Assessment of Performance of Photocatalytic Nanostructured Materials with Varied Morphology Based on Reaction Conditions.

Synthesis of nanomaterials with specific morphology is an essential aspect for the optimisation of its properties and applications. The application of nanomaterials is being discussed in a wide range of areas, one of which is directly relevant to the environment through photocatalysis. To produce an effective photocatalyst for environmental applications, morphology plays an important role as it affects the surface area, interfaces, crystal facets and active sites, which ultimately affects efficiency.

Continuous Flow Reactor for the Controlled Synthesis and Inline Photocatalysis of Antibacterial Ag S Nanoparticles.

The present study is focused on the integration of microreactors to synthesize visible light active nanophotocatalysts for inline photocatalytic degradation of organic dye and antibacterial activity. A wire-assisted and a rapid laser micromachining technique has been employed for the fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based microreactors, respectively. By varying the design and chemical reagents involved, different sizes of visible light active Ag S nanoparticles were prepared via a continuous microfluidics approach using fabricated microreactors.

Core-Shell Type Semiconducting Heterostructures for Visible Light Photocatalysis.

This personal account highlights a part of the work done over the years in our group towards directed synthesis of morphologically controlled nanostructures. We begin with our efforts on the synthesis of families of nanostructured metal oxides and metal oxalates of well-defined morphology using low temperature microemulsion and hydrothermal techniques. The parameters that govern the morphology in these syntheses e.

Energy efficient electrodes for lithium-ion batteries: Recovered and processed from spent primary batteries.

In an attempt to develop low cost, energy efficient and advanced electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), waste-to-wealth derived as well as value added spent battery materials as potential alternatives assume paramount importance. By combining the low lithiation potential advantages, one can arrive at energy efficient electrodes bestowed with cost effective and eco-friendly benefits required for practical LIB applications. In the present study, Zn and Mn-salts along with C were successfully extracted from the spent zinc carbon batteries through a simple and efficient hydrometallurgy approach and decomposed thermally to obtain ZnMnO at 350 °C for 12 h and 450 °C for 3 h.

New approach for the transformation of metallic waste into nanostructured FeO and SnO-FeO heterostructure and their application in treatment of organic pollutant.

Appropriate recycling of waste to reusable materials is much sought after in the scientific community to control the incessant rising pollution in environment due to insufficient management of waste materials. To address this issue, efforts were directed to obtain SnO-FeO nanocomposites from scrap tin plated steel and the use of these composites for the degradation of organic pollutant. We have demonstrated a novel, efficient and facile hydrometallurgy approach for the extraction of iron from waste tin plated steel containers found in plenty in the common waste generated in society.

Design of diverse nanostructures by hydrothermal and microemulsion routes for electrochemical water splitting.

Hydrothermal and microemulsion methods are low temperature methods used to obtain nanostructures of definite morphologies, sizes, facet termination and other structural features which result in the corresponding unique response to chemical, electrochemical or photochemical stimuli. An efficient catalyst to electrochemically split water to produce hydrogen and oxygen is of scientific, economic and societal relevance, especially due to the abundance of the starting material, water, and due to the product hydrogen, which is an ideal fuel, due to its highest mass density and clean combustion in air. In this review we focus on the hydrogen evolution reaction, HER, and the oxygen evolution reaction, OER, activity of the electrocatalysts produced by hydrothermal or microemulsion methods.

Valence State of Eu and Superconductivity in Se-Substituted EuSrBiSF and EuSrBiSF.

Recently, we reported the synthesis and investigations of EuSrBiSF and EuSrBiSF. We have now been able to induce superconductivity in EuSrBiSF by Se substitution at the S site (isovalent substitution) with T = 2.9 K in EuSrBiSSeF.

PrFeCrO: A Type I Multiferroic.

We synthesized double perovskite PrFeCrO by solid-state method. Analysis of its X-ray powder diffraction shows that the compound crystallizes in a centrosymmetric structure with space group Pbnm. Our X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies show that all the cations are present in +3 oxidation state.

Unusual Mixed Valence of Eu in Two Materials-EuSrBiSF and EuSrBiSF: Mössbauer and X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy Investigations.

We have synthesized two new Eu-based compounds, EuSrBiSF and EuSrBiSF, which are derivatives of EuBiSF, an intrinsic superconductor with T = 1.5 K. They belong to a tetragonal structure (SG: I4/mmm, Z = 2), similar to the parent compound EuBiSF.

Synthesis and properties of SmO0.5F0.5BiS2 and enhancement in Tc in La1-ySmyO0.5F0.5BiS2.

The crystal structure and properties of a new member of the oxybismuth sulfide family SmO(0.5)F(0.5)BiS(2) are reported here.

Enhanced functionalization of Mn2O3@SiO2 core-shell nanostructures.

Core-shell nanostructures of Mn2O3@SiO2, Mn2O3@amino-functionalized silica, Mn2O3@vinyl-functionalized silica, and Mn2O3@allyl-functionalized silica were synthesized using the hydrolysis of the respective organosilane precursor over Mn2O3 nanoparticles dispersed using colloidal solutions of Tergitol and cyclohexane. The synthetic methodology used is an improvement over the commonly used post-grafting or co-condensation method as it ensures a high density of functional groups over the core-shell nanostructures. The high density of functional groups can be useful in immobilization of biomolecules and drugs and thus can be used in targeted drug delivery.