NbO Microcolumns for Ethanol Sensing.

Pseudohexagonal NbO microcolumns spanning a size range of 50 to 610 nm were synthesized utilizing a cost-effective hydrothermal process (maintained at 180 °C for 30 min), followed by a subsequent calcination step at 500 °C for 3 h. Raman spectroscopy analysis unveiled three distinct reflection peaks at 220.04 cm, 602.

Synthesis of TiO-(B) Nanobelts for Acetone Sensing.

Titanium dioxide nanobelts were prepared via the alkali-hydrothermal method for application in chemical gas sensing. The formation process of TiO-(B) nanobelts and their sensing properties were investigated in detail. FE-SEM was used to study the surface of the obtained structures.

Design and construction of a low cost air purifier for killing harmful airborne microorganisms using a combination of a strong multi-directional electric-field and an ultra violet light.

In this work we have designed and developed a low cost and simple instrument to purify air in an enclosure. The device sucks up the air in the enclosed area, kills the microorganisms and let clean air flow out. A combination of an ultra violet light and an electric field are used to kill the microorganisms in air.

Seed-Assisted Growth of TiO Nanowires by Thermal Oxidation for Chemical Gas Sensing.

Herein, we report the catalyst assisted growth of TiO one-dimensional (1D) nanowires (NWs) on alumina substrates by the thermal oxidation technique. RF magnetron sputtering was used to deposit a thin Ti metallic layer on the alumina substrate, followed by an Au catalytic layer on the Ti metallic one. Thermal oxidation was carried out in an oxygen deficient environment.

La2O3 hollow nanospheres for high performance lithium-ion rechargeable batteries.

An efficient and simple protocol for synthesis of novel La(2)O(3) hollow nanospheres of size about 30 ± 2 nm using polymeric micelles is reported. The La(2)O(3) hollow nanospheres exhibit high charge capacity and cycling performance in lithium-ion rechargeable batteries (LIBs), which was scrutinized for the first time among the rare-earth oxides.

Novel LaBO3 hollow nanospheres of size 34±2 nm templated by polymeric micelles.

Novel lanthanum borate (LaBO(3)) hollow nanospheres of size 34±2 nm have been reported for the first time by soft-template self-assembly process. Poly(styrene-b-acrylic acid-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-PAA-PEO) micelle with core-shell-corona architecture serves as an efficient soft template for fabrication of LaBO(3) hollow particles using sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)) and LaCl(3)⋅7H(2)O as the precursors. In this template, the PS block (core) acts as a template of the void space of hollow particle, the anionic PAA block (shell) serves as reaction field for metal ion interactions, and the PEO block (corona) stabilizes the polymer/lanthana composite particles.

Periodic organosilica hollow nanospheres as anode materials for lithium ion rechargeable batteries.

Polymeric micelles with core-shell-corona architecture have been found to be the efficient colloidal templates for synthesis of periodic organosilica hollow nanospheres over a broad pH range from acidic to alkaline media. In alkaline medium, poly (styrene-b-[3-(methacryloylamino)propyl] trimethylammonium chloride-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-PMAPTAC-PEO) micelles yield benzene-silica hollow nanospheres with molecular scale periodicity of benzene groups in the shell domain of hollow particles. Whereas, an acidic medium (pH 4) produces diverse hollow particles with benzene, ethylene, and a mixture of ethylene and dipropyldisulfide bridging functionalities using poly(styrene-b-2-vinyl pyridine-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-PVP-PEO) micelles.

Novel titania hollow nanospheres of size 28 ± 1 nm using soft-templates and their application for lithium-ion rechargeable batteries.

We report a novel protocol to prepare titania hollow nanospheres of size about 28 ± 1 nm with micelles of asymmetric triblock copolymers. The hollow particles exhibit unique electrochemical properties in lithium ion rechargeable batteries such as high capacity, very low irreversible capacity loss, and high cycling performance.