TiN Nanoparticles Research Articles

Silicon oxycarbide-tin nanocomposite derived from a UV crosslinked single source preceramic precursor as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries

In this work, we report an innovative and facile UV light-assisted synthesis of a nanocomposite based on silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) and tin nanoparticles. SiOC ceramic matrix, containing a conductive free carbon phase, participates in lithium-ion storage, and buffers the volume changes of Li-alloying/de-alloying material. The reported synthesis procedure through a polymer-derived ceramic route involves the preparation of a single-source precursor by UV crosslinking of a preceramic polymer in the presence of a tin precursor. Pyrolysis of this starting precursor at 1000 °C leads to a homogenous distribution of tin nanoparticles (25–35 nm) within the SiOC ceramic matrix, which is crucial for electrochemical stability of the material. SiOC/Sn nanocomposite tested as an anode for Li-ion battery exhibits high reversible capacity values (603 mAh g−1 at the current density of 74.4 mA g−1), outstanding rate capability (524 mAh g−1 at 2232 mA g−1), and superior stability (494 mAh g−1 after 250 charge/discharge cycles).

Preparation of nano-TiN powders by Ni-catalysed carbothermal reduction nitridation

TiN nanoparticles were prepared at 900–1100 °C by Ni-catalysed carbothermal reduction nitridation from sol-gel using tetrabutyl titanate, citric acid monohydrate and nickel chloride hexahydrate as starting materials. The catalytic effects of nickel on the carbothermal reduction nitridation of xerogels were investigated. Ni has a crucial promoting effect on the carbothermal reduction reaction of the xerogels and visibly enhanced carbothermal reduction and nitridation reactions. The dry gel with 5% NiCl2 was added to obtain nano-TiN at 900 °C. The transmission electron microscopy analysis and Materials Studio simulation results showed that the facilitating effect of Ni on carbothermal reduction nitridation reaction was ascribed to the provision of heterogeneous nucleation sites for amorphous titania, promoting crystallisation and adsorption of N2, resulting in its smooth dissociation into highly active N atoms and consequently enhancing the carbothermal reduction nitridation.

Synthesis of tin nanoparticles on Ketjen Black in ionic liquid and water for the hydrogen evolution reaction

Tin nanoparticles (Sn-NPs) embedded in Ketjen Black carbon (KB) were synthesized from anhydrous tin(II) chloride by reduction with sodium borohydride in the presence of different imidazolium based ionic liquids (ILs) or water and tested towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in electrocatalytic water splitting. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy showed the formation of well distributed Sn-NPs on KB with average sizes of 49 ± 25 to 96 ± 49 nm depending on the IL or water medium. Porosity was investigated by nitrogen sorption measurements indicating the preservation of the mesoporous structure of KB with BET surface areas in the range of 276 to 568 m2 g−1 and total pore volumes of 0.38 to 0.75 cm3 g−1. The metal content of the Sn/KB composites was determined by thermogravimetric analysis to be between 31 and 46 wt%. Sn/KB synthesized in HCl/H2O showed a better performance towards HER with an overpotential of 136 mV compared to the overpotential of the other samples synthesized in IL ranging between 205 and 319 mV. Tafel analysis yielded a slope of 120 mV dec−1 and a low charge transfer resistance confirmed the good performance of Sn/KB synthesized in HCl/H2O. After stability test the sample synthesized in the IL [HO-EMIm][BF4] demonstrated an improved performance with an overpotential of 166 mV.

Photo‐thermal conversion performance of mono MWCNT and hybrid MWCNT‐TiN nanofluids in direct absorption solar collectors

Solar energy is being widely investigated due to its abundant, renewable, and clean features. Photo-thermal conversion in solar collectors is a direct approach for harvesting solar energy. Compared to the commonly used surface-based solar collectors (SSCs), nanofluid-based direct absorption solar collectors (DASCs) are more efficient. In this work, water-based mono MWCNT and hybrid MWCNT-TiN nanofluids were prepared through a two-step method, aiming at light absorption enhancement of nanofluids for applications in DASCs. The optical and photo-thermal conversion performance of the MWCNT nanofluids was firstly evaluated. The results showed that the MWCNT nanofluids presented high solar absorption capability, and the highest photo-thermal conversion efficiency was obtained at 10 ppm. The TiN nanoparticles were subsequently incorporated to form the hybrid MWCNT-TiN nanofluids. The absorption performance of the hybrid nanofluids was further enhanced. The highest efficiency of the hybrid MWCNT-TiN nanofluids was achieved at the TiN mass fraction of 10 ppm, which was about 6.9%, 6.0%, and 3.8% higher than that of the MWCNT nanofluid at 2000, 4000, and 6000 seconds due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of TiN nanoparticles. It was also found that the collector efficiency dropped rapidly with the prolonged irradiation time owing to the convection and radiation heat loss at the elevated temperature. Therefore, effective measures should also be taken to reduce heat loss to maintain high photo-thermal conversion efficiency.

