Unraveling the Role of CuO in CuO/TiO Photocatalyst for the Direct Propylene Epoxidation With O in a Fluidized Bed Reactor.

Propylene epoxidation in mild conditions using molecular O is a highly desirable reaction that represents a significant challenge in the field of heterogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of oxygenated organic compounds of industrial interest. In this work, CuO/TiO composites with different mominal CuO loadings (in the range of 0.5-8.

Electroless silver plating on fabrics for antimicrobial coating: comparison between cotton and polyester.

In the past few years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the interest towards textiles with antimicrobial functionalities faced a significant boost. This study proposes a rapid and convenient method, in terms of reactants and equipment, for fabricating antimicrobial coatings on textiles. Through the electroless silver plating reaction, silver coatings were successfully applied on cotton and polyester, rapidly and at room temperature.

The Effect of Sulfur and Nitrogen Doping on the Oxygen Reduction Performance of Graphene/Iron Oxide Electrocatalysts Prepared by Using Microwave-Assisted Synthesis.

The synthesis of novel catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction, by means of a fast one-pot microwave-assisted procedure, is reported herein and deeply explained. In particular, the important role of doping atoms, like sulfur and nitrogen, in FeO-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites is described to address the modification of catalytic performance. The presence of dopants is confirmed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy analysis, while the integration of iron oxide nanoparticles, by means of decoration of the graphene structure, is corroborated by electron microscopy, which also confirms that there is no damage to the graphene sheets induced by the synthesis procedure.

One-step silver coating of polypropylene surgical mask with antibacterial and antiviral properties.

Face masks can filter droplets containing viruses and bacteria minimizing the transmission and spread of respiratory pathogens but are also an indirect source of microbes transmission. A novel antibacterial and antiviral Ag-coated polypropylene surgical mask obtained through the and one-step deposition of metallic silver nanoparticles, synthesized by silver mirror reaction combined with sonication or agitation methods, is proposed in this study. SEM analysis shows Ag nanoparticles fused together in a continuous and dense layer for the coating obtained by sonication, whereas individual Ag nanoparticles around 150 nm were obtained combining the silver mirror reaction with agitation.

Hybrid Metrology for Nanostructured Optical Metasurfaces.

Metasurfaces have garnered increasing research interest in recent years due to their remarkable advantages, such as efficient miniaturization and novel functionalities compared to traditional optical elements such as lenses and filters. These advantages have facilitated their rapid commercial deployment. Recent advancements in nanofabrication have enabled the reduction of optical metasurface dimensions to the nanometer scale, expanding their capabilities to cover visible wavelengths.

The beneficial role of nano-sized FeO entrapped in ultra-stable Y zeolite for the complete mineralization of phenol by heterogeneous photo-Fenton under solar light.

Highly efficient, separable, and stable magnetic iron-based-photocatalysts produced from ultra-stable Y (USY) zeolite were applied, for the first time, to the photo-Fenton removal of phenol under solar light. USY Zeolite with a Si/Al molar ratio of 385 was impregnated under vacuum with an aqueous solution of Fe ions and thermally treated (500-750 °C) in a reducing atmosphere. Three catalysts, Fe-USY500°C-2h, Fe-USY600°C-2h and Fe-USY750°C-2h, containing different amounts of reduced iron species entrapped in the zeolitic matrix, were obtained.

Developing Quantitative Nondestructive Characterization of Nanomaterials: A Case Study on Sequential Infiltration Synthesis of Block Copolymers.

The sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) of inorganic materials in nanostructured block copolymer templates has rapidly progressed in the last few years to develop functional nanomaterials with controllable properties. To assist this rapid evolution, expanding the capabilities of nondestructive methods for quantitative characterization of the materials properties is required. In this paper, we characterize the SIS process on three model polymers with different infiltration profiles through quantification by reference-free grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence.

Understanding the role of imidazolium-based ionic liquids in the electrochemical CO reduction reaction.

The development of efficient CO capture and utilization technologies driven by renewable energy sources is mandatory to reduce the impact of climate change. Herein, seven imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with different anions and cations were tested as catholytes for the CO electrocatalytic reduction to CO over Ag electrode. Relevant activity and stability, but different selectivities for CO reduction or the side H evolution were observed.

Physico-Chemical Modifications Affecting the Activity and Stability of Cu-Based Hybrid Catalysts during the Direct Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide into Dimethyl-Ether.

