Vanadate Inclusion Leading to Red-Ox-Rich Zircon PrCrO: Synthesis, Magnetic, and Catalytic Properties.

Rare-earth-based ternary compounds with the formula REBO (B = V, Cr, P, As) exhibit rich structural chemistry and associated technologically significant properties. Among the rare-earth chromates, realizing PrCrO in a single polymorphic modification has been challenging. Herein, we report the successful stabilization of the zircon polymorph of PrCrO by introducing 10 mol % of VO instead of CrO following a solution combustion method.

MXene-Derived Oxide Nanoheterostructures for Photocatalytic Sulfamethoxazole Degradation.

Herein, we report for the first time the use of ternary oxide nanoheterostructure photocatalysts derived from (Nb , Ti )CT MXene in the treatment of water. Three different compositions of binary MXenes, viz., (TiNb)CT , (TiNb)CT , and (TiNb)CT (with T = OH, F, and Cl), were used as single-source precursor to produce TiNbO -3:1, TiNbO -1:1, and TiNbO -1:3 by controlled-atmosphere thermal oxidation.

One Precursor, Two Different Outcomes: SnO-Graphite Composite and Anion-Doped SnO with Ester Surface Functionality.

The technological importance of SnO and SnO has invited scientists to explore various aspects, including their synthesis in the nanosize regime, surface functionalization, and composite formation. In the present work, a binuclear Sn-EDTA complex has been demonstrated to produce a SnO-graphite composite and C, N-codoped SnO nanocrystals with ester functionality in quantitative yields by thermal and solvothermal dissociation processes. The products were characterized extensively.

Quasi-2D BiLnO (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu): reversible iodine intercalation and their evaluation as the anode in the lithium-ion battery system.

Layered materials with a robust structure and reversible intercalation behavior are highly sought-after in applications involving energy conversion and storage systems, energy converting devices, supercapacitors, batteries, superconductors, photonic materials, and catalysis involving hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), solar cells and sensors. In the current study, quasi-2D rhombohedral BiLnO (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) samples, synthesized by a solution combustion route, have been demonstrated to intercalate iodine reversibly. A solid-vapor reaction was employed to intercalate iodine at moderate temperatures, and deintercalation occurred on heating at higher temperatures.

Hole and Electron Doping Outcomes in BiYOCl.

Recognizing the deficiency in the hole and electron doping outcomes in layered bismuth-based oxyhalides intergrowths, the current study was addressed to the doping of Ca and Zr for Y in BiYOCl. The samples were rapidly synthesized by a sol-gel auto combustion method and characterized extensively. Up to 30 mol % Y could be substituted with Ca in tetragonal symmetry and without the appearance of any additional phase.

Zircon PrVO: an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for tandem oxidative synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted quinoline derivatives.

The current study addresses the usage of inherent redox couplets in PrVO crystallizing in a zircon-type structure for tandem oxidative transformation. Monophasic PrVO, synthesized using a solution combustion synthesis method, showed a tetragonal zircon-type structure in its PXRD pattern (S.G.

Magnetic properties of Sn- and Mn-incorporated CoTiO from single-step calcination.

This report deals with the rapid synthesis of cobalt titanate spinels (CoTiO (CTO), CoSnTiO (CSTO), and CoMnTiO (CMTO) by the single-step calcination of hydroxide precursors and their extensive characterization. The cubic unit cell expanded and contracted when Ti in CTO was partially replaced with Sn and Mn, respectively. The Raman spectra confirmed the cubic spinel structure and showed a systematic shift with the inclusion of tin and manganese.

Anatase Nanocrystals Covalently Functionalized with EDTA-diol: Interaction with Aromatic Sulfur.

The current study addresses the generation of surface-modified nanograined anatase (5 nm) by a single-step in situ process. The EDTA-diol (ester) functionality existing on the surface of anatase nanoparticles was proved with the help of a battery of physicochemical techniques, including FTIR, XPS, and NMR spectral measurements. The sample showed excellent dispersity in ethanol.

