Hydrothermal Synthesis of MoS/SnS Photocatalysts with Heterogeneous Structures Enhances Photocatalytic Activity.

The use of solar photocatalysts to degrade organic pollutants is not only the most promising and efficient strategy to solve pollution problems today but also helps to alleviate the energy crisis. In this work, MoS/SnS heterogeneous structure catalysts were prepared by a facile hydrothermal method, and the microstructures and morphologies of these catalysts were investigated using XRD, SEM, TEM, BET, XPS and EIS. Eventually, the optimal synthesis conditions of the catalysts were obtained as 180 °C for 14 h, with the molar ratio of molybdenum to tin atoms being 2:1 and the acidity and alkalinity of the solution adjusted by hydrochloric acid.

Preparation and Photocatalytic Performance of MoS/MoO Composite Catalyst.

Solar energy is an inexhaustible clean energy providing a key solution to the dual challenges of energy and environmental crises. Graphite-like layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS) is a promising photocatalytic material with three different crystal structures, 1T, 2H and 3R, each with distinct photoelectric properties. In this paper, 1T-MoS and 2H-MoS, which are widely used in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, were combined with MoO to form composite catalysts using a bottom-up one-step hydrothermal method.

Preparation of Monolithic LaFeO and Catalytic Oxidation of Toluene.

Porous LaFeO powders were produced by high-temperature calcination of LaFeO precursors obtained by hydrothermal treatment of corresponding nitrates in the presence of citric acid. Four LaFeO powders calcinated at different temperatures were mixed with appropriate amounts of kaolinite, carboxymethyl cellulose, glycerol and active carbon for the preparation of monolithic LaFeO by extrusion. Porous LaFeO powders were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen absorption/desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Three-dimensional ZnO@MnO2 core@shell nanostructures for electrochemical energy storage.

Three-dimensional (3D) ZnO@MnO2 core@shell branched nanowire arrays exhibit five times higher areal capacitance, better rate performance and smaller inner resistance than their nanowire array counterparts. These novel 3D architectures offer promising designs for powering microelectronics and other autonomous devices on exceptionally small geometric scales.

The complete control for the nanosize of spherical MCM-41.

In this work, we present a systematic study on the complete control over the sphere diameters of MCM-41 nanospheres with different pore sizes. The mesoporous silica nanospheres with diameter range from 40 nm to 160 nm are synthesized by using cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants as template and TEOS as silicon source in sodium hydroxide aqueous solution via sol-gel supermolecular method. Nanospheres with fixed diameter can be obtained through the precise control over the molar ratio of NaOH/TEOS and other synthetic conditions.

Surfactant-free microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of BaMoO4 hierarchical self-assemblies and enhanced photoluminescence properties.

BaMoO(4) with 3D hierarchical multilayer disk-like and nest-like architectures self-assembled from 2D nanosheets was successfully synthesized via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal route without any surfactant. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission transmission electron microscope (FE-TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer. The results show that the reaction parameters, including pH value, reactant concentration, and molar ratio of [Ba(2+)]/[MoO(4)(2-)], played important roles on the morphologies of the final products.

Growth and characterization of ternary AlGaN alloy nanocones across the entire composition range.

AlGaN ternary alloys have unique properties suitable for numerous applications due to their tunable direct band gap from 3.4 to 6.2 eV by changing the composition.

Preparation of Eu(3+) doped (Y,Gd)(2)O(3) flowers from (Y,Gd)(2)(CO(3))(3).nH(2)O flowerlike precursors: Microwave hydrothermal synthesis, growth mechanism and luminescence property.

In this study, (Y,Gd)(2)O(3) and (Y,Gd)(2)O(3):Eu flowerlike microstructures were prepared through two steps: well-organized 3-dimensional (3D) flowerlike precursors were first synthesized by a facile urea-based microwave hydrothermal method, then followed by heat treatment. The morphology of the 3D flowerlike precursors could be modulated by adjusting the synthetic conditions including concentration of the starting material, reaction time and temperature. Higher the concentration of Y/Gd ions or reaction temperature, earlier the 3D flowerlike precursors were obtained.

A novel ZnO nanostructure: rhombus-shaped ZnO nanorod array.

A facile scalable two-step approach based on a low-temperature aqueous electrodeposition and a solid-state crystal phase transformation process was developed to grow rhombus-shaped ZnO nanorod arrays which showed markedly improved hydrogen storage capacity.

Construction of uric acid biosensor based on biomimetic titanate nanotubes.

A uric acid biosensor has been fabricated through the immobilization of uricase on glassy carbon electrode modified by biomimetic titanate nanotubes of high specific surface area synthesized by hydrothermal decomposition. The so-constructed biosensor presents a high affinity to uric acid with a small apparent Michaelis-Menten constant of only 0.66 mM.

Electrocatalysts: Facile Construction of Pt-Co/CNx Nanotube Electrocatalysts and Their Application to the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (Adv. Mater. 48/2009).

