Cubic Nanostructures of Nickel-Cobalt Carbonate Hydroxide Hydrate as a High-Performance Oxygen Evolution Reaction Electrocatalyst in Alkaline and Near-Neutral Media.

Catalyst development for the efficient direction of electrocatalytic water splitting with much less overpotential is crucial for meeting large-scale hydrogen generation. Being highly abundant and cost-effective, 3d transition-metal-based catalysts show promising activities in alkaline conditions. In this work, bimetallic nickel-cobalt carbonate hydroxide hydrate (NiCoCHH) was prepared by a co-precipitation method with varying molar ratios of Ni/Co of 0.

Intervening Bismuth Tungstate with DNA Chain Assemblies: A Perception toward Feedstock Conversion via Photoelectrocatalytic Water Splitting.

An advanced approach with DNA-mediated bismuth tungstate (BiWO) one-dimensional (1-D) nanochain assemblies for hydrogen production with 5-fold enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting reaction is presented. The creation of new surface states upon DNA modification mediates the electron transfer in a facile manner for a better PEC process. The UV-Vis-DRS analysis results a red shift in the optical absorption phenomenon with the interference of DNA modification on BiWO, and, thus, the band gap was tuned from 3.

Developments in DNA metallization strategies for water splitting electrocatalysis: A review.

The biomolecule DNA with the presence of different functionalities found to interact with different kinds of metal ions and show relatively higher stability over a long period of time when optimized appropriately. With the presence of A-T and G-C pairs, sugar moieties, phosphate functional groups and the double-helical structure, it can assemble both cationic and anionic species and forms a perfect metal-DNA self-assembly. Depending upon the aspect ratio of metal-DNA self-assemblies, metal content and their morphological outcomes, they could deliver variance in the catalytic activities.

Tuning Cu Overvoltage for a Copper-Telluride System in Electrocatalytic Water Reduction and Feasible Feedstock Conversion: A New Approach.

Highly efficient and earth-abundant elements capable of water reduction by electrocatalysis and are attractive for the sustainable generation of fuels. Among the earth-abundant metals, copper is one of the cheapest but often the most neglected choice for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to its high overvoltage. Herein, for the first time we have tuned the overpotential of copper by tellurizing it by two different methodologies, viz.

Soft Materials for Wearable/Flexible Electrochemical Energy Conversion, Storage, and Biosensor Devices.

Next-generation wearable technology needs portable flexible energy storage, conversion, and biosensor devices that can be worn on soft and curved surfaces. The conformal integration of these devices requires the use of soft, flexible, light materials, and substrates with similar mechanical properties as well as high performances. In this review, we have collected and discussed the remarkable research contributions of recent years, focusing the attention on the development and arrangement of soft and flexible materials (electrodes, electrolytes, substrates) that allowed traditional power sources and sensors to become viable and compatible with wearable electronics, preserving or improving their conventional performances.

Amperometric determination of Myo-inositol using a glassy carbon electrode modified with nanostructured copper sulfide.

A method for the amperometric determination of Myo-inositol is presented. Nanostructured copper sulfide material was synthesized by solvothermal method and utilized as sensor matrix. The physico-chemical analysis using XRD, Raman, FE-SEM, TEM, and XPS confirmed the formation of CuS material.

State-of-Art Bio-Assay Systems and Electrochemical Approaches for Nanotoxicity Assessment.

Innovations in the field of nanotechnology, material science and engineering has rendered fruitful utilities in energy, environment and healthcare. Particularly, emergence of surface engineered nanomaterials offered novel varieties in the daily consumables and healthcare products including therapeutics and diagnostics. However, the nanotoxicity and bioactivity of the nanomaterials upon interaction with biological system has raised critical concerns to individual as well as to the environment.

Rational Design of Highly Efficient Perovskite Hydroxide for Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation.

The production of hydrogen from ecofriendly renewable technologies like water electrolysis and fuel cells involves oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which plays a major role, but the slow kinetics of OER is a bottleneck of commercialization of such technologies. Herein, we have reported the formation of an efficient OER catalyst from SnCo(OH) (SCH) by leaching of Sn atoms during electrochemical OER studies. According to density functional theory calculations, adsorption of OH* species on Sn atoms is energetically more favorable than that of Co atoms, and as a result, highly active CoOOH is generated by leaching of Sn atoms from surface layers.

Light-Triggered Reversible Supracolloidal Self-Assembly of Precision Gold Nanoclusters.

