Preparation and Characterization of Surface Photocatalytic Activity with NiO/TiO2 Nanocomposite Structure

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Jian-Zhi Chen

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This study achieved a nanocomposite structure of nickel oxide (NiO/titanium dioxide (TiO2 heterojunction on a TiO2 film surface. The photocatalytic activity of this structure evaluated by decomposing methylene blue (MB solution was strongly correlated to the conductive behavior of the NiO film. A p-type NiO film of high concentration in contact with the native n-type TiO2 film, which resulted in a strong inner electrical field to effectively separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than the controlled TiO2 film. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the NiO/TiO2 nanocomposite structure was enhanced as the thickness of the p-NiO film decreased, which was beneficial for the migration of the photogenerated carriers to the structural surface.

Constructing MnO{sub 2}/single crystalline ZnO nanorod hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Weiwei [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Liu, Tiangui, E-mail: tianguiliu@gmail.com [College of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Cao, Shiyi; Wang, Chen [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Chen, Chuansheng, E-mail: 1666423158@qq.com [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China)

2016-07-15

In order to improve the photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanorods, ZnO nanorods decorated with MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles (MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids) were prepared by using microwave assisted coprecipitation method under the influence of hydrogen peroxide, and the structure, photocatalytic activity and antibacterial property of the products were studied. Experimental results indicated that MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are decorated on the surface of single crystalline ZnO nanorods. Moreover, the resultant MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids have been proven to possess good photocatalytic and antibacterial activity, which their degradated efficiency for Rhodamin B (RhB) is twice as the pure ZnO nanorods. Enhancement for photocatalytic and antibacterial activity is mainly attributed to the low band gap energy and excellent electrochemical properties of MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. - Graphical abstract: The MnO{sub 2}/single crystalline ZnO nanorods hybrids, which MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are loaded on the surface of ZnO nanorods, were prepared by the step-by-step precipitation method under the assistance of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Display Omitted - Highlights: • MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids were prepared by the step-by-step assembly method. • Single crystalline ZnO nanorods can be decorated by MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids possess good photocatalytic and antibacterial activity. • MnO{sub 2} can improve the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods under visible light.

Effect of sulfation on the surface activity of CaO for N2O decomposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Lingnan; Hu, Xiaoying; Qin, Wu; Dong, Changqing; Yang, Yongping

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sulfation of CaO (1 0 0) surface greatly deactivates its surface activity for N 2 O decomposition. • An increase of sulfation degree leads to a decrease of CaO surface activity for N 2 O decomposition. • Sulfation from CaSO 3 into CaSO 4 is the crucial step for deactivating the surface activity for N 2 O decomposition. • The electronic interaction CaO (1 0 0)/CaSO 4 (0 0 1) interface is limited to the bottom layer of CaSO 4 (0 0 1) and the top layer of CaO (1 0 0). • CaSO 4 (0 0 1) and (0 1 0) surfaces show negligible catalytic ability for N 2 O decomposition. - Abstract: Limestone addition to circulating fluidized bed boilers for sulfur removal affects nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emission at the same time, but mechanism of how sulfation process influences the surface activity of CaO for N 2 O decomposition remains unclear. In this paper, we investigated the effect of sulfation on the surface properties and catalytic activity of CaO for N 2 O decomposition using density functional theory calculations. Sulfation of CaO (1 0 0) surface by the adsorption of a single gaseous SO 2 or SO 3 molecule forms stable local CaSO 3 or CaSO 4 on the CaO (1 0 0) surface with strong hybridization between the S atom of SO x and the surface O anion. The formed local CaSO 3 increases the barrier energy of N 2 O decomposition from 0.989 eV (on the CaO (1 0 0) surface) to 1.340 eV, and further sulfation into local CaSO 4 remarkably increases the barrier energy to 2.967 eV. Sulfation from CaSO 3 into CaSO 4 is therefore the crucial step for deactivating the surface activity for N 2 O decomposition. Completely sulfated CaSO 4 (0 0 1) and (0 1 0) surfaces further validate the negligible catalytic ability of CaSO 4 for N 2 O decomposition.

Preparation and solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 composites: TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; Li, S. G.; Wang, J.; Li, Y.; Ma, C. H.; Zhang, L.

2014-12-01

Three TiO2 loaded composites, TiO2/kaolin, TiO2/diatomite, and TiO2/zeolite, were prepared in order to improve the solar-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The results showed that the photocatalytic activity could obviously be enhanced by loading appropriate amount of inorganic mineral materials. Meanwhile, TiO2 content, heat-treatment temperature and heat-treatment time on the photocatalytic activity were reviewed. Otherwise, the effect of solar light irradiation time and dye concentration on the photocatalytic degradation of Acid Red B was investigated. Furthermore, the degradation mechanism and adsorption process were also discussed.

Low-temperature preparation and microwave photocatalytic activity study of TiO2-mounted activated carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yazi; Yang Shaogui; Hong Jun; Sun Cheng

2007-01-01

TiO 2 thin films were deposited on granular activated carbon by a dip-coating method at low temperature (373 K), using microwave radiation to enhance the crystallization of titania nanoparticles. Uniform and continuous anatase titania films were deposited on the surface of activated carbon. BET surface area of TiO 2 -mounted activated carbon (TiO 2 /AC) decreased a little in comparison with activated carbon. TiO 2 /AC possessed strong optical absorption capacity with a band gap absorption edge around 360 nm. The photocatalytic activity did not increase when the as-synthesized TiO 2 /AC was thermally treated, but was much higher than commercial P-25 in degradation of phenol by irradiation of electrodeless discharge lamps (EDLs)

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Michal, Robert; Dworniczek, Ewa; Caplovicova, Maria; Monfort, Olivier; Lianos, Panagiotis; Caplovic, Lubomir; Plesch, Gustav

2016-05-01

TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO2(Eu). In investigated TiO2(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Coral-like CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites with efficient enzyme-mimetic activity for biosensing application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mu, Jianshuai; Zhao, Xin; Li, Jie [College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Functional Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Yang, En-Cui, E-mail: encui_yang@163.com [College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Functional Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Zhao, Xiao-Jun, E-mail: xiaojun_zhao15@163.com [College of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Functional Material Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin 300071 (China)

2017-05-01

Development of nanomaterials-based enzymatic mimics has gained considerable attention in recent years, because of their low cost, high stability and efficiently catalytic ability. Here, CeO{sub 2} was successfully incorporated into the coral-like NiO nanostructures assembled by nanoflakes with high surface area, forming the coral-like CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites. The morphology and composition of CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, SEM, element mapping and XPS. The results of characterization showed that cerium was highly dispersed in the coral-like NiO nanostructures. The peroxidase-like activity of CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites was investigated, and they exhibited enhanced peroxidase-like activity in comparison to that of pure NiO or CeO{sub 2}. The catalytic activity was dependent on the cerium content, and the optimal content was 2.5%. The enhanced catalytic activity of CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites arised from their high ability of electron transfer because of cerium incorporation. The catalytic performance of CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites was evaluated by steady-state kinetic, which showed that the CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites exhibited higher affinity for the substrates and similar catalytic efficiency compared with natural peroxidase. Based on the efficient peroxidase-like activity, CeO{sub 2}/NiO was used for H{sub 2}O{sub 2} determination. The constructed colorimetric H{sub 2}O{sub 2} sensor had fast response for only 5 min, a wide linear range from 0.05 to 40 mM and a low detection limit with 0.88 μM. The CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites were expected to have potential applications in clinical diagnosis and biotechnology as enzymatic mimics. - Highlights: • Coral-like CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites with different Ce content were synthesized. • CeO{sub 2} was highly dispersed in the NiO matrixes with high surface area. • CeO{sub 2}/NiO nanocomposites exhibited efficient peroxidase-like activity. • A colorimetric H{sub 2}O

Photocatalytic properties and selective antimicrobial activity of TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michal, Robert [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Dworniczek, Ewa [Department of Microbiology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50368 Wroclaw (Poland); Caplovicova, Maria [STU Centre for Nanodiagnostics, Slovak University of Technology, 81243 Bratislava (Slovakia); Monfort, Olivier [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia); Lianos, Panagiotis [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, 26500 Patras (Greece); Caplovic, Lubomir [Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Materials Science and Technology, Slovak University of Technology, 91724 Trnava (Slovakia); Plesch, Gustav, E-mail: plesch@fns.uniba.sk [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava (Slovakia)

2016-05-15

Highlights: • Nanocomposites composed of Eu-doped anatase grafted with CuO. • Increase in photocatalytic hydrogen production due to CuO acting as electrons sink. • CuO in composites decreasing the photoinduced total mineralization of phenol. • Selective photoinduced antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus species. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites were prepared by precipitation method. The anatase nanocrystallites with a size of 26 nm exhibited well crystallized and characteristical dipyramidal morphology and {1 0 1} and {0 0 1} faceting. Transmission electron microscopy photographs with atomic resolution showed that the Eu(III) dopants were bounded on surface of titania. In the composites, the CuO nanocrystals exhibiting a monoclinic tenorite structure with a size in the range from 2 to 5 nm were grafted to the surface of titania. The influence of copper(II) oxide led to distinct selectivity in the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of the investigated TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO nanocomposites. While the presence of CuO nanocrystals strongly increased the photocatalytic production of hydrogen by ethanol reforming, it decreased the activity in photoinduced total mineralization of phenol comparing with non-modified TiO{sub 2}(Eu). In investigated TiO{sub 2}(Eu)/CuO powders, the photoinduced antimicrobial activity against membranes of Enterococcus species was influenced by the selective binding of CuO to the surface of the microorganism leading to distinct selectivity in their action. The activity against Enterococcus faecalis was higher than against Enterococcus faecium.

Synthesis and enhanced photoelectrocatalytic activity of p–n junction Co3O4/TiO2 nanotube arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Gaopeng; Liu Suqin; Liang Ying; Luo Tianxiong

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTs) were prepared by an impregnating–deposition–decompostion method treatment. ► Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 NTs exhibit high photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) activity. ► The high PEC activity was attribute to the formation of p–n junction between Co 3 O 4 and TiO 2 . - Abstract: Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 nanotube arrays (NTs) were prepared by depositing Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) on the tube wall of the self-organized TiO 2 NTs using an impregnating–deposition–decompostion method. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) activity is evaluated by degradation of methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution. The prepared Co 3 O 4 /TiO 2 NTs exhibit much higher PEC activity than TiO 2 NTs due to the p–n junction formed between Co 3 O 4 and TiO 2 .

Effect of sulfation on the surface activity of CaO for N{sub 2}O decomposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Lingnan, E-mail: wulingnan@126.com [School of Energy, Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China); National Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Power Generation Equipment, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China); Hu, Xiaoying, E-mail: huxy@ncepu.edu.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Power Generation Equipment, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China); Qin, Wu, E-mail: qinwugx@126.com [National Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Power Generation Equipment, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China); Dong, Changqing, E-mail: cqdong1@163.com [National Engineering Laboratory for Biomass Power Generation Equipment, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China); Yang, Yongping, E-mail: yypncepu@163.com [School of Energy, Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, 102206 Beijing (China)

2015-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sulfation of CaO (1 0 0) surface greatly deactivates its surface activity for N{sub 2}O decomposition. • An increase of sulfation degree leads to a decrease of CaO surface activity for N{sub 2}O decomposition. • Sulfation from CaSO{sub 3} into CaSO{sub 4} is the crucial step for deactivating the surface activity for N{sub 2}O decomposition. • The electronic interaction CaO (1 0 0)/CaSO{sub 4} (0 0 1) interface is limited to the bottom layer of CaSO{sub 4} (0 0 1) and the top layer of CaO (1 0 0). • CaSO{sub 4} (0 0 1) and (0 1 0) surfaces show negligible catalytic ability for N{sub 2}O decomposition. - Abstract: Limestone addition to circulating fluidized bed boilers for sulfur removal affects nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) emission at the same time, but mechanism of how sulfation process influences the surface activity of CaO for N{sub 2}O decomposition remains unclear. In this paper, we investigated the effect of sulfation on the surface properties and catalytic activity of CaO for N{sub 2}O decomposition using density functional theory calculations. Sulfation of CaO (1 0 0) surface by the adsorption of a single gaseous SO{sub 2} or SO{sub 3} molecule forms stable local CaSO{sub 3} or CaSO{sub 4} on the CaO (1 0 0) surface with strong hybridization between the S atom of SO{sub x} and the surface O anion. The formed local CaSO{sub 3} increases the barrier energy of N{sub 2}O decomposition from 0.989 eV (on the CaO (1 0 0) surface) to 1.340 eV, and further sulfation into local CaSO{sub 4} remarkably increases the barrier energy to 2.967 eV. Sulfation from CaSO{sub 3} into CaSO{sub 4} is therefore the crucial step for deactivating the surface activity for N{sub 2}O decomposition. Completely sulfated CaSO{sub 4} (0 0 1) and (0 1 0) surfaces further validate the negligible catalytic ability of CaSO{sub 4} for N{sub 2}O decomposition.

Study of crystal-field excitations and Raman active phonons in o-DyMnO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jandl, S.; Mansouri, S.; Mukhin, A.A.; Yu Ivanov, V.; Balbashov, A.; Gospodino, M.M.; Nekvasil, V.; Orlita, M.

2011-01-01

In DyMnO 3 orthorhombic single crystals, the weak Raman active phonon softening below T=100 K is correlated with the study of infrared active Dy 3+ CF excitations as a function of temperature and under applied magnetic field. We detect five H 13/2 CF transitions that we predict with appropriate CF Hamiltonian and we confirm that the magnetic easy axis lies in the ab plane. While the CF energy level shifts below T=100 K reflect different displacements of the oxygen ions that contribute to the phonon softening, lifting of the ground state Kramers doublet degeneracy (∼30 cm -1 ) is observed below T N =39 K due to the anisotropic Mn 3+ -Dy 3+ interaction, which could be responsible for the stability of the bc-cycloid ferroelectric phase. - Research highlights: → Origin of Raman active phonon softening in the multiferroic o-DyMnO 3 . → A crystal-field study under magnetic field of Dy 3+ in o-DyMnO 3 . → Location of the magnetic easy axis in o-DyMnO 3 . → Lifting of Kramers doublet degeneracy in o-DyMnO 3 .

The thermodynamic activity of ZnO in silicate melts

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, R. A.; Gaskell, D. R.

1983-12-01

The activity of ZnO in ZnO-SiO2 and CaO-ZnO-SiO2 melts has been measured at 1560 °C using a transpiration technique with CO-CO2 mixtures as the carrier gas. The activities of ZnO in dilute solution in 42 wt pct SiO2-38 wt pct CaO-20 wt pct A12O3 in the range 1400° to 1550 °C and in 62 wt pct SiO2-23.3 wt pct CaO-14.7 wt pct A12O3 at 1550 °C have also been measured. The measured free energies of formation of ZnO-SiO2 melts are significantly more negative than published estimated values and this, together with the behavior observed in the system CaO-Al2O3-SiO2, indicate that ZnO is a relatively basic oxide. The results are discussed in terms of the polymerization model of binary silicate melts and ideal silicate mixing in ternary silicate melts. The behavior of ZnO in dilute solution in CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 melts is discussed in terms of the possibility of the fluxing of ZnO by iron blast furnace slags.

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of NaNbO{sub 3}/ZnO heterojunction photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu Hui; Liu Chengtang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of the Environment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Li Huaming, E-mail: lihm@ujs.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Xu Yuanguo; Xia Jiexiang; Yin Sheng; Liu Ling [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Wu Xiangyang [School of the Environment, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

2011-09-15

Highlights: > There was no report to investigate the photocatalytic activity of NaNbO3/ZnO heterojunction. > The relationship between the photocatalytic activity and the structural features of the prepared catalysts was investigated through a systematic characterization analysis. > The possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed. - Abstract: A series of NaNbO{sub 3}/ZnO heteronanostructures were synthesized with the hydrothermal method. Various characterization methods such as X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) were employed to investigate the structure, morphology and photocatalytic properties. The photocatalytic activity of the catalysts was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue dye and the highest photocatalytic efficiency was observed when the content of NaNbO{sub 3} was 10 wt.%. The photocatalytic mechanism of the heterojunction was also discussed. The effective transformation of the photoexcited electron and holes restricted the recombination of charges, which was regarded as the main reason of the high photocatalytic activity.

Strategies of making TiO2 and ZnO visible light active

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rehman, Shama; Ullah, Ruh; Butt, A.M.; Gohar, N.D.

2009-01-01

In modern purification techniques employing semiconductor mediated photooxidation of toxic substances, zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) are the most widely used metal oxides due to their unique blend of properties. However, the band edges of these semiconductors lie in the UV region which makes them inactive under visible light irradiation. Researchers have been interested in the modification of electronic and optical properties of these metal oxides for their efficient use in water and air purification under visible light irradiation. Visible light activity has been induced in TiO 2 and ZnO by surface modification via organic materials/semiconductor coupling and band gap modification by doping with metals and nonmetals, co-doping with nonmetals, creation of oxygen vacancies and oxygen sub-stoichiometry. This paper encompasses the progress and developments made so far through these techniques in the visible light photocatalysis with TiO 2 and ZnO. Recently, nitrogen doping in titania has been extensively carried out and therefore somewhat detailed discussion in this respect has been presented. Visible light activation of titania clusters encapsulated in zeolite-Y by nitrogen doping and incorporation of dye or organic sensitizers inside the zeolite framework, has also been highlighted in this review.

Photoluminescence and photocatalytic activities of Ag/ZnO metal-semiconductor heterostructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarma, Bikash; Deb, Sujit Kumar; Sarma, Bimal K.

2016-01-01

Present article focuses on the photocatalytic activities of ZnO nanorods and Ag/ZnO heterostructure deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. ZnO nanorods are synthesized by thermal decomposition technique and Ag nanoparticles deposition is done by photo-deposition technique using UV light. X-ray diffraction studies reveal that the ZnO nanorods are of hexagonal wurtzite structure. Further, as-prepared samples are characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The surface plasmon resonance response of Ag/ZnO is found at 420 nm. The photocatalytic activities of the samples are evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization of methyl orange (MO) dye with UV irradiation. The degradation rate of MO increases with increase in irradiation time. The degradation of MO follows the first order kinetics. The photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO heterostructure is found to be more than that of ZnO nanorods. The PL intensity of ZnO nanorods is stronger than that of the Ag/ZnO heterostructure. The strong PL intensity indicates high recombination rate of photoinduced charge carriers which lowers the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods. The charge carrier recombination is effectively suppressed by introducing Ag nanoparticles on the surface of the ZnO nanorods. This study demonstrates a strong relationship between PL intensity and photocatalytic activity. (paper)

Kinetics and equilibrium models for the sorption of tributyltin to nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite in artificial seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayanda, Olushola S.; Fatoki, Olalekan S.; Adekola, Folahan A.; Ximba, Bhekumusa J.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Removal of tributyltin from artificial seawater using nZnO/activated carbon and its precursors was studied. • Detailed equilibrium and kinetic studies were reported. • Adsorption conditions were optimized and applied to natural seawater. • Higher removal efficiency of TBT was obtained for the composite and activated carbon except nZnO. • TBT concentration was determine by GC-FPD following derivatization. -- Abstract: The removal of tributyltin (TBT) from artificial seawater using nZnO, activated carbon and nZnO/activated carbon composite was systematically studied. The equilibrium and kinetics of adsorption were investigated in a batch adsorption system. Equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) isotherm models. Pseudo first- and second-order, Elovich, fractional power and intraparticle diffusion models were applied to test the kinetic data. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG°, ΔS° and ΔH° were also calculated to understand the mechanisms of adsorption. Optimal conditions for the adsorption of TBT from artificial seawater were then applied to TBT removal from natural seawater. A higher removal efficiency of TBT (>99%) was obtained for the nZnO/activated carbon composite material and for activated carbon but not for nZnO

Fabrication of SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films for enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Hsyi-En, E-mail: sean@mail.stust.edu.tw; Lin, Chun-Yuan; Hsu, Ching-Ming

2017-02-28

Highlights: • SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-arrays on ITO glass were successfully fabricated. • The 3D heterojunction solves the problem of low photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} films. • SnO{sub 2} is more suitable than ITO for the core layer to separate electron-hole pairs. - Abstract: Immobilized or deposited thin film TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts are suffering from a low photocatalytic activity due to either a low photon absorption efficiency or a high carrier recombination rate. Here we demonstrate that the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} can be effectively improved by the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array structure which combines the benefits of SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction and high reaction surface area. The SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films were fabricated using atomic layer deposition and dry etching techniques via barrier-free porous anodic alumina templates. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared films was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) bleaching under 352 nm UV light irradiation. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} film was 45% improved by introducing a SnO{sub 2} film between TiO{sub 2} and ITO glass substrate and was 300% improved by using the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array structure. The 45% improvement by the SnO{sub 2} interlayer is attributed to the SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction which separates the photogenerated electron-hole pairs in TiO{sub 2} for MB degradation, and the high photocatalytic activity of the SnO{sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} core-shell nanopillar-array films is attributed to the three dimensional SnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction which owns both the carrier separation ability and the high photocatalytic reaction surface area.

MgO nanoparticles as antibacterial agent: preparation and activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Zhen-Xing, E-mail: tangzhenxing@126.com [Department of Food Science, Anqing, Vocational and Technical College, Anqing, Anhui (China); Lv, Bin-Feng [Date Palm Research Center, King Faisal University, (Saudi Arabia)

2014-07-15

Bacterial pollution is a great risk for human health. Nanotechnology offers a way to develop new inorganic antibacterial agents. Nano-inorganic metal oxide has a potential to reduce bacterial contamination. MgO is an important inorganic oxide and has been widely used in many fields. Many studies have shown that MgO nanoparticles have good antibacterial activity. Therefore, in this paper, the main synthesis methods, antibacterial activity and antibacterial mechanisms of MgO nanoparticles are reviewed. (author)

MgO nanoparticles as antibacterial agent: preparation and activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Zhen-Xing; Lv, Bin-Feng

2014-01-01

Bacterial pollution is a great risk for human health. Nanotechnology offers a way to develop new inorganic antibacterial agents. Nano-inorganic metal oxide has a potential to reduce bacterial contamination. MgO is an important inorganic oxide and has been widely used in many fields. Many studies have shown that MgO nanoparticles have good antibacterial activity. Therefore, in this paper, the main synthesis methods, antibacterial activity and antibacterial mechanisms of MgO nanoparticles are reviewed. (author)

Thiourea-Modified TiO2 Nanorods with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaofeng Wu

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Semiconductor TiO2 photocatalysis has attracted much attention due to its potential application in solving the problems of environmental pollution. In this paper, thiourea (CH4N2S modified anatase TiO2 nanorods were fabricated by calcination of the mixture of TiO2 nanorods and thiourea at 600 °C for 2 h. It was found that only N element was doped into the lattice of TiO2 nanorods. With increasing the weight ratio of thiourea to TiO2 (R from 0 to 8, the light-harvesting ability of the photocatalyst steady increases. Both the crystallization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanorods increase first and then decrease with increase in R value, and R2 sample showed the highest crystallization and photocatalytic activity in degradation of Brilliant Red X3B (X3B and Rhodamine B (RhB dyes under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm. The increased visible-light photocatalytic activity of the prepared N-doped TiO2 nanorods is due to the synergistic effects of the enhanced crystallization, improved light-harvesting ability and reduced recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Note that the enhanced visible photocatalytic activity of N-doped nanorods is not based on the scarification of their UV photocatalytic activity.

Influences of Different Preparation Conditions on Catalytic Activity of Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 for Hydrogenation of Coal Pyrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A series of catalysts of Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 was prepared by equivalent volume impregnation method. The effects of the metal loading, calcination time, and calcination temperatures of Ag and Co, respectively, on the catalytic activity were investigated. The optimum preparing condition of Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 was decided, and then the influence of different preparation conditions on catalytic activity of Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 was analyzed. The results showed the following: (1 at the same preparation condition, when silver loading was 8%, the Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 showed higher catalyst activity, (2 the catalyst activity had obviously improved when the cobalt loading was 8%, while it was weaker at loadings 5% and 10%, (3 the catalyst activity was influenced by different calcination temperatures of silver, but the influences were not marked, (4 the catalyst activity can be influenced by calcination time of silver, (5 different calcination times of cobalt can also influence the catalyst activity of Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3, and (6 the best preparation conditions of the Ag2O-Co3O4/γ-Al2O3 were silver loading of 8%, calcination temperature of silver of 450°C, and calcinations time of silver of 4 h, while at the same time the cobalt loading was 8%, the calcination temperature of cobalt was 450°C, and calcination time of cobalt was 4 h.

Preparation of Au/Y2O3 and Au/NiO catalysts by co-precipitation and their oxidation activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sreethawong, Thammanoon; Sitthiwechvijit, Norsit; Rattanachatchai, Apiwat; Ouraipryvan, Piya; Schwank, Johannes W.; Chavadej, Sumaeth

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The catalytic activity of Au catalysts supported on Y 2 O 3 and NiO prepared by co-precipitation was investigated for CO and methanol oxidation. → The phase transformation of yttrium support greatly affected the CO oxidation activity. → The Au/Y 2 O 3 exhibited the same activity as Au/NiO for the methanol oxidation while the Au/NiO gave higher activity for CO oxidation. - Abstract: The objective of this work was to investigate the catalytic activity of gold catalysts supported on two metal oxides, yttrium oxide and nickel oxide, prepared by co-precipitation for CO and methanol oxidation reactions. The TGA and XRD results confirmed that yttrium hydroxide (Y(OH) 3 ) was formed at calcination temperature below 300 deg. C. When it was calcined at 400 deg. C, the Y(OH) 3 was transformed to yttrium oxide hydroxide (YOOH). Finally, when calcination temperature was raised to 600 deg. C, the YOOH was completely transformed to yttrium oxide (Y 2 O 3 ). Interestingly, the gold loaded on YOOH calcined at 400 deg. C and gold loaded on Y 2 O 3 calcined at 500 deg. C comparatively showed the highest catalytic activity for complete CO oxidation at a reaction temperature of 300 deg. C. The 0.12% Au/Y 2 O 3 catalyst calcined at 500 deg. C was employed for both CO and methanol oxidation studies. For complete CO oxidation, the reaction temperatures of Au/Y 2 O 3 and Au/NiO catalysts were 325 deg. C and 250 deg. C, respectively. The light-off temperatures of Au/Y 2 O 3 and Au/NiO catalysts for methanol oxidation were 210 deg. C and 205 deg. C, respectively. Conclusively, the Au/Y 2 O 3 clearly exhibited the same activity as that of Au/NiO for methanol oxidation while the Au/NiO gave higher activity for CO oxidation.

Fabrication of Fe3O4@CuO core-shell from MOF based materials and its antibacterial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajabi, S.K.; Sohrabnezhad, Sh.; Ghafourian, S.

2016-01-01

Magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @CuO nanocomposite with a core/shell structure was successfully synthesized via direct calcinations of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 @HKUST-1 in air atmosphere. The morphology, structure, magnetic and porous properties of the as-synthesized nano composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the nanocomposite material included a Fe 3 O 4 core and a CuO shell. The Fe 3 O 4 @CuO core-shell can be separated easily from the medium by a small magnet. The antibacterial activity of Fe 3 O 4 -CuO core-shell was investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A new mechanism was proposed for inactivation of bacteria over the prepared sample. It was demonstrated that the core-shell exhibit recyclable antibacterial activity, acting as an ideal long-acting antibacterial agent. - Graphical abstract: Fe 3 O 4 @CuO core-shell release of copper ions. These Cu 2+ ions were responsible for the exhibited antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • The Fe 3 O 4 @CuO core-shell was prepared by MOF method. • This is the first study of antibacterial activity of core-shell consist of CuO and Fe 3 O 4 . • The core-shell can be reused effectively. • Core-shell was separated from the reaction solution by external magnetic field.

Enhanced the hydrophobic surface and the photo-activity of TiO2-SiO2 composites

Science.gov (United States)

Wahyuni, S.; Prasetya, A. T.

2017-02-01

The aim of this research is to develop nanomaterials for coating applications. This research studied the effect of various TiO2-SiO2 composites in acrylic paint to enhance the hydrophobic properties of the substrate. Titanium dioxide containing silica in the range 20-35 mol% has been synthesized using sol-gel route. The XRD’s spectra show that increasing SiO2 content in the composite, decreasing its crystalline properties but increasing the surface area. TiO2-SiO2 composite was dispersed in acrylic paint in 2% composition by weight. The largest contact angle was 70, which produced by the substrate coated with TS-35-modified acrylic paint. This study also investigated the enhanced photo-activity of TiO2-SiO2 modified with poly-aniline. The XRD spectra show that the treatment does not change the crystal structure of TiO2. The photo-activity of the composite was evaluated by degradation of Rhodamine-B with visible light. The best performance of the degradation process was handled by the composite treated with 0.1mL anilines per gram of TiO2-SiO2 composite (TSP-A). On the other side, the contact angle 70 has not shown an excellent hydrophobic activity. However, the AFM spectra showed that nanoroughness has started to form on the surface of acrylic paint modified with TiO2-SiO2 than acrylic alone.

