Novel 3D-Printed Biocarriers from Aluminosilicate Materials.

The addition of biocarriers can improve biological processes in bioreactors, since their surface allows for the immobilization, attachment, protection, and growth of microorganisms. In addition, the development of a biofilm layer allows for the colonization of microorganisms in the biocarriers. The structure, composition, and roughness of the biocarriers' surface are crucial factors that affect the development of the biofilm.

Microstructure-driven annihilation effects and dispersive excited state dynamics in solid-state films of a model sensitizer for photon energy up-conversion applications.

Bimolecular processes involving exciton spin-state interactions gain attention for their deployment as wavelength-shifting tools. Particularly triplet-triplet annihilation induced photon energy up-conversion (TTA-UC) holds promise to enhance the performance of solar cell and photodetection technologies. Despite the progress noted, a correlation between the solid-state microstructure of photoactuating TTA-UC organic composites and their photophysical properties is missing.

Novel Pilot-Scale Photocatalytic Nanofiltration Reactor for Agricultural Wastewater Treatment.

Nowadays, the increased agro-industrial activities and the inability of traditional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to eliminate recalcitrant organic contaminants are raising a potential worldwide risk for the environment. Among the various advanced water treatment technologies that are lately proposed for addressing this challenge, the development and optimization of an innovative hybrid photocatalytic nanofiltration reactor (PNFR) prototype emerges as a prominent solution that achieves synergistic beneficial effects between the photocatalytic degradation activity and size exclusion capacity for micropollutant molecules. Both these features can be contemporarily endued to a multitude of membrane monoliths.

Sterically demanding pyridine-quinoline anchoring ligands as building blocks for copper(I)-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) complexes.

The Pfitzinger condensation reaction was employed to synthesise N^N sterically demanding ligands bearing carboxylic acid anchoring groups, namely 2,2'-pyridyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (), 6'-methyl-2,2'-pyridyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (), 8-methyl-2,2'-pyridyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid () and 8,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-pyridyl-quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (). Preparation of the methyl ester analogues , and is also described. All ligands were fully characterised including the X-ray structures of , and .

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Broadband Emission of (CH)SSnCl.

We report here on the synthesis, crystal structure, optoelectronic and vibrational properties, as well as the DFT calculations of the novel trimethylsulfonium tin trichloride (CH)SSnCl. The air-stable compound is prepared by reacting the (CH)SCl and SnCl solid precursors in evacuated silica tubes at 100 °C. According to powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement, it crystallizes at room temperature in the orthorhombic space group (No.

Improved Surface-Enhanced-Raman Scattering Sensitivity Using Si Nanowires/Silver Nanostructures by a Single Step Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching.

In this study, we developed highly sensitive substrates for Surface-Enhanced-Raman-Scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, consisting of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) decorated by silver nanostructures using single-step Metal Assisted Chemical Etching (MACE). One-step MACE was performed on p-type Si substrates by immersion in AgNO/HF aqueous solutions resulting in the formation of SiNWs decorated by either silver aggregates or dendrites. Specifically, dendrites were formed during SiNWs' growth in the etchant solution, whereas aggregates were grown after the removal of the dendrites from the SiNWs in HNO aqueous solution and subsequent re-immersion of the specimens in a AgNO/HF aqueous solution by adjusting the growth time to achieve the desired density of silver nanostructures.

Biological Effect of Silver-modified Nanostructured Titanium Dioxide in Cancer.

Background/aim: Nanomedicine is a promising scientific field that exploits the unique properties of innovative nanomaterials, providing alternative solutions in diagnostics, prevention and therapeutics. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) have a great spectrum of photocatalytic antibacterial and anticancer applications. The chemical modification of TiO optimizes its bioactive performance.

A Review on Emerging Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells Based on g-CN Nanostructures.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted great research interest in the scientific community due to their extraordinary optoelectronic properties and the fact that their power conversion efficiency (PCE) has increased rapidly in recent years, surpassing other 3rd generation photovoltaic (PV) technologies. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) presents exceptional optical and electronic properties and its use was recently expanded in the field of PSCs. The addition of g-CN in the perovskite absorber and/or the electron transport layer (ETL) resulted in PCEs exceeding 22%, mainly due to defects passivation, improved conductivity and crystallinity as well as low charge carriers' recombination rate within the device.

Structuring efficient photocatalysts into bespoke fiber shaped systems for applied water treatment.