Pt-Co alloyed nanoparticles can be facilely immobilized onto CNx nanotubes due to the incorporated nitrogen, report Yanwen Ma, Zheng Hu, and co-workers on p. 4953. The as-prepared electrocatalysts exhibit good performance for oxygen reduction reactions in acidic media arising from the high dispersion and alloying effect of Pt-Co nanoparticles, as well as the intrinsic catalytic capacity of CNx nanotubes, which is significant for the development of fuel cells.

Facile Construction of Pt-Co/CNx Nanotube Electrocatalysts and Their Application to the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

A straight forward method for immobilizing Pt-Co alloyed nanoparticles onto nitrogen-doped CNx nanotubes is presented. The as-prepared electrocatalysts exhibit good performance for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic medium arising from the high-dispersion and alloying effect of the Pt-Co nanoparticles and the intrinsic catalytic capacity of the CNx nanotubes.

A highly ordered self-assembly three-grade porous helical silica tube.

A novel three-grade porous helical silica tube is prepared through an ingenious multi-soft-template pathway. This study reveals that three-(or multi-)grade self-assembly porous structure can be realized by using the synergistic effect of soft-templates. Our finding can offer an opportunity for nanofabrication including rational molecular design, spatial control on a nanoscale, and hierarchical assembly of complex architectures of porous materials.

Synthesis and field emission characterization of titanium nitride nanowires.

Single crystalline titanium nitride nanowires have been successfully synthesized through a chloride-assisted carbon thermal reduction method using the active carbon, TiO2 and NaCl powders as precursors and cobalt nanoparticles as catalyst. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The TiN nanowires possess a cubic structure with typical diameter of 20-60 nm and length up to microns.

Chemical functionalization of magnetic carbon-encapsulated nanoparticles based on acid oxidation.

Carbon-encapsulated nickel nanoparticles were used as the representative magnetic carbon-encapsulated nanoparticles for chemical functionalization. After oxidation with the mixed acid of H2SO4/HNO3 under a moderate ultrasonic bath, carboxylic acid groups (-COOH) were effectively generated on the fullerene-like carbon shells, which in turn were utilized to covalently link octadecylamine through an amide reaction. The whole chemical process is well characterized by many methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and so on, and the self-consistent experimental results were obtained.

Synergism of C5N six-membered ring and vapor-liquid-solid growth of CN(x) nanotubes with pyridine precursor.

A series of bamboo-like CN(x)() nanotubes have been synthesized from pyridine precursor by chemical vapor deposition with bimetallic Fe-Co/gamma-Al(2)O(3) catalyst in the range of 550 approximately 950 degrees C. An unusual predomination of pyridinic nitrogen over graphitic nitrogen has been observed for the CN(x)() nanotubes with reaction temperature below 750 degrees C. The pyridinic nitrogen decreases and the graphitic nitrogen increases with rising reaction temperature.

Synthesis and optical properties of gallium phosphide nanotubes.

Gallium phosphide nanotubes with zinc blende structure were synthesized for the first time. The as-prepared GaP nanotubes are polycrystalline with diameters of 30-120 nm and occasionally partially filled. The growth has been reasonably proposed to follow vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism.

Synthesis of single-crystalline alpha-Si(3)N(4) nanobelts by extended vapour-liquid-solid growth.

A simple chemical method for the production of single-crystalline alpha-Si(3)N(4) nanobelts has been developed, consisting of nitridation of a high-Si-content Fe-Si 'catalyst' by ammonia at 1300 degrees C. The as-synthesized product was characterized by means of x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The alpha-Si(3)N(4) nanobelts have widths of 60-120 nm, thicknesses of 10-30 nm and lengths up to microns.

Sonochemical fabrication and characterization of stibnite nanorods.

Regular stibnite (Sb(2)S(3)) nanorods with diameters of 20-40 nm and lengths of 220-350 nm have been successfully synthesized by a sonochemical method under ambient air from an ethanolic solution containing antimony trichloride and thioacetamide. The as-prepared Sb(2)S(3) nanorods are characterized by employing techniques including X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and optical diffuse reflection spectroscopy. Microstructural analysis reveals that the Sb(2)S(3) nanorods crystallize in an orthorhombic structure and predominantly grow along the (001) crystalline plane.

[Expression and significance of CD44v6, bcl-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in endometrial adenocarcinoma].

Background & Objective: The pathogenesis of endometrial carcinoma has not been clear yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of expression of CD44v6, bcl-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on oncogenesis and progression in endometrial carcinoma.

Methods: The expression levels of CD44v6, bcl-2, and VEGF were determined using immunohistochemistry in 55 cases with endometrial adenocarcinoma, 10 cases each of normal proliferative endometrium, simple hyperplasia, and atypical hyperplasia, respectively.

Synthesis and characterization of faceted hexagonal aluminum nitride nanotubes.

The synthesis of the faceted single-crystalline h-AlN nanotubes with the length of a few micrometers and diameters from 30 to 80 nm is first reported. This provides an ideal substrate for the construction of GaN-based nanoheterostructures in future nanoelectronics. The experimental results suggest the further extensive experimental and theoretical studies on the promising nonlayered nanotubular structures.