The Effect of SiO2 Shell on the Suppression of Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Min Hee; Lee, Choon Soo; Patil, Umakant Mahadev; Kochuveedu, Saji Thomas

2012-01-01

In this study, we investigate the potential use of TiO 2 SiO 2 and ZnO SiO 2 core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) as effective UV shielding agent. In the typical synthesis, SiO 2 was coated over different types of TiO 2 (anatase and rutile) and ZnO by sol-gel method. The synthesized TiO 2 SiO 2 and ZnO SiO 2 Nps were characterized by UV-Vis, XRD, Sem and TEM. The UV-vis absorbance and transmittance spectra of core shell NPs showed an efficient blocking effect in the UV region and more than 90% transmittance in the visible region. XRD and SAED studies confirmed the formation of amorphous SiO 2 coated over the TiO 2 and ZnO NPs. The FESEM and TEM images shows that coating of SiO 2 over the surface of anatase, rutile TiO 2 and ZnO NPs resulted in the increase in particle size by ∼30 nm. In order to study the UV light shielding capability of the samples, photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye on TiO 2 SiO 2 and ZnO SiO 2 NPs was performed. Photocatalytic activity for both types of TiO 2 NPs was partially suppressed. In comparison, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO almost vanished after the SiO 2 coating

Enhanced Activity and Durability of Nanosized Pt-SnO2/IrO2/CNTs Catalyst for Methanol Electrooxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongjuan; Wang, Xiaohui; Zheng, Jiadao; Peng, Feng; Yu, Hao

2015-05-01

Pt-SnO2/IrO2/CNTs anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cell was designed and prepared with IrO2/CNTs as support for the subsequent immobilization of Pt and SnO2 at the same time. The structure of the catalysts and their catalytic performance in methanol electrooxidation were investigated and the roles of IrO2 and SnO2 in methanol electrooxidation were discussed as well. Results show that Pt-SnO2/IrO2/CNTs catalyst exhibits the best activity and durability for methanol electrooxidation when compared with Pt/CNTs, Pt/IrO2/CNTs and Pt-SnO2/CNTs. According to the results of electrochemical tests and physicochemical characterizations, the enhancements of Pt-SnO2/IrO2/CNTs were attributed to the special properties of IrO2 and SnO2, in which IrO2 mainly increases the methanol oxidation activity and SnO2 mainly improves the CO oxidation ability and durability. Therefore, Pt-SnO2/IrO2/CNTs exhibits excellent performance for methanol oxidation with higher electrocatalytic activity (I(f) of 1054 A g(Pt(-1)) and powerful anti-poisoning ability (the onset potential for CO oxidation of 0.3 V) and outstanding durability (the sustained time t in CP of 617 s), revealing a suitable anode catalyst for DMFCs.

Synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial activity of N,O-quaternary ammonium chitosan.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Tao; Xin, Meihua; Li, Mingchun; Huang, Huili; Zhou, Shengquan; Liu, Juezhao

2011-11-08

N,N,N-Trimethyl O-(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium propyl) chitosans (TMHTMAPC) with different degrees of O-substitution were synthesized by reacting O-methyl-free N,N,N-trimethyl chitosan (TMC) with 3-chloro-2-hydroxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTMAC). The products were characterized by (1)H NMR, FTIR and TGA, and investigated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli under weakly acidic (pH 5.5) and weakly basic (pH 7.2) conditions. TMHTMAPC exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity compared with TMC, and the activity of TMHTMAPC increased with an increase in the degree of substitution. Divalent cations (Ba(2+) and Ca(2+)) strongly reduced the antibacterial activity of chitosan, O-carboxymethyl chitosan and N,N,N-trimethyl-O-carboxymethyl chitosan, but the repression on the antibacterial activity of TMC and TMHTMAPC was weaker. This indicates that the free amino group on chitosan backbone is the main functional group interacting with divalent cations. The existence of 100 mM Na(+) slightly reduced the antibacterial activity of both chitosan and its derivatives. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ethanol and LPG sensing characteristics of SnO2 activated Cr2 O3 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

between neighbouring grains in a material is an important factor, which determines sensitivity of the .... O2 (gas) f O2 (ads),. (3). Figure 4. Temperature dependence of conductance of pure and activated Cr2O3 sensors. Figure 5. Sensing response to ethanol (a–f) and LPG (g) for different dopant concentrations (0⋅5%) at ...

Electrocatalytic activity of LaNiO3 toward H2O2 reduction reaction: Minimization of oxygen evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Amirfakhri, Seyed Javad; Meunier, Jean-Luc; Berk, Dimitrios

2014-12-01

The catalytic activity of LaNiO3 toward H2O2 reduction reaction (HPRR), with a potential application in the cathode side of fuel cells, is studied in alkaline, neutral and acidic solutions by rotating disk electrode. The LaNiO3 particles synthesised by citrate-based sol-gel method have sizes between 30 and 70 nm with an active specific surface area of 1.26 ± 0.05 m2 g-1. LaNiO3 shows high catalytic activity toward HPRR in 0.1 M KOH solution with an exchange current density based on the active surface area (j0A) of (7.4 ± 1) × 10-6 A cm-2 which is noticeably higher than the j0A of N-doped graphene. The analysis of kinetic parameters suggests that the direct reduction of H2O2, H2O2 decomposition, O2 reduction and O2 desorption occur through HPRR on this catalyst. In order to control and minimize oxygen evolution from the electrode surface, the effects of catalyst loading, bulk concentration of H2O2, and using a mixture of LaNiO3 and N-doped graphene are studied. Although the mechanism of HPRR is independent of the aforementioned operating conditions, gas evolution decreases by increasing the catalyst loading, decreasing the bulk concentration of H2O2, and addition of N-doped graphene to LaNiO3.

Synthesis and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of p–n heterojunction Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 nanocubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Songbo; Xu, Dongbo; Chen, Biyi; Luo, Bifu; Yan, Xu; Xiao, Lisong; Shi, Weidong

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We firstly report a facile way to prepare the visible-light-driven Ag_2O/NaTaO_3p–n heterojunction by chemical precipitation method. • The Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction shows the highest photocatalytic activity than the pure NaTaO_3 and Ag_2O nanoparticles under visible light. • The enhancement of the heterojunction photocatalytic activity was discussed and the photocatalytic mechanism was tested in our paper. • In summary, we think that the Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction with the strong visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity have been extended application in photocatalysis for organic dyes pollutants degradation and purification of water. - Abstract: The constructing of p–n heterojunction photocatalytic system has received much attention in environmental purification and hydrogen generation from water. In this study, an efficient visible-light-driven p–n heterojunction Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature. It showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation, much higher than those of either individual Ag_2O or NaTaO_3. The reactive species scavenger results indicated the superoxide anion radicals (·O"2"−) played key roles in RhB decoloration. From the experimental results and the relative band gap position of these semiconductors, a detailed possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag_2O/NaTaO_3 heterojunction under visible light was proposed. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was attributed to the interfacial electronic interaction between NaTaO_3 and Ag_2O and the high migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.

Synthesis, characteristics and antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Janaki, A. Chinnammal; Sailatha, E.; Gunasekaran, S.

2015-06-01

The utilization of various plant resources for the bio synthesis of metallic nano particles is called green technology and it does not utilize any harmful protocols. Present study focuses on the green synthesis of ZnO nano particles by Zinc Carbonate and utilizing the bio-components of powder extract of dry ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale). The ZnO nano crystallites of average size range of 23-26 nm have been synthesized by rapid, simple and eco friendly method. Zinc oxide nano particles were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). FTIR spectra confirmed the adsorption of surfactant molecules at the surface of ZnO nanoparticles and the presence of ZnO bonding. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO nano particles was done by well diffusion method against pathogenic organisms like Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans and Penicillium notatum. It is observed that the ZnO synthesized in the process has the efficient antimicrobial activity.

Power-dependent photocatalytic activity of ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chun, So Yeon; Han, Noh Soo; Jeong, Seong Hyun; Park, Seung Min; Song, Jae Kyu [Dept. of Chemistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Cheol Joo; Choi, Myong Yong [Dept. of Chemistry (BK21) and Research Institute of Natural Science, Gyeongsang NationalUniversity, Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

the power-dependent photocatalytic activity of ZnO was examined for the photoreduction processes of Rh101 and AN in the presence of hole scavengers, where the fluorescence spectra were measured as a function of irradiation time and excitation intensity. The concentration of the reactants decreased, while the concentration of the products increased accordingly, which indicated the single-electron reduction process by electrons supplied from the conduction band of ZnO. Despite the single-electron process, the efficiency of the photoreaction depended nonlinearly on the excitation intensity, which was explained by the saturation of defect states in ZnO. The enhanced ratio of available electrons in ZnO led to a superlinear increase in the photoreduction efficiency, while the single-electron process linearly reflected the electrons available in ZnO.

Ionic liquid-assisted photochemical synthesis of ZnO/Ag_2O heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Shuo; Zhang, Yiwei; Zhou, Yuming; Zhang, Chao; Fang, Jiasheng; Sheng, Xiaoli

2017-01-01

Highlights: • ZnO/Ag_2O heterostructures have been successfully fabricated by a photochemical route. • Ionic liquids were used as template for shape-controllable ZnO nanomaterials. • The type of ionic liquid played an important role in the growth of ZnO nanoparticles. • ZnO/Ag_2O heterostructures had the enhanced photocatalytic ability. • Photocatalytic activity is a result of the combination of various factors. - Abstract: ZnO/Ag_2O heterostructures have been successfully fabricated using ionic liquids (ILs) as templates by a simple photochemical route. The influence of the type of ionic liquid and synthetic method on the morphology of ZnO, as well as the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation was studied. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, PL and UV–vis DRS. The results established that the type of ionic liquid and synthetic method played an important role in the growth of ZnO nanoparticles. And as-fabricated ZnO/Ag_2O materials exhibited self-assembled flower-like architecture whose size was about 3 μm. Moreover, as-prepared ZnO/Ag_2O exhibited the enhanced photocatalytic activity than ZnO sample, which may be due to the special structure, heterojunction, enhanced adsorption capability of dye, the improved separation rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. According to the results of radical trapping experiments, it can be found that • OH and h"+ were the main active species for the photocatalytic degradation of RhB. It is valuable to develop this facile route preparing the highly dispersive flower-like ZnO/Ag_2O materials, which can be beneficial for environmental protection.

Preparation and Characterization of Surface Photocatalytic Activity with NiO/TiO2 Nanocomposite Structure

OpenAIRE

Chen, Jian-Zhi; Chen, Tai-Hong; Lai, Li-Wen; Li, Pei-Yu; Liu, Hua-Wen; Hong, Yi-You; Liu, Day-Shan

2015-01-01

This study achieved a nanocomposite structure of nickel oxide (NiO)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) heterojunction on a TiO2 film surface. The photocatalytic activity of this structure evaluated by decomposing methylene blue (MB) solution was strongly correlated to the conductive behavior of the NiO film. A p-type NiO film of high concentration in contact with the native n-type TiO2 film, which resulted in a strong inner electrical field to effectively separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs,...

The protective activity of tea against infection by Vibrio cholerae O1.

Science.gov (United States)

Toda, M; Okubo, S; Ikigai, H; Suzuki, T; Suzuki, Y; Shimamura, T

1991-02-01

Extracts of black tea exhibited bactericidal activity against Vibrio cholerae O1. The tea extract inhibited the haemolysin activity of V. cholerae O1, El Tor and the morphological changes of Chinese hamster ovary cells induced by cholera toxin. Tea extract also reduced fluid accumulation induced by cholera toxin in sealed adult mice and by V. cholerae O1 in ligated intestinal loops of rabbits. These findings suggest that tea has protective activity against V. cholerae O1.

TiO2 film/Cu2O microgrid heterojunction with photocatalytic activity under solar light irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Junying; Zhu, Hailing; Zheng, Shukai; Pan, Feng; Wang, Tianmin

2009-10-01

Coupling a narrow-band-gap semiconductor with TiO(2) is an effective method to produce photocatalysts that work under UV-vis light irradiation. Usually photocatalytic coupled-semiconductors exist mainly as powders, and photocatalytic activity is only favored when a small loading amount of narrow-band-gap semiconductor is used. Here we propose a heavy-loading photocatalyst configuration in which 51% of the surface of the TiO(2) film is covered by a Cu(2)O microgrid. The coupled system shows higher photocatalytic activity under solar light irradiation than TiO(2) and Cu(2)O films. This improved performance is due to the efficient charge transfer between the two phases and the similar opportunity each has to be exposed to irradiation and adsorbates.

ZnO/graphite composites and its antibacterial activity at different conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dědková, Kateřina; Janíková, Barbora; Matějová, Kateřina; Čabanová, Kristina; Váňa, Rostislav; Kalup, Aleš; Hundáková, Marianna; Kukutschová, Jana

2015-10-01

The paper reports laboratory preparation, characterization and in vitro evaluation of antibacterial activity of ZnO/graphite nanocomposites. Zinc chloride and sodium carbonate served as precursors for synthesis of zinc oxide, while micromilled and natural graphite were used as the matrix for ZnO nanoparticles anchoring. During the reaction of ZnCl2 with saturated aqueous solution of Na2CO3a new compound is created. During the calcination at the temperature of 500 °C this new precursors decomposes and ZnO nanoparticles are formed. Composites ZnO/graphite with 50 wt.% of ZnO particles were prepared. X-ray powder diffraction and Raman microspectroscopy served as phase-analytical methods. Scanning electron microscopy technique was used for morphology characterization of the prepared samples and EDS mapping for visualization of elemental distribution. A developed modification of the standard microdilution test was used for in vitro evaluation of daylight induced antibacterial activity and antibacterial activity at dark conditions. Common human pathogens served as microorganism for antibacterial assay. Antibacterial activity of ZnO/graphite composites could be based on photocatalytic reaction; however there is a role of Zn(2+) ions on the resulting antibacterial activity which proved the experiments in dark condition. There is synergistic effect between Zn(2+) caused and reactive oxygen species caused antibacterial activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial ability and angiogenic activity of Cu-Ti-O nanotube arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zong, Mingxiang; Bai, Long; Liu, Yanlian; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Xiangyu; Huang, Xiaobo; Hang, Ruiqiang; Tang, Bin

2017-01-01

Bacterial infection and loosening of orthopedic implants remain two disastrously postoperative complications. Angiogenesis is critical important to facilitate implant osseointegration in vivo. TiO 2 nanotubes arrays (NTAs) with proper dimensions possess good osseointegration ability. Accordingly, the present work incorporated copper (Cu) into TiO 2 NTAs (Cu-Ti-O NTAs) to enhance their antibacterial ability and angiogenesis activity, which was realized through anodizing magnetron-sputtered TiCu coatings with different Cu contents on pure titanium (Ti). Our results show ordered Cu-Ti-O NTAs can be produced under proper Cu content (< 15.14%) in TiCu coatings. The NTAs possess excellent long-term antibacterial ability against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which may be ascribed to sustained release of Cu 2+ . The cytotoxicity of Cu-Ti-O NTAs to endothelial cells (ECs) could be negligible and can even promote cell proliferation as revealed by live/dead staining and MTT. Meanwhile, Cu-Ti-O NTAs can up-regulate nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) secretion of ECs on the sample surfaces compared with that of pure TiO 2 NTAs (control). Furthermore, the angiogenic activity is also enhanced in ionic extracts of Cu-Ti-O NTAs compared with the control. The excellent long-term antibacterial ability and favorable angiogenic activity render Cu-Ti-O NTAs to be promising implant coatings. - Highlights: • Cu-Ti-O NTAs possess long-term antibacterial ability against Staphylococcus aureus. • Cu-Ti-O NTAs can up-regulate nitric oxide synthesis and vascular endothelial growth factors secretion of endothelial cells. • Cu-Ti-O NTAs can enhance in vitro angiogenesis activity of endothelial cells.

Antibacterial ability and angiogenic activity of Cu-Ti-O nanotube arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zong, Mingxiang; Bai, Long; Liu, Yanlian; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Xiangyu; Huang, Xiaobo; Hang, Ruiqiang, E-mail: hangruiqiang@tyut.edu.cn; Tang, Bin

2017-02-01

Bacterial infection and loosening of orthopedic implants remain two disastrously postoperative complications. Angiogenesis is critical important to facilitate implant osseointegration in vivo. TiO{sub 2} nanotubes arrays (NTAs) with proper dimensions possess good osseointegration ability. Accordingly, the present work incorporated copper (Cu) into TiO{sub 2} NTAs (Cu-Ti-O NTAs) to enhance their antibacterial ability and angiogenesis activity, which was realized through anodizing magnetron-sputtered TiCu coatings with different Cu contents on pure titanium (Ti). Our results show ordered Cu-Ti-O NTAs can be produced under proper Cu content (< 15.14%) in TiCu coatings. The NTAs possess excellent long-term antibacterial ability against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which may be ascribed to sustained release of Cu{sup 2+}. The cytotoxicity of Cu-Ti-O NTAs to endothelial cells (ECs) could be negligible and can even promote cell proliferation as revealed by live/dead staining and MTT. Meanwhile, Cu-Ti-O NTAs can up-regulate nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) secretion of ECs on the sample surfaces compared with that of pure TiO{sub 2} NTAs (control). Furthermore, the angiogenic activity is also enhanced in ionic extracts of Cu-Ti-O NTAs compared with the control. The excellent long-term antibacterial ability and favorable angiogenic activity render Cu-Ti-O NTAs to be promising implant coatings. - Highlights: • Cu-Ti-O NTAs possess long-term antibacterial ability against Staphylococcus aureus. • Cu-Ti-O NTAs can up-regulate nitric oxide synthesis and vascular endothelial growth factors secretion of endothelial cells. • Cu-Ti-O NTAs can enhance in vitro angiogenesis activity of endothelial cells.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of graphene based doped TiO2 nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Yongji; Xing, Mingyang; Zhang, Jinlong

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene based doped TiO 2 nanocomposites were prepared. • The intimate contact between doped TiO 2 and graphene is achieved simultaneously. • These nanocomposites showed higher photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 and doped TiO 2 . • Photocatalytic mechanism was explained thoroughly. - Abstract: The nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide based nitrogen doped TiO 2 (N–TiO 2 –RGO) and reduced graphene oxide based nitrogen and vanadium co-doped TiO 2 (N, V–TiO 2 –RGO) were prepared via a facile hydrothermal reaction of graphene oxide and TiO 2 in a water solvent. In this hydrothermal treatment, the reduction of graphene oxide and the intimate contact between nitrogen doped TiO 2 (N–TiO 2 ) or nitrogen and vanadium co-doped TiO 2 (N,V–TiO 2 ) and the RGO sheet is achieved simultaneously. Both N–TiO 2 –RGO and N,V–TiO 2 –RGO nanocomposites exhibit much higher visible light photocatalytic activity than N–TiO 2 and N,V–TiO 2 , and the order of visible light photocatalytic activity is N,V–TiO 2 –RGO > N–TiO 2 –RGO > N,V–TiO 2 > N–TiO 2 > TiO 2 . According to the characterization, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites is attributed to reasons, such as enhancement of adsorption of pollutants, light absorption intensity, minimizing the recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes and more excited states of these nanocomposites under visible light irradiation. Overall, this work provides a more marked contrast of graphene based semiconductor nanocomposites and a more comprehensive explanation of the mechanism

Oxidative and antibacterial activity of Mn3O4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chowdhury, Al-Nakib; Azam, Md. Shafiul; Aktaruzzaman, Md.; Rahim, Abdur

2009-01-01

Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles with diameter ca. 10 nm were synthesized by the forced hydrolysis of Mn(II) acetate at 80 deg. C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques were employed to study structural features and chemical composition of the nanoparticles. The unique oxidative activity of the Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles was demonstrated in the polymerization and dye degradation reactions. On adding Mn 3 O 4 suspension to an acidic solution of aniline, yielded immediately green sediment of polyaniline (PANI). The organic dyes, viz., methylene blue (MB) and procion red (PR) were found to be completely decolorized from their aqueous solution on treating the dyes with Mn 3 O 4 suspension in acidic media. The Mn 3 O 4 nanoparticles also showed a clear antibacterial activity against the Vibrio cholerae, Shigella sp., Salmonella sp., and Escherichi coli bacteria that cause cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and diarrhea diseases, respectively.

Ultrasonic synthesis of fern-like ZnO nanoleaves and their enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Qing Lan; Xiong, Rui; Zhai, Bao-gai; Huang, Yuan Ming

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fern-like ZnO nanoleaves were synthesized by ultrasonicating Zn microcrystals in water. • A fern-like ZnO nanoleaf is a self-assembly of ZnO nanoplates along one ZnO nanorod. • Fern-like ZnO nanoleaves exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity than ZnO nanocrystals. • The branched hierarchical structures are responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Two-dimensional fern-like ZnO nanoleaves were synthesized by ultrasonicating zinc microcrystals in water. The morphology, crystal structure, optical property and photocatalytic activity of the fern-like ZnO nanoleaves were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, respectively. It is found that one fern-like ZnO nanoleaf is composed of one ZnO nanorod as the central trunk and a number of ZnO nanoplates as the side branches in opposite pairs along the central ZnO nanorod. The central ZnO nanorod in the fern-like nanoleaves is about 1 μm long while the side-branching ZnO nanoplates are about 100 nm long and 20 nm wide. Further analysis has revealed that ZnO nanocrystals are the building blocks of the central ZnO nanorod and the side-branching ZnO nanoplates. Under identical conditions, fern-like ZnO nanoleaves exhibit higher photocatalytic activity in photodegrading methyl orange in aqueous solution than spherical ZnO nanocrystals. The first-order photocatalytic rate constant of the fern-like ZnO nanoleaves is about four times as large as that of the ZnO nanoparticles. The branched architecture of the hierarchical nanoleaves is suggested be responsible for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the fern-like ZnO nanoleaves

Photocatalytic activity of the binary composite CeO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} for degradation of dye

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phanichphant, Sukon [Materials Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Nakaruk, Auppatham [Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000 (Thailand); Centre of Excellence for Innovation and Technology for Water Treatment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000 (Thailand); Channei, Duangdao, E-mail: duangdaoc@nu.ac.th [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000 (Thailand); Research Center for Academic Excellence in Petroleum, Petrochemicals and Advanced Materials, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000 (Thailand)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the CeO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} composite can be explained by the presence of the SiO{sub 2} adsorbent, which effectively increased the surface area of the CeO{sub 2}. • The increased surface area of CeO{sub 2} should be helpful to facilitate more effective adsorption sites, which enhances the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutant significantly. • SiO{sub 2} modification is effective in separating the photogenerated electrons and holes, which is of great importance for photocatalytic activity. • SiO{sub 2} acted as a carrier for CeO{sub 2} attachment and avoided the agglomeration of CeO{sub 2} particles. - Abstract: In this study, CeO{sub 2} photocatalyst was modified by composite with SiO{sub 2} to increase efficiency and improve photocatalytic activity. The as-prepared SiO{sub 2} particles have been incorporated into the precursor mixture of CeO{sub 2} by homogeneous precipitation and subsequent calcination process. The phase compositions of CeO{sub 2} before and after compositing with SiO{sub 2} were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphology and particle size of CeO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} composite was analyzed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The results showed SiO{sub 2} spheres with the particle size approximately 100–120 nm, and a uniform layer of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with a diameter of about 5–7 nm that were fully composite to the surfaces of SiO{sub 2}. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique was carried out in order to characterize the change in valence state and composite characteristic by shifted peaks of binding energies. The photocatalytic activity was studied through the degradation of Rhodamine B in aqueous solution under visible light exposure. The highest photocatalytic efficiency of CeO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} composite was also obtained. To explain the high photocatalytic

Band gap-engineered ZnO and Ag/ZnO by ball-milling method and their photocatalytic and Fenton-like photocatalytic activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Young In; Jung, Hye Jin; Shin, Weon Gyu; Sohn, Youngku

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Ag/ZnO hybrid materials were prepared by a ball-milling method. • Adsorption and photocatalytic dye degradation were tested for pure RhB under visible light. • Adsorption and photocatalytic dye degradation were tested for mixed dye (MO + RhB + MB) under visible light. • Fenton-like photocatalytic activity (H 2 O 2 addition effects) was examined. - Abstract: The hybridization of ZnO with Ag has been performed extensively to increase the efficiency of ZnO in various applications, including catalysis. In this study, a wet (w) and dry (d) ball-milling method was used to hybridize Ag with ZnO nanoparticles, and their physicochemical properties were examined. Visible light absorption was enhanced and the band gap was engineered by ball-milling and Ag hybridization. Their photocatalytic activities were tested with rhodamine B (RhB) and a mixed dye (methyl orange + RhB + methylene blue) under visible light irradiation. For pure RhB, the photocatalytic activity was decreased by ball-milling and was observed in the order of ZnO(d) < Ag/ZnO(d) < ZnO(w) < Ag/ZnO(w) ≤ ZnO(ref). For the degradation of RhB and methylene blue (MB) in the mixed dye (or the simulated real contaminated water), the photocatalytic activity was observed in the order of Ag/ZnO(d) < ZnO(d) < ZnO(w) < Ag/ZnO(w) ≤ ZnO(ref). When the photodegradation tested with H 2 O 2 addition, however, the Fenton-like photocatalytic activity was reversed and the ZnO(ref) showed the poorest activity for the degradation of RhB and methylene blue (MB). In the mixed dye over all the catalysts, methyl orange (MO) was degraded most rapidly. The relative degradation rates of RhB and MB were found to be dependent on the catalyst and reaction conditions.

Ionic liquid-assisted photochemical synthesis of ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Shuo; Zhang, Yiwei, E-mail: zhangchem@seu.edu.cn; Zhou, Yuming, E-mail: ymzhou@seu.edu.cn; Zhang, Chao; Fang, Jiasheng; Sheng, Xiaoli

2017-07-15

Highlights: • ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructures have been successfully fabricated by a photochemical route. • Ionic liquids were used as template for shape-controllable ZnO nanomaterials. • The type of ionic liquid played an important role in the growth of ZnO nanoparticles. • ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructures had the enhanced photocatalytic ability. • Photocatalytic activity is a result of the combination of various factors. - Abstract: ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructures have been successfully fabricated using ionic liquids (ILs) as templates by a simple photochemical route. The influence of the type of ionic liquid and synthetic method on the morphology of ZnO, as well as the photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation was studied. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, PL and UV–vis DRS. The results established that the type of ionic liquid and synthetic method played an important role in the growth of ZnO nanoparticles. And as-fabricated ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O materials exhibited self-assembled flower-like architecture whose size was about 3 μm. Moreover, as-prepared ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O exhibited the enhanced photocatalytic activity than ZnO sample, which may be due to the special structure, heterojunction, enhanced adsorption capability of dye, the improved separation rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. According to the results of radical trapping experiments, it can be found that • OH and h{sup +} were the main active species for the photocatalytic degradation of RhB. It is valuable to develop this facile route preparing the highly dispersive flower-like ZnO/Ag{sub 2}O materials, which can be beneficial for environmental protection.

Catalytic activity of Co/SiO2 and Co/TiO2 nanosized systems in the oxidation of carbon monoxide

Science.gov (United States)

Kelyp, A. A.; Smirnova, N. P.; Oleksenko, L. P.; Lutsenko, L. V.; Oranskaya, E. I.; Ripko, A. P.

2013-06-01

The effects of the preparation procedure, active component concentration, and conditions of formation of nanosized cobalt-containing systems based on TiO2 and SiO2 mesoporous powders on their catalytic activity in the oxidation of carbon monoxide were studied. The active phase in the systems was cobalt spinel CoCo2O4 found in all samples. High catalytic activity was found in the samples characterized by relatively high contents of surface active centers (cobalt cations with octahedral surroundings).

Ternary composite of TiO2 nanotubes/Ti plates modified by g-C3N4 and SnO2 with enhanced photocatalytic activity for enhancing antibacterial and photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Faraji, Masoud; Mohaghegh, Neda; Abedini, Amir

2018-01-01

A series of g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 /TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti plates were fabricated via simple dipping of TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti in a solution containing SnCl 2 and g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets and finally annealing of the plates. Synthesized plates were characterized by various techniques. The SEM analysis revealed that the g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 nanosheets with high physical stability have been successfully deposited onto the surface of TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti plate. Photocatalytic activity was investigated using two probe chemical reactions: oxidative decomposition of acetic acid and oxidation of 2-propanol under irradiation. Antibacterial activities for Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria were also investigated in dark and under UV/Vis illuminations. Detailed characterization and results of photocatalytic and antibacterial activity tests revealed that semiconductor coupling significantly affected the photocatalyst properties synthesized and hence their photocatalytic and antibacterial activities. Modification of TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti plates with g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 deposits resulted in enhanced photocatalytic activities in both chemical and microbial systems. The g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 /TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti plate exhibited the highest photocatalytic and antibacterial activity, probably due to the heterojunction between g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 and TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti in the ternary composite plate and thus lower electron/hole recombination rate. Based on the obtained results, a photocatalytic and an antibacterial mechanism for the degradation of E. coli bacteria and chemical pollutants over g-C 3 N 4 -SnO 2 /TiO 2 nanotubes/Ti plate were proposed and discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O heterostructures for improving photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Xiaoyu [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Department of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing 408100 (China); Hu, Chenguo, E-mail: hucg@cqu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Xi, Yi; Zhang, Kaiyou; Hua, Hao [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China)

2014-02-01

Highlights: • Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O 3D network heterostructures are prepared via a simple precipitatation method. • Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O networks exhibit much enhanced photocatalytic activity. • High photocatalytic activity is attributed to its heterostructure and 3D architectures. - Abstract: Three-dimensional Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O heterostructures were fabricated by loading Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles on WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O 3D networks via a simple chemical precipitation method. The Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O heterostructures exhibited much enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar light irradiation. The optimal molar ratio of Ag{sub 2}O and WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O is 1:2. The outstanding photocatalytic activity of the Ag{sub 2}O/WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O can be attributed to its large surface area of the three-dimensional networks, the enhanced sunlight absorption and the prevention of electrons–holes combination from the heterostructures. The experiment result demonstrates that wide band gap semiconductor (WO{sub 3}·0.33H{sub 2}O) modified by narrow band gap metal oxide (Ag{sub 2}O) with 3D architecture will be an effective route to enhance its photocatalytic activity.