Electrodeposited Ni/TiN-SiC Nanocomposites on the Dumbbell: Reducing Sport Injuries

Sports are becoming an important part of everyday life. In this study, an excellent Ni-SiC nanocomposite was prepared on the dumbbell surface using the pulse electrodeposition (PE) method to improve the durability of sports equipment and prevent sports injuries. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), abrasion testing, triboindentry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to evaluate the impact of plating conditions upon the microhardness, microstructure, morphology, and wear behavior of the fabricated coatings. The obtained results showed that several SiC and TiN nanoparticles were incorporated into Ni/TiN-SiC nanocomposites obtained at 4 A/dm2. SiC and TiN nanoparticles had mean diameters of 37.5 and 45.6 nm, respectively. The Ni/TiN-SiC nanocomposite produced at 4 A/dm2 showed an excellent mean microhardness value of 848.5 HV, compared to the nanocomposites produced at 2 and 6 A/dm2. The rate of wear for Ni/TiN-SiC nanocomposite produced at 4 A/dm2 was 13.8 mg/min, demonstrating outstanding wearing resistance. Hence, it has been suggested that the Ni/TiN-SiC nanocomposite can effectively reduce sports injuries.

Material Design and Optimisation of Electrochemical Li-Ion Storage Properties of Ternary Silicon Oxycarbide/Graphite/Tin Nanocomposites.

In this work, we present the characterization and electrochemical performance of various ternary silicon oxycarbide/graphite/tin (SiOC/C/Sn) nanocomposites as anodes for lithium-ion batteries. In binary SiOC/Sn composites, tin nanoparticles may be produced in situ via carbothermal reduction of SnO2 to metallic Sn, which consumes free carbon from the SiOC ceramic phase, thereby limiting the carbon content in the final ceramic nanocomposite. Therefore, to avoid drawbacks with carbon depletion, we used graphite as a substitute during the synthesis of precursors. The ternary composites were synthesized from liquid precursors and flake graphite using the ultrasound-assisted hydrosilylation method and pyrolysis at 1000 °C in an Ar atmosphere. The role of the graphitic component is to ensure good electric conductivity and the softness of the material, which are crucial for long term stability during alloying–dealloying processes. The presented approach allows us to increase the content of the tin precursor from 40 wt.% to 60 wt.% without losing the electrochemical stability of the final material. The charge/discharge capacity (at 372 mA g−1 current rate) of the tailored SiOC/C/Sn composite is about 100 mAh g−1 higher compared with that of the binary SiOC/Sn composite. The ternary composites, however, are more sensitive to high current rates (above 372 mA g−1) compared to the binary one because of the presence of graphitic carbon.

Controlled Synthesis of Highly Active Nonstoichiometric Tin Phosphide/Carbon Composites for Electrocatalysis and Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications

