Surface tailored PS/TiO2 composite nanofiber membrane for copper removal from water.

Polystyrene (PS)/TiO2 composite nanofiber membranes have been fabricated by electrospinning process for Cu(2+) ions removal from water. The surface properties of the polystyrene nanofibers were modulated by introducing TiO2 nanoparticles. The contact angle of the PS nanofiber membrane was found to be decreased with increasing concentration of TiO2, depicted enhanced hydrophilicity.

Production of copolymer, poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) by Halomonas campisalis MCM B-1027 using agro-wastes.

For cost effective production of PHA, agro-wastes like fruit peels, bagasse and deoiled cakes were screened as a sole source of carbon. Halomonas campisalis MCM B-1027, which was isolated from one of the extreme environment, i.e.

Laser synthesized super-hydrophobic conducting carbon with broccoli-type morphology as a counter-electrode for dye sensitized solar cells.

A laser photochemical process is introduced to realize superhydrophobic conducting carbon coatings with broccoli-type hierarchical morphology for use as a metal-free counter electrode in a dye sensitized solar cell. The process involves pulsed excimer laser irradiation of a thin layer of liquid haloaromatic organic solvent o-dichlorobenzene (DCB). The coating reflects a carbon nanoparticle-self assembled and process-controlled morphology that yields solar to electric power conversion efficiency of 5.

A quasi-liquid iontronic-electronic light-harvesting hybrid photodetector with giant response.

A heterostructure formed by a layer of agarose gel drop-cast on a hydrothermally grown layer of ZnO nanorods on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass is examined for photoresponse with a top platinum tip contact. This ionic-gel-based hybrid device shows three orders of magnitude higher photocurrent as compared to the case of bare ZnO nanorods film.