Gestão de custos florestais: um estudo de caso utilizando o Activity-Based Costing Forest management costs: a case study utilizing Activity-Based Costing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alcir Ribeiro Carneiro de Almeida

1999-08-01

Full Text Available No atual cenário de industrialização globalizada, tornou-se fundamental a eficácia no gerenciamento dos custos considerados inevitavelmente necessários. Programas convencionais de redução dos custos não consideram o grau de agregação de valor das atividades de rotina pela distorção dos sistemas contábeis atuais. No presente estudo, apresentam-se os principais motivos da falta de relevância das informações de custo, comenta-se sobre o problema da redução de desperdícios florestais e suas conseqüências. A partir de um estudo de caso em uma empresa do setor florestal, demonstra-se uma simulação do Activity Based Costing (ABC em uma determinada área da empresa, concluindo-se que a adoção de sistemas de custeio mais aprimorados, tal como o ABC, devem fazer parte de programas que busquem o aumento da competitividade do setor florestal.In the current view of globalized industrialization, it has become fundamental to manage essential costs effectively. Conventional programs for reducing costs, do no consider the value agregation grade of routine activities because of the distortion of current accounting systems. This study, presents the main reasons for the lack of relevance of the cost information, commenting on the problem of the reduction of forest waste and its consequences. Using a case study in a company from the forest sector, a simulation of Activity Based Costing (ABC is demonstrated in a determined area of the company it is concluded that the adoption of a more refined cost system, such as the ABC, should be included in programs, that seek to increase the competitiveness of the forest sector.

The influence of ZnO-SnO2 nanoparticles and activated carbon on the photocatalytic degradation of toluene using continuous flow mode

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Ali Rangkooy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The present study examined the gas-phase photocatalytic degradation of toluene using ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposite supported on activated carbon in a photocatalytic reactor. Toluene was selected as a model pollutant from volatile organic compounds to determine the pathway of photocatalytic degradation and the factors influencing this degradation. The ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposite was synthesized through co-precipitation method in a ratio of 2:1 and then supported on activated carbon. The immobilization of ZnO-SnO2 nanocomposite on activated carbon was determined by the surface area and scanning electron micrograph technique proposed by Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller. The laboratory findings showed that the highest efficiency was 40% for photocatalytic degradation of toluene. The results also indicated that ZnO-SnO2 nano-oxides immobilization on activated carbon had a synergic effect on photocatalytic degradation of toluene. Use of a hybrid photocatalytic system (ZnO/SnO2 nano coupled oxide and application of absorbent (activated carbon may be efficient and effective technique for refinement of toluene from air flow.

O-sulfated bacterial polysaccharides with low anticoagulant activity inhibit metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgenström, Marjut; Wärri, Anni; Hiilesvuo, Katri; Käkönen, Rami; Käkönen, Sanna; Nissinen, Liisa; Pihlavisto, Marjo; Marjamäki, Anne; Vlodavsky, Israel; Naggi, Annamaria; Torri, Giangiacomo; Casu, Benito; Veromaa, Timo; Salmivirta, Markku; Elenius, Klaus

2007-07-01

Heparin-like polysaccharides possess the capacity to inhibit cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, heparanase-mediated cancer cell invasion, and cancer cell adhesion to vascular endothelia via adhesion receptors, such as selectins. The clinical applicability of the antitumor effect of such polysaccharides, however, is compromised by their anticoagulant activity. We have compared the potential of chemically O-sulfated and N,O-sulfated bacterial polysaccharide (capsular polysaccharide from E. COLI K5 [K5PS]) species to inhibit metastasis of mouse B16-BL6 melanoma cells and human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells in two in vivo models. We demonstrate that in both settings, O-sulfated K5PS was a potent inhibitor of metastasis. Reducing the molecular weight of the polysaccharide, however, resulted in lower antimetastatic capacity. Furthermore, we show that O-sulfated K5PS efficiently inhibited the invasion of B16-BL6 cells through Matrigel and also inhibited the in vitro activity of heparanase. Moreover, treatment with O-sulfated K5PS lowered the ability of B16-BL6 cells to adhere to endothelial cells, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and P-selectin, but not to E-selectin. Importantly, O-sulfated K5PSs were largely devoid of anticoagulant activity. These findings indicate that O-sulfated K5PS polysaccharide should be considered as a potential antimetastatic agent.

Effect of surface Fe2O3 clusters on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 for phenol degradation in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Qiong; Leng, Wenhua; Li, Zhen; Xu, Yiming

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Surface modified TiO 2 with iron oxide clusters through adsorption and decomposition of a large Fe(III) complex shows an enhanced activity for phenol degradation in water under UV light. But it was only observed with the clusters in a small size and at very low coverage on anatase. Highlights: ► Iron oxide clusters are made by decomposition of a large Fe(III) complex on TiO 2 . ► The modified anatase shows an enhanced activity for phenol photodegradation. ► The composite catalyst is very stable during four repeated experiments. - Abstract: Surface modification of TiO 2 with Fe 2 O 3 clusters was made through chemisorption of ferric phthalocyaninetetracarboxylate onto TiO 2 , followed by sintering in air to remove organic moiety. Solid characterization with electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and other techniques showed that ferric oxides were highly dispersed on TiO 2 as a noncrystallized cluster, while TiO 2 phases remained unchanged. For phenol degradation in aerated aqueous suspension, only the sample containing less than 0.3 at.% Fe was more active than bare TiO 2 under UV light, whereas no activity was found under visible light. As anatase thermally transferred into rutile, the Fe-containing catalyst became less active than bare TiO 2 , mainly ascribed to the increased size of Fe 2 O 3 clusters. In the presence of H 2 O 2 , all Fe-containing catalysts were more active than bare TiO 2 . Moreover, similar trend in activity among different catalysts was also observed with the formation of hydroxyl radicals, and with the generation of photocurrent measured under N 2 with Fe/TiO 2 electrode. Present work clearly shows that only Fe 2 O 3 clusters in a small size and at low coverage on TiO 2 are beneficial to the photocatalytic reaction, while excess iron oxide is detrimental. Possible mechanism is discussed in the text.

In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} heterostructured nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xing, Yonglei [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, International Center for Dielectric Research, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Que, Wenxiu, E-mail: wxque@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, International Center for Dielectric Research, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Yin, Xingtian; He, Zuoli; Liu, Xiaobin; Yang, Yawei; Shao, Jinyou [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, International Center for Dielectric Research, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, Shaanxi (China); Kong, Ling Bing, E-mail: ELBKong@ntu.edu.sg [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Visible-light photocatalytic activities of the nanostructured In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} heterostructures were studied. • Effect of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} content on the photocatalytic activity of the In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} heterostructure was evaluated. • 0.1In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} heterostructure photocatalyst shows a superior photocatalytic activity. • Based on Mott-Schottky analysis and active species detection, a mechanism for the separation of photogenerated carriers is proposed. • The effective separation process of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs was testified by photocurrent test. - Abstract: In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} composite photocatalysts with various contents of cubic In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were fabricated by using impregnation method. A thriving modification of Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} by an introduction of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} was confirmed by using X-ray diffraction, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The samples composed of hybrids of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} exhibited a much higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light, as compared with pure In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanoparticles. Optimized composition of the composite photocatalysts was 0.1In{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7}, which shows a rate constant higher than those of pure In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} by 4.06 and 3.21 times, respectively. Based on Mott-Schottky analysis and active species detection, the photoexcited electrons in the conduction band of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} and the holes in the valence band of Bi{sub 2}Sn{sub 2}O{sub 7} participated in reduction and oxidation reactions, respectively. Hence, ·OH, ·O{sub 2}{sup −} and h

Synergistic Effect of Cu2O and Urea as Modifiers of TiO2 for Enhanced Visible Light Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Janczarek

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Low cost compounds, i.e., Cu2O and urea, were used as TiO2 modifiers to introduce visible light activity. Simple and cheap methods were applied to synthesize an efficient and stable nanocomposite photocatalytic material. First, the core-shell structure TiO2–polytriazine derivatives were prepared. Thereafter, Cu2O was added as the second semiconductor to form a dual heterojunction system. Enhanced visible light activity was found for the above-mentioned nanocomposite, confirming a synergistic effect of Cu2O and urea (via polytriazine derivatives on titania surface. Two possible mechanisms of visible light activity of the considered material were proposed regarding the type II heterojunction and Z-scheme through the essential improvement of the charge separation effect.

Fabrication of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell from MOF based materials and its antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rajabi, S.K. [Department of Chemistry, University of Guilan, University Campus 2, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sohrabnezhad, Sh., E-mail: sohrabnezhad@guilan.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ghafourian, S. [Clinical Microbiology Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-12-15

Magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO nanocomposite with a core/shell structure was successfully synthesized via direct calcinations of magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@HKUST-1 in air atmosphere. The morphology, structure, magnetic and porous properties of the as-synthesized nano composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the nanocomposite material included a Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} core and a CuO shell. The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell can be separated easily from the medium by a small magnet. The antibacterial activity of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-CuO core-shell was investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A new mechanism was proposed for inactivation of bacteria over the prepared sample. It was demonstrated that the core-shell exhibit recyclable antibacterial activity, acting as an ideal long-acting antibacterial agent. - Graphical abstract: Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell release of copper ions. These Cu{sup 2+} ions were responsible for the exhibited antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuO core-shell was prepared by MOF method. • This is the first study of antibacterial activity of core-shell consist of CuO and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. • The core-shell can be reused effectively. • Core-shell was separated from the reaction solution by external magnetic field.

Multi-modal TiO2-LaFeO3 composite films with high photocatalytic activity and hydrophilicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Kun; Li Shudan

2012-01-01

In this paper, a series of multi-modal TiO 2 -LaFeO 3 composite films have been successfully synthesized through a two-step method. The resultant films were characterized in detail by several testing techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectrum (UV-vis DRS), photoluminescence spectrum (PL), surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) and water contact angle measurements. The photocatalytic activity of different films was evaluated for degrading Methylene Blue (MB) aqueous solution. Hydrophilicity of the obtained TiO 2 -LaFeO 3 composite films was also investigated. The results show that TL film and LT film exhibited superior photocatalytic activity and hydrophilicity.

Band gap-engineered ZnO and Ag/ZnO by ball-milling method and their photocatalytic and Fenton-like photocatalytic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Young In [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541 (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Hye Jin [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Weon Gyu, E-mail: wgshin@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134 (Korea, Republic of); Sohn, Youngku, E-mail: youngkusohn@ynu.ac.kr [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38541 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-11-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Ag/ZnO hybrid materials were prepared by a ball-milling method. • Adsorption and photocatalytic dye degradation were tested for pure RhB under visible light. • Adsorption and photocatalytic dye degradation were tested for mixed dye (MO + RhB + MB) under visible light. • Fenton-like photocatalytic activity (H{sub 2}O{sub 2} addition effects) was examined. - Abstract: The hybridization of ZnO with Ag has been performed extensively to increase the efficiency of ZnO in various applications, including catalysis. In this study, a wet (w) and dry (d) ball-milling method was used to hybridize Ag with ZnO nanoparticles, and their physicochemical properties were examined. Visible light absorption was enhanced and the band gap was engineered by ball-milling and Ag hybridization. Their photocatalytic activities were tested with rhodamine B (RhB) and a mixed dye (methyl orange + RhB + methylene blue) under visible light irradiation. For pure RhB, the photocatalytic activity was decreased by ball-milling and was observed in the order of ZnO(d) < Ag/ZnO(d) < ZnO(w) < Ag/ZnO(w) ≤ ZnO(ref). For the degradation of RhB and methylene blue (MB) in the mixed dye (or the simulated real contaminated water), the photocatalytic activity was observed in the order of Ag/ZnO(d) < ZnO(d) < ZnO(w) < Ag/ZnO(w) ≤ ZnO(ref). When the photodegradation tested with H{sub 2}O{sub 2} addition, however, the Fenton-like photocatalytic activity was reversed and the ZnO(ref) showed the poorest activity for the degradation of RhB and methylene blue (MB). In the mixed dye over all the catalysts, methyl orange (MO) was degraded most rapidly. The relative degradation rates of RhB and MB were found to be dependent on the catalyst and reaction conditions.

Fabrication of Fe3O4@CuO core-shell from MOF based materials and its antibacterial activity

Science.gov (United States)

Rajabi, S. K.; Sohrabnezhad, Sh.; Ghafourian, S.

2016-12-01

Magnetic Fe3O4@CuO nanocomposite with a core/shell structure was successfully synthesized via direct calcinations of magnetic Fe3O4@HKUST-1 in air atmosphere. The morphology, structure, magnetic and porous properties of the as-synthesized nano composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the nanocomposite material included a Fe3O4 core and a CuO shell. The Fe3O4@CuO core-shell can be separated easily from the medium by a small magnet. The antibacterial activity of Fe3O4-CuO core-shell was investigated against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. A new mechanism was proposed for inactivation of bacteria over the prepared sample. It was demonstrated that the core-shell exhibit recyclable antibacterial activity, acting as an ideal long-acting antibacterial agent.

Synthesis and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of p–n heterojunction Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} nanocubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Songbo [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Xu, Dongbo [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Chen, Biyi; Luo, Bifu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Yan, Xu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Xiao, Lisong, E-mail: xiaolisong123@sina.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Shi, Weidong, E-mail: swd1978@ujs.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • We firstly report a facile way to prepare the visible-light-driven Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3}p–n heterojunction by chemical precipitation method. • The Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction shows the highest photocatalytic activity than the pure NaTaO{sub 3} and Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles under visible light. • The enhancement of the heterojunction photocatalytic activity was discussed and the photocatalytic mechanism was tested in our paper. • In summary, we think that the Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction with the strong visible light absorption and efficient photocatalytic activity have been extended application in photocatalysis for organic dyes pollutants degradation and purification of water. - Abstract: The constructing of p–n heterojunction photocatalytic system has received much attention in environmental purification and hydrogen generation from water. In this study, an efficient visible-light-driven p–n heterojunction Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature. It showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation, much higher than those of either individual Ag{sub 2}O or NaTaO{sub 3}. The reactive species scavenger results indicated the superoxide anion radicals (·O{sup 2−}) played key roles in RhB decoloration. From the experimental results and the relative band gap position of these semiconductors, a detailed possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag{sub 2}O/NaTaO{sub 3} heterojunction under visible light was proposed. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was attributed to the interfacial electronic interaction between NaTaO{sub 3} and Ag{sub 2}O and the high migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.

Photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide modified by Fe2O3 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wodka, Dawid; Socha, Robert P.; Bielańska, Elżbieta; Elżbieciak-Wodka, Magdalena; Nowak, Paweł; Warszyński, Piotr

2014-01-01

Highlights: • 1% Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 composite showing high activity in the photocatalytic oxidation of organics was synthetized. • Electrochemical analysis indicated that surface modification of Degussa P25 by Fe 2 O 3 causes the appearance of surface states in such a material. • The enhanced activity of the prepared composite may be ascribed to the occurrence of the photo-Fenton process. - Abstract: Photocatalytic activity of Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 composites obtained by precipitation was investigated. The composite material containing 1.0 wt% of iron(III) oxide nanoparticles was obtained by depositing Fe 2 O 3 on the Evonic-Degussa P25 titania surface. SEM, XPS, DRS, CV and EIS techniques were applied to examine synthetized pale orange photocatalyst. The XPS measurements revealed that iron is present mainly in the +3 oxidation state but iron in the +2 oxidation state can be also detected. Electrochemical analysis indicated that surface modification of Degussa P25 by Fe 2 O 3 causes the appearance of surface states in such a material. Nevertheless, based on the DRS measurement it was shown that iron(III) oxide nanoparticles modified the P25 spectral properties but they did not change the band gap width. The photocatalytic activity of Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 composite was compared to photocatalytic activity of pristine P25 in photooxidation reaction of model compounds: oxalic acid (OxA) and formic acid (FA). Photodecomposition reaction was investigated in a batch reactor containing aqueous suspension of a photocatalyst illuminated by either UV or artificial sunlight (halogen lamp). The tests proved that nanoparticles deposited on titania surface triggers the increase in photocatalytic activity, this increase depends however on the decomposed substance

Increased photocatalytic activity induced by TiO2/Pt/SnO2 heterostructured films

Science.gov (United States)

Testoni, Glaucio O.; Amoresi, Rafael A. C.; Lustosa, Glauco M. M. M.; Costa, João P. C.; Nogueira, Marcelo V.; Ruiz, Miguel; Zaghete, Maria A.; Perazolli, Leinig A.

2018-02-01

In this work, a high photocatalytic activity was attained by intercalating a Pt layer between SnO2 and TiO2 semiconductors, which yielded a TiO2/Pt/SnO2 - type heterostructure used in the discoloration of blue methylene (MB) solution. The porous films and platinum layer were obtained by electrophoretic deposition and DC Sputtering, respectively, and were both characterized morphologically and structurally by FE-SEM and XRD. The films with the Pt interlayer were evaluated by photocatalytic activity through exposure to UV light. An increase in efficiency of 22% was obtained for these films compared to those without platinum deposition. Studies on the reutilization of the films pointed out high efficiency and recovery of the photocatalyst, rendering the methodology favorable for the construction of fixed bed photocatalytic reactors. A proposal associated with the mechanism is discussed in this work in terms of the difference in Schottky barrier between the semiconductors and the electrons transfer and trapping cycle. These are fundamental factors for boosting photocatalytic efficiency.

Visible-light photocatalytic activity of nitrided TiO2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camps, Enrique; Escobar-Alarcon, L.; Camacho-Lopez, Marco Antonio; Casados, Dora A. Solis

2010-01-01

TiO 2 thin films have been applied in UV-light photocatalysis. Nevertheless visible-light photocatalytic activity would make this material more attractive for applications. In this work we present results on the modification of titanium oxide (anatase) sol-gel thin films, via a nitriding process using a microwave plasma source. After the treatment in the nitrogen plasma, the nitrogen content in the TiO 2 films varied in the range from 14 up to 28 at%. The titanium oxide films and the nitrided ones were characterized by XPS, micro-Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. Photocatalytic activity tests were done using a Methylene Blue dye solution, and as catalyst TiO 2 and nitrided TiO 2 films. The irradiation of films was carried out with a lamp with emission in the visible (without UV). The results showed that the nitrided TiO 2 films had photocatalytic activity, while the unnitrided films did not.

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of poly(3-hexylthiophene)/TiO2 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muktha, B.; Mahanta, Debajyoti; Patil, Satish; Madras, Giridhar

2007-01-01

An heterogeneous conducting polymer composite, poly(3-hexylthiophene)/TiO 2 (P3HT/TiO 2 ), was synthesized. The photocatalytic activity of P3HT alone and the composite was investigated for the first time by degrading a common dye under UV exposure. It was shown that the photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites was higher compared to either the polymer or TiO 2 alone. A simple mechanism was proposed to explain this observed synergetic effect. - Graphical abstract: Photocatalytic mechanism of the polymer composite with titania. A new heterogeneous conducting polymer composite with titania (P3HT/TiO 2 ) was synthesized and the photocatalytic activity this composite was investigated by degrading a common dye under UV exposure. It was shown that the nanocomposite exhibited synergetic photocatalytic catalytic activity compared to either the polymer or TiO 2 alone. The scheme of the possible mechanism of enhancement of photocatalytic degradation rate in a conducting polymer nanocomposite is shown in the figure

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2/Nb2O5/PANI and TiO2/Nb2O5/RGO as new nanocomposites for degradation of organic pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarrin, Saviz; Heshmatpour, Felora

2018-06-05

In this study, highly active titanium dioxide modified by niobium oxide (Nb 2 O 5 ), polymer (PANI) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) were successfully prepared. The morphology, structure, surface area and light absorption properties of the present nanocomposites for removal of methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO) were investigated and compared with those of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and TiO 2 nanoparticles. The characterization techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis, SEM, EDX, BET and TEM were employed in order to identify the nanocomposites. Also, photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /PANI and TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO nanocomposites under visible light irradiation were studied. In this way, the obtained results were compared to each other and also compared to TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and TiO 2 nanoparticles. In this context, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal follows the photodegradation in observed performance. The results indicate that reduced TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 nanocomposite is effectively modified by graphene oxide to give TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO composite. The TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /RGO exhibits significantly higher photocatalytic activity in degradation of organic dyes under visible light rather than that of TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 /PANI, TiO 2 /Nb 2 O 5 and pure TiO 2 . Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The comparison of photocatalytic activity of synthesized TiO2 and ZrO2 nanosize onto wool fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moafi, Hadi Fallah; Shojaie, Abdollah Fallah; Zanjanchi, Mohammad Ali

2010-01-01

TiO 2 and ZrO 2 nanocrystals were successfully synthesized and deposited onto wool fibers using the sol-gel technique at low temperature. The photocatalytic activities of TiO 2 -coated and ZrO 2 -coated wool fibers were measured by studying photodegradation of methylene blue and eosin yellowish dyes. The initial and the treated samples were characterized by several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and X-ray diffraction. The TEM study shows dispersed particles with 10-30 nm in size for TiO 2 -coated and 20-40 nm in size for ZrO 2 -coated samples on the fiber surface. Comparison of the photocatalytic activity of the coated samples reveals superiority of TiO 2 modified sample with respect to that of ZrO 2 for degradation of both dyes. Our observations indicate that by applying this technique to the fabrics, self-cleaning materials could be designed for practical application.

A new ribbon-ignition method for fabricating p-CuO/n-CeO{sub 2} heterojunction with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Ning [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Metallic Materials, Nanjing 211189 (China); Pan, Ye, E-mail: panye@seu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Metallic Materials, Nanjing 211189 (China); Lu, Tao; Li, Xingzhou; Wu, Shikai [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Advanced Metallic Materials, Nanjing 211189 (China); Wu, Jili [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China)

2017-05-01

Highlights: • A novel ribbon-ignition method was carried out to fabricate p-CuO/n-CeO{sub 2} heterojunction. • Cu-Ce binary amorphous ribbons are chosen as precursors. • Ribbon-ignition method has many advantages compared to traditional solution-based methods. • The CuO/CeO{sub 2} exhibited enhanced photodegradation activity towards RhB. • The formation of p-type CuO/n-type CeO{sub 2} heterojunction can promote the separation and transfer of the photoinduced carriers, resulting in the enhanced photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: The p-type CuO/n-type CeO{sub 2} heterojunction photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile combination of ribbon-ignition and calcination methods using Cu-Ce amorphous ribbons as precursors. The synthesized sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). XRD, FTIR and XPS reveal the successful synthesis of CuO/CeO{sub 2} composite. The SEM and TEM images show that the sample consists of large amounts of well-dispersed blocky-shaped particles with the size distribution from 20 nm to 2 μm. DRS exhibits the absorption band (about 491 nm) and the band gap energy (2.59 eV) of the CuO/CeO{sub 2} composite. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by degrading rhodamine B (RhB) dye (10 mg/L) under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. Compared with pure CuO and CeO{sub 2}, the CuO/CeO{sub 2} exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity. The reaction rate constant of CuO/CeO{sub 2} is 0.18 min{sup −1}, which is much higher than those of CuO (0.12 min{sup −1}) and CeO{sub 2} (0.10 min{sup −1}).

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 nanotubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arruda, L.B.; Pereira, E.A.; Paula, F.R.; Lisboa Filho, P.N.

2016-01-01

Full text: One-dimensional nanostructures have been intensively studied, from the point of view of their synthesis and mechanisms of formation, as well as their applications in photonics, solar energy conversion, environmental and photocatalysis, since their properties due high surface area, electrical conductivity and light dispersion effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be an effective multifunctional material especially when the particle size is less than 50 nm exhibit photoinduced activities that originate from the semiconductor band gap. TiO2 is semiconductor more used in photocatalysis, for this reason various properties have been thoroughly investigated in order to show that the photocatalytic activity and TiO2 reaction mechanism are influenced by structure, defects and impurities, surface morphology. and interfaces in addition to the concentration of dopants, such as rare-earth elements. Cerium ions, for example, vary between Ce4+ and Ce3 + oxidation state making the cerium oxide appear as CeO2 and Ce2O3 under oxidation and reduction conditions. These different electronic structures of Ce3+ (4f15d0) and Ce4+ (4f05d0) provide different catalytic and optical properties at the TiO2. In this work, samples of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 were synthesized by alkali route, and its photocatalytic activity analyzed in order to create a relationship between the response obtained and the structure and morphology of each sample. Alkali route consists in submitting TiO2 (anatase) powder directly in medium of the NaOH (10M) and maintained at 120°C/20 hours by a glycerin bath with subsequent washed with water and HCl (0.1M) until reaching the desired pH. The synthesized samples were then studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B (Rh.B) it was performed under UV irradiation and visible light in air. For the obtained

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arruda, L.B.; Pereira, E.A.; Paula, F.R.; Lisboa Filho, P.N. [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), SP (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: One-dimensional nanostructures have been intensively studied, from the point of view of their synthesis and mechanisms of formation, as well as their applications in photonics, solar energy conversion, environmental and photocatalysis, since their properties due high surface area, electrical conductivity and light dispersion effects. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have been demonstrated to be an effective multifunctional material especially when the particle size is less than 50 nm exhibit photoinduced activities that originate from the semiconductor band gap. TiO2 is semiconductor more used in photocatalysis, for this reason various properties have been thoroughly investigated in order to show that the photocatalytic activity and TiO2 reaction mechanism are influenced by structure, defects and impurities, surface morphology. and interfaces in addition to the concentration of dopants, such as rare-earth elements. Cerium ions, for example, vary between Ce4+ and Ce3 + oxidation state making the cerium oxide appear as CeO2 and Ce2O3 under oxidation and reduction conditions. These different electronic structures of Ce3+ (4f15d0) and Ce4+ (4f05d0) provide different catalytic and optical properties at the TiO2. In this work, samples of Ce-doped TiO2 and TiO2 were synthesized by alkali route, and its photocatalytic activity analyzed in order to create a relationship between the response obtained and the structure and morphology of each sample. Alkali route consists in submitting TiO2 (anatase) powder directly in medium of the NaOH (10M) and maintained at 120°C/20 hours by a glycerin bath with subsequent washed with water and HCl (0.1M) until reaching the desired pH. The synthesized samples were then studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic decomposition of rhodamine B (Rh.B) it was performed under UV irradiation and visible light in air. For the obtained

Preparation of Ni Doped ZnO-TiO2 Composites and Their Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaowen Zou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Herein, Ni doped ZnO-TiO2 composites were prepared by facile sol-gel approach and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL. The results indicated that the Ni ions can be incorporated into the lattice of TiO2 structure and replace Ti. The introduction of Ni expanded light absorption of TiO2 to visible region, increased amount of surface hydroxyl groups and physically adsorbed oxygen (as the electronic scavenges, and then enhanced separation rate of photogenerated carriers. The photodegradation test of reactive brilliant blue (KN-R under simulated solar light indicated that Ni doped ZnO-TiO2 composites have better photocatalytic activities, as compared to those of TiO2 and ZnO-TiO2.

Measurements of the Activity of dissolved H2O in an Andesite Melt

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, G. M.; Touran, J. P.; Pu, X.; Kelley, K. A.; Cottrell, E.; Ghiorso, M. S.

2016-12-01

The large effect of dissolved H2O on the physical and chemical nature of silicate melts, and its role in driving volcanism, is well known and underscores the importance of this volatile component. A complete understanding of the chemical behavior of dissolved H2O in silicate melts requires the quantification of its thermodynamic activity as a function of pressure, temperature, and melt composition, particularly at low H2O contents (i.e. at under-saturated conditions). Knowledge of the activity of H2O in silicate melts at H2O-undersaturated conditions will improve our understanding of hydrous phase equilibria, as well as our models of physical melt properties. Measurement of the activity of any silicate melt component, much less that of a volatile component such as H2O, is a difficult experimental task however. By using a modified double capsule design (Matjuschkin et al, 2015) to control oxygen fugacity in piston cylinder experiments, along with high precision X-ray absorption techniques (XANES) to measure iron oxidation state in silicate glasses (Cottrell et al, 2009), we are able to constrain the H2O activity in silicate melts at under-saturated conditions. Preliminary results on an andesite melt with low H2O content (3 wt%) have been shown (Moore et al, 2016) to match predicted H2O activity values calculated using the H2O equation of state of Duan and Zhang (1996) and the H2O solubility model of Ghiorso and Gualda (2015). More recent results on the same andesite melt containing approximately 5 wt% H2O however show a large negative deviation from the predicted values. Reversal experiments involving an oxidized starting material are ongoing, as well as further characterization of the samples to detect the presence of possible contaminants that would induce reduction of the melt beyond that related to the H2O activity (e.g. graphite contamination).