Three types of new-structured phosphorized tin microspheres (Sn–P), phosphorized tin microsphere-carbon (Sn–P–C), and phosphorized tin nanoparticles embedded in interconnected porous carbon microspheres (Sn–P@PCMs) were prepared through a carbothermal reduction-assisted phosphorization strategy. The characterization of the formation mechanism and microstructure of Sn–P, Sn–P–C, and Sn–P@PCMs composites demonstrated that the controllable evaporation of coordinated phosphorus in the thermally unstable tin phosphide intermediate by accurate thermal treatment contributed to the formation of a ca. 3 wt % P-doped metallic tin structure featuring a nonstoichiometric SnxPy (y/x = 0.2) core, a Sn-rich phosphorized metallic (y/x = 0.05) shell, and an increased phosphorus concentration from the outer surface to the inner core. The as-prepared phosphorized tin-based composites were applied as counter electrode materials for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), in which the Sn–P–C counter electrode exhibited the lowest charge transfer resistance of 3.47 Ω and the assembled DSSCs delivered an optimum power conversion efficiency of 8.59%, superior to those of Pt-based cells (6.78 Ω and 7.46%, respectively). The unique bifunctional structure of the SnxPy conductive core coupled with the phosphorized metallic Snδ+ (0 < σ < 0.6) electrocatalytic shell accounts for its excellent electrocatalytic activity and electrical conductivity. In addition, the phosphorized tin-based composites were utilized as potential anodic material for lithium-ion batteries, in which the Sn–P@PCMs electrode showed a specific capacity of 743 mAh g–1 at 0.1C after 400 cycles and 435 mAh g–1 at 5C after 30 cycles. The superior Li-ion storage, cyclability, and rate performance of Sn–P@PCMs could be attributed to the incorporation of Sn–P nanoparticles into interconnected porous carbon microspheres that effectively buffered the large volumetric change and enhanced the electronic–ionic conductivity during the lithiation and delithiation process.

On the structure and ultraviolet emission of terbium doped zinc oxide thin films on silicon after high temperature treatment

Terbium (Tb) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were deposited on Si substrates by magnetron sputtering in an oxygen containing plasma. The Tb doping concentration was varied from 0 to 0.38 at.%. The effect of heat treatment at high temperature on the ultraviolet (UV) emission was studied along with the structure of the films. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra show that the UV intensity increases much by heat treatment and after 1000 °C annealing the doped films have stronger UV emission than that of an un-doped film. The enhanced UV emission is related to crystallinity improvements of the films. After heat treatment at 1000 °C Zn (Tb) silicates had formed. The film prepared with a Tb concentration of 0.029 at.% showed the best crystallinity and highest UV intensity. Finally, it was shown that the UV PL intensity can be increased further with TiN nanoparticle capping on the surface of the films.

Metallic Tin Nanoparticle-Reinforced Tin-Doped Porous Silicon Microspheres with Superior Electrochemical Lithium Storage Properties

Improving the electronic conductivity and drastic volume expansion is attractive and challenging for constructing high-performance Si-based anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Herein, tin-doped porous silicon microspheres embedded with tin nanoparticles (Sn–PSi@Sn) are fabricated from easily available low-cost silicon–aluminum alloy precursors through a simple and scalable strategy with a chemical replacement/etching and a low-temperature annealing process. The 3D porous framework structure of Sn–PSi@Sn microspheres may buffer severe volume expansion during the electrochemical cycling and shorten the transport paths of Li+ ions. The doping of Sn atoms in the Si crystal lattice can lead to a lattice expansion in silicon, reinforce the electronic and ionic conductivities, and minimize the effect of Li trapping, which is advantageous for enhancing the rate performance and improving the initial Coulombic efficiency. The Sn nanoparticles anchoring in porous silicon microspheres may further improve the conductivity and structure stability of Sn–PSi@Sn composites. Based on the density functional theory calculation results, the effects of partial substitution of Sn into the Si lattice mentioned above have been successfully confirmed. As a consequence, the as-prepared tin-doped porous silicon microspheres embedded with tin nanoparticles show a high reversible capacity (1165.6 mA h g–1 at the 400th cycle at 1 A g–1), excellent rate properties (1433.4 mA h g–1 at a high rate of 2.5 A g–1), and superior cycling performance at an ultrahigh rate (910.9 mA h g–1 at the 500th cycle even at a high current density of 4 A g–1). This work provides a promising strategy to design high-performance anode composites.

Dual plasmonic Au and TiN cocatalysts to boost photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

Employing a suitable cocatalyst is very important to improve photocatalytic H2 evolution activity. Herein, two plasmonic cocatalysts, Au nanoparticles and TiN nanoparticles were in-situ coupled over the g-C3N4 nanotube to form a ternary 0D/0D/1D Au/TiN/g-C3N4 composite via a successive thermal polycondensation and chemical reduction method. The g-C3N4 nanotube acted as a support for the growth of Au and TiN nanoparticles, leading to intimate contact between g-C3N4 nanotube with Au nanoparticles and TiN nanoparticles. As a result, multiple interfaces and dual-junctions of Au/g-C3N4 Schottky-junction and TiN/g-C3N4 ohmic-junction were constructed, which helped to promote the charged carriers’ separation and enhanced the photocatalytic performance. Furthermore, loading plasmonic cocatalysts of Au nanoparticles and TiN nanoparticles can enhance the light absorption capacity. Consequently, the Au/TiN/g-C3N4 composite exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic H2 evolution activity (596 μmol g−1 h−1) compared to g-C3N4 or binary composites of Au/g-C3N4 and TiN/g-C3N4. This work highlights the significant role of cocatalysts in photocatalysis.