In this study, structured photocatalytic systems were successfully developed by a facile method based on Alginate molds and a wet-spinning/cross-linking technique, yielding commercial photocatalyst (Degussa P25) in the form of all-ceramic hollow fibers (HFs). Taking advantage of alginate's exceptional sorption properties, copper augmented HFs were also developed. The structured photocatalysts were thoroughly characterised by a variety of techniques, including nitrogen adsorption, SEM/EDS, XRD, XPS and Raman.

Graphene Quantum Dot-TiO Photonic Crystal Films for Photocatalytic Applications.

Photonic crystal structuring has emerged as an advanced method to enhance solar light harvesting by metal oxide photocatalysts along with rational compositional modifications of the materials' properties. In this work, surface functionalization of TiO photonic crystals by blue luminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs), n-π* band at ca. 350 nm, is demonstrated as a facile, environmental benign method to promote photocatalytic activity by the combination of slow photon-assisted light trapping with GQD-TiO interfacial electron transfer.

Nanomedicine: Photo-activated nanostructured titanium dioxide, as a promising anticancer agent.

The multivariate condition of cancer disease has been approached in various ways, by the scientific community. Recent studies focus on individualized treatments, minimizing the undesirable consequences of the conventional methods, but the development of an alternative effective therapeutic scheme remains to be held. Nanomedicine could provide a solution, filling this gap, exploiting the unique properties of innovative nanostructured materials.

Surfactant Effects on the Synthesis of Redox Bifunctional VO Photocatalysts.

Novel VO bifunctional photocatalysts were prepared following a wet chemical process with the addition of anionic or non-ionic surfactants into the precursor solution and further heating under reflux. Detailed characterization and investigation of the relevant light-matter interactions proved that surfactants addition had a strong impact on the morphology, while also affecting the crystallinity, the optoelectronic properties, and the surface chemistry of the novel photocatalysts. The most efficient photocatalyst (T80) was based on tween 80, a surface-active agent employed for the first time in the synthesis of vanadium oxide materials.

Boosting perovskite nanomorphology and charge transport properties via a functional D-π-A organic layer at the absorber/hole transporter interface.

The photovoltaic efficiency and stability challenges encountered in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) were addressed by an innovative interface engineering approach involving the utilization of the organic chromophore (E)-3-(5-(4-(bis(2',4'-dibutoxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)amino)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)-2-cyanoacrylic acid (D35) as an interlayer between the perovskite absorber and the hole transporter (HTM) of mesoporous PSCs. The organic D-π-A interlayer primarily improves the perovskite's crystallinity and creates a smoother perovskite/HTM interface, while reducing the grain boundary defects and inducing an energy level alignment with the adjacent layers. Champion power conversion efficiencies (PCE) as high as 18.

Molecular materials as interfacial layers and additives in perovskite solar cells.

Solar cells based on organo-metal halide perovskites have gained unprecedented research interest over the last few years due to their low-cost solution processability, high power conversion efficiency, which has recently reached a certified value of 25.2%, and abundance of raw materials. Nevertheless, the best efficiencies remain below the Shockley-Queisser theoretical limit of 32.

Suppressing the Photocatalytic Activity of Zinc Oxide Electron-Transport Layer in Nonfullerene Organic Solar Cells with a Pyrene-Bodipy Interlayer.

Organic solar cells based on nonfullerene acceptors have recently witnessed a significant rise in their power conversion efficiency values. However, they still suffer from severe instability issues, especially in an inverted device architecture based on the zinc oxide bottom electron transport layers. In this work, we insert a pyrene-bodipy donor-acceptor dye as a thin interlayer at the photoactive layer/zinc oxide interface to suppress the degradation reaction of the nonfullerene acceptor caused by the photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide.

Hummers' and Brodie's graphene oxides as photocatalysts for phenol degradation.

Undoped metal-free graphene oxide (GO) materials prepared by either a modified Hummers' (GO-H) or a Brodie's (GO-B) method were tested as photocatalysts in aqueous solution for the oxidative conversion of phenol. In the dark, the adsorptive capacity of GO-B towards phenol (~35%) was higher than that of GO-H (~15%). Upon near-UV/Vis irradiation, GO-H was able to remove 21% of phenol after 180 min, mostly through adsorption.

Enhanced Organic and Perovskite Solar Cell Performance through Modification of the Electron-Selective Contact with a Bodipy-Porphyrin Dyad.

Photovoltaic devices based on organic semiconductors and organo-metal halide perovskites have not yet reached the theoretically predicted power conversion efficiencies while they still exhibit poor environmental stability. Interfacial engineering using suitable materials has been recognized as an attractive approach to tackle the above issues. We introduce here a zinc porphyrin-triazine-bodipy donor-π bridge-acceptor dye as a universal electron transfer mediator in both organic and perovskite solar cells.