The N2O activation by Rh5 clusters. A quantum chemistry study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olvera-Neria, Oscar; Avilés, Roberto; Francisco-Rodríguez, Héctor; Bertin, Virineya; García-Cruz, Raúl; González-Torres, Julio César; Poulain, Enrique

2015-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a by-product of exhaust pipe gases treatment produced by motor vehicles. Therefore, the N2O reduction to N2 is necessary to meet the actual environmental legislation. The N2O adsorption and dissociation assisted by the square-based pyramidal Rh5 cluster was investigated using the density functional theory and the zero-order regular approximation (ZORA). The Rh5 sextet ground state is the most active in N2O dissociation, though the quartet and octet states are also active because they are degenerate. The Rh5 cluster spontaneously activates the N2─O cleavage, and the reaction is highly exothermic ca. -75 kcal mol(-1). The N2─O breaking is obtained for the geometrical arrangement that maximizes the overlap and electron transfers between the N2O and Rh5 frontier orbitals. The Rh5 high activity is due to the Rh 3d orbitals are located between the N2O HOMO and LUMO orbitals, which makes possible the interactions between them. In particular, the O 2p states strongly interact with Rh 3d orbitals, which finally weaken the N2─O bond. The electron transfer is from the Rh5 HOMO orbital to the N2O antibonding orbital.

Influences of air calcination and steam activation on microstructure and photocatalytic activity of continuous TiO2 fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You, Yang; Zhang, Shiying; Xu, Difa

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Effects of air calcination and steam activation on TiO 2 fibers were studied. ► The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by degradation of formaldehyde. ► Steam activation promoted the anatase–rutile phase transformation. ► Steam activation decreased grain size and increased special surface area. ► Steam activation improved photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 fibers. -- Abstract: Effects of air calcination and steam activation, on phase transformation, microstructure and photocatalytic activity of continuous TiO 2 fibers prepared by sol–gel method were studied. The fibers were characterized by XRD, SEM, and N 2 adsorption–desorption. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde. Results showed that 100% rutile fibers heat-treated in air and steam were obtained at 800 °C and 600 °C, respectively. The anatase grain sizes and special surface areas of the fibers heat-treated at 500 °C in air and steam were 31.6 nm, 22.7 nm, 26.7 m 2 /g and 32.3 m 2 /g, respectively. The degradation rates of formaldehyde over the fibers heat-treated at 500 °C in air and steam were 92.3% and 98.6% after 14 h under UV irradiation, respectively. Compared with the air calcination, the steam activation promoted the anatase–rutile phase transformation, reduced the grain size, increased the special surface area, and improved photocatalytic activity of continuous TiO 2 fibers.

Self-assembled Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}/TiO{sub 2} nanofiber heterojunction film with enhanced photocatalytic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hua [School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China); Zhang, Tianxi [School of Physics, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China); Pan, Chao; Pu, Chenchen; Hu, Yang [School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China); Hu, Xiaoyun [School of Physics, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China); Liu, Enzhou, E-mail: liuenzhou@nwu.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China); Fan, Jun, E-mail: fanjun@nwu.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069 (China)

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Self-assembled Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}/TiO{sub 2} nanofiber film was synthesized. • TiO{sub 2} nanofiber film exhibits excellent visible light scattering property. • The scattering light from TiO{sub 2} overlaps with the absorption light of Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}. • Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}/TiO{sub 2} heterojunction photocatalysts show higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2} nanofiber film (TiO{sub 2} NFF) was successfully fabricated by an ethylene glycol-assisted hydrothermal method, and then self-assembled flake-like Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6} was grown on the surface of TiO{sub 2} nanofiber under alcohol thermal condition. The investigations indicate that the nanofiber structure of TiO{sub 2} films exhibits excellent visible light scattering property, the scattering light overlaps with the absorption band of Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}, which can enhance the utility of incident light. The prepared Bi{sub 2}MoO{sub 6}/TiO{sub 2} composites show obviously enhanced photocatalytic activity for methylene blue (MB) degradation compared with pure TiO{sub 2} nanofiber under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm). The enhanced photocatalytic activity is primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of visible light absorption and effective electron-hole separation at the interfaces of the two semiconductors, which is confirmed by photoluminescence (PL) and electrochemical tests.

Activated carbon/ZnO composites prepared using hydrochars as intermediate and their electrochemical performance in supercapacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yueming; Liu, Xi

2014-01-01

We report a new methodology to prepare activated carbon and activated carbons/ZnO composites from walnut shell-derived hydrothermal carbons (hydrochars), which were prepared under hydrothermal condition in presence of ZnCl 2 . For this method, activated carbon/ZnO composites were prepared via heat treatment of hydrochars under inert environment and activated carbons were prepared by removing the ZnO in activated carbon/ZnO composites. The chemical structure of walnut shell, hydrochars, activated carbon/ZnO and activated carbon was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and N 2 adsorption/desorption measurements. It is found ZnCl 2 plays multiple roles, i.e., helping to remove the oxygen-containing groups during hydrothermal stage, improving the surface area of activated carbon and acting as the precursor of ZnO in heat-treatment stage. The specific surface areas up to 818.9 and 1072.7 m 2  g −1 have been achieved for activated carbon/ZnO composites and activated carbon, respectively. The activated carbon/ZnO as electrode materials for supercapacitors showed that specific capacitance of up to 117.4 F g −1 at a current density of 0.5 A g −1 in KOH aqueous solution can be achieved and keeps stable in 1000 cycles. - Highlights: • Hydrochars as intermediate to prepare activated carbon/ZnO composites. • Activated carbon/ZnO showed excellent electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. • Activated carbon with large surface area can be obtained by removing ZnO

Facile synthesis, enhanced field emission and photocatalytic activities of Cu2O–TiO2–ZnO ternary hetero-nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yang; Yu Ke; Yin Haihong; Song Changqin; Zhang Zhengli; Li Shouchuan; Zhang Qingfeng; Zhao Bin; Zhang Yingfang; Zhu Ziqiang; Shi Hui

2013-01-01

Cu 2 O–TiO 2 –ZnO ternary nano-heteroarchitectures were designed and successfully fabricated using titanium (IV) oxideacetylacetonate (TiO(acac) 2 ) as a precursor and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a binding agent. Field emission and photocatalytic activities of pure Cu 2 O nanopines, Cu 2 O–TiO 2 core–shell nanopines and Cu 2 O–TiO 2 –ZnO ternary composites were investigated and compared. The results revealed that the as-prepared nano-heterojunctions and nanoparticles at the surface remarkably enhanced the field emission and photocatalytic activities of pure Cu 2 O nanopines. The as-prepared nano-heterojunctions induced interfacial states and energy band differentials, which caused electron transition and the inhibition of photo-induced electron–hole pair recombination. The nanoparticles at the surface formed thousands of surface nano-protrusions and active sites for photocatalytic chemical reactions. (paper)

Highly active sulfided CoMo catalysts supported on (ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2})/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ternary oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Escobar, José, E-mail: jeaguila@imp.mx [Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo, Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 152, Col. San Bartolo Atepehuacan, Gustavo A. Madero, México, D.F. 07730 (Mexico); De Los Reyes, José A., E-mail: jarh@xanum.uam.mx [Area de Ing. Química, UAM – Iztapalapa, San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, México, D.F. 09340 (Mexico); Ulín, Carlos A. [Area de Ing. Química, UAM – Iztapalapa, San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col. Vicentina, Iztapalapa, México, D.F. 09340 (Mexico); Barrera, María C., E-mail: mcbdgavilan@gmail.com [Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Universidad km. 7.5, Col. Santa Isabel, Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, México, D.F. 96538 (Mexico)

2013-12-16

(ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2})/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ternary oxide at 20 mol% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (80% ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2}, in turn at 40–60 mol ratio) prepared by controlled co-precipitation (by urea thermal decomposition) of zirconium (ZrOCl{sub 2}·8H{sub 2}O) and titanium (TiCl{sub 4}) chlorides over a ground alumina substrate constitutes a promising material to be used as carrier of sulfided hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts. After calcining (at 500 °C), the ternary oxide presented textural properties (S{sub g} = 387 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}, V{sub p} = 0.74 ml g{sup −1}, mean pore diameter = 7.6 nm) suitable to its utilization as carrier of catalysts applied in the oil-derived middle distillates HDS. As determined by temperature programmed-reduction and Raman and UV–vis spectroscopies ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2} deposition over alumina substrate resulted in decreased proportion of Mo{sup 6+} species in tetrahedral coordination on the oxidic impregnated material. As those species constitute hardly reducible precursors, their diminished concentration could be reflected in enhanced amount of Mo species susceptible of activation by sulfiding (H{sub 2}S/H{sub 2} at 400 °C) over our ternary carrier. Limiting the concentration of zirconia-titania (at 40–60 mol ratio) to 20 mol% in the mixed oxides support allowed the preparation of highly active promoted (by cobalt, at Co/(Co + Mo) = 0.3) MoS{sub 2} phase (at 2.8 atoms/nm{sup 2}), that formulation showing excellent properties in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of both dibenzothiophene and highly-refractory 4,6-dimethyl-dibenzothiophene. Due to alike yields to various HDS products over CoMo/(ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2})/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and the corresponding Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-supported formulation, presence of similar actives sites over those catalysts was strongly suggested. It seemed that enhanced concentration of octahedral Mo{sup 6+} over the oxidic impregnated precursor with (ZrO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2})/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3

Optical properties and photocatalytic activities of spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO structures synthesized by facile hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Yongling [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Li, Zhongyu, E-mail: zhongyuli@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Changzhou Expansion New Stuff Technology Limited Company, Changzhou 213122 (China); Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin 132022 (China); Xu, Song [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Han, Dandan; Lu, Dayong [Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin 132022 (China)

2013-10-25

Highlights: •Spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. •The as-prepared ZnO showed high photocatalytic activity over MO degradation. •The as-prepared ZnO were well crystallized and exhibited good optical properties. -- Abstract: Spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO were prepared by facile hydrothermal method at 180 °C and 160 °C, respectively. The as-prepared samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) spectra. The optical properties of as-prepared sample, such as photoluminescence (PL) spectra and Raman spectra were studied. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared ZnO particles were investigated by degrading the methyl orange (MO) under UV light irradiation. The photocatalytic studies showed that the organic pollutants have been almost completely degraded and mineralized after irradiation of the UV light. These results indicated that the as-prepared ZnO particles exhibited good optical properties and high photocatalytic activities.

Photosynthetic water oxidation: binding and activation of substrate waters for O-O bond formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinyard, David J; Khan, Sahr; Brudvig, Gary W

2015-01-01

Photosynthetic water oxidation occurs at the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of Photosystem II (PSII). The OEC, which contains a Mn4CaO5 inorganic cluster ligated by oxides, waters and amino-acid residues, cycles through five redox intermediates known as S(i) states (i = 0-4). The electronic and structural properties of the transient S4 intermediate that forms the O-O bond are not well understood. In order to gain insight into how water is activated for O-O bond formation in the S4 intermediate, we have performed a detailed analysis of S-state dependent substrate water binding kinetics taking into consideration data from Mn coordination complexes. This analysis supports a model in which the substrate waters are both bound as terminal ligands and react via a water-nucleophile attack mechanism.

Synthesis and visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of p-n heterojunction Ag2O/NaTaO3 nanocubes

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Songbo; Xu, Dongbo; Chen, Biyi; Luo, Bifu; Yan, Xu; Xiao, Lisong; Shi, Weidong

2016-10-01

The constructing of p-n heterojunction photocatalytic system has received much attention in environmental purification and hydrogen generation from water. In this study, an efficient visible-light-driven p-n heterojunction Ag2O/NaTaO3 was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature. It showed an enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation, much higher than those of either individual Ag2O or NaTaO3. The reactive species scavenger results indicated the superoxide anion radicals (rad O2-) played key roles in RhB decoloration. From the experimental results and the relative band gap position of these semiconductors, a detailed possible photocatalytic mechanism of the Ag2O/NaTaO3 heterojunction under visible light was proposed. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity was attributed to the interfacial electronic interaction between NaTaO3 and Ag2O and the high migration efficiency of photogenerated carriers.

Activated carbon/ZnO composites prepared using hydrochars as intermediate and their electrochemical performance in supercapacitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yueming, E-mail: liyueming@ysu.edu.cn; Liu, Xi

2014-11-14

We report a new methodology to prepare activated carbon and activated carbons/ZnO composites from walnut shell-derived hydrothermal carbons (hydrochars), which were prepared under hydrothermal condition in presence of ZnCl{sub 2}. For this method, activated carbon/ZnO composites were prepared via heat treatment of hydrochars under inert environment and activated carbons were prepared by removing the ZnO in activated carbon/ZnO composites. The chemical structure of walnut shell, hydrochars, activated carbon/ZnO and activated carbon was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption measurements. It is found ZnCl{sub 2} plays multiple roles, i.e., helping to remove the oxygen-containing groups during hydrothermal stage, improving the surface area of activated carbon and acting as the precursor of ZnO in heat-treatment stage. The specific surface areas up to 818.9 and 1072.7 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} have been achieved for activated carbon/ZnO composites and activated carbon, respectively. The activated carbon/ZnO as electrode materials for supercapacitors showed that specific capacitance of up to 117.4 F g{sup −1} at a current density of 0.5 A g{sup −1} in KOH aqueous solution can be achieved and keeps stable in 1000 cycles. - Highlights: • Hydrochars as intermediate to prepare activated carbon/ZnO composites. • Activated carbon/ZnO showed excellent electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. • Activated carbon with large surface area can be obtained by removing ZnO.

Hydrothermal synthesis of Ag@TiO2-Fe3O4 nanocomposites using sonochemically activated precursors: magnetic, photocatalytic and antibacterial properties

Science.gov (United States)

Bokare, Anuja; Singh, Hema; Pai, Mrinal; Nair, Roopa; Sabharwal, Sushma; Athawale, Anjali A.

2014-12-01

Fe3O4-TiO2 nanocomposites have been synthesized by hydrothermal method using sonochemically activated precursors. X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples reveals the formation of pure phase composites. The optical properties of the composites are superior to TiO2 as noted from the red shift in the diffused reflectance spectra of the composites. The presence of nanocubes of Fe3O4, nanospheres of TiO2 and heterojunctions of the two in the composite samples have been observed in transmission electron micrographs. The magnetic properties of the samples were determined with the help of vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The photocatalytic activity of the samples was investigated in terms of degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye. The composites could be easily separated from the reaction mixture after photocatalysis due to their magnetic behaviour. However, the photocatalytic activity of the composites was observed to be lower compared to bare TiO2. The composite (15% Fe3O4-TiO2) when modified by coating it with Ag showed enhanced photocatalytic activity. Further, the antibacterial activities of the samples were also examined using E. coli as a model organism. Positive results were obtained only for the Ag coated composite with lower MIC (minimum inhibition concentration) values.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of Zn-Doped SnO2/Zn2SnO4 Coupled Nanocomposites

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Tiekun Jia

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Zn-doped SnO2/Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites were prepared via a two-step hydrothermal synthesis method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, and adsorption-desorption isotherms. The results of FESEM and TEM showed that the as-prepared Zn-doped SnO2/Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites are composed of numerous nanoparticles with the size ranging from 20 nm to 50 nm. The specific surface area of the as-prepared Zn-doped SnO2/Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites is estimated to be 71.53 m2/g by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET method. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue (MB, and the resulting showed that Zn-doped SnO2/Zn2SnO4 nanocomposites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity due to their higher specific surface area and surface charge carrier transfer.

Synthesis of hybrid cellulose nanocomposite bonded with dopamine SiO2/TiO2 and its antimicrobial activity

Science.gov (United States)

Ramesh, Sivalingam; Kim, Gwang-Hoon; Kim, Jaehwan; Kim, Joo-Hyung

2015-04-01

Organic-inorganic hybrid material based cellulose was synthesized by the sol-gel approach. The explosion of activity in this area in the past decade has made tremendous progress in industry or academic both fundamental understanding of sol-gel process and applications of new functionalized hybrid materials. In this present research work, we focused on cellulose-dopamine functionalized SiO2/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite by sol-gel process. The cellulose-dopamine hybrid nanocomposite was synthesized via γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (γ-APTES) coupling agent by in-situ sol-gel process. The chemical structure of cellulose-amine functionalized dopamine bonding to cellulose structure with covalent cross linking hybrids was confirmed by FTIR spectral analysis. The morphological analysis of cellulose-dopamine nanoSiO2/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite materials was characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. From this different analysis results indicate that the optical transparency, thermal stability, control morphology of cellulose-dopamine-SiO2/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite. Furthermore cellulose-dopamine-SiO2/TiO2 hybrid nanocomposite was tested against pathogenic bacteria for antimicrobial activity.

Porous-ZnO-Nanobelt Film as Recyclable Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

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Wang Min

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract In this article, the porous-ZnO-nanobelt film was synthesized by oxidizing the ZnSe-nanobelt film in air. The experiment results show that the porous-ZnO-nanobelt film possesses enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with the ZnO-nanobelt film, and can be used as recyclable photocatalysts. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the porous-ZnO-nanobelt film is attributed to the increased surface area. Therefore, turning the 1D-nanostructure film into porous one may be a feasible approach to meet the demand of photocatalyst application.

Occlus-o-Guide® versus Andresen activator appliance: neuromuscular evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Farronato, Giampietro; Giannini, Lucia; Galbiati, Guido; Grillo, Elena; Maspero, Cinzia

2013-05-20

The aim of the present study was to assess the muscular variations at the electromyography (EMG) level for the anterior temporalis muscles and masseter muscles during treatment with Occlus-o-Guide® and Andresen activator appliances. Eighty-two patients (35 males and 47 females) aged between 8 and 12 years (mean age, 10.5±0.8 years) participated in the study. Fifty patients underwent treatment with an Occlus-o-Guide® and 32 patients with an Andresen activator. All patients underwent EMG examination using a Freely EMG (De Gotzen, Legnano, Italy) and surface bipolar electrodes when the appliances were worn for the first time (T0), and after 6 months (T1) and after 12 months (T2) of appliance use. Statistical analysis showed that both at T0 and T2, the percent overlapping coefficient (POC) of the anterior temporalis muscles was not statistically different between the appliance groups. At T0, the POC of the masseter muscles was significantly lower for the Andresen appliance as compared to the Occlus-o-Guide® (p=0.02), while at T2 this significance was lost. At insertion of an appliance, all patients show neuromuscular balance that does not correspond to orthognathic occlusion. Both appliances work by creating muscular imbalance. With the appliances in situ, EMG responses were generally analogous for the Occlus-o-Guide® and the Andresen activator; however, the imbalance was greater and the recovery of the orthological muscular balance was slower in patients under treatment with the Andresen activator as compared to those with the Occlus-o-Guide®.

Graphene quantum dots /LaCoO3/attapulgite heterojunction photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Wei; Li, Xiazhang

2017-01-01

A new nanocomposite of graphene quantum dots/LaCoO 3 /attapulgite (GQDs/LaCoO 3 /ATP) was prepared by a facile impregnation method and was applied to degradation of the organic pollutants as photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Multiple techniques were used to characterize the structures, morphologies and photocatalytic activities of samples. The photocatalytic activity of the GQDs/LaCoO 3 /ATP nanocomposites was effectively evaluated using Methylene blue (MB), antibiotic agent chlortetracycline (CHL) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). The as-synthesized GQDs/LaCoO 3 /ATP nanocomposites exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than LaCoO 3 /ATP, which showed a broad spectrum of photocatalytic degradation activity. The results of ESR and free radicals trapping experiments indicated that circle OH and h + were the main species for the photocatalytic degradation. GQDs played a significant role in the photocatalytic activity improvement of LaCoO 3 /ATP, increasing the visible light absorption, slowing the recombination and improving the charge transfer. (orig.)

Graphene quantum dots /LaCoO3/attapulgite heterojunction photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wei; Li, Xiazhang

2017-04-01

A new nanocomposite of graphene quantum dots/LaCoO3/attapulgite (GQDs/LaCoO3/ATP) was prepared by a facile impregnation method and was applied to degradation of the organic pollutants as photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Multiple techniques were used to characterize the structures, morphologies and photocatalytic activities of samples. The photocatalytic activity of the GQDs/LaCoO3/ATP nanocomposites was effectively evaluated using Methylene blue (MB), antibiotic agent chlortetracycline (CHL) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). The as-synthesized GQDs/LaCoO3/ATP nanocomposites exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than LaCoO3/ATP, which showed a broad spectrum of photocatalytic degradation activity. The results of ESR and free radicals trapping experiments indicated that • OH and h+ were the main species for the photocatalytic degradation. GQDs played a significant role in the photocatalytic activity improvement of LaCoO3/ATP, increasing the visible light absorption, slowing the recombination and improving the charge transfer.

Microwave synthesized nanostructured TiO2-activated carbon composite electrodes for supercapacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvakumar, M.; Bhat, D. Krishna

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Nanostructure TiO 2 has been prepared by a microwave assisted synthesis method. ► Microwave irradiation was varied with time duration on the formation of nanoparticles. ► TiO 2 -activate carbon show very good specific capacitance for supercapacitor. ► Electrochemical properties were studied on electroanalytical techniques. - Abstract: Electrochemical properties of a supercapacitor based on nanocomposite electrodes of activated carbon with TiO 2 nano particles synthesized by a microwave method have been determined. The TiO 2 /activated carbon nanocomposite electrode with a composition of 1:3 showed a specific capacitance 92 Fg −1 . The specific capacitance of the electrode decreased with increase in titanium dioxide content. The p/p symmetrical supercapacitor fabricated with TiO 2 /activated carbon composite electrodes showed a specific capacitance of 122 Fg −1 . The electrochemical behavior of the neat TiO 2 nanoparticles has also been studied for comparison purpose. The galvanostatic charge–discharge test of the fabricated supercapacitor showed that the device has good coulombic efficiency and cycle life. The specific capacitance of the supercapacitor was stable up to 5000 cycles at current densities of 2, 4, 6 and 7 mA cm −2 .

Bactericidal Activity of Aqueous Acrylic Paint Dispersion for Wooden Substrates Based on TiO2 Nanoparticles Activated by Fluorescent Light

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Di Gioia

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The photocatalytic effect of TiO2 has great potential for the disinfection of surfaces. Most studies reported in the literature use UV activation of TiO2, while visible light has been used only in a few applications. In these studies, high concentrations of TiO2, which can compromise surface properties, have been used. In this work, we have developed an acrylic-water paint dispersion containing low TiO2 content (2 vol % for the inactivation of microorganisms involved in hospital-acquired infections. The nanoparticles and the coating have been characterized using spectroscopic techniques and transmission electron microscopy, showing their homogenous dispersion in the acrylic urethane coating. A common fluorescent light source was used to activate the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. The paint dispersion showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The coating containing the TiO2 nanoparticles maintained good UV stability, strong adhesion to the substrate and high hardness. Therefore, the approach used is feasible for paint formulation aimed at disinfection of healthcare surfaces.

Synthesis of activated charcoal supported Bi-doped TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite under solar light irradiation for enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandraboss, V.L.; Kamalakkannan, J.; Senthilvelan, S., E-mail: dr_senthilvel@yahoo.co.in

2016-11-30

Highlights: • Particle size and band gap of TiO{sub 2} is decreased upon Bi doping. • Methylene blue is successfully degraded over Bi/TiO{sub 2} and AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2}. • AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2} is more active photocatalyst than TiO{sub 2} and Bi/TiO{sub 2}. • AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2} led to a maximum extension of the spectral wavelength. • AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2} with enhanced photocatalytic activity produced much more reactive ·OH. - Abstract: In this study, activated charcoal (AC) supported bismuth (Bi)-doped Titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanocomposite was synthesized by precipitation method. The photocatalytic activity of AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2} was investigated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under solar light irradiation. The incorporation of Bi{sup 3+} into the TiO{sub 2} lattice shifts the absorbance of TiO{sub 2} to the visible region then the addition of high adsorption capacity activated charcoal to improve the efficiency of TiO{sub 2}. AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2} is found to be more efficient than Bi/TiO{sub 2} and undoped TiO{sub 2} for the degradation of MB under solar light irradiation. Surface morphology and bulk composition of the composite was obtained using high resolution-scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The crystal structure evolution and elemental composition were analyzed by combining Fourier transform-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) absorption spectra show that the absorption edge for the composite with Bi{sup 3+} has red shift as compared with that of undoped TiO{sub 2}. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra demonstrated a decrease in the direct band gap of AC-Bi/TiO{sub 2}. BET surface area, pore radius and pore volume of the materials were calculated by applying the BET equation to the sorption isotherms. The production of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) on the surface of solar light irradiated materialswere detected by

Sol–gel synthesis of SnO2–MgO nanoparticles and their photocatalytic activity towards methylene blue degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bayal, Nisha; Jeevanandam, P.

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A simple sol–gel method for the synthesis of SnO 2 –MgO nanoparticles is reported. • Band gap of SnO 2 can be tuned by varying the magnesium content in SnO 2 –MgO. • SnO 2 –MgO shows good photocatalytic activity towards degradation of methylene blue. - Abstract: SnO 2 –MgO mixed metal oxide nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol–gel method. The nanoparticles were characterized by power X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The XRD results indicate the formation of mixed metal oxide nanoparticles and also a decrease of SnO 2 crystallite size in the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles with increasing magnesium oxide content. The reflectance spectroscopy results show a blue shift of the band gap of SnO 2 in the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the SnO 2 –MgO nanoparticles was tested using the photodegradation of aqueous methylene blue in the presence of sunlight. The results indicate that the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles possess higher efficiency for the photodegradation of methylene blue compared to pure SnO 2 nanoparticles

Preparation, characterization and catalytic activity of mesoporous Ag2HPW12O40/SBA-15 and Ag2HPW12O40/TiO2 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holclajtner-Antunović, Ivanka; Bajuk-Bogdanović, Danica; Popa, Alexandru; Sasca, Viorel; Nedić Vasiljević, Bojana; Rakić, Aleksandra; Uskoković-Marković, Snežana

2015-01-01

The current study reports the synthesis and characterization of tungstophosphoric acid and its acid silver salt supported on mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15 and TiO 2 . Because silver salts are partially insoluble, the SBA-15 and TiO 2 supported silver acid salts were prepared by two step sequential impregnations. The synthesized catalysts were characterized by various physicochemical methods such as Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen physisorption at −196 °C. It is observed that both active phases keep their Keggin-type structure after being supported on the supports while their specific surface area is considerably increased by deposition on mesoporous substrates. The results also indicated that the synthesized catalysts retained the morphology specific for each of the supports, while their thermal stability is increased in comparison with their active phases. The catalytic activity of the prepared catalysts was probed for the vapor phase dehydration of ethanol at 300 °C. Results revealed that all the catalysts show considerably improved catalytic activity in comparison to the bulk active phases. - Highlights: • SBA-15 and TiO 2 supported Ag 2 HPW 12 O 40 and H 3 PW 12 O 40 were prepared. • Active phases are uniformly dispersed without changing morphology of the substrates. • Composites are more thermally stable than active phases. • Composites exhibit high catalytic activity for gas phase ethanol dehydration

Activity and Selectivity for O-2 Reduction to H2O2 on Transition Metal Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siahrostami, Samira; Verdaguer Casadevall, Arnau; Karamad, Mohammadreza

2013-01-01

Industrially viable electrochemical production of H2O2 requires active, selective and stable electrocatalyst materials to catalyse the oxygen reduction reaction to H2O2. On the basis of density functional theory calculations, we explain why single site catalysts such as Pd/Au show improved...

Surface modification of η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} by SiO{sub 2} impregnation to enhance methanol dehydration activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jo, Ho Yong; Park, Jin Won [Dept. of Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Heon; Jung, Kwang Deog [Clean Energy Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-03-15

Silica impregnated η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalysts (Si(number)Al) were prepared for methanol dehydration, with the number indicating the Si wt % added to η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The Si(0.25)Al and Si(0.50)Al catalysts with the greatest number of acid sites had the highest methanol dehydration activities among the prepared catalysts. Si addition up to 0.5 wt % increased the number of the acid sites, which was slightly decreased by further Si addition. The number of weak acid sites correlated well with the catalytic activity for methanol dehydration, but was not enough to explain the higher activity of the catalysts containing silica compared with η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The acid sites of the Si(1.0)Al catalyst were less than those of the η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst but the two had similar activity. Si addition primarily increased the Lewis acid sites, although it generated a few new BrO. With Strokensted acid sites and chemical hydrogen bonded sites. Nonetheless, it was apparent that the increase of Lewis acid sites was the main reason for the enhancement of η-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} activity by SiO{sub 2} addition. On the other hand, the new BrO. With Strokensted and Lewis acid sites and the chemical hydrogen bonded sites created by Si addition should not be neglected.

Photocatalytic activity of galvanically synthesized nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jana, Sumanta, E-mail: sumantajana85@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mitra, Bibhas Chandra [Department of Physics, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Bera, Pulakesh [Department of Chemistry, Panskura Banamali College, Purba Medinipur, Panskura 721152, WB (India); Sikdar, Moushumi [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India); Mondal, Anup, E-mail: anupmondal2000@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, Bengal Engineering and Science University, Botanic Garden, Howrah 711103, WB (India)

2014-07-25

Graphical abstract: Nanostructured porous tin dioxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films have been synthesized by simple and cost effective galvanic technique. The synthesized porous SnO{sub 2} thin films show excellent photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye under light irradiation. The porous morphological grain growth due to annealing is likely to play an active role for this degradation. - Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} thin films have been successfully synthesized by galvanic technique. • A drastic morphological change occurs after annealing as deposited SnO{sub 2} thin films. • Morphological advantage results enhanced photodegradation of dye. - Abstract: The study demonstrates an approach to synthesize nanostructure SnO{sub 2} thin films on TCO (transparent conducting oxide) coated glass substrates by galvanic technique. Aqueous solution of hydrated stannic chloride (SnCl{sub 4}⋅5H{sub 2}O) in potassium nitrate (KNO{sub 3}) solution was used as the working solution. The process involves no sophisticated reactor or toxic chemicals, and proceeds continuously under ambient condition; it provides an economic way of synthesizing nanostructure SnO{sub 2} semiconductor thin films. The influence of sintering temperature on crystalline structure, morphology, electrical and dielectric properties has been studied. A detail analysis of I−V, C−V and dielectrics for annealed SnO{sub 2} thin films have been carried out. The morphological advantage i.e. nanoporous flake like structure allows more efficient transport of reactant molecules to the active interfaces and results a strong photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange (MO) dye.