A High‐Performance Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerator Based on Double‐Sided Patterned TiN/PDMS Composite Film for Human Energy Harvesting

The flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has promising applications in portable electronic devices and micro wireless sensors. However, complex fabrication processes, high cost, and difficulty in coupling with the human body are still the challenges for the further development of TENG. Herein, a flexible double‐sided patterned titanium nitride/polydimethylsiloxane (DSP‐TiN/PDMS) composite film is prepared by a simple and low‐cost sandpaper template method. The double‐sided microporous structure on the PDMS increases the effective contact area and promotes more charge storage on the PDMS surface, thus improving the output performance of TENG. With the introduction of conductive TiN nanoparticles, the effective thickness of the composite film can be reduced, leading to the increase of the capacitance value of TENG. Therefore, the TENG fabricated under the conditions of optimized filling content and surface patterning microstructure can generate a high open‐circuit voltage of 51.8 V and a short‐circuit current of 36.8 μA, as well as a peak power of 11.25 μW. Furthermore, the proposed TENG can also achieve effective energy harvesting in human motions. This easy‐to‐prepare DSP‐TiN/PDMS composite film opens up a feasible way for the construction of high output performance TENG and presents promising applications in micro wearable devices.

Aging behavior and mechanical properties of ultra-fine grained Al2024-2TiN composite prepared by spark plasma sintering

2 wt%TiN nanoparticles reinforced ultra-fined grain Al2024 composite (Al2024-2TiN) and ultra-fined grain Al2024 alloy were prepared by high-energy ball milling, spark plasma sintering (SPS), and hot compression deformation. The effect of TiN nanoparticles on aging behavior and mechanical properties of Al2024-2TiN composite was investigated. The results show that, with the introduction of TiN nanoparticles, the tensile strength of as-aged Al2024-2TiN composite increased from 568 MPa of Al2024 alloy to 783 MPa, while the yield strength and elongation decreased from 376.5 MPa and 12.7% to 359.1 MPa and 9.4%, respectively. The average grain size of as-aged Al2024-2TiN composite was 452.4 nm, smaller than 3.2 μm of Al2024 alloy. TiN nanoparticles reduced the dissolution of the second phases during solution treatment, and decreased the number of age precipitating phases which resulted in the yield strength of Al2024-2TiN composite being lower than that of Al2024 alloy. Nevertheless, TiN nanoparticles promoted the aging kinetics of Al2024-2TiN composite. The peak aging time of 6 h for Al2024-2TiN composite was 2 h earlier than that of Al2024 alloy. The thermal diffusion activation energies of phase S′ precipitated in Al2024-2TiN composite and Al2024 alloy were 78.98 kJ/mol and 82.06 kJ/mol, respectively. Phase S′ precipitation in Al2024-TiN composite became easier.

High thermal conductivity of boron nitride filled epoxy composites prepared by tin solder nanoparticle decoration

To achieve a high thermal conductivity, thermally conductive polymer composites have been recently exploited, focusing on connecting a 3D network of thermally conductive fillers by applying external pressure or constructing a pre-made 3D filler framework to reduce phonon scattering within the polymer matrix. However, these approaches severely restrict the use of polymers, particularly epoxy composites, in many commercial applications such as the thermal management of electronic device packaging. In this study, a high-thermal-conductivity epoxy composite is fabricated by incorporating hexagonal boron nitride ( h -BN) decorated with tin nanoparticles (Sn NPs). Under a hybrid filler (Sn NPs on h -BN) loading (68 wt %), the composite exhibits a high thermal conductivity of 11.9 ± 0.29 W m −1 K −1 while maintaining a relatively low dielectric constant (D k ∼ 7.52) and loss (D f ∼ 0.023) at 1 MHz with a coefficient of thermal expansion of 34 ppm °C −1 . The Sn NPs on h -BN in the epoxy resin matrix are thermally percolated by the in-situ growth of Sn NPs under carefully controlled curing temperature and time, resulting in significantly improved thermal conductivity of the epoxy composite under pressure-less curing conditions.

