The size-dependent valence and conduction band-edge energies of Cu quantum dots.

Ultra-small metal particles having band gaps are regarded as a new class of functional materials. We investigated the size dependencies of the band-edge energies on Cu quantum-dots in the size range of 0.7-2.

Removal of hexavalent chromium from water by Z-scheme photocatalysis using TiO (rutile) nanorods loaded with Au core-CuO shell particles.

All-solid-state Z-scheme photocatalysts, containing CuO, TiO (rutile), and Au as the electron mediator, were prepared and applied to the reduction of Cr(VI) in aqueous solutions. The CuO-Au-TiO composites were prepared by loading Au core-CuO shell hemisphere particles on TiO (rutile) nanorods using a two-step photocatalytic deposition process. Under ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) light illumination, the CuO-Au-TiO composites exhibited higher photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction activities than those exhibited by single TiO (rutile) and CuO.

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Mixed-Valence Bismuthate, NaBiO.

Four types of bismuth oxides, NaBiO, NaBiO, α-BiO, and ε-BiO, were obtained by hydrothermal reactions using NaBiO·HO in NaOH solution. The crystal structure of a new phase (Na Bi)BiO ((NaBi)BiO) was determined by using single crystal X-ray diffraction data, and this compound was found to show a NaMnCl-related structure with a monoclinic system (space group, ) with the following lattice parameters: = 5.990 (2) Å, = 3.

Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a (BaK)BiO Double-Perovskite Superconductor with Onset of the Transition ∼ 30 K.

A new superconducting double perovskite was successfully synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal reaction at 240 °C. The crystal structure refinement of this double perovskite was done by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and it had a cubic unit cell of = 8.5207(2) Å with space group 3̅ (No.

Enhanced Supercapacitor Performance Based on CoAl Layered Double Hydroxide-Polyaniline Hybrid Electrodes Manufactured Using Hydrothermal-Electrodeposition Technology.

Electrodes with nanosheet architectures can offer the possibility to achieve enhanced energy storage performance. Herein, we have designed and synthesized novel nanosheet structures of CoAl layered double hydroxide (LDH)-polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposite thin films by a hydrothermal-electrodeposition method. The molecular structure, crystal structure, morphology and chemical composition of the composites were characterized by FT-IR, XRD (SXRD), FESEM, and XPS, whereas their electrochemical properties were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge-discharge tests.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Pyrochlore-Type Pentavalent Bismuthates CaBiO and SrBiO.

The pyrochlore-type CaBiO and SrBiO have been synthesized from a low-temperature hydrothermal route using NaBiO·nHO as a starting material. The crystal structures of these compounds were refined using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. The cell parameters were found to be a = 10.

Circumstances of La, Eu, Dy, and Yb Cations Intercalated via Ion Exchange in γ-Zirconium Phosphate.

Both α- and γ-zirconium phosphate were examined for use as ion exchangers for recovery of rare earth elements. Trivalent rare earth elements can be partially substituted for protons in the interlayer space, and γ-zirconium phosphate shows a much better ion exchange competency than α-zirconium phosphate. The exchanged cation of the rare earth elements might be related to different amounts of oxygen from P-OH and HO, and these rare earth elements were thus positioned at a different separations from the zirconium phosphate layer.

Crystal Structure, Thermal Behavior, and Photocatalytic Activity of NaBiO· nHO.

The crystal structure of NaBiO· nHO was refined using synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and was assigned to a trigonal unit cell (space group P3̅) consisting of layered structures formed by edge-sharing BiO octahedra and consisting of an interlayer composed of water molecules sandwiched between two layers of sodium atoms, perpendicular to the c axis. An intermediate phase was observed during the dehydration of the hydrated compound. Density of state calculations showed hybridization of the Bi 6s and O 2p orbitals at the bottom of the conduction bands for both the hydrated and the dehydrated phases, which narrows the band gap and promotes their photocatalytic activity in the visible region.

Formation of Uniform and High-Coverage Monolayer Colloidal Films of Midnanometer-Sized Gold Particles over the Entire Surfaces of 1.5-in. Substrates.

We report a simple and facile method for fabricating monolayer colloidal films of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on glass substrates. The new method consists of two sequential sonication processes. The first sonication is performed to obtain a well-dispersed state of alkanethiol-capped AuNPs in hexane/acetone in the presence of a substrate.

Adsorption Behavior of Rare Earth Metal Cations in the Interlayer Space of γ-ZrP.

Adsorption competencies of rare earth metal cations in γ-zirconium phosphate were examined by ICP, synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD), and ab initio simulation. The adsorption amounts are around 0.06-0.

Assembly of Mid-Nanometer-Sized Gold Particles Capped with Mixed Alkanethiolate SAMs into High-Coverage Colloidal Films.

We investigated the influence of the mixed n-alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs: 50.0 ± 3.2 nm in diameter) on their assembly into colloidal films.

Preparation of a titania/X-zeolite/porous glass composite photocatalyst using hydrothermal and drop coating processes.

Combinations of TiO2 photocatalysts and various adsorbents have been widely studied for the adsorption and photocatalytic decomposition of gaseous pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Herein, a TiO2-zeolite-porous glass composite was prepared using melt-quenching and partial sintering, hydrothermal treatment, and drop coating for preparation of the porous glass support and X-zeolite and their combination with TiO2, respectively. The obtained composite comprised anatase phase TiO2, X-zeolite, and the porous glass support, which were combined at the micro to nanometer scales.

Refractive index susceptibility of the plasmonic palladium nanoparticle: potential as the third plasmonic sensing material.

We demonstrate that Pd nanospheres exhibit much higher susceptibility of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak to medium refractive index changes than commonly used plasmonic sensing materials such as Au and Ag. The susceptibility of spherical Au nanoparticle-core/Pd-shell nanospheres (Au/PdNSs, ca. 73 nm in diameter) was found to be 4.

Particle size dependence of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties of densely arranged two-dimensional assemblies of Au(core)-Ag(shell) nanospheres.

We investigated the dependence of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity of densely arranged two-dimensional assemblies of spherical Au(core)-Ag(shell) nanoparticles (Au/AgNSs) on the nanoparticle diameter. The size-controlled Au/AgNSs were synthesized using the Au nanosphere seed-mediated growth method without any bulky stabilizers. The diameters of the Au/AgNSs were 38, 53, and 90 nm and the ratio of the total diameter to the Au core diameter was adjusted to ca.

Fabrication of dense two-dimensional assemblies over vast areas comprising gold(core)-silver(shell) nanoparticles and their surface-enhanced Raman scattering properties.

Fabrication of dense two-dimensional assemblies consisting of gold(core)-silver(shell) nanoparticles and the resulting peculiar surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity are reported. The assemblies were prepared via assembly at air-toluene interfaces by drop-casting toluene solutions containing the nanoparticles protected with octadecylamine molecules onto glass plates. This simple process, which does not require special apparatus or significant fabrication time, leads to uniform assemblies over vast areas (~34 cm(2)).

Various factors affecting photodecomposition of methylene blue by iron-oxides in an oxalate solution.

The effect of various factors on the photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB) by iron oxides calcined at various temperatures in various concentrations of oxalate solutions was investigated by illuminating with UV, visible and solar radiation. Iron oxides were prepared by a gel evaporation method and calcined at 200-700 degrees C. XRD showed that the as-synthesized iron oxides were amorphous, but formed maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) at 200-400 degrees C and hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)) at > or =500 degrees C.