Photocatalysis as an advanced reduction process (ARP): The reduction of 4-nitrophenol using titania nanotubes-ferrite nanocomposites.

TiO photocatalysis is an advanced process, employed worldwide for the oxidation of organic compounds, that leads to significant technological applications in the fields of health and environment. The use of the photocatalytic approach in reduction reactions seems very promising and can open new horizons for green chemistry synthesis. For this purpose, titanium dioxide nanotubes (TNTs) were developed in autoclave conditions using TiO P25 as a precursor material.

Low Work Function Lacunary Polyoxometalates as Electron Transport Interlayers for Inverted Polymer Solar Cells of Improved Efficiency and Stability.

Effective interface engineering has been shown to play a vital role in facilitating efficient charge-carrier transport, thus boosting the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. Herein, we employ water-soluble lacunary polyoxometalates (POMs) as multifunctional interlayers between the titanium dioxide (TiO) electron extraction/transport layer and the organic photoactive film to simultaneously enhance the efficiency, lifetime, and photostability of polymer solar cells (PSCs). A significant reduction in the work function (W) of TiO upon POM utilization was observed, with the magnitude being controlled by the negative charge of the anion and the selection of the addenda atom (W or Mo).

Trimethylsulfonium Lead Triiodide: An Air-Stable Hybrid Halide Perovskite.

We report on the synthesis, characterization, and optoelectronic properties of the novel trimethylsulfonium lead triiodide perovskite, (CH)SPbI. At room temperature, the air-stable compound adopts a hexagonal crystal structure with a 1D network of face-sharing [PbI] octahedra along the c axis. UV-vis reflectance spectroscopy on a pressed pellet revealed a band gap of 3.

Copper nanowire coated carbon fibers as efficient substrates for detecting designer drugs using SERS.

Miniature Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) sensors were fabricated by coating the carbon fiber microelectrodes with copper nanowires. The coating procedure, based on anodizing the copper wire in ultrapure water followed by cathodic deposition of the anode-derived material onto carbon fiber electrodes, provides a "clean" copper nanowire network. The developed miniature (10µm in diameter and 2mm in length) and nanoscopically rough SERS substrates are applicable in drug sensing, as shown by the detection and resolving of a range of seized designer drugs in trace amounts (microliter volumes of 10-10M solutions).

Structural Stability, Vibrational Properties, and Photoluminescence in CsSnI Perovskite upon the Addition of SnF.

The CsSnI perovskite and the corresponding SnF-containing material with nominal composition CsSnIF were synthesized by solid-state reactions and structurally characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. Both materials undergo rapid phase transformation upon exposure to air from the black orthorhombic phase (B-γ-CsSnI) to the yellow orthorhombic phase (Y-CsSnI), followed by irreversible oxidation into CsSnI within several hours. The phase transition occurs at a significantly lower rate in the SnF-containing material rather than in the pure perovskite.

Use of Selected Scavengers for the Determination of NF-TiO Reactive Oxygen Species during the Degradation of Microcystin-LR under Visible Light Irradiation.

Although UV-induced TiO photocatalysis involves the generation of several reactive oxygen species (ROS), the formation of hydroxyl radicals are generally associated with the degradation of persistent organic contaminants in water. In this study, a variety of radical scavengers were employed to discriminate the roles of different ROS during visible light activated (VLA) photocatalysis using nitrogen and fluorine doped TiO (NF-TiO) in the degradation of the hepatotoxin, microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in water. The addition of hydroxyl radical scavengers, methanol and -butyl alcohol to the reaction mixture resulted in negligible inhibition of VLA NF-TiO photocatalytic degradation of MCLR at pH 3.

Reentrant Structural and Optical Properties and Large Positive Thermal Expansion in Perovskite Formamidinium Lead Iodide.

The structure of the hybrid perovskite HC(NH ) PbI (formamidinium lead iodide) reflects competing interactions associated with molecular motion, hydrogen bonding tendencies, thermally activated soft octahedral rotations, and the propensity for the Pb lone pair to express its stereochemistry. High-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction reveals a continuous transition from the cubic α-phase (Pm3‾ m, #221) to a tetragonal β-phase (P4/mbm, #127) at around 285 K, followed by a first-order transition to a tetragonal γ-phase (retaining P4/mbm, #127) at 140 K. An unusual reentrant pseudosymmetry in the β-to-γ phase transition is seen that is also reflected in the photoluminescence.