

Dimensional control of nano-photocatalysts enables the enhancement of catalytic activity through optimization of electronic structures. In this study, we take Znln2S4 as an example to demonstrate the influence of dimensional structure on photocatalytic reactions. Firstly, we successfully prepared three different dimensional structures of Znln2S4 (including 1D, 2D, and 3D Znln2S4) using a surfactant-assisted synthesis method. In photocatalytic experiments, we found that Znln2S4 exhibits dimension-dependent catalytic performance in both photocatalytic hydrogen production and photodegradation of dye solutions. Among them, 2D ZnIn2S4 demonstrates highest photocatalytic performance. The hydrogen evolution rate of 2D ZnIn2S4 reached 0.69 mmol g−1 h−1, which was 3.29 and 1.17 times higher than 1D ZnIn2S4 and 3D ZnIn2S4, respectively. In addition, the degradation rate of Rodamine B (RhB) by 2D ZnIn2S4 reached 92.3 % within 30 min, significantly higher than that of 1D ZnIn2S4 (70.3 %) and 3D ZnIn2S4 (86.3 %). The origin for high activity of 2D ZnIn2S4 was investigated by multiple perspectives including light absorption range, charge separation efficiency, band structure, and specific surface area. The results revealed that the high activity of 2D ZnIn2S4 may mainly originate from its dimension-controlled high charge separation efficiency.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of zero-dimensional iron nanomaterial for cellobiose hydrolysis

m-FeCTB was synthesized by chemical precipitation. This work reports a cost-effective nanomaterial with surface acidity of 26 μmol g−1, high crystallinity, ferromagnetic and catalytically active for the hydrolysis of biomass-derived cellobiose to glucose and HMF.

Surfactant-Assisted Synthesis of FeF3 • 0.33 H2o and Its Application As Cathodic Material for Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices: From Lithium to Fluoride-Ion Batteries

New generation of electrochemical energy storage devices is needed to face the continuous increase in energy stored capacity demand at lower costs from human society. Moreover, due to the constant increase in number of batteries produced, the development of more sustainable devices without the consumption of limited resources at affordable costs is an actual research challenge. The conventional lithium batteries, the most widespread kind of electrochemical energy storage devices, made by an intercalation cathode (e.g., LiCoO2, LiFePO4) and a graphite anode suffer of limited capacity for high-performance application (such as in electric vehicles) and use limited mineral resources with adverse environmental consequences.Iron fluoride is a promising conversion cathode for positive electrodes in next-gen lithium batteries due to its low cost, great abundance, and ease of extraction1,2. The main problems of metal fluoride-based cathodes are the low conductivity and the structural changes during charge/discharge cycles that limit device capacity and lifespan. To effectively increase the storage capacity, several attempts to use metal lithium anodes have been made. However, this solution is now limited to primary batteries because of dendrites growth during metal plating that causes capacity fading and safety concerns.In the last decade, batteries based on fluoride-ion shuttling are drawing attention3,4 due to the possibility to use a high-capacity conversion cathode, exploiting a multi-electron transfer, and a metal anode without dendrites formation. This kind of devices, in the early stage of development, rely on electrochemical fluorination of an electropositive metal anode and the defluorination of a more “noble” metal fluoride without a metal plating-stripping process. Nowadays, electrolyte limitation is the main challenge for the development of a fluoride-ion battery that can compete with state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries.In this work, a surfactant-assisted solvothermal route to obtain iron fluoride hydrate (FeF3 0.33 H2O) is presented. A hierarchical grape-like structure was obtained and it was tested as cathode active material in a 2025 coin-cell working in a metal-lithium battery configuration. In these tests it showed improved performance, compared to the same synthesis without surfactant. The synthetized material was also characterized by morphological and electrochemical point of view by means of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) and cyclic voltammetry (CV).The possibility to use the same cathodic material in a room-temperature fluoride-ion battery with a metal anode was assessed by using fluoride conducting liquid electrolytes5: encouraging results about the feasibility were achieved; however, further research in the field of liquid electrolytes resulted fundamental for bringing performances of this technology to the level of actual lithium batteries.