Preparation, characterization, and antibacterial activity of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allafchian, Alireza, E-mail: Allafchian@cc.iut.ac.ir [Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Institute, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156–83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jalali, Seyed Amir Hossein [Institute of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156–83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156–83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bahramian, Hamid; Ahmadvand, Hossein [Department of physics, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156–83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-04-15

We have described a facile fabrication of silver deposited on the TiO{sub 2}, Poly Acrylonitrile Co Maleic Anhydride (PAMA) polymer and nickel ferrite composite (NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2}) through a three-step procedure. A pre-synthesized NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} was first coated with PAMA polymer and then Ag–TiO{sub 2} was deposited on the surface of PAMA polymer shell. After the characterization of this three-component composite by various techniques, such as FTIR, XRD, FESEM, BET, TEM and VSM, it was impregnated in standard antibiotic discs. The antibacterial activity of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was investigated against some gram positive and gram negative bacteria by employing disc diffusion assay and then compared with that of naked NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Ag, AgNPs and NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA. The results demonstrated that the AgNPs, when embedded in TiO{sub 2} and combined with NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA, became an excellent antibacterial agent. The NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite could be readily separated from water solution after the disinfection process by applying an external magnetic field. - Highlights: • A novel NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2} magnetic nanocomposite has been prepared. • This nanocomposite displays potent antimicrobial activity. • The antibacterial effect was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. • Recyclable antibacterial activity of NiFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PAMA/Ag–TiO{sub 2} was studied.

Antifungal activity of magnetically separable Fe3O4/ZnO/AgBr nanocomposites prepared by a facile microwave-assisted method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abolghasem Hoseinzadeh

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In the present work, magnetically separable Fe3O4/ZnO/AgBr nanocomposites with different weight ratios of Fe3O4 to ZnO/AgBr were prepared by a facile microwave-assisted method. The resultant samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX, and vibrating sample magnetometery (VSM. Antifungal activity of the as-prepared samples was evaluated against Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium oxysporum as two phytopathogenic fungi. Among the nanocomposites, the sample with 1:8 weight ratio of Fe3O4 to ZnO/AgBr was selected as the best nanocomposite. This nanocomposite inactivates Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium oxysporum at 120 and 60 min, respectively. Moreover, it was observed that the microwave irradiation time has considerable influence on the antifungal activity and the sample prepared by irradiation for 10 min showed the best activity. Moreover, the nanocomposite without any thermal treatment displayed the superior activity.

Nanostructured porous ZnO film with enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Lina; Zheng Yingying; Li Xiaoyun; Dong Wenjun; Tang Weihua; Chen Benyong; Li Chaorong; Li Xiao; Zhang Tierui

2011-01-01

Well-defined ZnO nanostructured films have been fabricated directly on Zn foil via hydrothermal synthesis. During the fabrication of the ZnO nanostructured films, the Zn foil serves as the Zn source and also the substrate. Porous nanosheet-based, nanotube-based and nanoflower-based ZnO films can all be easily prepared by adjusting the alkali type, reaction time and reaction temperature. The composition, morphology and structure of ZnO films are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The porous ZnO nanosheet-based film exhibits enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of Rhodamine B under UV light irradiation. This can be attributed to the high surface area of the ZnO nanosheet and the large percentage of the exposed [001] facet. Moreover, the self-supporting, recyclable and stable ZnO photocatalytic film can be readily recovered and potentially applied for pollution disposal.

Heterojunction BiOI/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposite with much enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wen Ting; Zheng, Yi Fan; Yin, Hao Yong; Song, Xu Chun

2015-01-01

BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 heterostructures with different amounts of BiOI were successfully prepared via a facile deposition method. The obtained BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 photocatalysts exhibited much higher visible light (λ > 420 nm) induced photocatalytic activity compared with single Bi 2 MoO 6 and BiOI photocatalysts. 20 % BiOI/Bi 2 MoO 6 nanocomposite exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with almost all RhB decomposed within 70 min. However, excess BiOI covering on the surface of Bi 2 MoO 6 can inversely reduce the photocatalytic activity. The enhanced photocatalytic activities could be resulted from the function of the novel p–n heterojunction interface between Bi 2 MoO 6 and BiOI, which could separate photoinduced carriers efficiently. Possible mechanisms on the basis of the relative band positions were also discussed

O-Fucose Monosaccharide of Drosophila Notch Has a Temperature-sensitive Function and Cooperates with O-Glucose Glycan in Notch Transport and Notch Signaling Activation*

Science.gov (United States)

Ishio, Akira; Sasamura, Takeshi; Ayukawa, Tomonori; Kuroda, Junpei; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki O.; Aoyama, Naoki; Matsumoto, Kenjiroo; Gushiken, Takuma; Okajima, Tetsuya; Yamakawa, Tomoko; Matsuno, Kenji

2015-01-01

Notch (N) is a transmembrane receptor that mediates the cell-cell interactions necessary for many cell fate decisions. N has many epidermal growth factor-like repeats that are O-fucosylated by the protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (O-Fut1), and the O-fut1 gene is essential for N signaling. However, the role of the monosaccharide O-fucose on N is unclear, because O-Fut1 also appears to have O-fucosyltransferase activity-independent functions, including as an N-specific chaperon. Such an enzymatic activity-independent function could account for the essential role of O-fut1 in N signaling. To evaluate the role of the monosaccharide O-fucose modification in N signaling, here we generated a knock-in mutant of O-fut1 (O-fut1R245A knock-in), which expresses a mutant protein that lacks O-fucosyltransferase activity but maintains the N-specific chaperon activity. Using O-fut1R245A knock-in and other gene mutations that abolish the O-fucosylation of N, we found that the monosaccharide O-fucose modification of N has a temperature-sensitive function that is essential for N signaling. The O-fucose monosaccharide and O-glucose glycan modification, catalyzed by Rumi, function redundantly in the activation of N signaling. We also showed that the redundant function of these two modifications is responsible for the presence of N at the cell surface. Our findings elucidate how different forms of glycosylation on a protein can influence the protein's functions. PMID:25378397

Testing methods for antimicrobial activity of TiO2 photocatalyst

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markov Siniša L.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, a lot of commercial TiO2 photocatalyst products have been developed and extensively studied for prospective and safe antimicrobial application in daily life, medicine, laboratories, food and pharmaceutical industry, waste water treatments and in development of new self-cleaning and antimicrobial materials, surfaces and paints. This paper reviews the studies published worldwide on killing microorganisms, methods for testing the antimicrobial activity, light sources and intensities, as well as calculation methods usually used when evaluating the antimicrobial properties of the TiO2-based products. Additionally, some strengths and weaknesses of the available methods for testing the antimicrobial activity of TiO2 photocatalyst products have been pointed out.[Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III45008

Removal of diethyl phthalate from water solution by adsorption, photo-oxidation, ozonation and advanced oxidation process (UV/H2O2, O3/H2O2 and O3/activated carbon)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medellin-Castillo, Nahum A.; Ocampo-Pérez, Raúl; Leyva-Ramos, Roberto; Sanchez-Polo, Manuel; Rivera-Utrilla, José; Méndez-Díaz, José D.

2013-01-01

The objective of this work was to compare the effectiveness of conventional technologies (adsorption on activated carbon, AC, and ozonation) and technologies based on advanced oxidation processes, AOPs, (UV/H 2 O 2 , O 3 /AC, O 3 /H 2 O 2 ) to remove phthalates from aqueous solution (ultrapure water, surface water and wastewater). Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was chosen as a model pollutant because of its high water solubility (1080 mg/L at 293 K) and toxicity. The activated carbons showed a high adsorption capacity to adsorb DEP in aqueous solution (up to 858 mg/g), besides the adsorption mechanism of DEP on activated carbon is governed by dispersive interactions between π electrons of its aromatic ring with π electrons of the carbon graphene planes. The photodegration process showed that the pH solution does not significantly affect the degradation kinetics of DEP and the first-order kinetic model satisfactorily fitted the experimental data. It was observed that the rate of decomposition of DEP with the O 3 /H 2 O 2 and O 3 /AC systems is faster than that with only O 3 . The technologies based on AOPs (UV/H 2 O 2 , O 3 /H 2 O 2 , O 3 /AC) significantly improve the degradation of DEP compared to conventional technologies (O 3 , UV). AC adsorption, UV/H 2 O 2 , O 3 /H 2 O 2 , and O 3 /AC showed a high yield to remove DEP; however, the disadvantage of AC adsorption is its much longer time to reach maximum removal. The best system to treat water (ultrapure and natural) polluted with DEP is the O 3 /AC one since it achieved the highest DEP degradation and TOC removal, as well as the lower water toxicity. -- Highlights: ► Activated carbons showed a high adsorption capacity (up to 858 mg/g) to remove DEP. ► The pH solution did not significantly affect the photodegradation kinetics of DEP. ► The O 3 /H 2 O 2 and O 3 /AC systems were more efficient than O 3 to degrade DEP. ► The generation of HO • from O 3 was enhanced by ACs, mainly by those of basic nature. ► O

Graphene and TiO_2 co-modified flower-like Bi_2O_2CO_3: A novel multi-heterojunction photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ao, Yanhui; Xu, Liya; Wang, Peifang; Wang, Chao; Hou, Jun; Qian, Jin; Li, Yi

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel multi-heterojunction photocatalyst (graphene and TiO_2 co-modified flower-like Bi_2O_2CO_3) was prepared for the first time. The as-obtained samples showed much higher activity compared to pure Bi_2O_2CO_3, TiO_2 and GR–Bi_2O_2CO_3 for dye degradation, which is almost 14 times higher than that of pure Bi_2O_2CO_3 and also much higher than the sum of graphene–Bi_2O_2CO_3 and TiO_2. - Highlights: • Graphene and TiO_2 co-modified flower-like Bi_2O_2CO_3 was prepared for the first time. • The sample shows enhanced photocatalytic activity due to the formation of multi-heterojunction. • The sample also exhibits a synergetic effect of graphene and TiO_2. • The composite photocatalyst shows a good stability for dye degradation. - Abstract: In this paper, graphene (GR) and titania co-modified flower-like Bi_2O_2CO_3 multi-heterojunction composite photocatalysts were prepared by a simple and feasible two step hydrothermal process. The prepared samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectrometry (DRS), photoluminescence (PL), N_2 adsorption–desorption isotherm, and photo-induced current. The photocatalytic activity was investigated by the degradation of MO under UV light irradiation. The as prepared multi-heterojunction GR/Bi_2O_2CO_3/TiO_2 composites exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than pure Bi_2O_2CO_3, TiO_2 and GR–Bi_2O_2CO_3. The higher performance of GR/Bi_2O_2CO_3/TiO_2 can be ascribed to the formation of multi-heterojunctions, which promote the effective separation of photo-induced electron–hole pairs. Moreover, the higher photocatalytic activity can also be ascribed to the high surface area of GR and TiO_2, which offers more active sites for the photodegradation reaction. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of GR/Bi_2O_2CO_3/TiO_2 remained without striking decrease after five cycles

Controlled preparation of Ag–Cu2O nanocorncobs and their enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Siyuan; Zhang, Shengsen; Wang, Hongjuan; Yu, Hao; Fang, Yueping; Peng, Feng

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: The corncob-like Ag–Cu 2 O nanostructure with suitably exposed Ag surface exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than Ag@Cu 2 O nanocables and Cu 2 O nanowires. - Highlights: • Ag–Cu 2 O nanocorncobs have been controllably prepared by a simple synthesis. • The possible formation mechanism of Ag–Cu 2 O has been studied. • Ag–Cu 2 O exhibits noticeable improved photocurrent compared with the pure Cu 2 O NWs. • Ag–Cu 2 O with suitably exposed Ag surface shows much higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Novel corncob-like nano-heterostructured Ag–Cu 2 O photocatalyst has been controllably prepared by adjusting the synthetic parameters, and the possible formation mechanism has been also studied. The photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performances demonstrated that the as-prepared Ag–Cu 2 O nanocorncobs exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than both pure Cu 2 O nanowires and cable-like Ag@Cu 2 O nano-composites. It was concluded that Ag–Cu 2 O nanocorncobs with suitably exposed Ag surface not only effectively inhibit the recombination of electron–hole pairs but also suitably increase the active sites of electronic conduction, and thus increasing the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation

Preparation of CaO-SiO2-CuO bioactive glasses-embedded anodic alumina with improved biological activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Siyu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available To improve bone cell cytocompatibility properties of porous anodic alumina (PAA and implement anti-bacterial properties, amorphous CaO-SiO2-CuO materials were loaded into PAA nano-pores (termed CaO-SiO2- CuO/PAA by a facile ultrasonic-assisted sol-dipping strategy. The surface features and chemistry of the obtained CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA were investigated by a field emission scanning microscope (FESEM, an energy-dispersive Xray spectrometer (EDS and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The ability of the CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA specimens to form apatite via a bio-mineralization processwas evaluated by soaking them in simulated body fluid (SBF in vitro. The surface microstructure and chemical properties after soaking in SBFwere characterized. The release of ions into the SBF was also measured. In addition, rat osteoblasts and two types of bacterial were cultured on the samples to determine their cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties. The results showed that the amorphous CaO-SiO2-CuO materials were successfully decorated into PAA nano-pores and at the same time maintained their nano-featured surfaces. The CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA samples induced apatite-mineralization in SBF. Meanwhile, the CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA samples demonstrated great potential for promoting the proliferation of osteoblasts and inhibiting Escherichia coli (E. coli as well as Staphylococcus. aureus (S. aureus growth. Specifically, there was an 86.5±4.1% reduction in E. coli, an 88.0 ± 2.2% reduction in S. aureus for the CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA surfaces compared to PAA controls. The capability to promote osteoblast proliferation and better antibacterial activity of CaO-SiO2- CuO/PAA may be attributed to the fact that Cu ions can be slowly and constantly released from the samples. Importantly, this was achieved without the use of antibiotics or any pharmaceutical agent. Ultimately, these results suggest that the CaO-SiO2-CuO/PAA substrates possessed improved bone cell cytocompatibility and high

Hydrothermal synthesis of Ag@TiO2–Fe3O4 nanocomposites using sonochemically activated precursors: magnetic, photocatalytic and antibacterial properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bokare, Anuja; Singh, Hema; Nair, Roopa; Sabharwal, Sushma; Athawale, Anjali A; Pai, Mrinal

2014-01-01

Fe 3 O 4 –TiO 2 nanocomposites have been synthesized by hydrothermal method using sonochemically activated precursors. X-ray diffraction analysis of the samples reveals the formation of pure phase composites. The optical properties of the composites are superior to TiO 2 as noted from the red shift in the diffused reflectance spectra of the composites. The presence of nanocubes of Fe 3 O 4 , nanospheres of TiO 2 and heterojunctions of the two in the composite samples have been observed in transmission electron micrographs. The magnetic properties of the samples were determined with the help of vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The photocatalytic activity of the samples was investigated in terms of degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye. The composites could be easily separated from the reaction mixture after photocatalysis due to their magnetic behaviour. However, the photocatalytic activity of the composites was observed to be lower compared to bare TiO 2 . The composite (15% Fe 3 O 4 –TiO 2 ) when modified by coating it with Ag showed enhanced photocatalytic activity. Further, the antibacterial activities of the samples were also examined using E. coli as a model organism. Positive results were obtained only for the Ag coated composite with lower MIC (minimum inhibition concentration) values. (paper)

O-GlcNAc transferase regulates transcriptional activity of human Oct4.

Science.gov (United States)

Constable, Sandii; Lim, Jae-Min; Vaidyanathan, Krithika; Wells, Lance

2017-10-01

O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a single sugar modification found on many different classes of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. Addition of this modification, by the enzyme O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT), is dynamic and inducible. One major class of proteins modified by O-GlcNAc is transcription factors. O-GlcNAc regulates transcription factor properties through a variety of different mechanisms including localization, stability and transcriptional activation. Maintenance of embryonic stem (ES) cell pluripotency requires tight regulation of several key transcription factors, many of which are modified by O-GlcNAc. Octamer-binding protein 4 (Oct4) is one of the key transcription factors required for pluripotency of ES cells and more recently, the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. The action of Oct4 is modulated by the addition of several post-translational modifications, including O-GlcNAc. Previous studies in mice found a single site of O-GlcNAc addition responsible for transcriptional regulation. This study was designed to determine if this mechanism is conserved in humans. We mapped 10 novel sites of O-GlcNAc attachment on human Oct4, and confirmed a role for OGT in transcriptional activation of Oct4 at a site distinct from that found in mouse that allows distinction between different Oct4 target promoters. Additionally, we uncovered a potential new role for OGT that does not include its catalytic function. These results confirm that human Oct4 activity is being regulated by OGT by a mechanism that is distinct from mouse Oct4. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Zn Cd S/TiO ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICOLAAS

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Zn x. Cd. 1–x ... Electrospinning and Hydrothermal Method. Wei Changa,b,* ... conductor composites such as CdS,9 SnO,10 PbS11. .... 280 nm. ZnxCd1–xS nanoparticles grew on the surface of TiO2 with.

Synthesis and physicochemical characterizations and antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Bhumika K.; Patel, Kinjal; Roy, Debesh R.

2018-05-01

Nanoparticles exhibit very interesting and useful physicochemical properties when they interact with substrates and goes through some physicochemical and/or biological processes. ZnO is known to be a highly demanding nanomaterial due to its discreet properties, shapes and sizes. A detail experimental study on the synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is performed. ZnO NPs are synthesized using chemical precipitation method. The understanding of crystal structure, morphology and elemental compositions are explained using Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is performed to achieve the information on the presence of various functional groups. The antibacterial activity of these ZnO NPs is investigated in terms of Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) microorganisms.

Antibacterial photocatalytic activity of different crystalline TiO2 phases in oral multispecies biofilm.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantaroto, Heloisa N; Ricomini-Filho, Antonio P; Bertolini, Martinna M; Dias da Silva, José Humberto; Azevedo Neto, Nilton F; Sukotjo, Cortino; Rangel, Elidiane C; Barão, Valentim A R

2018-07-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) incorporation in biomaterials is a promising technology due to its photocatalytic and antibacterial activities. However, the antibacterial potential of different TiO 2 crystalline structures on a multispecies oral biofilm remains unknown. We hypothesized that the different crystalline TiO 2 phases present different photocatalytic and antibacterial activities. Three crystalline TiO 2 films were deposited by magnetron sputtering on commercially pure titanium (cpTi), in order to obtain four groups: (1) machined cpTi (control); (2) A-TiO 2 (anatase); (3) M-TiO 2 (mixture of anatase and rutile); (4) R-TiO 2 (rutile). The morphology, crystalline phase, chemical composition, hardness, elastic modulus and surface free energy of the surfaces were evaluated. The photocatalytic potential was assessed by methylene blue degradation assay. The antibacterial activity was evaluated on relevant oral bacteria, by using a multispecies biofilm (Streptococcus sanguinis, Actinomyces naeslundii and Fusobacterium nucleatum) formed on the treated titanium surfaces (16.5h) followed by UV-A light exposure (1h) to generate reactive oxygen species production. All TiO 2 films presented around 300nm thickness and improved the hardness and elastic modulus of cpTi surfaces (p0.05 vs. control). This study brings new insights on the development of extra oral protocols for the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 in oral biofilm-associated disease. Anatase and mixture-TiO 2 showed antibacterial activity on this oral bacterial biofilm, being promising surface coatings for dental implant components. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. All rights reserved.

Enhanced catalyst activity by decorating of Au on Ag@Cu2O nanoshell

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lei; Liu, Maomao; Zhao, Yue; Kou, Qiangwei; Wang, Yaxin; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Yongjun; Yang, Jinghai; Jung, Young Mee

2018-03-01

We successfully synthesized Au-decorated Ag@Cu2O heterostructures via a simple galvanic replacement method. As the Au precursor concentration increased, the density of the Au nanoparticles (NPs) on the Ag@Cu2O surface increased, which changed the catalytic activity of the Ag@Cu2O-Au structure. The combination of Au, Ag, and Cu2O exhibited excellent catalytic properties, which can further effect on the catalyst activity of the Ag@Cu2O-Au structure. In addition, the proposed Ag@Cu2O-Au nanocomposite was used to transform the organic, toxic pollutant, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), into its nontoxic and medicinally important amino derivative via a catalytic reduction to optimize the material performance. The proposed Au-decorated Ag@Cu2O exhibited excellent catalytic activity, and the catalytic reduction time greatly decreased (5 min). Thus, three novel properties of Ag@Cu2O-Au, i.e., charge redistribution and transfer, adsorption, and catalytic reduction of organic pollutants, were ascertained for water remediation. The proposed catalytic properties have potential applications for photocatalysis and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)- and peroxidase-like catalysis.

Building novel Ag/CeO2 heterostructure for enhancing photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leng, Qiang; Yang, Dezhi; Yang, Qi; Hu, Chenguo; Kang, Yue; Wang, Mingjun; Hashim, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ag nanoparticle is designed to building Schottky heterojunction on CeO 2 nanocube. • The photocatalytic activity of Ag/CeO 2 heterostructure is much enhanced. • 95.33% of MB can be effectively degraded within half an hour. • Ag as acceptor of photoelectrons blocks the recombination of electron–hole pairs. - Abstract: Stable and recyclable photocatalysts with high efficiency to degrade organic contamination are important and widely demanded under the threat of the environment pollution. Ag/CeO 2 heterostructure is designed as a photocatalyst to degrade organic dye under the simulated sunlight. The catalytic activity of CeO 2 nanocubes (NCs) to degrade methylene blue (MB) is obviously enhanced when Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited on the surface of them. The weight ratio of Ag and CeO 2 in forming high efficiency catalyst, the amount of Ag/CeO 2 catalyst used in degradation process, and the dye concentration and pH value of the initial MB solution are examined systematically. 95.33% of MB can be effectively degraded within half an hour when 50 mg of Ag/CeO 2 catalyst in an optimal weight ratio of 1:3, is added to the 100 mL of MB solution (c 0 = 1 × 10 −5 mol L −1 , pH 6.2). The mechanism of the enhanced catalytic activity of Ag/CeO 2 heterostructure is discussed. The photocatalytic degradation rate is found to obey pseudo-first-order kinetics equations according to Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. The intermediate products in different stages during the degradation of MB are analyzed

Detection of 1-O-malylglucose: pelargonidin 3-O-glucose-6''-O-malyltransferase activity in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus).

Science.gov (United States)

Abe, Yutaka; Tera, Masayuki; Sasaki, Nobuhiro; Okamura, Masachika; Umemoto, Naoyuki; Momose, Masaki; Kawahara, Nobuo; Kamakura, Hiroyuki; Goda, Yukihiro; Nagasawa, Kazuo; Ozeki, Yoshihiro

2008-09-05

Carnations have anthocyanins acylated with malate. Although anthocyanin acyltransferases have been reported in several plant species, anthocyanin malyltransferase (AMalT) activity in carnation has not been identified. Here, an acyl donor substance of AMalT, 1-O-beta-D-malylglucose, was extracted and partially purified from the petals of carnation. This was synthesized chemically to analyze AMalT activity in a crude extract from carnation. Changes in the AMalT activity showed close correlation to the accumulation of pelargonidin 3-malylglucoside (Pel 3-malGlc) during the development of red petals of carnation, but neither AMalT activity nor Pel 3-malGlc accumulation was detectable in roots, stems and leaves.

Electrodeposition synthesis of MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposites and their visible light photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Xuyao [School of Chemistry Science and Technology, and Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhanjiang Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048 (China); Zhou, Xiaosong, E-mail: zxs801213@163.com [School of Chemistry Science and Technology, and Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhanjiang Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048 (China); Li, Xiaoyu, E-mail: lixiaoyu@iga.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Science, Changchun 130012 (China); Yang, Fei [The State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 11A, Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101 (China); Jin, Bei; Xu, Tan; Li, Guosheng; Li, Manyi [School of Chemistry Science and Technology, and Institute of Physical Chemistry, Zhanjiang Normal University, Zhanjiang 524048 (China)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposites are prepared by electrodeposition. • MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} exhibits high visible light photocatalytic activity. • The results of XRD show the depositions are attributed to α-MnO{sub 2}. • A photocatalytic mechanism is discussed under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays nanocomposite photocatalysts have been synthesized through an electrodeposition method. X-ray powder diffraction analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements reveal that the products of electrodeposition method are MnO{sub 2}. Scanning electron microscopy measurements suggest that the depositions are deposited on the surface or internal of the nanotube. UV–vis light absorbance spectra demonstrate the excellent adsorption properties of MnO{sub 2}/TiO{sub 2} over the whole region of visible light, which enables this novel photocatalytic material to possess remarkable activity in the photocatalytic degradation of acid Orange II under visible light radiation. Moreover, a possible photocatalytic mechanism is discussed.

Manganese-Oxygen Intermediates in O-O Bond Activation and Hydrogen-Atom Transfer Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Derek B; Massie, Allyssa A; Jackson, Timothy A

2017-11-21

Biological systems capitalize on the redox versatility of manganese to perform reactions involving dioxygen and its derivatives superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and water. The reactions of manganese enzymes influence both human health and the global energy cycle. Important examples include the detoxification of reactive oxygen species by manganese superoxide dismutase, biosynthesis by manganese ribonucleotide reductase and manganese lipoxygenase, and water splitting by the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II. Although these enzymes perform very different reactions and employ structurally distinct active sites, manganese intermediates with peroxo, hydroxo, and oxo ligation are commonly proposed in catalytic mechanisms. These intermediates are also postulated in mechanisms of synthetic manganese oxidation catalysts, which are of interest due to the earth abundance of manganese. In this Account, we describe our recent efforts toward understanding O-O bond activation pathways of Mn III -peroxo adducts and hydrogen-atom transfer reactivity of Mn IV -oxo and Mn III -hydroxo complexes. In biological and synthetic catalysts, peroxomanganese intermediates are commonly proposed to decay by either Mn-O or O-O cleavage pathways, although it is often unclear how the local coordination environment influences the decay mechanism. To address this matter, we generated a variety of Mn III -peroxo adducts with varied ligand environments. Using parallel-mode EPR and Mn K-edge X-ray absorption techniques, the decay pathway of one Mn III -peroxo complex bearing a bulky macrocylic ligand was investigated. Unlike many Mn III -peroxo model complexes that decay to oxo-bridged-Mn III Mn IV dimers, decay of this Mn III -peroxo adduct yielded mononuclear Mn III -hydroxo and Mn IV -oxo products, potentially resulting from O-O bond activation of the Mn III -peroxo unit. These results highlight the role of ligand sterics in promoting the formation of mononuclear products and mark an important

Electrocatalytical activity of Pt, SnO2 and RuO2 mixed electrodes for the electrooxidation of formic acid and formaldehyde

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Profeti, L.P.R.; Profeti, D.; Olivi, P.

2005-01-01

The electrocatalytical activity of binary electrodes of Pt and SnO 2 and ternary electrodes of Pt and SnO 2 and RuO 2 for the electrooxidation of formic acid and formaldehyde was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The electrode materials were prepared by the thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors at 400 deg C. The cyclic voltammetry results showed that the methanol electrooxidation process presents peak potentials for those electrodes approximately 100 mV lower than the values obtained for metallic platinum electrodes. The Pt 0.6 Ru 0.2 Sn 0.2 O y electrodes presented the highest current density values for potentials lower than the peak potential values. The chronoamperometric experiments also showed that the addition of SnO 2 and RuO 2 contributed for the enhancement of the electrode activity in low potential values. The preparation method was found to be useful to obtain high active materials. (author)

Enhancement of TiO2 NPs Activity by Fe3O4 Nano-Seeds for Removal of Organic Pollutants in Water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Villa

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs, synthesized in the presence of a very small amount of magnetite (Fe3O4 nanoparticles, is here presented and discussed. From X-ray diffraction (XRD and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC analyses, the crystallinity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs seems to be affected by Fe3O4, acting as nano-seeds to improve the tetragonal TiO2 anatase structure with respect to the amorphous one. Photocatalytic activity data, i.e., the degradation of methylene blue and the Ofloxacin fluoroquinolone emerging pollutant, give evidence that the increased crystalline structure of the NPs, even if correlated to a reduced surface to mass ratio (with respect to commercial TiO2 NPs, enhances the performance of this type of catalyst. The achievement of a relatively well-defined crystal structure at low temperatures (Tmax = 150 °C, preventing the sintering of the TiO2 NPs and, thus, preserving the high density of active sites, seems to be the keystone to understand the obtained results.

