Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of {110}-Faceted TiO₂ Rutile Nanorods in the Photodegradation of Hazardous Pharmaceuticals.

Rutile TiO₂ with highly active facets has attracted much attention owing to its enhanced activity during the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants such as pharmaceuticals in wastewater. However, it is difficult to obtain by controlling the synthetic conditions. This paper reports a simple hydrothermal synthesis of rutile TiO₂ nanorods with highly exposed {110} facets.

Room-temperature synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles in different media and their application in cyanide photodegradation.

Cyanide is an extreme hazard and extensively found in the wastes of refinery, coke plant, and metal plating industries. A simple, fast, cost-effective, room-temperature wet chemical route, based on cyclohexylamine, for synthesizing zinc oxide nanoparticles in aqueous and enthanolic media was established and tested for the photodegradation of cyanide ions. Particles of polyhedra morphology were obtained for zinc oxide, prepared in ethanol (ZnOE), while spherical and some chunky particles were observed for zinc oxide, prepared in water (ZnOW).

Molecular relaxation processes in a MOF-5 structure revealed by broadband dielectric spectroscopy: signature of phenylene ring fluctuations.

The molecular mobility of a MOF-5 metal-organic framework was investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Three relaxation processes were revealed. The temperature dependence of their relaxation rates follows an Arrhenius law.

Relaxation processes of water confined to AIMCM-41 molecular sieves. Influence of the hydroxyl groups of the pore surface.

A series of AlMCM-41 molecular sieves was prepared with constant composition (Si/Al = 14.7) and presumably same pore structure but different pore diameters (from 2.3 to 4.