Electrocatalysts based on low amounts of palladium combined with tin nanoparticles and cerium dioxide nanorods for application as ADEFC anodes

This study demonstrates the structural properties and evaluates the electrocatalytic activity of an ethanol oxidation reaction using ternary materials composed by Pd and Sn nanoparticles combined with CeO2 nanorods (NR) anchored on Vulcan carbon black to be used as an anode in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs). The highest open circuit voltage (1010 mV), maximum power (30 mW cm−2) and current densities (113 mA cm−2) were achieved using (Pd1Sn3)10(CeO2 NR)20(Vn)70, while the commercial anode values were 968 mV, 23 mW cm−2 and 123 mA cm−2. Although similar performance for both anodes was observed, the ternary hybrid electrocatalyst contains an 8-fold lower Pd content than the commercial material. This outcome may be justified by the higher defect density presented by the carbon support observed by Raman spectroscopy and the metal oxidation state modifications detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as the electrochemically active surface area presented by the ternary electrocatalyst. The combination of higher vacancies, defects and oxygenated species in the carbon support and the synergistic effect between the oxyphilic Sn and CeO2 NR species and the Pd nanoparticles results in an electrochemical performance that makes these ternary electrocatalysts promising anode materials for ADEFC applications.

Bare laser-synthesized plasmonic Au and TiN nanoparticles as functional additives to polymer nanofiber platforms for tissue engineering applications

Exhibiting strong optical absorption in the visible – near-infrared, plasmonic nanomaterials can be used as transducers in optical biosensing, contrast agents in bioimaging and synthesizers of photothermal therapy. Such functionalities promise their employment as functional elements in tissue engineering platforms, but such applications typically require ultraclean nanomaterials to minimize toxicity problems, which is not easy using conventional chemical synthesis routes. We recently demonstrated the possibility of fabricating ultraclean bare (ligand-free) plasmonic Au and TiN nanoparticles by ultrashort laser ablation in liquid ambient. Exempt of any toxic contaminants and exhibiting a series of imaging and therapeutic functionalities, these nanomaterials present promising objects for various biomedical applications. Here, we review our recent progress in the co-electrospinning of laser-synthesized Au and TiN nanoparticles with polymers to form functionalized matrices for tissue engineering.

Comparison of pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of laser-synthesized plasmonic Au and TiN nanoparticles

Plasmonic nanostructures offer wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities for biomedical applications. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) present one of the most explored nanomaterial in this field, while titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs) is a new promising nanomaterial with superior plasmonic properties for biomedicine. However conventional chemical techniques for the synthesis of these nanomaterials cannot always match stringent requirements for toxicity levels and surface conditioning. Laser-synthesized Au and TiN NPs offer exceptional purity (no contamination by by-products or ligands) and unusual surface chemistry. Therefore, these NPs present a viable alternative to chemically synthesized counterparts. This work presents comparative analysis of pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of laser-synthesized 20 nm Au and TiN NPs under intravenous administration in mice model. Our data show that Au NPs and bare TiN NPs are rapidly eliminated from the blood circulation and accumulate preferentially in liver and spleen, while coating of TiN NPs by hydrophilic polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) significantly prolongates blood circulation time and improves delivery of the NPs to tumor. We finally discuss potential applications of laser synthesized Au NPs in SERS, SEIRA and electrocatalysis, while TiN nanoparticles are considered as promising agents for photothermal therapy and photoacoustic imaging.