Impact of surfactant-assisted synthesis on the structural, optical, and dielectric characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles

In this study, the enhancement of ZnO’s dielectric properties is pursued through the manipulation of its particle size using a surfactant-based approach. The synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles with the aid of surfactants is achieved through the sol–gel method. Through x-ray diffraction analysis, the formation of the desired Wurtzite structure is confirmed, with no secondary phases detected. The surface characteristics of the synthesized powders are examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), both of which highlight the even distribution of the surfactant-assisted nanoparticles. The crystallite size is quantified using Scherrer’s formula. UV-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence are employed to delve into the optical properties. Dielectric behavior is assessed across a frequency range of 20 Hz to 4000 kHz at room temperature. Comparative analysis between ZnO samples grown with and without surfactants reveals that those with surfactant assistance display heightened capacitance, a notably higher dielectric constant, increased AC conductivity, and longer transit time.

Surfactant-Mediated Crystalline Structure Evolution Enabling the Ultrafast Green Synthesis of Bismuth-MOF in Aqueous Condition.

Green synthesis of stable metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with permanent and highly ordered porosity at room temperature without needing toxic and harmful solvents and long-term high-temperature reactions is crucial for sustainable production. Herein, a rapid and environmentally friendly synthesis strategy is reported to synthesize the complex topological bismuth-based-MOFs (Bi-MOFs),[Bi9(C9H3O6)9(H2O)9] (denoted CAU-17), in water under ambient conditions by surfactant-mediatedsonochemical approach, which could also be applicable to other MOFs. This strategy explores using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) amphiphilic molecules as structure-inducing agents to control the removal of non-coordinated water (dehydration) and enhance the degree of deprotonation of the ligands, thereby regulating the coordination and crystallization in aqueous solutions. In addition, another two new strategies for synthesizing CAU-17 by crystal reconstruction and one-step synthesis in binary solvents are provided, and the solvent-induced synthesis mechanism of CAU-17 is studied. The as-prepared CAU-17 presents a competitive iodine capture capability and effective delivery of the antiarrhythmic drug procainamide (PA) for enteropatia due to the broad pH tolerance and the unique phosphate-responsive destruction in the intestine. The findings will provide valuable ideas for the follow-up study of surfactant-assisted aqueous synthesis of MOFs and their potential applications.

Growth of few-layer flower-like MoS2 on heteroatom-doped activated carbon as a hydrogen evolution reaction electrode

MoS2 is an attractive cost-effective replacement for Pt-catalysts in HER applications, but its usefulness is constrained by weak electrical conductivity and activity density. Herein, a low-cost highly activated carbon/molybdenum disulfide (AC/MoS2) electrocatalyst has been developed through surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of MoS2 nanosheets on the heteroatom-doped AC derived from green biomass source. The high surface area conductive carbon matrix was prepared through green activation of wasted petal rose flower. To provide the many active edge sites, F108 polymer was utilized to control of the well-distribution of flower-like few-layer MoS2 nanosheets on the nanoporous conductive carbon matrix. The prepared composite demonstrated a low overpotential of 136 mV in 10 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 72 mV dec−1 in 0.5 M H2SO4. Notably, the AC/MoS2 construction displayed significantly lower overpotential than commercial Pt/C catalyst at the current densities higher than 410 mA cm−2.

Retraction Note to: Surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of titania nanoparticles for solar cell applications

Retraction Note to: Surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of titania nanoparticles for solar cell applications

Surfactant-assisted hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ag3PO4

Ag3PO4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using a simple and rapid hydrothermal method in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as surfactants; the corresponding photocatalysts were denoted as AP-CTAB and AP-SDS, respectively. The photocatalyst prepared without the surfactant was referred to as AP-0. The as-prepared materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis diffused reflectance, BET-surface area analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic activities of the AP-0, AP-CTAB, and AP-SDS catalysts were evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue and rhodamine B dyes under simulated visible light. The results revealed that the AP-CTAB catalyst’s photocatalytic activity was higher than that of AP-0 and AP-SDS.