The direct hydrogenation of CO into dimethyl-ether (DME) has been studied in the presence of ferrierite-based CuZnZr hybrid catalysts. The samples were synthetized with three different techniques and two oxides/zeolite mass ratios. All the samples (calcined and spent) were properly characterized with different physico-chemical techniques for determining the textural and morphological nature of the catalytic surface.

Structure and stability of 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin self-assembled monolayers on gold: an experimental and computational analysis.

Self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin (MMC) on a flat gold surface were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, reference-free grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), to determine the maximum monolayer density and to investigate the nature of the molecule/surface interface. In particular, the protonation state of the sulfur atom upon adsorption was analyzed, since some recent literature presented evidence for physisorbed thiols (preserving the S-H bond), unlike the common picture of chemisorbed thiyls (losing the hydrogen). MD with a specifically tailored force field was used to simulate either thiol or thiyl monolayers with increasing number of molecules, to determine the maximum dynamically stable densities.

Electrochemical Reduction of CO With Good Efficiency on a Nanostructured Cu-Al Catalyst.

Carbon monoxide (CO) and formic acid (HCOOH) are suggested to be the most convenient products from electrochemical reduction of CO according to techno-economic analysis. To date, tremendous advances have been achieved in the development of catalysts and processes, which make this research topic even more interesting to both academic and industrial sectors. In this work, we report nanostructured Cu-Al materials that are able to convert CO to CO and HCOOH with good efficiency.

Covalent Immobilization of Dehydrogenases on Carbon Felt for Reusable Anodes with Effective Electrochemical Cofactor Regeneration.

This study presents the immobilization with aldehyde groups (glyoxyl carbon felt) of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) on carbon-felt-based electrodes. The compatibility of the immobilization method with the electrochemical application was studied with the ADH bioelectrode. The electrochemical regeneration process of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in its oxidized form (NAD ), on a carbon felt surface, has been deeply studied with tests performed at different electrical potentials.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Nitrogen and Sulphur Doped Graphene Decorated with Antimony Oxide: An Effective Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

In this study, we report on the facile synthesis of a novel electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO), functionalized with metallic and non-metallic elements. In particular, thanks to a fast one-pot microwave-assisted procedure, we induced, in the RGO graphene lattice, a combined doping with nitrogen and sulphur, and the simultaneous decoration with antimony oxide nanocrystals. The multi-doped-decorated material shows enhanced catalytic performance towards ORR, with respect to common nitrogen- or sulphur-doped carbon-based materials.

CO Conversion to Alcohols over Cu/ZnO Catalysts: Prospective Synergies between Electrocatalytic and Thermocatalytic Routes.

The development of efficient catalysts is one of the main challenges in CO conversion to valuable chemicals and fuels. Herein, inspired by the knowledge of the thermocatalytic (TC) processes, Cu/ZnO and bare Cu catalysts enriched with Cu were studied to convert CO via the electrocatalytic (EC) pathway. Integrating Cu with ZnO (a CO-generation catalyst) is a strategy explored in the EC CO reduction to reduce the kinetic barrier and enhance C-C coupling to obtain C chemicals and energy carriers.

CuZnAl-Oxide Nanopyramidal Mesoporous Materials for the Electrocatalytic CO Reduction to Syngas: Tuning of H/CO Ratio.

Inspired by the knowledge of the thermocatalytic CO reduction process, novel nanocrystalline CuZnAl-oxide based catalysts with pyramidal mesoporous structures are here proposed for the CO electrochemical reduction under ambient conditions. The XPS analyses revealed that the co-presence of ZnO and AlO into the Cu-based catalyst stabilize the CuO crystalline structure and introduce basic sites on the ternary as-synthesized catalyst. In contrast, the as-prepared CuZn- and Cu-based materials contain a higher amount of superficial Cu and Cu species.

Zn- and Ti-Doped SnO for Enhanced Electroreduction of Carbon Dioxide.

The electrocatalytic reduction of CO into useful fuels, exploiting rationally designed, inexpensive, active, and selective catalysts, produced through easy, quick, and scalable routes, represents a promising approach to face today's climate challenges and energy crisis. This work presents a facile strategy for the preparation of doped SnO as an efficient electrocatalyst for the CO reduction reaction to formic acid and carbon monoxide. Zn or Ti doping was introduced into a mesoporous SnO matrix via wet impregnation and atomic layer deposition.

Coupled Copper-Zinc Catalysts for Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide.

A catalyst plays a key role in the electrochemical reduction of CO to valuable chemicals and fuels. Hence, the development of efficient and inexpensive catalysts has attracted great interest from both the academic and industrial communities. In this work, low-cost catalysts coupling Cu and Zn are designed and prepared with a green microwave-assisted route.