KLaGdF:Eu hexagonal phase nanoparticles as luminescent probes for Huh-7 cancer cell imaging.

A facile chemical route is reported for synthesizing red-emitting photoluminescent/MRI multi-functional KLa(0.95-x)GdxF4:Eu3+ (x = 0 to 0.4) bio-compatible nanomaterials for targeted in vitro tumor imaging.

Modulating the optical and magnetic properties of geometrically frustrated ZnVO by the introduction of indium (nonmagnetic ions), iron, and chromium (magnetic ions).

The current study is aimed at understanding the effects of diluting the magnetic properties of a geometrically frustrated normal spinel, ZnV2O4, with the incorporation of nonmagnetic In3+ in place of V3+. Samples with the formula, ZnV2-xInxO4 (x = 0.00, 0.

Synthesis of ZnO@Ag dumbbells for highly efficient visible-light photocatalysts.

The photocatalytic activity (PCA) of ZnO@Ag nanocomposites for different concentrations of Ag is reported. Dumbbells shaped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures with silver (Ag) nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple chemical colloidal method. The as synthesized nanocomposites (without any heat treatment) were used for optical and photocatalytic studies.

Implications of including a magnetic ion (Cr and Fe) at the vanadium site in a geometrically frustrated spinel MgVO: magnetic and catalytic properties.

The vanadium sublattice in a geometrically frustrated MgV2O4 is substituted partially with Cr3+ and Fe3+. With a successful Rietveld refinement of the powder X-ray diffraction patterns of MgVCrO4 and MgVFeO4, Cr and Fe occupy the octahedral sites of a spinel structure. Extensive field-dependent and temperature magnetic measurements on these samples reveal exciting results.

Color-Tunable Upconversion in Er/Yb-Codoped KLaF Nanophosphors by Incorporation of Tm Ions for Biological Applications.

Heavily doped nanocrystals of host KLaF with rare earth (RE = Er, Tm, and Yb) ions prepared by a simple one-step template-free wet-chemical route have been reported. Prepared KLaF nanocrystals reveal phase-pure cubic structures (lattice constant = 5.931Å) with space group 3.

Metastable BiZrO with Pyrochlore-like Structure: Stabilization, Oxygen Ion Conductivity, and Catalytic Properties.

Equimolar concentrations of Zr and Bi were chelated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ligand with the purpose of using it as a precursor to generate pyrochlore-like BiZrO. When the X-ray amorphous precursor was calcined at 750 °C for 3 h in air, pyrochlore-like product with superstructure reflections was identified by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) along with one minor reflection due to β-BiO. This phase was found to be metastable from additional experiments conducted by varying calcination conditions.

Site preference for luminescent activator ions in doped fluoroperovskite RbZnF.

With the dual objective of investigating the site preferences of larger sized activator ions and to append luminescence property to the perovskite structured RbZnF, doping of manganese(II), cerium(III), europium(III) and terbium(III) ions (5 mol%) was carried out. Although cubic symmetry of RbZnF was preserved for all the doped samples, site preference of rare-earth ions for the A-site Rb leading to an inverse perovskite arrangement has been noticed from careful analysis of lattice parameters from refinement of powder X-ray diffraction data. Undoped RbZnF exhibited rod-like morphology in the transmission electron microscopic image.

Correlating the Influence of Two Magnetic Ions at the A-Site with the Electronic, Magnetic, and Catalytic Properties in Gd Dy CrO.

Considering the absence of reports dealing with the perovskite-structured orthochromites containing two A-site magnetic rare-earth ions, GdCrO and progressively Dy-substituted samples of the series Gd Dy CrO have been synthesized employing the epoxide-mediated sol-gel procedure. The samples were characterized extensively using high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and UV-visible spectroscopies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. Monophasic samples possessing an orthorhombic perovskite structure emerged by calcining the xerogels formed by the reaction of rare-earth nitrates, chromium(III)chloride, and propylene oxide at 800 °C for 2 h.

Sol-Gel Synthesis of High-Purity Actinide Oxide ThO and Its Solid Solutions with Technologically Important Tin and Zinc Ions.

The applicability of epoxide-based sol-gel synthesis for actinide oxide (thoria) starting from air-stable salt, Th(NO), has been examined. The homogeneous gel formed from Th(NO) when calcined at 400 °C yielded nanostructured thoria, and with increasing tempeartures (600, 700, and 800 °C), the average crystallite size increased. Successful Rietveld refinement of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern of ThO in Fm3̅m space group was carried out with a = 5.

An ethylene glycol intercalated monometallic layered double hydroxide based on iron as an efficient bifunctional catalyst.

Given the fact that the literature describing the intercalation of organic molecules in monometallic LDH systems is scarce, the present investigation is aimed at the generation of ethylene glycol intercalated Fe-Fe LDH with the objective of enhancing the surface area for further catalytic applications of industrially important and environmentally harmful organics. The solvothermal reaction of FeCl with urea in an ethylene glycol medium yielded a brown colored powder which was characterized employing a wide range of analytical techniques including high resolution powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis, X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), elemental (C, H, N and S) analysis, UV-visible, photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements, BET surface area and pore-size analysis. The observed reflections in the PXRD pattern were indexed in a rhombohedral symmetry with a = 3.

Determination of solubility limit of Sn(4+) in fluorite structured terbia with simultaneous evaluation of photocatalytic function.

Although the fluorite structure is highly common among stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric terbia compositions, high pressures are necessary to stabilize SnO2 in the fluorite structure. With this objective, the extent of solubility of Sn(4+) in terbia possessing the fluorite structure has been determined by conducting its synthesis via an epoxide mediated sol-gel method. Up to 40% of Sn(4+) can be incorporated in terbia, which retains its fluorite structure, as concluded from PXRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, HR-TEM and SAED measurements.

A smart switchable module for the detection of multiple ions via turn-on dual-optical readout and their cell imaging studies.

A module switchable as a function of multi-stimuli response has been designed. The module displays sequential logic gate-based detection of multiple ions (Fe(3+), Hg(2+), CN(-) and S(2-)) at ppm levels via a "turn on" signature which potentially meets real-world-challenges through a simple synthetic route, a fast response, water based-activity, naked-eye visualization, regenerative-action, high selectivity and multiple readout for precise analysis. Living cell imaging of Fe(3+) and Hg(2+) has also been carried out in HeLa cell lines.

A sequential logic gate-based "smart probe" for selective monitoring of Cu(2+), Fe(3+) and CN(-)/F(-)via differential analyses.

A sequential logic gate-based probe has been constructed for the detection of Cu(2+), Fe(3+), CN(-) and F(-) at ppm levels which potentially meets real-world-challenges through a simple synthetic route, with rapid response, water based-activity, visualization by the naked eye, regenerative action, high selectivity and multiple readout for precise analysis.

Topochemical Oxidation of Perovskite KCoF3 to a K2PtCl6 Structure-Type Oxyfluoride.

Oxyfluoride, K2CoOF4 with K2PtCl6 structure, has been stabilized from a perovskite-based KCoF3 complex by a simple oxidative anion insertion topochemical reaction. Similar structural transformations have been observed for Ni- and Mn-containing systems. The generation of such unusual compounds, by soft chemical methods, strengthens the efforts toward materials discovery.

Novel fluorite structured superparamagnetic RbGdF₄ nanocrystals as versatile upconversion host.

Fluorite structured nanocrystals of RbGdF4 in cubic symmetry have successfully been synthesized by employing a simple, one-step, and template-free wet chemical method at room temperature. Considering the structural model of cubic KLaF4 in the Fm̅3m space group, the observed powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern was fitted by the Le Bail procedure with the cubic lattice constant of a = 5.8244 (1) Å.