Unveiling the Photocatalytic Potential of BiAgOS Solid Solution for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

The growing emphasis on green energy has spurred momentum in research and development within the field of photocatalytic materials, particularly for green hydrogen production. Among the most abundant oxides on Earth, oxychalcogenides stand out for their cost-effectiveness and ease of synthesis. In this context, we present an investigation of the potential use of BiAgOS as an efficient photocatalyst for hydrogen generation.

Intermixing of MoS and WS photocatalysts toward methylene blue photodegradation.

Visible-light-driven photocatalysis using layered materials has garnered increasing attention regarding the degradation of organic dyes. Herein, transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS and WS prepared by chemical vapor deposition as well as their intermixing are evaluated for photodegradation (PD) of methylene blue under solar simulator irradiation. Our findings revealed that WS exhibited the highest PD efficiency of 67.

Recent Advances toward Enhanced Photocatalytic Proprieties of BiFeO-Based Materials.

Owing to their remarkable success in photocatalytic applications, multiferroic BiFeO and its derivatives have gained a highly promising position as electrode materials for future developments of efficient catalysts. In addition to their appropriate band gaps, these materials exhibit inherent intrinsic polarizations enabling efficient charge carrier separation and their high mobility without the need for additional co-catalysts. Here, we review the existing strategies for enhancing the photocatalytic performances of BiFeO-based materials and we describe the physico-chemical properties at the origin of their exceptional photocatalytic behavior.

Strong Intermixing Effects of LFO/STO toward the Development of Efficient Photoanodes for Photoelectrocatalytic Applications.

Aiming to improve the photocatalytic properties of transition metal perovskites to be used as robust photoanodes, [LaFeO]/[SrTiO] nanocomposites (LFO/STO) are considered. This hybrid structure combines good semiconducting properties and an interesting intrinsic remanent polarization. All the studied samples were fabricated using a solid-state method followed by high-energy ball milling, and they were subsequently deposited by spray coating.

Effect of Sr and Ti substitutions on optical and photocatalytic properties of Bi Sr Fe Ti O nanomaterials.

The potential use of down-sized BFO-STO systems ( ≤ 25%) as highly efficient photoanodes for photocatalytic water splitting is investigated. BFO-STO is prepared by a solid-state method and subsequently deposited by spray coating. The compounds possess rhombohedral symmetry for ≤ 15% and phase coexistence for > 15%, as demonstrated by Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Photodetection Properties of MoS, WS and MoWS Heterostructure: A Comparative Study.

Layered transition metals dichalcogenides such as MoS and WS have shown a tunable bandgap, making them highly desirable for optoelectronic applications. Here, we report on one-step chemical vapor deposited MoS, WS and MoWS heterostructures incorporated into photoconductive devices to be examined and compared in view of their use as potential photodetectors. Vertically aligned MoS nanosheets and horizontally stacked WS layers, and their heterostructure form MoWS, exhibit direct and indirect bandgap, respectively.

Photoelectrochemical Enhancement of Graphene@WS Nanosheets for Water Splitting Reaction.

Tungsten disulfide nanosheets were successfully prepared by one-step chemical vapor deposition using tungsten oxide and thiourea in an inert gas environment. The size of the obtained nanosheets was subsequently reduced down to below 20 nm in width and 150 nm in length using high-energy ball milling, followed by 0.5 and 1 wt% graphene loading.

Recent Progress in the Synthesis of MoS Thin Films for Sensing, Photovoltaic and Plasmonic Applications: A Review.

In the surge of recent successes of 2D materials following the rise of graphene, molybdenum disulfide (2D-MoS) has been attracting growing attention from both fundamental and applications viewpoints, owing to the combination of its unique nanoscale properties. For instance, the bandgap of 2D-MoS, which changes from direct (in the bulk form) to indirect for ultrathin films (few layers), offers new prospects for various applications in optoelectronics. In this review, we present the latest scientific advances in the field of synthesis and characterization of 2D-MoS films while highlighting some of their applications in energy harvesting, gas sensing, and plasmonic devices.

Sub-10 nm spatial resolution for electrical properties measurements using bimodal excitation in electric force microscopy.

We demonstrate that under ambient and humidity-controlled conditions, operation of bimodal excitation single-scan electric force microscopy with no electrical feedback loop increases the spatial resolution of surface electrical property measurements down to the 5 nm limit. This technical improvement is featured on epitaxial graphene layers on SiC, which is used as a model sample. The experimental conditions developed to achieve such resolution are discussed and linked to the stable imaging achieved using the proposed method.

Recent Advances in the Design of Plasmonic Au/TiO Nanostructures for Enhanced Photocatalytic Water Splitting.

Plasmonic nanostructures have played a key role in extending the activity of photocatalysts to the visible light spectrum, preventing the electron-hole combination and providing with hot electrons to the photocatalysts, a crucial step towards efficient broadband photocatalysis. One plasmonic photocatalyst, Au/TiO, is of a particular interest because it combines chemical stability, suitable electronic structure, and photoactivity for a wide range of catalytic reactions such as water splitting. In this review, we describe key mechanisms involving plasmonics to enhance photocatalytic properties leading to efficient water splitting such as production and transport of hot electrons through advanced analytical techniques used to probe the photoactivity of plasmonics in engineered Au/TiO devices.

Ultrasonic Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube-Titanium Dioxide Composites: Process Optimization via Response Surface Methodology.

In this study, the central composite design of response surface methodology was applied to optimize the ultrasonic synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube-titanium dioxide (MWNT-TiO) composites. Twenty composites were prepared by adjusting three parameters (MWNT concentration in water, sonication to disperse/exfoliate MWNTs in water, and sonication to attach TiO onto MWNTs) at five levels. On the basis of the experimental design, semiempirical expressions were developed, analyzed, statistically assessed, and subsequently applied to predict the impact of the studied parameters on composite synthesis.

Toward the use of CVD-grown MoS nanosheets as field-emission source.

Densely populated edge-terminated vertically aligned two-dimensional MoS nanosheets (NSs) with thicknesses ranging from 5 to 20 nm were directly synthesized on Mo films deposited on SiO by sulfurization. The quality of the obtained NSs was analyzed by scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy, and Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The as-grown NSs were then successfully transferred to the substrates using a wet chemical etching method.

Core/Shell Microstructure Induced Synergistic Effect for Efficient Water-Droplet Formation and Cloud-Seeding Application.

Cloud-seeding materials as a promising water-augmentation technology have drawn more attention recently. We designed and synthesized a type of core/shell NaCl/TiO (CSNT) particle with controlled particle size, which successfully adsorbed more water vapor (∼295 times at low relative humidity, 20% RH) than that of pure NaCl, deliquesced at a lower environmental RH of 62-66% than the hygroscopic point (h., 75% RH) of NaCl, and formed larger water droplets ∼6-10 times its original measured size area, whereas the pure NaCl still remained as a crystal at the same conditions.

Investigation of plasmon resonance in metal/dielectric nanocavities for high-efficiency photocatalytic device.

Photocatalytic nanostructures loaded with metallic nanoparticles are being considered as a potential candidate for designing efficient water splitting devices. Here, we aim to unveil the plasmonic behavior of a device made of Au-TiO nanostructures through in-depth investigations combining electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and cathodoluminescence (CL). The experiments confirm the existence of Au bulk plasmon excitation, intrinsic interband transitions, and plasmon losses over a wide range of energies (0.

Mesoporous γ-Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetically Triggered Release of Doxorubicin and Hyperthermia Treatment.

Mesoporous iron-oxide nanoparticles (mNPs) were prepared by using a modified nanocasting approach with mesoporous carbon as a hard template. mNPs were first loaded with doxorubicin (Dox), an anticancer drug, and then coated with the thermosensitive polymer Pluronic F108 to prevent the leakage of Dox molecules from the pores that would otherwise occur under physiological conditions. The Dox-loaded, Pluronic F108-coated system (Dox@F108-mNPs) was stable at room temperature and physiological pH and released its Dox cargo slowly under acidic conditions or in a sudden burst with magnetic heating.

Surface plasmon assisted hot electron collection in wafer-scale metallic-semiconductor photonic crystals.

Plasmon assisted photoelectric hot electron collection in a metal-semiconductor junction can allow for sub-bandgap optical to electrical energy conversion. Here we report hot electron collection by wafer-scale Au/TiO metallic-semiconductor photonic crystals (MSPhC), with a broadband photoresponse below the bandgap of TiO. Multiple absorption modes supported by the 2D nano-cavity structure of the MSPhC extend the photon-metal interaction time and fulfill a broadband light absorption.

Viologen-templated arrays of cucurbit[7]uril-modified iron-oxide nanoparticles.

Magnetic and fluorescent assemblies of iron-oxide nanoparticles (NPs) were constructed by threading a viologen-based ditopic ligand, DPV(2+), into the cavity of cucurbituril (CB[7]) macrocycles adsorbed on the surface of the NPs. Evidence for the formation of 1:2 inclusion complexes that involve DPV(2+) and two CB[7] macrocycles was first obtained in solution by (1)H NMR and emission spectroscopy. DPV(2+) was found to induce self-assembly of nanoparticle arrays (DPV(2+)⊂CB[7]NPs) by bridging CB[7] molecules on different NPs.