Influence of Duty Cycle and Pulse Frequency on Structures and Performances of Electrodeposited Ni-W/TiN Nanocomposites on Oil-Gas X52 Steels

This paper describes the pulse current electrodeposition (PCE) mediated preparation of Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites. Pulse current electrodeposition (PCE) was used to make Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites. The nanoindentation, wear, and corrosion of deposited Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The influence of pulse frequency (PF) and duty ratio on the shape, structure, phase structure, wear, and corrosion resistance of Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites was studied. When the duty cycle (DC) was 10%, the results demonstrated that a considerable number of fine grains were present on the deposited Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites, forming smooth, uniform, and fine organization. Increasing DC decreased the content of TiN nanoparticles in Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites. The content of TiN nanoparticles reduced from 11.3 wt % to 7.3 wt % by increasing the DC from 10% to 50%. In contrast, as the PF was increased, the TiN content in Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites increased. When the PF was increased from 50 Hz to 150 Hz, the TiN content increased from 6.4 wt % to 9.6 wt %, respectively. Furthermore, with a PF of 150 Hz and a DC of 10%, the produced Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites had an average hardness of 934.3 HV with ~39.8 µm of an average thickness. The weight loss of the Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites was just 17.2 mg at a PF of 150 Hz, demonstrating the excellent wear resistance potential. Meanwhile, the greatest impedance was found in Ni-W/TiN nanocomposites made with a DC of 10% and a PF of 150 Hz, indicating the best corrosion resistance.

A Titanium Nitride Nanozyme for pH-Responsive and Irradiation-Enhanced Cascade-Catalytic Tumor Therapy.

Nanozyme-based catalytic tumor therapy is an emerging therapeutic method with high reactivity in response to tumor microenvironments (TMEs). To overcome the current limitations of deficient catalytic activity of nanozymes, we studied the contributing factors of enzymatic activity based on non-metallic-atom doping and irradiation. Nitrogen doping significantly enhanced the peroxidase activity of Ti-based nanozymes, which was shown experimentally and theoretically. Based on the excellent NIR-adsorption-induced surface plasmon resonance and photothermal effect, the enzymatic activity of TiN nanoparticles (NPs) was further improved under NIR laser irradiation. Hence, an acidic TME-responsive and irradiation-mediated cascade nanocatalyst (TLGp) is presented by using TiN-NP-encapsulated liposomes linked with pH-responsive PEG-modified glucose oxidase (GOx). The integration of pH-responsive GOx-mediated H2 O2 self-supply, nitrogen-doping, and irradiation-enhanced enzymatic activity of TiN NPs and mild-photothermal therapy enables an effective tumor inhibition by TLGp with minimal side effects in vivo.

A Titanium Nitride Nanozyme for pH‐Responsive and Irradiation‐Enhanced Cascade‐Catalytic Tumor Therapy

AbstractNanozyme‐based catalytic tumor therapy is an emerging therapeutic method with high reactivity in response to tumor microenvironments (TMEs). To overcome the current limitations of deficient catalytic activity of nanozymes, we studied the contributing factors of enzymatic activity based on non‐metallic‐atom doping and irradiation. Nitrogen doping significantly enhanced the peroxidase activity of Ti‐based nanozymes, which was shown experimentally and theoretically. Based on the excellent NIR‐adsorption‐induced surface plasmon resonance and photothermal effect, the enzymatic activity of TiN nanoparticles (NPs) was further improved under NIR laser irradiation. Hence, an acidic TME‐responsive and irradiation‐mediated cascade nanocatalyst (TLGp) is presented by using TiN‐NP‐encapsulated liposomes linked with pH‐responsive PEG‐modified glucose oxidase (GOx). The integration of pH‐responsive GOx‐mediated H2O2 self‐supply, nitrogen‐doping, and irradiation‐enhanced enzymatic activity of TiN NPs and mild‐photothermal therapy enables an effective tumor inhibition by TLGp with minimal side effects in vivo.

Formation of highly dispersed tin nanoparticles in amorphous silicates for sodium ion battery anode

Phase separation of amorphized sodium tin silicate and the reduction of tin oxide by heat treatment in hydrogen were characterized. An amorphous powder was prepared by planetary ball milling of a mixture of SnO and sodium disilicate glass (Na2O–2SiO2). xSnO-(100-x)/3Na2O-2 (100-x)/3SiO2 system with x composition less than 55 was confirmed to be amorphous. The amorphous powder was heat-treated in H2/N2 mixture gas and SnO nanocrystals and SnO2 nanocrystals were formed at temperatures up to 360 °C. The reduction of tin oxide to metallic Sn started above 450 °C, and the percentage of metal tin precipitated increased as the heat treatment time increase. We conducted a charge-discharge test in a sodium cell using composite ceramics and succeeded in reducing the irreversible capacity that occurs on the first charge. Sodium tin silicate is a promising anode active material for oxide all-solid-state sodium-ion batteries.