Laser-Triggered Writing and Biofunctionalization of Thiol-Ene Networks.

The light responsivity of ortho-nitrobenzyl esters (o-NBE) is exploited to inscribe µ-scale 2.5D patterns in thiol-ene networks by direct laser writing. For this purpose, a multifunctional thiol and a photosensitive alkene with an o-NBE chromophore are cured upon visible light exposure without inducing a premature photocleavage of the o-NBE links.

Li Insertion in Nanostructured TiO for Energy Storage.

Nanostructured materials possess unique physical-chemical characteristics and have attracted much attention, among others, in the field of energy conversion and storage devices, for the possibility to exploit both their bulk and surface properties, enabling enhanced electron and ion transport, fast diffusion of electrolytes, and consequently high efficiency in the electrochemical processes. In particular, titanium dioxide received great attention, both in the form of amorphous or crystalline material for these applications, due to the large variety of nanostructures in which it can be obtained. In this paper, a comparison of the performance of titanium dioxide prepared through the oxidation of Ti foils in hydrogen peroxide is reported.

A Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanocrystals Finely Tuned for Biological Applications.

Herein we report a novel, easy, fast and reliable microwave-assisted synthesis procedure for the preparation of colloidal zinc oxide nanocrystals (ZnO NCs) optimized for biological applications. ZnO NCs are also prepared by a conventional solvo-thermal approach and the properties of the two families of NCs are compared and discussed. All of the NCs are fully characterized in terms of morphological analysis, crystalline structure, chemical composition and optical properties, both as pristine nanomaterials or after amino-propyl group functionalization.

Insights Into the Sunlight-Driven Water Oxidation by Ce and Er-Doped ZrO .

In the present work, the activity of Ce and Er-doped ZrO nanopowders for sun-driven photocatalytic water oxidation has been investigated. ZrO powders with tunable amounts of tetragonal, monoclinic and cubic polymorphs have been synthesized by introducing Ce and Er (from 0.5 to 10 mol % on an oxide basis) through hydrothermal method.

Mixed 1T-2H Phase MoS/Reduced Graphene Oxide as Active Electrode for Enhanced Supercapacitive Performance.

A hybrid aerogel, composed of MoS sheets of 1T (distorted octahedral) and 2H (trigonal prismatic) phases, finely mixed with few layers of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and obtained by means of a facile environment-friendly hydrothermal cosynthesis, is proposed as electrode material for supercapacitors. By electrochemical characterizations in three- and two-electrode configurations and symmetric planar devices, unique results have been obtained, with specific capacitance values up to 416 F g and a highly stable capacitance behavior over 50000 charge-discharge cycles. The in-depth morphological and structural characterizations through field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, and transmission electron microscopy analysis provides the proofs of the unique assembly of such 3D structured matrix.

A Simple Preparation of Photoactive Glass Surfaces Allowing Coatings via the "Grafting-from" Method.

A simple and straightforward synthesis was developed to prepare the siloxy-substituted bis(acylphosphane)oxide 4-(trimethoxysilyl)butyl-3-[bis(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphinoyl]-2-methyl-propionate TMESI(2)-BAPO. This new photoinitiator was successfully fixed to glass surfaces. Subsequent irradiation with UV light in the presence of either a partially fluorinated acrylate or a specifically synthesized polysiloxane containing polymerizable acrylate functions allowed the generation of polymer chains which grew from the surface in an efficient radical polymerization process ("grafting-from" procedure).

Optimization and characterization of a homogeneous carboxylic surface functionalization for silicon-based biosensing.

A well-organized immobilization of bio-receptors is a crucial goal in biosensing, especially to achieve high reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity. These requirements are usually attained with a controlled chemical/biochemical functionalization that creates a stable layer on a sensor surface. In this work, a chemical modification protocol for silicon-based surfaces to be applied in biosensing devices is presented.

Toward Plastic Smart Windows: Optimization of Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes for the Synthesis of Electrochromic Devices on Polycarbonate Substrates.

Plastic smart windows are becoming one of the key elements in view of the fabrication of inexpensive, lightweight electrochromic (EC) devices to be integrated in the new generation of high-energy-efficiency buildings and automotive applications. However, fabricating electrochromic devices on polymer substrates requires a reduction of process temperature, so in this work we focus on the development of a completely room-temperature deposition process aimed at the preparation of ITO-coated polycarbonate (PC) structures acting as transparent and conductive plastic supports. Without providing any substrate heating or surface activation pretreatments of the polymer, different deposition conditions are used for growing indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films by the radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique.