Iron-Montmorillonite-Cyclodextrin Composites as Recyclable Sorbent Catalysts for the Adsorption and Surface Oxidation of Organic Pollutants.

Iron-clay-cyclodextrin composites were designed as sorbent catalysts to adsorb and oxidize pollutants from water. The clay-iron backbone served as a mechanical support and as a heterogeneous Fenton catalyst, and the cyclodextrin monomers or polymers cross-linked with polyfluorinated aromatic molecules were used to accommodate adsorption of the pollutants. The composite based on iron-clay-cyclodextrin-polymers (Fe-MMT-βCD-DFB) exhibited superior adsorption and degradation of the model pollutants, bisphenol A (BPA), carbamazepine (CBZ), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), compared to the monomer-based composite and the native iron clay.

Microstructure characterization of biocompatible heterojunction hydrogen titanate-AgO nanocomposites for superior visible light photocatalysis and antibacterial activity.

Hydrogen trititanate (HTiO·2HO) and hydrogen trititanate/AgO hybrid nanocomposites (NCs) with novel structure have been synthesized by a simple solvothermal route followed by Na/H ion-exchange. Growths of hydrogen trititanate with nanofiber (HTNF) and nanotube (HTNT) morphologies and hydrogen trititanate-AgO (HTFAG and HTTAG) nanocomposites have been tailored by controlling the solvent media. Detailed microstructure characterization of all these samples have been carried out by Rietveld refinement of XRD data and analyzing FESEM/HRTEM micrographs and FTIR spectra.

Exploring (bio)catalytic activities of structurally characterised Cu(ii) and Mn(iii) complexes: histidine recognition and photocatalytic application of Cu(ii) complex and derived CuO nano-cubes.

Structurally characterised two polymeric complexes of Cu(ii) (3) and Mn(iii) (4) of the ligand L (2-(((2-(phenylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)phenol) have been explored for catecholase-like activity, fluorescence recognition of histidine and catalytic activity towards coupling of aryl iodides with benzamide, leading to N-arylbenzamides. CuO nano-cubes (NCs) prepared by thermal decomposition of the Cu(ii) complex function as photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue. Cube-like morphology of CuO nanocrystal and flake-shaped micrometer order Cu(ii) complex have been established from the field emissive scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images.

Microstructure characterization of hydrothermally synthesized PANI/VO·nHO heterojunction photocatalyst for visible light induced photodegradation of organic pollutants and non-absorbing colorless molecules.

Polyaniline intercalated vanadium oxide xerogel (PV) hybrid nanocomposite (NC) with novel structure has been successfully synthesized through a simple hydrothermal route. Detailed structure and microstructure characterization of PV NC is illustrated through Rietveld refinement of XRD data and FESEM/HRTEM images. Both FTIR and XPS spectra confirm the presence of PANI and water molecules within the NC and partial reduction of V to V, corroborating with the results of XRD pattern analysis.