Tungsten-doped ZnO nanocomposite: Synthesis, characterization, and highly active photocatalyst toward dye photodegradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moafi, Hadi Fallah, E-mail: Fallah.m@guilan.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Zanjanchi, Mohammad Ali; Shojaie, Abdollah Fallah [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-05-15

A series of W-doped ZnO nanocomposite with different W contents were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and BET surface area measurement. The XRD results revealed that all the W-doped samples showed a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The results of EDS and XPS revealed that W was doped into ZnO structure. The particle size of doped ZnO is much smaller as compared to that of pure ZnO. The photocatalytic activity of undoped ZnO and W-doped ZnO was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of the W-doped ZnO is much higher than that of undoped ZnO and the optimum percentage of doped W is 4 mol%. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the W-ZnO samples may be related to the narrowing of the band gap, increase in the charge separation efficiency, particle size reduction and increase of the surface area. Highlights: ► W-doped ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by a sol–gel method. ► The XRD results revealed that all the materials consisting of wurtzite structure. ► The sizes of the W-ZnO nanocomposite are 5–10 nm, obtained from TEM image. ► With W doping into ZnO photoinduced charge separation rate has been enhanced. ► Photocatalytic activity of the W-ZnO is much higher than that of undoped ZnO.

Tungsten-doped ZnO nanocomposite: Synthesis, characterization, and highly active photocatalyst toward dye photodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moafi, Hadi Fallah; Zanjanchi, Mohammad Ali; Shojaie, Abdollah Fallah

2013-01-01

A series of W-doped ZnO nanocomposite with different W contents were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and BET surface area measurement. The XRD results revealed that all the W-doped samples showed a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The results of EDS and XPS revealed that W was doped into ZnO structure. The particle size of doped ZnO is much smaller as compared to that of pure ZnO. The photocatalytic activity of undoped ZnO and W-doped ZnO was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of the W-doped ZnO is much higher than that of undoped ZnO and the optimum percentage of doped W is 4 mol%. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of the W-ZnO samples may be related to the narrowing of the band gap, increase in the charge separation efficiency, particle size reduction and increase of the surface area. Highlights: ► W-doped ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by a sol–gel method. ► The XRD results revealed that all the materials consisting of wurtzite structure. ► The sizes of the W-ZnO nanocomposite are 5–10 nm, obtained from TEM image. ► With W doping into ZnO photoinduced charge separation rate has been enhanced. ► Photocatalytic activity of the W-ZnO is much higher than that of undoped ZnO

Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity of V2O5 Cluster Modified N-Doped TiO2 for Degradation of Toluene in Air

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Dong

2012-01-01

Full Text Available V2O5 cluster-modified N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2/V2O5 nanocomposites photocatalyst was prepared by a facile impregnation-calcination method. The effects of V2O5 cluster loading content on visible light photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples were investigated for degradation of toluene in air. The results showed that the visible light activity of N-doped TiO2 was significantly enhanced by loading V2O5 clusters. The optimal V2O5 loading content was found to be 0.5 wt.%, reaching a removal ratio of 52.4% and a rate constant of 0.027 min−1, far exceeding that of unmodified N-doped TiO2. The enhanced activity is due to the deposition of V2O5 clusters on the surface of N-doped TiO2. The conduction band (CB potential of V2O5 (0.48 eV is lower than the CB level of N-doped TiO2 (−0.19 V, which favors the photogenerated electron transfer from CB of N-doped TiO2 to V2O5 clusters. This function of V2O5 clusters helps promote the transfer and separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. The present work not only displays a feasible route for the utilization of low cost V2O5 clusters as a substitute for noble metals in enhancing the photocatalysis but also demonstrates a facile method for preparation of highly active composite photocatalyst for large-scale applications.

Electrochemical Sensing, Photocatalytic and Biological Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis via Green Chemistry Route

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, L. S. Reddy; Archana, B.; Lingaraju, K.; Kavitha, C.; Suresh, D.; Nagabhushana, H.; Nagaraju, G.

2016-05-01

In this paper, we have successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (Nps) via solution combustion method using sugarcane juice as the novel fuel. The structure and morphology of the synthesized ZnO Nps have been analyzed using various analytical tools. The synthesized ZnO Nps exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye, indicating that the ZnO Nps are potential photocatalytic semiconductor materials. The synthesized ZnO Nps also show good electrochemical sensing of dopamine. ZnO Nps exhibit significant bactericidal activity against Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschesichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the ZnO Nps show good antioxidant activity by potentially scavenging 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The above studies clearly demonstrate versatile applications of ZnO synthesized by simple eco-friendly route.

Photocatalytic activities of heterostructured TiO2-graphene porous microspheres prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jikai; Zhang, Xintong; Li, Bing; Liu, Hong; Sun, Panpan; Wang, Changhua; Wang, Lingling; Liu, Yichun

2014-01-01

Highlights: • USP method is used to prepare TiO 2 -graphene porous microspheres. • XPS shows GO sheets in the composites has been reduced to graphene. • TiO 2 -graphene microspheres display a red-shifted absorption edge. • PL spectra indicate graphene can accept the photoexcited electrons from TiO 2 . • TiO 2 -graphene shows higher photocatalytic activity than TiO 2 under solar light. -- Abstract: TiO 2 -graphene porous microspheres were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) of aqueous suspension of graphene oxide containing TiO 2 nanoparticles (Degussa P25). The composite microspheres were characterized with SEM, XPS, photoluminescence, Raman and UV–Vis absorption spectra. TiO 2 -graphene porous microspheres displayed higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue solution than pristine TiO 2 microspheres under the irradiation of Xe lamp, and the highest activity was obtained at a weight percentage of graphene around 1%. The effect of graphene on photocatalytic activity of porous microsphere was discussed in terms of the enhanced charge separation by TiO 2 -graphene heterojunction, increased absorption of the visible light, as well as the possible hindrance of mass transportation in microspheres

Star-shaped ZnO/Ag hybrid nanostructures for enhanced photocatalysis and antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrade, George R.S., E-mail: grsandrade@hotmail.com [Postgraduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE (Brazil); Nascimento, Cristiane C. [Postgraduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE (Brazil); Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Sergipe, Glória Campus, Nossa Senhora da Glória, SE (Brazil); Lima, Zenon M. [Postgraduate Program in Industrial Biochemistry, Tiradentes University, Aracaju, SE (Brazil); Teixeira-Neto, Erico [LNNano − Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Costa, Luiz P. [Postgraduate Program in Industrial Biochemistry, Tiradentes University, Aracaju, SE (Brazil); ITPS − Technological and Research Institute of Sergipe, Aracaju, SE (Brazil); Gimenez, Iara F. [Postgraduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE (Brazil); Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE (Brazil)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • A new and simple one-pot method for preparing star-shaped ZnO particles was reported. • ZnO particles were decorated with Ag nanoparticles (SNPs) by a photodeposition method. • The presence of SNC{sup −} ions on ZnO surface prevented uncontrollable growth of SNPs. • ZnO/Ag particles showed plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic activity toward an AZO dye. • SNP improved 16 times the antibacterial activity of ZnO toward 4 bacterial strains. - Abstract: Zinc oxide (ZnO) particles with a star-shaped morphology have been synthesized by a novel and simple room-temperature method and decorated with silver nanoparticles (SNPs) for enhanced photocatalysis and bactericide applications. The presence of thiourea during the precipitation of ZnO in alkaline conditions allowed the control of morphological features (e.g. average size and shape) and the surface functionalization with thiocyanate ions (SCN{sup −}). SNPs were deposited into the ZnO surface by a photoreduction method and their sizes could be easily controlled by changing the ZnO/AgNO{sub 3} ratio. The presence of SCN{sup −} on the semiconductor surface prevents uncontrollable growth of Ag nanoparticles into different morphologies and high degrees of polydispersity. XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, UV-vis-NIR and PL were employed for characterizing the structure, morphology and optical properties of the as-obtained pure and hybrid nanostructures. Finally, the hybrid ZnO/Ag particles have shown plasmon-enhanced performance for applications in photocatalysis and antibacterial activity compared to the pure ZnO counterpart. In this work, evaluation of the photodegradation of an aqueous methylene blue solution under UV-A irradiation and the antibacterial activity toward 4 bacterial strains, including Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 43300, ATCC 25923 and ATCC 33591) and Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853).

Tuning the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanocrystal colloids by tungsten doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Haiping; Liao, Jianhua; Yuan, Shuai; Zhao, Yin; Zhang, Meihong; Wang, Zhuyi; Shi, Liyi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were prepared by hydrothermal methods. • The properties of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids can be tuned by tungsten doping. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher stability and dispersity. • W 6+ -doped TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids show higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: The effects of tungsten doping on the morphology, stability and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystal colloids were investigated. The nanostructure, chemical state of Ti, W, O, and the properties of tungsten doped TiO 2 samples were investigated carefully by TEM, XRD, XPS, UV–vis, PL and photocatalytic degradation experiments. And the structure–activity relationship was discussed according to the analysis and measurement results. The analysis results reveal that the morphology, zeta potential and photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanocrystals can be easily tuned by changing the tungsten doping concentration. The tungsten doped TiO 2 colloid combines the characters of high dispersity and high photocatalytic activity

Controllable growth and photocatalytic activity of Cu{sub 2}O solid microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Hong; Zhang, Junying, E-mail: zjy@buaa.edu.cn; Wang, Mei

2013-09-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • 3 μm uniform Cu{sub 2}O solid microspheres with abundant nanopores are achieved. • NH{sub 2}OH·HCl and SDS are main factors that manipulate morphologies of Cu{sub 2}O particles. • Surface features of microspheres influenced the photocatalytic activity of Cu{sub 2}O. • Microspheres are transforming to polyhedrons with extended holding time. - Abstract: A series of Cu{sub 2}O solid microspheres with different surface features were prepared and their photocatalytic activities were studied. The experiment conditions were investigated and the formation mechanism was explored systematically. It was found that varying the amounts of NH{sub 2}OH·HCl reductant in alkaline solutions changed the reaction process and thus altered the surface features of Cu{sub 2}O microspheres. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant, introduced as a morphology directing agent, caused the nuclei aggregation and growth process of Cu{sub 2}O solid microspheres by precisely realizing the opposite charges’ directional attraction. This SDS-mediated method can be readily extended to synthesizing solid microspheres of other metal oxides. Meanwhile, it was found that Cu{sub 2}O solid microspheres with abundant nanopores on the surface showed much higher efficient catalytic activity for decoloring methyl orange (MO) aqueous solution than with other surface features under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, we found that prolonging the holding time made Cu{sub 2}O microspheres transform to polyhedrons.

Monitoring N2O Production Using a cNOR Modeled Active Site

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Z. G.; Hegg, E. L.; Finders, C.; Haslun, J. A.

2017-12-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas with a 100-year global warming potential 265-296 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). It is the leading contributor to ozone depletion and can persist in the stratosphere for approximately 114 years. Hence, understanding the sources of atmospheric N2O emissions is critical to remediating the effects of climate change. Agricultural activities are the largest contributor to N2O emissions in the U.S. with microbial nitrification and denitrification as the dominating soil processes. The enzyme cytochrome c nitric oxide reductase (cNOR) is involved in bacterial denitrification. It is often difficult to study the enzymes involved in biotic N2O production, hence, model enzymes are a useful tool. The enzyme I107EFeBMb, a sperm whale myoglobin derivative, models the active site of cNOR and was used to simulate the anaerobic reduction of NO to N2O by cNOR. Dithionite was used to induce the catalytic activity of I107EFeBMb by reducing the enzyme. However, dithionite is a strong reductant that is capable of reducing NO to N2O directly. Therefore, the dithionite-enzyme mixture was passed through a size-exclusion column to isolate the reduced enzyme. This reduced and purified enzyme was then utilized to investigate N2O production from NO. This project will provide both an enzymatic and abiotic model to study N2O production.

Activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles: a hybrid material for carbon dioxide adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

Boruban, Cansu; Esenturk, Emren Nalbant

2018-03-01

Activated carbon-supported copper(II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by simple impregnation method to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption capacity of the support. The structural and chemical properties of the hybrid material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (https://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intertek.com%2Fanalytical-laboratories%2Fxrd%2F&ei=-5WZVYSCHISz7Aatqq-IAw&usg=AFQjCNFBlk-9wqy49foh8tskmbD-GGbG9g&sig2=eKrhYjO75rl_Id2sLGpq4w&bvm=bv.96952980,d.bGg) (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The analyses showed that CuO nanoparticles are well-distributed on the activated carbon surface. The CO2 adsorption behavior of the activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles was observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and BET analyses. The results showed that CuO nanoparticle loading on activated carbon led to about 70% increase in CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon under standard conditions (1 atm and 298 K). The main contributor to the observed increase is an improvement in chemical adsorption of CO2 due to the presence of CuO nanoparticles on activated carbon.

Active sites and mechanisms for H2O2 decomposition over Pd catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Plauck, Anthony; Stangland, Eric E.; Dumesic, James A.; Mavrikakis, Manos

2016-01-01

A combination of periodic, self-consistent density functional theory (DFT-GGA-PW91) calculations, reaction kinetics experiments on a SiO2-supported Pd catalyst, and mean-field microkinetic modeling are used to probe key aspects of H2O2 decomposition on Pd in the absence of cofeeding H2. We conclude that both Pd(111) and OH-partially covered Pd(100) surfaces represent the nature of the active site for H2O2 decomposition on the supported Pd catalyst reasonably well. Furthermore, all reaction flux in the closed catalytic cycle is predicted to flow through an O–O bond scission step in either H2O2 or OOH, followed by rapid H-transfer steps to produce the H2O and O2 products. The barrier for O–O bond scission is sensitive to Pd surface structure and is concluded to be the central parameter governing H2O2 decomposition activity. PMID:27006504

V2O5 nanowires with an intrinsic peroxidase-like activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

André, R.; Natálio, F.; Humanes, M.; Leppin, J.; Heinze, K.; Wever, R.; Schröder, H.C.; Müller, W.E.G.; Tremel, W.

2011-01-01

V2O5 nanowires exhibit an intrinsic catalytic activity towards classical peroxidase substrates such as 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and 3,3,5,5,-tetramethylbenzdine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2. These V2O5 nanowires show an optimum reactivity at a pH of 4.0 and the

Photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide modified by Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wodka, Dawid [J. Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow (Poland); Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Geneva, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland); Socha, Robert P.; Bielańska, Elżbieta [J. Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow (Poland); Elżbieciak-Wodka, Magdalena [J. Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow (Poland); Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Geneva, 30 Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland); Nowak, Paweł, E-mail: ncnowak@cyf-kr.edu.pl [J. Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow (Poland); Warszyński, Piotr [J. Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry PAS, Niezapominajek 8, 30-239 Krakow (Poland)

2014-11-15

Highlights: • 1% Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} composite showing high activity in the photocatalytic oxidation of organics was synthetized. • Electrochemical analysis indicated that surface modification of Degussa P25 by Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} causes the appearance of surface states in such a material. • The enhanced activity of the prepared composite may be ascribed to the occurrence of the photo-Fenton process. - Abstract: Photocatalytic activity of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} composites obtained by precipitation was investigated. The composite material containing 1.0 wt% of iron(III) oxide nanoparticles was obtained by depositing Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} on the Evonic-Degussa P25 titania surface. SEM, XPS, DRS, CV and EIS techniques were applied to examine synthetized pale orange photocatalyst. The XPS measurements revealed that iron is present mainly in the +3 oxidation state but iron in the +2 oxidation state can be also detected. Electrochemical analysis indicated that surface modification of Degussa P25 by Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} causes the appearance of surface states in such a material. Nevertheless, based on the DRS measurement it was shown that iron(III) oxide nanoparticles modified the P25 spectral properties but they did not change the band gap width. The photocatalytic activity of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} composite was compared to photocatalytic activity of pristine P25 in photooxidation reaction of model compounds: oxalic acid (OxA) and formic acid (FA). Photodecomposition reaction was investigated in a batch reactor containing aqueous suspension of a photocatalyst illuminated by either UV or artificial sunlight (halogen lamp). The tests proved that nanoparticles deposited on titania surface triggers the increase in photocatalytic activity, this increase depends however on the decomposed substance.

Visible light photocatalytic activities of ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of organic pollutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rameshbabu, R.; Kumar, Niraj; Karthigeyan, A.; Neppolian, B.

2016-01-01

ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as surfactant. The phase formation of synthesized products was systematically investigated from powder X-ray diffraction. Cubic ZnFe_2O_4 and hexagonal ZnO were identified in accordance with different molar concentrations of Fe"3"+ ions. The morphology and functionality were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The optical properties and change in the band gap from UV to visible region upon increasing molar concentration of Fe"3"+ ions were analyzed from diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Superparamagnetic property was observed for synthesized ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The methylene blue and methyl orange were taken as model dyes to illustrate the photocatalytic activity of synthesized products under visible light irradiation. Maximum degradation of 99% for methyl orange (MO) was achieved by the use of 13 nm sized ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles as catalyst and a minutely less activity was observed for the methylene blue (MB) degradation (98%), when the photocatalytic processes were carried out for 5 h and 6 h, respectively. - Highlights: • Co-precipitation method is proposed to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles. • Modifications in the molar concentration lead to the shift in absorption edge. • Superparamagnetic property is demonstrated for the nanoparticles. • Two dye pollutants are utilized to demonstrate the photocatalytic activity.

Controlled morphologies and optical properties of ZnO films and their photocatalytic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duan Jingjing [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Liu Xiaoheng, E-mail: xhliu@mail.njust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Han Qiaofeng [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Wang Xin, E-mail: wangx@mail.njust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China)

2011-09-15

Highlights: > Gelatin acts as a capping reagent in the morphology synthesis of ZnO films. > The microstructures of ZnO films are hexagonal prisms, plates and rose-like crystals. > The hexagonal prisms and rose-like films exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities. - Abstract: ZnO films with three different microstructures including hexagonal prisms, plates and rose-like twinned crystals were fabricated using chemical bath deposition with different concentration of gelatin. The growth mechanisms of ZnO films were discussed, and the gelatin played a vital role as a polyelectrolyte capping the formation of microstructures. The photoluminescence and Raman properties were found sensitive to the crystal morphologies of ZnO films. Significantly, the photodegradation efficiencies of methylene blue under UV light irradiation in the presence of ZnO films consisted of hexagonal prisms and rose-like twinned crystals were 95% and 96%, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic activities can be ascribed to the high oxygen vacancies concentration and high percentage of polar planes, and this result was important in addressing the origin of high photocatalytic activity.

TiO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} porous composite thin films: Role of TiO{sub 2} areal loading and modification with gold nanospheres on the photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levchuk, Irina, E-mail: irina.r.levchuk@gmail.com [Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50130 Mikkeli (Finland); Laboratoire de Chimie, ENS Lyon, CNRS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Universite de Lyon, UMR 5182, 46 allee d’Italie, 69364 Lyon (France); Sillanpää, Mika [Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50130 Mikkeli (Finland); Guillard, Chantal [Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l’Environnement, IRCELYON, CNRS—University of Lyon, 69100 (France); Gregori, Damia; Chateau, Denis; Parola, Stephane [Laboratoire de Chimie, ENS Lyon, CNRS, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Universite de Lyon, UMR 5182, 46 allee d’Italie, 69364 Lyon (France)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Composite TiO{sub 2}/Au/SiO{sub 2} films were prepared by sol-gel. • Size of Au NPs was in range 5–7 nm. • Physico-chemical and photocatalytic properties of TiO{sub 2}/Au/SiO{sub 2} were tested. • After UVC treatment all coatings exhibit super-hydrophilic character. • Photocatalytic activity of thin films was associated with areal loading of TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: The aim of the work was to study photocatalytic activity of composite TiO{sub 2}/Au/SiO{sub 2} thin films. Coatings were prepared using sol-gel technique. Physicochemical parameters of coatings were characterized using UV–vis spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ellipsometry, tactile measurements, goniometry and diffuse reflectance measurements. The photocatalytic activity of the films was tested in batch mode using aqueous solution of formic acid. Changes of formic acid concentration were determined by means of high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Increase of initial degradation rate of formic acid was detected for TiO{sub 2}/Au/SiO{sub 2} films with gold nanoparticle’s load 0.5 wt.% and 1.25 wt.%. However, deeper insights using more detailed characterization of these coatings demonstrated that the improvement of the photocatalytic activity is more probably attributed to an increase in the areal loading of TiO{sub 2}.

Facile Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Photocatalytic Activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jun Young; Ko, Sung Hyun; Kim, Sang Wook [Dongguk Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sookeun; Kim, A Young [Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2014-07-15

This paper reports the facile synthesis methods of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, using diethylene glycol (DEG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG400). The particle size and morphology were correlated with the PEG concentration and reaction time. With 0.75 mL of PEG400 in 150 mL of DEG and a 20 h reaction time, the ZnO nanoparticles began to disperse from a collective spherical grain shape. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and a N{sub 2} adsorption.desorption studies. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of and were 157.083, 141.559 and 233.249 m{sup 2}/g, respectively. The observed pore diameters of and were 63.4, 42.0 and 134.0 A, respectively. The pore volumes of and were 0.249, 0.148 and 0.781 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) degradation, and the activity showed a good correlation with the N{sub 2} adsorption.desorption data.

A comparative study of the effects of CuO, NiO, ZrO{sub 2} and CeO{sub 2} coupling on the photocatalytic activity and characteristics of ZnO

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sherly, Eluvathingal Devassy; Vijaya, John Judith [Loyola College, Chennai (India); Kennedy, Lourdusamy John [Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) University, Chennai (India); Meenakshisundaram, Arunachalam; Lavanya, Melcureraj [Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited, Manali (India)

2016-04-15

ZnO nanoparticles were coupled with CuO, NiO, ZrO{sub 2} and CeO{sub 2} in 2 : 1 molar ratio by a microwave assisted one pot solution combustion synthesis. Structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO and coupled oxides were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Brunauer- Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. XRD data revealed the presence of two phases in the coupled oxides. Photocatalytic activity of pure ZnO and ZnO coupled oxides was compared for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4- DCP) under near UV light (365 nm) irradiation and the rate constant (k) values were calculated from the kinetic studies. The coupled oxide, Zn{sub 2}Ce with ZnO and CeO{sub 2} in 2 : 1 molar ratio showed maximum degradation efficiency due to the efficient interparticle electron transfer between ZnO and CeO{sub 2}.

Synthesis of ZnFe2O4/ZnO nanocomposites immobilized on graphene with enhanced photocatalytic activity under solar light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Lin; Shao, Rong; Tang, Lanqin; Chen, Zhidong

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposites immobilized on graphene were successfully prepared. ► The photocatalyst exhibited excellent reactivity under solar light irradiation. ► The photocatalysts could be recycled by external magnetic field conveniently. ► The photocatalytic mechanism of the novel material was proposed in detail. -- Abstract: Magnetically recyclable ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposites immobilized on different content of graphene with favorable photocatalytic activity under solar light irradiation were successfully prepared on the basis of an ultrasound aided solution method. The molar ratio of ZnFe 2 O 4 to ZnO and the content of graphene could be controlled by adjusting the amount of zinc salts and graphene oxide dispersions. The most excellent photocatalytic activity under solar light irradiation was displayed when the molar ratio of ZnFe 2 O 4 to ZnO was 0.1 and the weight ratio of graphene to ZnFe 2 O 4 /ZnO was 0.04. Furthermore, the presence of magnetical ZnFe 2 O 4 will facilitate the recycling process of photocatalyst nanoparticles

N-TiO2/gamma-Al2O3 granules: preparation, characterization and photocatalytic activity for the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Donggen; Xie, Wenfa; Tu, Zhibin; Zhang, Feng; Quan, Shuiqing; Liu, Lei

2013-01-01

Nitrogen doping TiO2 and gamma-Al2O3 composite oxide granules (N-TiO2/gamma-Al2O3) were prepared by co-precipitation/oil-drop/calcination in gaseous NH3 process using titanium sulphate and aluminum nitrate as raw materials. After calcination at 550 degrees C in NH3 atmosphere, the composite granules showed anatase TiO2 and gamma-Al2O3 phases with the granularity of 0.5-1.0 mm. The anatase crystallite size of composite granules was range from 3.5-25 nm calculated from XRD result. The UV-Vis spectra and N 1s XPS spectra indicated that N atoms were incorporated into the TiO2 crystal lattice. The product granules could be used as a photocatalyst in moving bed reactor, and was demonstrated a higher visible-light photocatalytic activity for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation compared with commercial P25 TiO2. When the mole ratio of TiO2 to Al2O3 equal to 1.0 showed the highest catalytic activity, the degradation percentage of 2,4-chlorophenol could be up to 92.5%, under 60 W fluorescent light irradiation for 9 hours. The high visible-light photocatalytic activity might be a synergetic effect of nitrogen doping and the form of binary metal oxide of TiO2 and gamma-Al2O3.

Antifungal activity of multifunctional Fe3O4-Ag nanocolloids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chudasama, Bhupendra; Vala, Anjana K.; Andhariya, Nidhi; Upadhyay, R.V.; Mehta, R.V.

2011-01-01

In recent years, rapid increase has been observed in the population of microbes that are resistant to conventionally used antibiotics. Antifungal drug therapy is no exception and now resistance to many of the antifungal agents in use has emerged. Therefore, there is an inevitable and urgent medical need for antibiotics with novel antimicrobial mechanisms. Aspergillus glaucus is the potential cause of fatal brain infections and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in immunocompromised patients and leads to death despite aggressive multidrug antifungal therapy. In the present article, we describe the antifungal activity of multifunctional core-shell Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocolloids against A. glaucus isolates. Controlled experiments are also carried out with Ag nanocolloids in order to understand the role of core (Fe 3 O 4 ) in the antifungal action. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nanocolloids is determined by the micro-dilution method. MIC of A. glaucus is 2000 μg/mL. The result is quite promising and requires further investigations in order to develop a treatment methodology against this death causing fungus in immunocompromised patients. - Research Highlights: →Synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 -Ag core-shell nanocolloids. →Antifungal activity of Fe 3 O 4 -Ag nanocolloids against Aspergillus glaucus isolates. →The MIC value for A. glaucus is 2000 μg/mL. →Antifungal activity is better or comparable with most prominent antibiotics.

Photocatalytic Active Bismuth Fluoride/Oxyfluoride Surface Crystallized 2Bi2O3-B2O3 Glass-Ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Sumeet Kumar; Singh, V. P.; Chauhan, Vishal S.; Kushwaha, H. S.; Vaish, Rahul

2018-03-01

The present article deals with 2Bi2O3-B2O3 (BBO) glass whose photocatalytic activity has been enhanced by the method of wet etching using an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid (HF). X-ray diffraction of the samples reveals that etching with an aqueous solution of HF leads to the formation of BiF3 and BiO0.1F2.8 phases. Surface morphology obtained from scanning electron microscopy show granular and plate-like morphology on the etched glass samples. Rhodamine 6G (Rh 6G) has been used to investigate the photocatalytic activity of the as-quenched and etched glasses. Enhanced visible light-driven photocatalytic activity was observed in HF etched glass-ceramics compared to the as-quenched BBO glass. Contact angle of the as-quenched glass was 90.2°, which decreases up to 20.02° with an increase in concentration of HF in the etching solution. Enhanced photocatalytic activity and increase in the hydrophilic nature suggests the efficient treatment of water pollutants by using the prepared surface crystallized glass-ceramics.

Sol–gel synthesis of SnO{sub 2}–MgO nanoparticles and their photocatalytic activity towards methylene blue degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bayal, Nisha; Jeevanandam, P., E-mail: jeevafcy@iitr.ernet.in

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A simple sol–gel method for the synthesis of SnO{sub 2}–MgO nanoparticles is reported. • Band gap of SnO{sub 2} can be tuned by varying the magnesium content in SnO{sub 2}–MgO. • SnO{sub 2}–MgO shows good photocatalytic activity towards degradation of methylene blue. - Abstract: SnO{sub 2}–MgO mixed metal oxide nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol–gel method. The nanoparticles were characterized by power X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The XRD results indicate the formation of mixed metal oxide nanoparticles and also a decrease of SnO{sub 2} crystallite size in the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles with increasing magnesium oxide content. The reflectance spectroscopy results show a blue shift of the band gap of SnO{sub 2} in the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles. The photocatalytic activity of the SnO{sub 2}–MgO nanoparticles was tested using the photodegradation of aqueous methylene blue in the presence of sunlight. The results indicate that the mixed metal oxide nanoparticles possess higher efficiency for the photodegradation of methylene blue compared to pure SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles.

Optimized dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles and antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perez Espitia, Paula Judith; Ferreira Soares, Nilda de Fatima, E-mail: nfsoares1@gmail.com [Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Vicosa (Brazil); Teofilo, Reinaldo F. [Federal University of Vicosa, Department of Chemistry (Brazil); Vitor, Debora M.; Reis Coimbra, Jane Selia dos; Andrade, Nelio Jose de [Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Vicosa (Brazil); Sousa, Frederico B. de; Sinisterra, Ruben D. [Federal University of Minas Gerais, Department of Chemistry (Brazil); Medeiros, Eber Antonio Alves [Department of Food Technology, Federal University of Vicosa (Brazil)

2013-01-15

Single primary nanoparticles of zinc oxide (nanoZnO) tend to form particle collectives, resulting in loss of antimicrobial activity. This work studied the effects of probe sonication conditions: power, time, and the presence of a dispersing agent (Na{sub 4}P{sub 2}O{sub 7}), on the size of nanoZnO particles. NanoZnO dispersion was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) and characterized by the zeta potential (ZP) technique. NanoZnO antimicrobial activity was investigated at different concentrations (1, 5, and 10 % w/w) against four foodborne pathogens and four spoilage microorganisms. The presence of the dispersing agent had a significant effect on the size of dispersed nanoZnO. Minimum size after sonication was 238 nm. An optimal dispersion condition was achieved at 200 W for 45 min of sonication in the presence of the dispersing agent. ZP analysis indicated that the ZnO nanoparticle surface charge was altered by the addition of the dispersing agent and changes in pH. At tested concentrations and optimal dispersion, nanoZnO had no antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Listeria monocytogenes. However, it did have antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella choleraesuis, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Aspergillus niger. Based on the exhibited antimicrobial activity of optimized nanoZnO against some foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, nanoZnO is a promising antimicrobial for food preservation with potential application for incorporation in polymers intended as food-contact surfaces.

