Energy storage and catalytic behaviour of cmWave assisted BZT and flexible electrospun BZT fibers for energy harvesting applications.

High-performance lead-free Barium Zirconium Titanate (BZT) based ceramics have emerged as a potential candidate for applications in energy storage, catalysis for electro chemical energy conversion and energy harvesting devices as presented in this work. In the present study hybrid microwave sintered BZT are studied for dielectric, ferroelectric and phase transition properties. BZT ceramic exhibits tetragonal structure as confirmed by the Retvield refinement studies.

Core-shell FeO@Au nanocomposite as dual-functional optical probe and potential removal system for arsenic (III) from Water.

We report for the very first time, development of a dual functional nanocomposite to perform as an optical probe as well as removal system for As(III) from ground water. Upon suitable thiolation using dithiothreitol (DTT), the FeO(core)-Au(shell) nanocomposite (DTT-FeO@Au) has been fabricated that can detect As(III) in aqueous solution with significantly low limit of detection and holds potential for selective removal of As(III) from water owing to its magnetic core. Due to high affinity of -SH groups for As(III), the nanoparticles undergo aggregation in the presence of As(III), resulting in a significant decrease in absorbance, yielding the limit of detection (LOD) as 0.