Monolayer thiol-protected noble metal nanoclusters are attractive nanoscale building blocks for well-defined colloidal superstructures. However, achieving facile reversible self-assembly of nanoclusters using external stimuli is still in its infancy. Herein, we report the synthesis and photon-assisted reversible self-assembly of thiolated azobenzene-stapled Au nanoclusters.

Transition-Metal-Based Zeolite Imidazolate Framework Nanofibers via an Electrospinning Approach: A Review.

Zeolite imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are a subclass of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and have been considered as a special finding in the current platform of the research arena. ZIFs have been comprised of metal ions with imidazolate linkers. In recent times, ZIFs have been predominately utilized for various applications.

Impact of aminated carbon quantum dots as a novel co-reactant for Ru(bpy): resolving specific electrochemiluminescence for butein detection.

Development of novel nanomaterial-based co-reactant is highly desired for enhancing ECL intensity and widespread analytical applications. Herein, we report the distinct role of amine-functionalized carbon quantum dots (f-CQDs) as a co-reactant, for the first time, augmenting the ECL property of Ru(bpy) and demonstrating for biopharmaceutical (butein) detection. Unlike conventional co-reactants like tripropylamine (TPrA), 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol (DBAE), and pristine CQDs, the f-CQDs as a co-reactant yield superior ECL of Ru(bpy).

Application of Electrochemical Aptasensors toward Clinical Diagnostics, Food, and Environmental Monitoring: Review.

Aptamers are synthetic bio-receptors of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) origin selected by the systematic evolution of ligands (SELEX) process that bind a broad range of target analytes with high affinity and specificity. So far, electrochemical biosensors have come up as a simple and sensitive method to utilize aptamers as a bio-recognition element. Numerous aptamer based sensors have been developed for clinical diagnostics, food, and environmental monitoring and several other applications are under development.

V Incorporated β-Co(OH): A Robust and Efficient Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation.

Catalyzing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with the lowest possible overpotential is a key to ensure energy efficiency in the production of hydrogen from water electrochemically. In this report, we show the results that astonished us. Co hydroxide containing trivalent V was prepared chemically and screened for electrochemical water oxidation in rigorously Fe free 1 M KOH (pH 13.

Opto-electrochemical functionality of Ru(II)-reinforced graphene oxide nanosheets for immunosensing of dengue virus non-structural 1 protein.

Transforming the structural and functional properties of carbon nanostructures are highly beneficial for healthcare diagnostics. This research demonstrates the functionalization of opto-electrochemically active ruthenium bipyridine complex (Ru(II)) on the surface of graphene oxide (GO), enabling a dual-functional immunoprobe for the detection of non-structural 1 (NS1) protein, a dengue biomarker. Structural investigations reveals that Ru(II) has intermolecular bonding with functional groups of GO.

Cobalt tungsten oxide hydroxide hydrate (CTOHH) on DNA scaffold: an excellent bi-functional catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and aromatic alcohol oxidation.

A material with interdisciplinary properties is of wide interest for use in environmental applications. Currently, hydrogen generation by electrolysis and formation of carbonyl derivatives from alcohols are two different fields that focus on energy and environmental applications. In this work, a new material, Cobalt Tungsten Oxide Hydroxide Hydrate (CTOHH) on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) scaffold having chain-like morphology has been prepared for the first time by a facile microwave heating method.

Self-Assembled Polymer Thin Films Towards Nanoarchitectonics for Respiration Monitoring.

Manipulation of ionic transport in the self-assembled polymer thin films using nanoarchitectonics approach can open the door for the development of novel electronic devices with ultrafast operation and low-power consumption. Here, we demonstrate a highly sensitive and ultrafast responsive flexible humidity sensor for human respiration monitoring. Humidity sensing behavior of the polymerbased planar devices, in which a polyethylene oxide-phosphotungstic acid (PEO-PWA) thin film is placed between an opposing inert electrodes, have been investigated by optimizing the device configuration and PWA salt concentration in the PEO matrix.

Fluorescence Turn-On, Specific Detection of Cystine in Human Blood Plasma and Urine Samples by Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Quantum Dots.

Determination of cystine in blood and urine is very important to monitor and maintain the bio metabolism, immune systems, and prevent the tissue/DNA damage from free radicals, diagnosis of cystinuria disease, cancer, and related autoimmune diseases. Among the various detection methods, fluorometric detection is simple, rapid, and sensitive to cystine using nontoxic, inexpensive, highly fluorescent, stable carbon quantum dots (CQDs). The CQDs are prepared from -phenylenediamine by the hydrothermal method to get the inherent optical features of pH-dependent and excitation wavelength-independent fluorescence emission along with high aqueous stability due to pre-eminent nitrogen content.