Optimized dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles and antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez Espitia, Paula Judith; Ferreira Soares, Nilda de Fátima; Teófilo, Reinaldo F.; Vitor, Débora M.; Reis Coimbra, Jane Sélia dos; Andrade, Nélio José de; Sousa, Frederico B. de; Sinisterra, Rubén D.; Medeiros, Eber Antonio Alves

2013-01-01

Single primary nanoparticles of zinc oxide (nanoZnO) tend to form particle collectives, resulting in loss of antimicrobial activity. This work studied the effects of probe sonication conditions: power, time, and the presence of a dispersing agent (Na 4 P 2 O 7 ), on the size of nanoZnO particles. NanoZnO dispersion was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM) and characterized by the zeta potential (ZP) technique. NanoZnO antimicrobial activity was investigated at different concentrations (1, 5, and 10 % w/w) against four foodborne pathogens and four spoilage microorganisms. The presence of the dispersing agent had a significant effect on the size of dispersed nanoZnO. Minimum size after sonication was 238 nm. An optimal dispersion condition was achieved at 200 W for 45 min of sonication in the presence of the dispersing agent. ZP analysis indicated that the ZnO nanoparticle surface charge was altered by the addition of the dispersing agent and changes in pH. At tested concentrations and optimal dispersion, nanoZnO had no antimicrobial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Listeria monocytogenes. However, it did have antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Salmonella choleraesuis, Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Aspergillus niger. Based on the exhibited antimicrobial activity of optimized nanoZnO against some foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, nanoZnO is a promising antimicrobial for food preservation with potential application for incorporation in polymers intended as food-contact surfaces.

High Photocatalytic Activity of Fe3O4-SiO2-TiO2 Functional Particles with Core-Shell Structure

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Chenyang Xue

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a novel method of synthesizing Fe3O4-SiO2-TiO2 functional nanoparticles with the core-shell structure. The Fe3O4 cores which were mainly superparamagnetic were synthesized through a novel carbon reduction method. The Fe3O4 cores were then modified with SiO2 and finally encapsulated with TiO2 by the sol-gel method. The results of characterizations showed that the encapsulated 700 nm Fe3O4-SiO2-TiO2 particles have a relatively uniform size distribution, an anatase TiO2 shell, and suitable magnetic properties for allowing collection in a magnetic field. These magnetic properties, large area, relative high saturation intensity, and low retentive magnetism make the particles have high dispersibility in suspension and yet enable them to be recovered well using magnetic fields. The functionality of these particles was tested by measuring the photocatalytic activity of the decolouring of methyl orange (MO and methylene blue (MB under ultraviolet light and sunlight. The results showed that the introduction of the Fe3O4-SiO2-TiO2 functional nanoparticles significantly increased the decoloration rate so that an MO solution at a concentration of 10 mg/L could be decoloured completely within 180 minutes. The particles were recovered after utilization, washing, and drying and the primary recovery ratio was 87.5%.

Preparation and photo Fenton-like activities of high crystalline CuO fibers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; He, Jing; Shi, Ruixia; Yang, Ping

2017-11-01

CuO fibers were successfully fabricated by a simple electrospinning method, followed by calcination. Some experimental parameters such as the content of Cu(NO3)2•3H2O, the content of PVP, the stirring time, the applied voltage, as well the calcination temperature were investigated, respectively, and their influences on the morphologies of fibers and the spinnability of precursor solution were analyzed. The CuO fibers calcined at 550 °C consisted of numerous CuO grains exhibited a well-crystalline structure. Furthermore, the CuO fibers demonstrated effective photo-Fenton degradation to methyl orange with the assist of H2O2 and the adding volume of H2O2 affects the degradation activities greatly. The degradation rate of methyl orange by the CuO fibers in the presence of 238.8 mmol/L H2O2 is 3.8 times as much as one by P25 alone under the irradiation of Xe lamp. The degradation ratio of methyl orange could achieve 83% in 180 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of the CuO fibers were attributed to two aspects: one is the well-crystalline of CuO fibers; the other is that H2O2 accepted the photogenerated electrons and holes effectively, which not only prevented the recombination of charge carriers but also produced additional rad OH. In this work, the formation and photocatalysis mechanisms of CuO fibers were also investigated.

Mesoporous PtSnO2/C Catalyst with Enhanced Catalytic Activity for Ethanol Electro-oxidation

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Siyu Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we report the synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical evaluation of a mesoporous PtSnO2/C catalyst, called PtSnO2(M/C, with a nominal Pt : Sn ratio of 3 : 1. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and transmission electron microscopy characterizations showed the obvious mesoporous structure of SnO2 in PtSnO2(M/C catalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis exhibited the interaction between Pt and mesoporous SnO2. Compared with Pt/C and commercial PtSnO2/C catalysts, PtSnO2(M/C catalyst has a lower active site, but higher catalytic activity for ethanol electro-oxidation reaction (EOR. The enhanced activity could be attributed to Pt nanoparticles deposited on mesoporous SnO2 that could decrease the amount of poisonous intermediates produced during EOR by the interaction between Pt and mesoporous SnO2.

The comparison of photocatalytic activity of synthesized TiO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2} nanosize onto wool fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moafi, Hadi Fallah [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Namjoo Street, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shojaie, Abdollah Fallah, E-mail: a.f.shojaie@guilan.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Namjoo Street, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Zanjanchi, Mohammad Ali [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Guilan, Namjoo Street, P.O. Box 1914, Rasht (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2010-04-15

TiO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2} nanocrystals were successfully synthesized and deposited onto wool fibers using the sol-gel technique at low temperature. The photocatalytic activities of TiO{sub 2}-coated and ZrO{sub 2}-coated wool fibers were measured by studying photodegradation of methylene blue and eosin yellowish dyes. The initial and the treated samples were characterized by several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and X-ray diffraction. The TEM study shows dispersed particles with 10-30 nm in size for TiO{sub 2}-coated and 20-40 nm in size for ZrO{sub 2}-coated samples on the fiber surface. Comparison of the photocatalytic activity of the coated samples reveals superiority of TiO{sub 2} modified sample with respect to that of ZrO{sub 2} for degradation of both dyes. Our observations indicate that by applying this technique to the fabrics, self-cleaning materials could be designed for practical application.

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Anatase TiO2 Nanoparticles-coated Carbon Nanotubes

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Xie Yi

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract A simple and straightforward approach to prepare TiO2-coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs is presented. Anatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs with the average size ~8 nm were coated on CNTs from peroxo titanic acid (PTA precursor even at low temperature of 100 °C. We demonstrate the effects of CNTs/TiO2 molar ratio on the adsorption capability and photocatalytic efficiency under UV–visible irradiation. The samples showed not only good optical absorption in visible range, but also great adsorption capacity for methyl orange (MO dye molecules. These properties facilitated the great enhancement of photocatalytic activity of TiO2 NPs-coated CNTs photocatalysts. The TiO2 NPs-coated CNTs exhibited 2.45 times higher photocatalytic activity for MO degradation than that of pure TiO2.

Halloysite Nanotubes Supported Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles with Synergistically Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Zhan; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Qian; Yang, Huaming

2017-02-01

Novel antimicrobial nanocomposite incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and silver (Ag) into zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is prepared by integrating HNTs and decorating Ag nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with a size of about 100 and 8 nm, respectively, are dispersively anchored onto HNTs. The synergistic effects of ZnO NPs, Ag NPs, and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposites. HNTs facilitated the dispersion and stability of ZnO NPs and brought them in close contact with bacteria, while Ag NPs could promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhanced the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs. The close contact with cell membrane enabled the nanoparticles to produce the increased concentration of reactive oxygen species and the metal ions to permeate into the cytoplasm, thus induced quick death of bacteria, indicating that Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposite is a promising candidate in the antibacterial fields.

Graphene quantum dots /LaCoO{sub 3}/attapulgite heterojunction photocatalysts with improved photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Wei; Li, Xiazhang [Changzhou University, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou (China); Chinese Academy of Science, R and D Center of Xuyi Attapulgite Applied Technology, Xuyi (China)

2017-04-15

A new nanocomposite of graphene quantum dots/LaCoO{sub 3}/attapulgite (GQDs/LaCoO{sub 3}/ATP) was prepared by a facile impregnation method and was applied to degradation of the organic pollutants as photocatalyst under visible light irradiation. Multiple techniques were used to characterize the structures, morphologies and photocatalytic activities of samples. The photocatalytic activity of the GQDs/LaCoO{sub 3}/ATP nanocomposites was effectively evaluated using Methylene blue (MB), antibiotic agent chlortetracycline (CHL) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). The as-synthesized GQDs/LaCoO{sub 3}/ATP nanocomposites exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than LaCoO{sub 3}/ATP, which showed a broad spectrum of photocatalytic degradation activity. The results of ESR and free radicals trapping experiments indicated that {sup circle} OH and h {sup +} were the main species for the photocatalytic degradation. GQDs played a significant role in the photocatalytic activity improvement of LaCoO{sub 3}/ATP, increasing the visible light absorption, slowing the recombination and improving the charge transfer. (orig.)

Oxidative and antibacterial activity of Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chowdhury, Al-Nakib, E-mail: nakib@chem.buet.ac.bd [Department of Chemistry, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Azam, Md. Shafiul, E-mail: azam@ualberta.ca [Department of Chemistry, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh); Aktaruzzaman, Md.; Rahim, Abdur [Department of Chemistry, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Dhaka-1000 (Bangladesh)

2009-12-30

Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles with diameter ca. 10 nm were synthesized by the forced hydrolysis of Mn(II) acetate at 80 deg. C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques were employed to study structural features and chemical composition of the nanoparticles. The unique oxidative activity of the Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles was demonstrated in the polymerization and dye degradation reactions. On adding Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} suspension to an acidic solution of aniline, yielded immediately green sediment of polyaniline (PANI). The organic dyes, viz., methylene blue (MB) and procion red (PR) were found to be completely decolorized from their aqueous solution on treating the dyes with Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} suspension in acidic media. The Mn{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles also showed a clear antibacterial activity against the Vibrio cholerae, Shigella sp., Salmonella sp., and Escherichi coli bacteria that cause cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and diarrhea diseases, respectively.

Preparation and Characterization of Surface Photocatalytic Activity with NiO/TiO₂ Nanocomposite Structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jian-Zhi; Chen, Tai-Hong; Lai, Li-Wen; Li, Pei-Yu; Liu, Hua-Wen; Hong, Yi-You; Liu, Day-Shan

2015-07-13

This study achieved a nanocomposite structure of nickel oxide (NiO)/titanium dioxide (TiO₂) heterojunction on a TiO₂ film surface. The photocatalytic activity of this structure evaluated by decomposing methylene blue (MB) solution was strongly correlated to the conductive behavior of the NiO film. A p -type NiO film of high concentration in contact with the native n -type TiO₂ film, which resulted in a strong inner electrical field to effectively separate the photogenerated electron-hole pairs, exhibited a much better photocatalytic activity than the controlled TiO₂ film. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of the NiO/TiO₂ nanocomposite structure was enhanced as the thickness of the p -NiO film decreased, which was beneficial for the migration of the photogenerated carriers to the structural surface.

Tradução, validação e adaptação cultural da escala de atividade esportiva Translation, validation and cultural adaptation of the "sports activities scale"

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Camila Carvalho Krause Gonçalves

2007-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Realizar a tradução e adaptação cultural do "Sports Activities Scale" para a língua portuguesa, e verificar suas propriedades de medida, reprodutibilidade e validade. MÉTODO: baseado na revisão da literatura de Guillemin et al. foi realizado a tradução, adaptação cultural e validação. Para a análise estatística foi utilizado a análise descritiva, o teste t, o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse e o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman, com nível de significância igual a 5% (alfa = 0,05. RESULTADOS: O questionário traduzido apresentou: boa compreensão e equivalência cultural de 95% dos pacientes após algumas modificações; uma excelente reprodutibilidade (alfa=0,01, roOBJECTIVES: to translate and adapt the "Sports Activities Scale" as well as to check its measurement, reproduction and validity properties. METHOD: the translation, cultural adaptation and validation were made by reviewing the work by Guillemin et al. For statistical analysis, we used descriptive analysis, t-test, inter-class correlation coefficient and Spearman correlation coefficient, with significance level equal to 5% (alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: the translated questionnaire showed to be understandable and culturally equivalent for 95% of Brazilian patients after some modifications were made; an excellent reproducibility (alpha = 0.01, rho 0.001; and a moderate negative correlation with the visual analog scale for pain (alpha = 0.05, rho = 0.0013. CONCLUSION: The Brazilian version of the "Sports Activities Scale" questionnaire is an easily-manageable, reproducible and valid parameter for a specific evaluation of knee's symptoms and restraints during sports activities, in Brazilian patients.

TiO2-SnS2 nanocomposites: solar-active photocatalytic materials for water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovacic, Marin; Kusic, Hrvoje; Fanetti, Mattia; Stangar, Urska Lavrencic; Valant, Matjaz; Dionysiou, Dionysios D; Bozic, Ana Loncaric

2017-08-01

The study is aimed at evaluating TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites as effective solar-active photocatalysts for water treatment. Two strategies for the preparation of TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites were examined: (i) in-situ chemical synthesis followed by immobilization on glass plates and (ii) binding of two components (TiO 2 and SnS 2 ) within the immobilization step. The as-prepared TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites and their sole components (TiO 2 or SnS 2 ) were inspected for composition, crystallinity, and morphology using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) analyses. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) was used to determine band gaps of immobilized TiO 2 -SnS 2 and to establish the changes in comparison to respective sole components. The activity of immobilized TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites was tested for the removal of diclofenac (DCF) in aqueous solution under simulated solar irradiation and compared with that of single component photocatalysts. In situ chemical synthesis yielded materials of high crystallinity, while their morphology and composition strongly depended on synthesis conditions applied. TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites exhibited higher activity toward DCF removal and conversion in comparison to their sole components at acidic pH, while only in situ synthesized TiO 2 -SnS 2 composites showed higher activity at neutral pH.

Preparation of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites and investigation on visible-light photocatalytic degradation activity in magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L.; Ma, C. H.; Wang, J.; Li, S. G.; Li, Y.

2014-12-01

In this study, Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were prepared by three different methods (Ultraviolet Irradiation Deposition (UID), Vitamin C Reduction (VCR) and Sodium Borohydride Reduction (SBR)) for the visible-light photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes in magnetic field. And then the prepared Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were characterized physically by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The visible-light photocatalytic activities of these three kinds of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites were examined and compared through the degradation of several organic dyes under visible-light irradiation in magnetic field. In addition, some influence factors such as visible-light irradiation time, organic dye concentration, revolution speed, magnetic field intensity and organic dye kind on the visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composite were reviewed. The research results showed that the presence of magnetic field significantly enhanced the visible-light photocatalytic activity of Ag deposited TiO2 (Ag/TiO2) composites and then contributed to the degradation of organic dyes.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Activity of ZnO Containing Glasses.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteban-Tejeda, Leticia; Prado, Catuxa; Cabal, Belén; Sanz, Jesús; Torrecillas, Ramón; Moya, José Serafín

2015-01-01

A new family of non-toxic biocides based on low melting point (1250°C) transparent glasses with high content of ZnO (15-40wt%) belonging to the miscibility region of the B2O3-SiO2-Na2O-ZnO system has been developed. These glasses have shown an excellent biocide activity (logarithmic reduction >3) against Gram- (E. coli), Gram+ (S. aureus) and yeast (C. krusei); they are chemically stable in different media (distilled water, sea-like water, LB and DMEN media) as well as biocompatible. The cytotoxicity was evaluated by the Neutral Red Uptake using NIH-3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast cells) and the cell viability was >80%. These new glasses can be considered in several and important applications in the field of inorganic non-toxic biocide agents such as medical implants, surgical equipment, protective apparels in hospitals, water purifications systems, food packaging, food storages or textiles.

Biological role of site-specific O-glycosylation in cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of osteopontin.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyama, Midori; Kariya, Yoshinobu; Kariya, Yukiko; Matsumoto, Kana; Kanno, Mayumi; Yamaguchi, Yoshiki; Hashimoto, Yasuhiro

2018-05-09

Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular glycosylated phosphoprotein that promotes cell adhesion by interacting with several integrin receptors. We previously reported that an OPN mutant lacking five O-glycosylation sites (Thr 134 /Thr 138 /Thr 143 /Thr 147 /Thr 152 ) in the threonine/proline-rich region increased cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation compared with the wild type. However, the role of O-glycosylation in cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of OPN remains to be clarified. Here, we show that site-specific O-glycosylation in the threonine/proline-rich region of OPN affects its cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation independently and/or synergistically. Using site-directed mutagenesis, we found that OPN mutants with substitution sets of Thr 134 /Thr 138 or Thr 143 /Thr 147 /Thr 152 had decreased and increased cell adhesion activity, respectively. In contrast, the introduction of a single mutation into the O-glycosylation sites had no effect on OPN cell adhesion activity. An adhesion assay using function-blocking antibodies against αvβ3 and β1 integrins, as well as αvβ3 integrin-overexpressing A549 cells, revealed that site-specific O-glycosylation affected the association of OPN with the two integrins. Phosphorylation analyses using phos-tag and LC-MS/MS indicated that phosphorylation levels and sites were influenced by the O-glycosylation status, although the number of O-glycosylation sites was not correlated with the phosphorylation level in OPN. Furthermore, a correlation analysis between phosphorylation level and cell adhesion activity in OPN mutants with the site-specific O-glycosylation showed that they were not always correlated. These results provide conclusive evidence of a novel regulatory mechanism of cell adhesion activity and phosphorylation of OPN by site-specific O-glycosylation. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Influence of silver on photocatalytic activity of TiO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kisen, Carla Yuri; Teodoro, Vinicius; Zaghete, Maria Ap.; Perazolli, Leinig Antonio; Longo, Elson

2016-01-01

Full text: This work studied the influence of silver on photo activity of TiO 2 , prepared by Pechini method, in the photodegradation of Rhodamine-B. The catalysts were prepared with different percentage of silver (0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 %) and different calcination temperatures (500, 600 and 700°C), characterized by X-ray diffraction (DRX) and field emission gun - scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM), The powders' photo catalytic activity was defined by Rhodamine-B decolorisation test. The solution containing the dye and the catalyst, in the concentration of 0,01 mmol L -1 e 1,0 g L -1 respectively, were submitted to radiation with 9W germicidal lamp for 120 minutes. The control samples, for comparison effects, were made with TiO 2 anatase (Synth brand) and photolysis tests. In the micrographs, obtained by SEM, all the temperatures and compositions employed presented similar morphologies, it is assumed the calcination temperature rise leads to a decreased apparent porosity and the generation of particles clusters. The X-ray diffractograms indicates the calcination temperature influence in the generation of distinct TiO 2 phases during the catalysts synthesis. Regardless of the TiO 2 proportions, the only actual phase with 500°C calcination is the anatase. At 600°C, the rutile phase coexisting with the anatase phase disappears, and the rutile phase predominates. Among the catalysts, what presented greater activity was the TiO 2 with 0.5% Ag and calcination temperature of 500°C, which degraded around 100% in 60 minutes. References: [1] P. Cozolli, E. Fanizza and A. Agostiano. J. Phys.Chem. B108, 9623-9630, 2004. (author)

Polyaniline hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods with long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bera, Susanta; Khan, Hasmat; Biswas, Indranil; Jana, Sunirmal

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Polyaniline (PANI) hybridized ZnO nanorods was synthesized by solution method. • Surface defects were found in the nanorods. • The hybrid material exhibited an enhancement in visible light absorption. • A long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity of the material was found. • Advancement in the properties would be PANI hybridization and surface defects. - Abstract: We report surfactant/template free precursor solution based synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods by a two-step process. Initially, ZnO nanorods have been prepared at 95 °C, followed by hybridization (coating) of PANI onto the ZnO via in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, forming ZnO-PANI nanohybrid (ZP). The structural properties of ZP have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The presence of surface defects especially the oxygen vacancies in ZnO has been characterized by photoluminescence emission, high resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectral measurements. The chemical interaction of PANI with ZnO has been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and XPS analyses. A significant enhancement in visible absorption of ZP sample is found as evidenced from UV–vis diffused reflectance spectral study. BET nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm shows an improved textural property (pore size, pore volume) of ZP. Moreover, a long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity (PEC) of ZP is found compare to pristine ZnO. The synergic effect of PANI hybridization and the presence of surface defects in ZnO NRs can enhance the PEC by prolonging the recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The effect can also provide large number of active sites to make electrolyte diffusion and mass transportation easier in the nanohybrid. This simple synthesis strategy can be adopted for PANI hybridization with different metal oxide semiconductors

Polyaniline hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods with long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bera, Susanta; Khan, Hasmat [Sol-Gel Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India); Biswas, Indranil [Materials Characterization and Instrumentation Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India); Jana, Sunirmal, E-mail: sjana@cgcri.res.in [Sol-Gel Division, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), 196 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, P.O. Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032, West Bengal (India)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • Polyaniline (PANI) hybridized ZnO nanorods was synthesized by solution method. • Surface defects were found in the nanorods. • The hybrid material exhibited an enhancement in visible light absorption. • A long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity of the material was found. • Advancement in the properties would be PANI hybridization and surface defects. - Abstract: We report surfactant/template free precursor solution based synthesis of polyaniline (PANI) hybridized surface defective ZnO nanorods by a two-step process. Initially, ZnO nanorods have been prepared at 95 °C, followed by hybridization (coating) of PANI onto the ZnO via in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, forming ZnO-PANI nanohybrid (ZP). The structural properties of ZP have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The presence of surface defects especially the oxygen vacancies in ZnO has been characterized by photoluminescence emission, high resolution TEM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and micro-Raman spectral measurements. The chemical interaction of PANI with ZnO has been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and XPS analyses. A significant enhancement in visible absorption of ZP sample is found as evidenced from UV–vis diffused reflectance spectral study. BET nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm shows an improved textural property (pore size, pore volume) of ZP. Moreover, a long-term stable photoelectrochemical activity (PEC) of ZP is found compare to pristine ZnO. The synergic effect of PANI hybridization and the presence of surface defects in ZnO NRs can enhance the PEC by prolonging the recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers. The effect can also provide large number of active sites to make electrolyte diffusion and mass transportation easier in the nanohybrid. This simple synthesis strategy can be adopted for PANI hybridization with different metal oxide semiconductors

The new insight into the structure-activity relation of Pd/CeO2-ZrO2-Nd2O3 catalysts by Raman, in situ DRIFTS and XRD Rietveld analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X; Yang, L; Lin, J; Zhou, R

2016-01-28

Pd/CeO2-ZrO2-Nd2O3 (CZN) catalysts with different CeO2/ZrO2 molar ratios were synthesized and have been characterized by multiple techniques, e.g. XRD in combination with Rietveld refinement, UV-Raman, XPS and in situ DRIFTS. The XRD pattern of CZN with CeO2/ZrO2 molar ratios ≥1/2 can be indexed satisfactorily to the fluorite structure with a space group Fm3̄m, while the XRD patterns of CZ12 only display diffraction peaks of the tetragonal phase (S.G. P42/nmc). Nd addition can effectively stabilize the cubic structure of the CZN support and increase the enrichment of defect sites on the surface, which may be related to the better catalytic activity of Pd/CZN12 catalysts compared with Pd/CZ12. The presence of moderate ZrO2 can increase the concentration of O* active species, leading to accelerate the formation of nitrate species and thus enhance the catalytic activity of NOx and HC elimination. The Pd-dispersion decreases with the increasing Zr content, leading to the decreased CO catalytic activity, especially for the aged catalysts. The change regularity of the OSC value is almost the same with the in situ dynamic operational window, demonstrating that the in situ dynamic operational window is basically affected by the OSC value.

Highly active Ni/Y-doped ZrO{sub 2} catalysts for CO{sub 2} methanation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takano, H., E-mail: takano_hi@hitachizosen.co.jp [Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kashiwa, 277-8515 (Japan); Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8628 (Japan); Kirihata, Y.; Izumiya, K.; Kumagai, N. [Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Kashiwa, 277-8515 (Japan); Habazaki, H., E-mail: habazaki@eng.hokudai.ac.jp [Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8628 (Japan); Division of Applied Chemistry & Frontier Chemistry Center, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8628 (Japan); Hashimoto, K. [Tohoku Institute of Technology, Sendai, 277-8515 (Japan)

2016-12-01

Highlights: • The Ni/Y-doped ZrO{sub 2} catalysts show highly catalytic activity for CO{sub 2} methanation. • Bidentate carbonate is a major adsorption spice on the Ni/Y-doped ZrO{sub 2} catalysts. • The oxide support of t-ZrO{sub 2} and/or c-ZrO{sub 2} with oxygen vacancies plays a key role. - Abstract: The catalytic methanation of CO{sub 2} was carried out on Ni catalysts supported on Y-doped ZrO{sub 2} with various Y{sup 3+} concentrations and Ni/(Zr + Y) molar ratio = 1. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, specific surface area, temperature-programmed desorption of CO{sub 2}, and temperature-programmed reaction. In addition, operando diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy (DRIFT) was used to identify the adsorbed reaction intermediate. Catalysts supported on Y-doped ZrO{sub 2} show higher catalytic activity than the catalyst on Y-free ZrO{sub 2} with a monoclinic ZrO{sub 2} phase. The catalytic activity is also dependent upon the Y{sup 3+} concentration, and the highest activity was obtained for the catalyst with a Y/(Zr + Y) molar ratio of 0.333, which consists mainly of fcc Ni and cubic ZrO{sub 2} phase. Y{sup 3+} doping into ZrO{sub 2} introduces oxygen vacancies, which play an important role in enhancing the catalytic activity. The operando DRIFT study reveals that a CO adsorption intermediate is absent, and bidentate carbonate is an important intermediate for CH{sub 4} formation.

Preparation, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2/ZnO Nanocomposites

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Liqin Wang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Nanoparticles of the TiO2/ZnO composite photocatalysts were prepared via sol-gel process. The crystalline structure, morphology, thermal stability, and pore structure properties of the composite photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TG-DTA, and N2 physical adsorption measurements. The photocatalytic activity of the composite catalysts was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation reaction of methyl orange (MO in aqueous solution. The best preparation parameters for the composite photocatalysts were obtained through systematical experiments. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation reaction of aqueous MO solution followed the first-order reaction kinetics; the relative equation can be described as ln(C0/C=0.5689t, and the calculated correlation constant (R2 is 0.9937 for the calibration curve.

Fabrication of Core-Shell Structural SiO2@H3[PM12O40] Material and Its Catalytic Activity

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Xin Yang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Through a natural tree grain template and sol-gel technology, the heterogeneous catalytic materials based on polyoxometalate compounds H3[PM12O40] encapsulating SiO2: SiO2@H3[PM12O40] (SiO2@PM12, M = W, Mo with core-shell structure had been prepared. The structure and morphology of the core-shell microspheres were characterized by the XRD, IR spectroscopy, UV-Vis absorbance, and SEM. These microsphere materials can be used as heterogeneous catalysts with high activity and stability for catalytic wet air oxidation of pollutant dyes safranine T (ST at room condition. The results show that the catalysts have excellent catalytic activity in treatment of wastewater containing 10 mg/L ST, and 94% of color can be removed within 60 min. Under different cycling runs, it is shown that the catalysts are stable under such operating conditions and the leaching tests show negligible leaching effect owing to the lesser dissolution.

Broad Spectrum Microbicidal Activity of Photocatalysis by TiO2

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Yoshinobu Kubota

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Photocatalytically active titanium dioxide (TiO2 is widely used as a self-cleaning and self-disinfecting material in many applications to keep environments biologically clean. Several studies on the inactivation of bacteria and viruses by photocatalytic reactions have also been reported; however, only few studies evaluated the spectrum of the microbicidal activity with photocatalysis for various species. There is a need to confirm the expected effectiveness of disinfection by photocatalysis against multidrug-resistant bacteria and viruses. In this study, microbicidal activity of photocatalysis was evaluated by comparing the inactivation of various species of bacteria and viruses when their suspensions were dropped on the surface of TiO2-coated glass. Gram-positive bacteria, e.g., methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, and penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, were easily inactivated by photocatalysis, whereas some gram-negative bacteria, e.g., Escherichia coli and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were gradually inactivated by photocatalysis. Influenza virus, an enveloped virus, was significantly inactivated by photocatalysis compared with feline calicivirus, a non-enveloped virus. The effectiveness of microbicidal activity by photocatalysis may depend on the surface structure. However, they are effectively inactivated by photocatalysis on the surface of TiO2-coated glass. Our data emphasize that effective cleaning and disinfection by photocatalysis in nosocomial settings prevents pathogen transmission.