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of nickel sulfide as bi-functional catalyst for water splitting application

Surfactant-assisted synthesis of nickel sulfide as bi-functional catalyst for water splitting application

A general and facile approach to flower-like ZnO fabrication

ZnO nanosheets with nanograin distributions, high mesoporosity, and ultrathin thickness have garnered considerable attention owing to their intriguing properties, such as high surface-to-volume ratio and chemical reactivity. Although various methods for fabricating two-dimensional structures have been reported, the surfactant-assisted method is advantageous as it produces nanosheet structures at the water–air interface without affecting the crystal structure of the material. This study developed an innovative surfactant-assisted synthesis method to fabricate flower-like Zinc Oxide (f-ZnO) nanostructures. The synthesis, performed at a mild temperature of 70 °C, yields f-ZnO with high surface area-to-volume ratios and porous morphology. The f-ZnO demonstrates photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance due to increased interfacial contact with electrolytes and the formation of a wurtzite ZnO crystal structure. Additionally, f-ZnO exhibits sensitivity and selectivity as a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas sensor. This facile synthesis method opens new avenues for developing functional oxide nanostructures for sensors, catalysts, and energy storage systems.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of tentacles like Ag-doped copper oxide nano-ceramics: Structural, optical, and anti-campylobacter studies

The facile microwave approach has been adopted to successfully synthesize silver-doped CuO (ACO) and bare CuO (BCO) photocatalysts. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), optical absorption, current-voltage (I–V), and photoluminescence (PL) studies have been executed to evaluate the effects of silver doping on texture, microscopic characteristics, crystal structure, bandgap, electrical conductivity, and charge carrier separation. Nanostructured (nanorods) and narrow bandgap ACO photocatalyst was produced owing to the synergistic impact of surfactant-assisted synthesis and silver doping-induced bandgap regulation. The ACO photocatalyst was a better choice for antibacterial application than its counterpart (BCO photocatalyst) due to the induced characteristics that increased its specific surface area and light-harvesting capabilities. Photoinduced charge carriers (holes and free electrons) in the ACO photocatalyst are shown to separate at maximal extent according to the PL and I–V analyses, indicating their facile transport from the production site to the site of action. The synergistic effects owing to the tailored features enable the ACO photocatalyst to kill the Campylobacter bacteria and mineralize Acridine orange dye at a fast rate. The antimicrobial activity of the doped catalyst has a linear relationship with the applied catalyst dosage as the zone of inhibition (ZOI) increases from 14.2 mm to 22.7 mm when the ACO photocatalyst dosage was raised from 4 μg to 12 μg.

A rational preparation strategy of phase tuned MoO3 nanostructures for high-performance all-solid asymmetric supercapacitor

In this work, phase and morphology-tuned MoO3 nanostructures are synthesized through a novel modified co-precipitation method, and their electrochemical properties are investigated. For the first time, such a simple surfactant-assisted synthesis process aided by minor temperature variations is reported which results in phase transition of the nanoparticles from h-MoO3 nano-rods to α-MoO3 nano-flakes. The nanostructures thus developed are highly porous and crystalline with significantly large specific surface area as compared to previous literature. The theoretical bandgap energy of the optimized sample calculated using Perdew-Zunger local density approximation (LDA) is in good agreement with the experimental findings. An overall structural, morphological, and surface-behavioural analysis predicts the electrochemical superiority in 2D α-MoO3. The cyclic voltammetry and galvano-potentiometry measurements of 2D α-MoO3 in the potential window of −0.6 V to +0.2 V present the highest pseudo-supercapacitive response with a maximum specific capacitance of 829 F g−1 at 2 A g−1 as compared to h-MoO3 (452 F g−1) and h@α-MoO3(783 F g−1). Thus, the MoO3 2D nanostructures synthesized through our novel synthesis technique display excellent specific capacitance as compared to previous reported data. Additionally, α-MoO3 exhibits a galvanostatic charging-discharging cyclic stability of about 91% after 2000 cycles, indicating that it can serve as an excellent electrode material for supercapacitors. A solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device is successfully constructed using α-MoO3 which can light up 4 red LEDs for 10 s. The specific energy density of the device reaches a maximum value of 36.3 W h kg−1 at the power density of 50 W kg−1.