Direct Synthesis of cubic shaped AgS on Ni mesh as Binder-free Electrodes for Energy Storage Applications.

A facile approach of chemical bath deposition was proposed to fabricate direct synthesis of silver sulphide (AgS) on nickel (Ni) mesh without involvement for binders for supercapacitor electrodes. The phase purity, structure, composition, morphology, microstructure of the as-fabricated AgS electrode was validated from its corresponding comprehensive characterization tools. The electrochemical characteristics of the AgS electrodes were evaluated by recording the electrochemical measurements such as cyclic voltammetry and charge/discharge profile in a three electrode configuration system.

Advanced CuSn and Selenized CuSn@Cu Foam as Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation under Alkaline and Near-Neutral Conditions.

Water electrolysis is a field growing rapidly to replace the limited fossil fuels for harvesting energy in future. In searching of non-noble and advanced electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), here we highlight a new and advanced catalyst, selenized CuSn@Cu foam, with overwhelming activity for OER under both alkaline (1 M KOH) and near-neutral (1 M NaHCO) conditions. The catalysts were prepared by a double hydrothermal treatment where CuSn is first formed which further underwent for second hydrothermal condition for selenization.

Spinel Cobalt Titanium Binary Oxide as an All-Non-Precious Water Oxidation Electrocatalyst in Acid.

Replacing precious water oxidation electrocatalysts used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers with the nonprecious and abundant electrocatalysts is still a poorly addressed issue in the field of hydrogen generation in acidic medium through water electrolysis. Herein we report such an all-nonprecious binary spinel metal oxide the "cobalt titanate" (CoTiO) as an efficient alternate to expensive IrO and RuO for PEM water electrolyzer. The synthesized CoTiO octahedral nanocrystals of size 50 to 210 nm showed excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity in 0.

Evaluating DNA Derived and Hydrothermally Aided Cobalt Selenide Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation.

Electrocatalysts with engaging oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity with lesser overpotentials are highly desired to have increased cell efficiency. In this work, cobalt selenide catalysts were prepared utilizing both wet-chemical route (CoSe and CoSe-DNA) and hydrothermal route (CoSe-hyd). In wet-chemical route, cobalt selenide is prepared with DNA (CoSe-DNA) and without DNA (CoSe).

Electrochemical oxidation with the aerobic pretreatment process for sulfate-rich tannery effluent.

The anaerobic feed of tannery effluent was treated using a new invention of an integrated approach: electrochemical oxidation with aerobic pretreatment, which reduces the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and sulfur/sulfide gas formation. Bacterial consortium was used in the present study isolated from a common effluent treatment plant (CETP). Microbial community analysis of anaerobic feed of tannery effluent (AFTE) was done by next generation sequencing.

Hierarchical porous carbon derived from waste amla for the simultaneous electrochemical sensing of multiple biomolecules.

For the first time, highly porous and hierarchical carbon with high surface area (∼2430 m g) has been prepared from waste amla fruits at different carbonization temperatures viz., 700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C by a simple and eco-friendly method for the simultaneous electrochemical sensing of biologically important compounds such as ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA) and nitrite. The porous carbon materials synthesized at 700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C are denoted as ABC-700, ABC-800 and ABC-900, respectively.

Nanosheets of Nickel Iron Hydroxy Carbonate Hydrate with Pronounced OER Activity under Alkaline and Near-Neutral Conditions.

Evaluation of unique catalysts of the iron group metals with activity in the OER region similar to that of scarce metals is of great importance to achieve sustainable production of H on a large scale. Herein, we report the unique nanosheets of nickel iron hydroxy carbonate hydrate (NiFeHCH) which were prepared through a wet-chemical route within 1 h of reaction time, acting as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in both alkaline and near-neutral media. The NiFeHCH was prepared with different concentrations of Fe in different ratios: 1:0.

Cholesterol derived carbon quantum dots as fluorescence probe for the specific detection of hemoglobin in diluted human blood samples.

In the current decade, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are promising fluorescence probe in bio/analytical chemistry due to its unique properties. The functional groups of CQDs can be tuning the optical properties and selectively make a strong bond with target molecules. The interactions between Hb and cholesterol through hydrophobic batches are more favorable than the usual π-π interaction between CQDs and Hb.