Activity of RE/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in liquid La/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-CaF/sub 2/ and Ce/sub 2/O/sub 3/-CaO-CaF/sub 2/ slags

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Changzhen, W.; Shuqing, Y.; Qieng, D.

1985-01-01

In the course of electro-slag refining, if the slag contains rare earth oxides, the amount of rare earth introduced to the steel depends on the composition of the slag and other conditions. The main aim of this investigation is to study the activity of RE/sub 2/O/sub 3/ in the electro-slags of various compositions. One is the La/sub 2/O/sub 3/-CaO-CaF/sub 2/ ternary slag system and the other is the Ce/sub 2/O/sub 3/-CaO-CaF/sub 2/ slag system. The iso-activity diagram for RE/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and the liquid boundary for slags system were estimated

Enhanced photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activity of WO3-surface modified TiO2 thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Qamar, Mohammad; Drmosh, Qasem; Ahmed, Muhammad I.; Qamaruddin, Muhammad; Yamani, Zain H.

2015-02-01

Development of nanostructured photocatalysts for harnessing solar energy in energy-efficient and environmentally benign way remains an important area of research. Pure and WO3-surface modified thin films of TiO2 were prepared by magnetron sputtering on indium tin oxide glass, and photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activities of these films were studied. TiO2 particles were <50 nm, while deposited WO3 particles were <20 nm in size. An enhancement in the photocurrent was observed when the TiO2 surface was modified WO3 nanoparticles. Effect of potential, WO3 amount, and radiations of different wavelengths on the photoelectrochemical activity of TiO2 electrodes was investigated. Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 and WO3-modified TiO2 for the decolorization of methyl orange was tested.

Produção de carvão ativado a partir de bagaço e melaço de canade- açúcar = Production of granular activated carbons from sugar cane bagasse and molasses

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Gilberto da Cunha Gonçalves

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Carvões ativados foram preparados a partir de diferentes misturas de bagaço e melaço de cana-de-açúcar. A relação mássica bagaço:melaço variou de 1:0 a 1:2. Cada mistura foi prensada, formando pellets, os quais foram submetidos a uma pirólise sob fluxo de 150 mL·min-1 de N2, a 850°C, por 1 hora. Os carvões pirolisados foram ativados comCO2, sob fluxo de 75 mL·min-1, a 850°C, durante 30 min. A caracterização dos carvões ativados foi realizada pela análise de isotermas de adsorção física de N2 (77 K, pH e descoloração de soluções de melaço de cana (1% p/v. O rendimento médio dos carvõesativados foi de 23% em relação aos pellets iniciais. A área superficial específica dos carvões variou de 272 a 455 m2·g-1 com predominância de micro e mesoporos. Os carvões ativados preparados com pequena adição de melaço apresentaram-se tão eficientes na descoloração quanto um carvão ativado comercial, utilizado como referência.Activated carbons were prepared from mixtures of sugar cane bagasse and molasses in bagasse:molasses mass ratios from 1:0 to 1:2. The mixture was pressed to form pellets, and pyrolyzed under N2 flow of 150 mL·min-1, at 850°C, for 1 hour. The pyrolyzed carbons were activated with CO2, under the flow of 75 mL·min-1 at 850°C for 30 min. The activated carbons were characterized by an analysis of nitrogen adsorption isotherms (77 K, pH, and solutions decolorization of sugar cane molasses (1% w/v. Results showed that the activated carbons presented yield of 23% in relation to the initial pellets, surface areas from 272 to 455 m2·g-1, and that micro and mesopores were predominant in the pore size distribution. Activated carbons made with a smaller amount of molasses in the mixture were as efficient in the decolorization as a commercial reference carbon.

Characterization and Comparison of Photocatalytic Activity Silver Ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and Silver Ion doped on Black TiO2(Black TiO2/Ag+)

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Kim, Jin Yi; Sim, Ho Hyung; Song, Sinae; Noh, Yeoung Ah; Lee, Hong Woon; Taik Kim, Hee

2018-03-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the representative ceramic materials containing photocatalyst, optic and antibacterial activity. The hydroxyl radical in TiO2 applies to the intensive oxidizing agent, hence TiO2 is suitable to use photocatalytic materials. Black TiO2was prepared through reduction of amorphous TiO2 conducting under H2 which leads to color changes. Its black color is proven that absorbs 100% light across the whole-visible light, drawing enhancement of photocatalytic property. In this study, we aimed to compare the photocatalytic activity of silver ion doped on TiO2(TiO2/Ag+) and silver ion doped on black TiO2(black TiO2/Ag+) under visible light range. TiO2/Ag+ was fabricated following steps. 1) TiO2 was synthesized by a sol-gel method from Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). 2) Then AgNO3 was added during an aging process step for silver ion doping on the surface of TiO2. Moreover, Black TiO2/Ag+ was obtained same as TiO2/Ag+ except for calcination under H2. The samples were characterized X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible reflectance (UV-vis DRS), and Methylene Blue degradation test. XRD analysis confirmed morphology of TiO2. The band gap of black TiO2/Ag+ was confirmed (2.6 eV) through UV-vis DRS, which was lower than TiO2/Ag+ (2.9 eV). The photocatalytic effect was conducted by methylene blue degradation test. It demonstrated that black TiO2/Ag+ had a photocatalytic effect under UV light also visible light.

Decolorization of Methylene Blue by Persulfate Activated with FeO Magnetic Particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Chang-Mao; Chen, Chiu-Wen; Liu, Yi-Yuan; Dong, Cheng-Di

2016-08-01

In this study, the degradation of methylene blue (MB) was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using persulfate oxidation activated with iron oxide (FeO) magnetic particles. The results demonstrated that the decolorization rate of MB increased with increasing FeO concentration, exhibiting maximum efficiency at pH0 3.0. The kinetics of MB was studied in the binary FeO catalyst and persulfate oxidation system. The surface properties of FeO before and after reaction was analyzed using cyclic voltammogram (CV), three-dimensional excitation-emission fluorescence matrix (EEFM) spectroscopy, zeta potential, particle size distribution measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and environmental scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (ESEM-EDS). The CV data indicated that a reversible redox reaction holds the key to explaining the significant activity of the catalyst. EEFM was used to evaluate the catalyst yield of FeO by fluorescence intensity plots with excitation/emission at 220/300 nm and 260/300 nm. The XRD and ESEM-EDS results confirmed the presence of FeO in the catalyst.

Building novel Ag/CeO{sub 2} heterostructure for enhancing photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leng, Qiang; Yang, Dezhi; Yang, Qi [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Hu, Chenguo, E-mail: hucg@cqu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Kang, Yue; Wang, Mingjun [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Hashim, Muhammad [Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Applied Physics Department, Federal Urdu University of Arts Science and Technology, Islamabad (Pakistan)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • Ag nanoparticle is designed to building Schottky heterojunction on CeO{sub 2} nanocube. • The photocatalytic activity of Ag/CeO{sub 2} heterostructure is much enhanced. • 95.33% of MB can be effectively degraded within half an hour. • Ag as acceptor of photoelectrons blocks the recombination of electron–hole pairs. - Abstract: Stable and recyclable photocatalysts with high efficiency to degrade organic contamination are important and widely demanded under the threat of the environment pollution. Ag/CeO{sub 2} heterostructure is designed as a photocatalyst to degrade organic dye under the simulated sunlight. The catalytic activity of CeO{sub 2} nanocubes (NCs) to degrade methylene blue (MB) is obviously enhanced when Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are deposited on the surface of them. The weight ratio of Ag and CeO{sub 2} in forming high efficiency catalyst, the amount of Ag/CeO{sub 2} catalyst used in degradation process, and the dye concentration and pH value of the initial MB solution are examined systematically. 95.33% of MB can be effectively degraded within half an hour when 50 mg of Ag/CeO{sub 2} catalyst in an optimal weight ratio of 1:3, is added to the 100 mL of MB solution (c{sub 0} = 1 × 10{sup −5} mol L{sup −1}, pH 6.2). The mechanism of the enhanced catalytic activity of Ag/CeO{sub 2} heterostructure is discussed. The photocatalytic degradation rate is found to obey pseudo-first-order kinetics equations according to Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. The intermediate products in different stages during the degradation of MB are analyzed.

X-ray irradiation activates K+ channels via H2O2 signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibhardt, Christine S; Roth, Bastian; Schroeder, Indra; Fuck, Sebastian; Becker, Patrick; Jakob, Burkhard; Fournier, Claudia; Moroni, Anna; Thiel, Gerhard

2015-09-09

Ionizing radiation is a universal tool in tumor therapy but may also cause secondary cancers or cell invasiveness. These negative side effects could be causally related to the human-intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated-K+-channel (hIK), which is activated by X-ray irradiation and affects cell proliferation and migration. To analyze the signaling cascade downstream of ionizing radiation we use genetically encoded reporters for H2O2 (HyPer) and for the dominant redox-buffer glutathione (Grx1-roGFP2) to monitor with high spatial and temporal resolution, radiation-triggered excursions of H2O2 in A549 and HEK293 cells. The data show that challenging cells with ≥1 Gy X-rays or with UV-A laser micro-irradiation causes a rapid rise of H2O2 in the nucleus and in the cytosol. This rise, which is determined by the rate of H2O2 production and glutathione-buffering, is sufficient for triggering a signaling cascade that involves an elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ and eventually an activation of hIK channels.

Phosphine Plasma Activation of α-Fe 2 O 3 for High Energy Asymmetric Supercapacitors

KAUST Repository

Liang, Hanfeng

2018-04-12

We report a phosphine (PH3) plasma activation strategy for significantly boosting the electrochemical performance of supercapacitor electrodes. Using Fe2O3 as a demonstration, we show that the plasma activation simultaneously improves the conductivity, creates atomic-scale vacancies (defects), as well as increases active surface area, and thus leading to a greatly enhanced performance with a high areal capacitance of 340 mF cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2, compared to 66 mF cm-2 of pristine Fe2O3. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor devices based on plasma-activated Fe2O3 anodes and electrodeposited MnO2 cathodes can achieve a high stack energy density of 0.42 mWh cm-3 at a stack power density of 10.3 mW cm-3 along with good stability (88% capacitance retention after 9000 cycles at 10 mA cm-2). Our work provides a simple yet effective strategy to greatly enhance the electrochemical performance of Fe2O3 anodes and to further promote their application in asymmetric supercapacitors.

Antitumor activity of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] in mouse xenograft model of breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Muscella, A; Vetrugno, C; Migoni, D; Biagioni, F; Fanizzi, F P; Fornai, F; De Pascali, S A; Marsigliante, S

2014-01-23

The higher and selective cytotoxicity of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] toward cancer cell in both immortalized cell lines and in breast cancer cells in primary cultures, stimulated a pre-clinical study so as to evaluate its therapeutic potential in vivo. The efficacy of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] was assessed using a xenograft model of breast cancer developed by injection of MCF-7 cells in the flank of BALB/c nude mice. Treatment of solid tumor-bearing mice with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] induced up to 50% reduction of tumor mass compared with an average 10% inhibition recorded in cisplatin-treated animals. Thus, chemotherapy with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] was much more effective than cisplatin. We also demonstrated enhanced in vivo pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and tolerability of [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] when compared with cisplatin administered in Wistar rats. Pharmacokinetics studies with [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] revealed prolonged Pt persistence in systemic blood circulation and decreased nefrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, major target sites of cisplatin toxicity. Overall, [Pt(O,O'-acac)(γ-acac)(DMS)] turned out to be extremely promising in terms of greater in vivo anticancer activity, reduced nephrotoxicity and acute toxicity compared with cisplatin.

Preparation and Use of Photocatalytically Active Segmented Ag|ZnO and Coaxial TiO2-Ag Nanowires Made by Templated Electrodeposition

Science.gov (United States)

Maijenburg, A. Wouter; Rodijk, Eddy J.B.; Maas, Michiel G.; ten Elshof, Johan E.

2014-01-01

Photocatalytically active nanostructures require a large specific surface area with the presence of many catalytically active sites for the oxidation and reduction half reactions, and fast electron (hole) diffusion and charge separation. Nanowires present suitable architectures to meet these requirements. Axially segmented Ag|ZnO and radially segmented (coaxial) TiO2-Ag nanowires with a diameter of 200 nm and a length of 6-20 µm were made by templated electrodeposition within the pores of polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) or anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, respectively. In the photocatalytic experiments, the ZnO and TiO2 phases acted as photoanodes, and Ag as cathode. No external circuit is needed to connect both electrodes, which is a key advantage over conventional photo-electrochemical cells. For making segmented Ag|ZnO nanowires, the Ag salt electrolyte was replaced after formation of the Ag segment to form a ZnO segment attached to the Ag segment. For making coaxial TiO2-Ag nanowires, a TiO2 gel was first formed by the electrochemically induced sol-gel method. Drying and thermal annealing of the as-formed TiO2 gel resulted in the formation of crystalline TiO2 nanotubes. A subsequent Ag electrodeposition step inside the TiO2 nanotubes resulted in formation of coaxial TiO2-Ag nanowires. Due to the combination of an n-type semiconductor (ZnO or TiO2) and a metal (Ag) within the same nanowire, a Schottky barrier was created at the interface between the phases. To demonstrate the photocatalytic activity of these nanowires, the Ag|ZnO nanowires were used in a photocatalytic experiment in which H2 gas was detected upon UV illumination of the nanowires dispersed in a methanol/water mixture. After 17 min of illumination, approximately 0.2 vol% H2 gas was detected from a suspension of ~0.1 g of Ag|ZnO nanowires in a 50 ml 80 vol% aqueous methanol solution. PMID:24837535

Charge transfer properties and photoelectrocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2}/MWCNT hybrid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang Liaochuan [Nano Science Research Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan Road, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Zhang Weide, E-mail: zhangwd@scut.edu.c [Nano Science Research Center, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan Road, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2010-12-15

The vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) arrays on tantalum foils were successfully coated with TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles by a hydrothermal process. The prepared TiO{sub 2}/MWCNT hybrid was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The charge transfer properties and photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B with and without bias potential under UV irradiation were investigated. The MWCNTs promoted the separation of photoinduced carriers in the TiO{sub 2}, thus enhanced photocatalytic activity. Applying bias potential on the photoanode further enhanced its catalytic activity. The efficient charge transportation and high photoelectrocatalytic activity towards degradation of rhodamine B made this hybrid material promising for photocatalyst and for the development of photoelectrical devices.

Synthesis, characterizations and antimicrobial activities of well dispersed ultra-long CdO nanowires

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Sumeet Kumar

2013-05-01

Full Text Available We present a simple, efficient, low cost and template free method for preparation of well dispersed ultra-long (1 μm CdO nanowires. The CdO nanowires were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM, UV-visible spectroscopy and Raman measurements. The direct and indirect band gaps were calculated to be 3.5 eV and 2.6 eV, respectively. In the Raman spectra only second order features were observed. The CdO nanowires were used to study antimicrobial activities against B.subtilis and E.coli microbes. It shows antimicrobial activity against B.subtilis and E.coli. However, the antimicrobial activities are better against B.subtilis than that of E.coli.

Halloysite Nanotubes Supported Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles with Synergistically Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

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Zhan Shu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Novel antimicrobial nanocomposite incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs and silver (Ag into zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles is prepared by integrating HNTs and decorating Ag nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs with a size of about 100 and 8 nm, respectively, are dispersively anchored onto HNTs. The synergistic effects of ZnO NPs, Ag NPs, and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposites. HNTs facilitated the dispersion and stability of ZnO NPs and brought them in close contact with bacteria, while Ag NPs could promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhanced the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs. The close contact with cell membrane enabled the nanoparticles to produce the increased concentration of reactive oxygen species and the metal ions to permeate into the cytoplasm, thus induced quick death of bacteria, indicating that Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposite is a promising candidate in the antibacterial fields.

Enhanced visible-light activities for PEC water reduction of CuO nanoplates by coupling with anatase TiO2 and mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Zhijun; Qu, Yang; He, Guangwen; Humayun, Muhammad; Chen, Shuangying; Jing, Liqiang

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • CuO nanoplates were successfully prepared as photocathodes for PEC water reduction. • Visible-light activity for PEC water reduction is improved after coupling with TiO 2 . • Improved PEC performance is attributed to the enhanced visible-excited charge separation. • Enhanced charge separation results from high-energy electron transfer from CuO to TiO 2 . - Abstract: CuO nanoplates were prepared by a feasible hydrothermal method, and then utilized as photocathodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water reduction in a neutral medium under visible-light irradiation. It is clearly demonstrated that the visible-light activities of the resulting nanoplates for PEC water reduction could be greatly improved after coupling with a proper amount of nanocrystalline anatase TiO 2 . This is attributed to the enhanced charge separation in the fabricated TiO 2 /CuO nanoplate composites mainly based on the atmosphere-controlled steady-state surface photovoltage spectra. Moreover, it is suggested that the enhanced charge separation resulted from the transfer of visible-light-excited high-energy electrons from CuO to TiO 2 as confirmed from the single-wavelength PEC behavior

Ultrasound assisted synthesis of ZnO/reduced graphene oxide composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity and anti-photocorrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Yonggang; Ji, Junling; Chen, Dajun

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • ZnO/reduced graphene oxide composites were prepared by in situ growth with ultrasound assisted method. • A plausible formation mechanism of ZnO/rGO composites was deduced. • After hybridization with rGO, the photocatalytic activity of ZnO was improved and its photocorrosion was inhibited obviously. - Abstract: A method to improve the photocatalytic activity and suppress the photocorrosion of ZnO was developed by depositing ZnO nanoparticles onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) via in situ growth with ultrasound assisted synthesis. The optimum synergetic effect of ZnO/rGO composite was found at a weight ratio of 2% (rGO/ZnO). Compared with ZnO, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO/rGO composite for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) and C.I. acid red 249 (AR249) aqueous solutions under UV light irradiation were increased by 8.6% and 14.7%, respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity was originated from the rapid separation of photogenerated electrons and holes on the interface of rGO and ZnO. The photocorrosion of ZnO was inhibited obviously after hybridization with rGO. Even after six successive cycles under UV irradiation, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO/rGO composite for MB and AR249 still retained 92.9% and 94.8% of that for the first cycling run, while that of ZnO obviously decreased due to serious photocorrosion. The photocorrosion inhibition of ZnO by rGO was attributed to the reduced activation of surface oxygen atom on the surface of ZnO.

Potential rare-earth modified CeO{sub 2} catalysts for soot oxidation. Part III. Effect of dopant loading and calcination temperature on catalytic activity with O{sub 2} and NO + O{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krishna, K.; Bueno-Lopez, A.; Makkee, M.; Moulijn, J.A. [Catalysis Engineering, DelftChemTech, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 136, NL 2628 BL Delft (Netherlands)

2007-09-26

CeO{sub 2} and CeReO{sub xy} catalysts are prepared by the calcination at different temperatures (y = 500-1000 C) and having a different composition (Re = La{sup 3+} or Pr{sup 3+/4+}{sub ,} 0-90 wt.%). The catalysts are characterised by XRD, H{sub 2}-TPR, Raman, and BET surface area. The soot oxidation is studied with O{sub 2} and NO + O{sub 2} in the tight and loose contact conditions, respectively. CeO{sub 2} sinters between 800-900 C due to a grain growth, leading to an increased crystallite size and a decreased BET surface area. La{sup 3+} or Pr{sup 3+/4+} hinders the grain growth of CeO{sub 2} and, thereby, improving the surface catalytic properties. Using O{sub 2} as an oxidant, an improved soot oxidation is observed over CeLaO{sub xy} and CePrO{sub xy} in the whole dopant weight loading and calcination temperature range studied, compared with CeO{sub 2}. Using NO + O{sub 2}, the soot conversion decreased over CeLaO{sub xy} catalysts calcined below 800 C compared with the soot oxidation over CeO{sub 2y}. CePrO{sub xy}, on the other hand, showed a superior soot oxidation activity in the whole composition and calcination temperature range using NO + O{sub 2}. The improvement in the soot oxidation activity over the various catalysts with O{sub 2} can be explained based on an improvement in the external surface area. The superior soot oxidation activity of CePrO{sub xy} with NO + O{sub 2} is explained by the changes in the redox properties of the catalyst as well as surface area. CePrO{sub xy}, having 50 wt.% of dopant, is found to be the best catalyst due to synergism between cerium and praseodymium compared to pure components. NO into NO{sub 2} oxidation activity, that determines soot oxidation activity, is improved over all CePrO{sub x} catalysts. (author)

Microwave-Hydrothermal Synthesis of SnO2-CNTs Hybrid Nanocomposites with Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shuisheng; Dai, Weili

2017-03-03

SnO2 nanoparticles coated on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared via a simple microwave-hydrothermal route. The as-obtained SnO2-CNTs composites were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared SnO2-CNTs for degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation was investigated. The results show that SnO2-CNTs nanocomposites have a higher photocatalytic activity than pure SnO2 due to the rapid transferring of electrons and the effective separation of holes and electrons on SnO2-CNTs.

Relationship between the electrochemical behavior of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) loaded with CuO and the photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO system

Science.gov (United States)

Bui, Duc-Nguyen; Kang, Shi-Zhao; Qin, Lixia; Li, Xiang-Qing; Mu, Jin

2013-02-01

The photocatalytic system containing Eosin Y, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and CuO (Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO) was fabricated; meanwhile its photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution from triethanolamine (TEOA) aqueous solution was evaluated. Under visible light irradiation, the amount of hydrogen (H2) evolution increased greatly due to introduction of CuO in the photocatalytic system. Moreover, the electrochemical behavior of MWNTs loaded with CuO was explored using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results clearly indicate that there is a strong relationship between the electrochemical behavior of MWNTs-CuO and the photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO, and the high photocatalytic activity of Eosin Y-MWNTs-CuO may mainly originate from the efficient electron-transfer in the system.

Perfusion chromatography separation of the tomato fruit-specific pectin methylesterase from a semipurified commercial enzyme preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Savary, B J

2001-08-01

A rapid and simple method was developed, using perfusion chromatography media, to separate the fruit-specific pectin methylesterase (PME) isoform from the depolymerizing enzyme polygalacturonase (PG) and other contaminating pectinases present in a commercial tomato enzyme preparation. Pectinase activities were adsorbed onto a Poros HS (a strong cation exchanger) column in 20 M HEPES buffer at pH 7.5. The fruit-specific PME was eluted from the column with 80 mM NaCl, followed by a step to 300 mM NaCl to elute PG activity. Rechromatography of the PME activity peak with a linear gradient further resolved two PME isoenzymes and removed residual traces of PG activity. The PG activity peak was further treated with lectin affinity chromatography to provide purified PG enzyme, which was separated from a salt-dependent PME (tentatively identified as a "ubiquitous-type" isoform), and a pectin acetylesterase. The later enzyme has not been reported previously in tomato. This method provides monocomponent enzymes that will be useful for studying enzyme mechanisms and for modifying pectin structure and functional properties.

Synthesis of uniform ZnGa2O4 nanoparticles with high photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Yufeng; Huang, Junjian; Tu, Weixia; Huang, Simin

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Uniform ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles are obtained by microwave homogeneous coprecipitation. • CTAB benefits ZnGa 2 O 4 improving separation of photoinduced electrons and holes. • Microwave and calcining temperatures are optimized for the morphology of ZnGa 2 O 4 . • ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles show superior photocatalysis in degradations of organic dyes. - Abstract: ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles are obtained by microwave-hydrothermal method through homogeneous coprecipitation reaction using urea as precipitant with surfactant assembly. Synthetic temperature, surfactant, and calcination temperature have the obvious effect on the formation and photocatalytic activity of ZnGa 2 O 4 . ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles synthesized in the optimal conditions are highly dispersed and uniform with average diameter of 16.2 nm possessing a surface area of 70 m 2 g −1 . Under ultraviolet (UV) light illumination, the ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles show an efficient photocatalytic activity in liquid phase degradation of organic dyes. The decomposition rates of methyl orange and methylene blue over the present ZnGa 2 O 4 nanoparticles are higher than those of commercial P25 (Degussa Co)

O-15-butanol PET activation study on declarative memory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, B.J.; Schmidt, D.; Mottaghy, F.M.; Mueller-Gaertner, H.W.; Forschungszentrum Juelich; Halsband, U.; Tellmann, L.; Herzog, H.

1998-01-01

Aim: In this study, neuroanatomical correlates of encoding and retrieval in paired associate learning were evaluated with positron emission tomography using auditorily presented highly imaginable words. Methods: Six right-handed normal male volunteers took part in the study. Each subject underwent six O-15-butanol PET scans. On each of the six trials the memory task began with the injection of a bolus of O-15-butanol. The subjects had to learn and retrieve twelve word pairs (highly imaginable words, not semantically related). The presentation of nonsense words served as reference condition. Results: Recall accuracy after 2-4 presentations was high during the PET measurement. In both encoding and retrieval we found anterior cingulate activation. We show bilateral dorsalateral prefrontal activation during the encoding of auditorily presented word pair associates, whereas retrieval led to left frontal activation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of the precuneus in the retrieval of highly imaginable world-pair associates. Conclusion: Our results support the hypothesis of the presence of distributed widespread brain structures subserving episodic declarative memory. (orig.) [de

One-step electrochemical synthesis of a graphene–ZnO hybrid for improved photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei, Ang; Xiong, Li; Sun, Li; Liu, Yanjun; Li, Weiwei; Lai, Wenyong; Liu, Xiangmei; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Graphene–ZnO hybrid was synthesized by one-step electrochemical deposition. • Graphene–ZnO hybrid presents a special structure and wide UV–vis absorption spectra. • Graphene–ZnO hybrid exhibits an exceptionally higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye methylene blue. - Abstract: A graphene–ZnO (G-ZnO) hybrid was synthesized by one-step electrochemical deposition. During the formation of ZnO nanostructure by cathodic electrochemical deposition, the graphene oxide was electrochemically reduced to graphene simultaneously. Scanning electron microscope images, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, and UV–vis absorption spectra indicate the resulting G-ZnO hybrid presents a special structure and wide UV–vis absorption spectra. More importantly, it exhibits an exceptionally higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of dye methylene blue than that of pure ZnO nanostructure under both ultraviolet and sunlight irradiation

Photocatalytic and Escherichia antibacterial activities of Ag-TiO2-SiO2 nanocomposite powder under simulated solar light irradiation

Science.gov (United States)

Van Dang, Han; Le, Vien Minh; Hoang, Hoang Anh

2017-09-01

The photocatalytic nanocomposite powder TiO2, TiO2-SiO2 and Ag-TiO2-SiO2 (ATS) were synthesized by sol-gel method assisted with hydrothermal treatment and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RAMAN), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and UV-Vis absorption spectra analysis. The Escherichia coli (E. coli) antibacterial activity of synthesized photo-catalysts under simulated solar light have been also investigated. The heterogeneous A4TS10 with the 4 wt.% Ag and 10 wt.% SiO2 had anatase and rutile phase, spherical in shape with the particle size about 20 - 30 nm, specific surface area (SSA) of 218.4 m2/g, the band gap of 3.06 eV. The E. coli antibacterial activities of the synthesized samples under simulated solar light were also investigated under simulated solar light with 25 W of light intensity. The E. coli antibacterial ability of A4TS10 performed the highest photo-activity. E. coli bacteria was entirely killed after 30-minute irradiation and no bacterial regrowth was observed after 24 hours. The research results demonstrated that the photocatalytic A4TS10 is a promising green material to treatment wastewater infected bacteria application.

Platinum Activated IrO2/SnO2 Nanocatalysts and Their Electrode Structures for High Performance Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Junyuan; Li, Qingfeng; Christensen, Erik

2013-01-01

of the introduction of Pt on the properties of the composites was explored by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical test. Interaction between the introduced Pt nanoparticles and the bulk IrO2/SnO2 was evidenced in XRD. Electrochemical characterization showed the enhanced activitiy for the Pt activated IrO2/SnO2...

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of LaMnO3 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaterian, Maryam; Enhessari, Morteza; Rabbani, Davarkhah; Asghari, Morteza; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Visible-light sensitive LaMnO3 nanoparticles were synthesized via sol–gel process. • Structural and optical properties of photocatalysts have been investigated. • The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange as a model of pollutant. • The prepared nanocrystals showed good visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange. - Abstract: Visible-light sensitive LaMnO 3 nanoparticles were synthesized via sol–gel process using stearic acid as complexing reagent. Characterizations of the resulting powders were carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Further, the photocatalytic activity of LaMnO 3 was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation. The prepared nanoparticles showed excellent visible-light photocatalytic ability for the degradation of methyl orange so that, 60 ppm of nanoparticles can decolorizes the methyl orange solution (6 ppm) up to 98% in 90 min

Nutrição aplicada à atividade motora Nutrition applied to motor activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Herbert Lancha Junior

2011-12-01

Full Text Available A Nutrição aplicada a atividade motora se divide em quatro áreas do movimento humano, a saber: esporte, educação física, dança, recreação/lazer. Essa definição conceitual diferencia a população alvo da intervenção nutricional. O organismo humano sempre apresentou o movimento como parte de sua atividade cotidiana e selecionou evolutivamente os organismos mais econômicos. Em contrapartida por conta de demandas, sociais, financeiras dentre outras a vida moderna impôs o sedentarismo como padrão de comportamento motor que aliado ao padrão genético de economia resultaram nas doenças modernas como obesidade, diabetes, etc. Assim a sociedade institucionalizou o movimento humano criando manifestações distintas descritas acima e suas necessidades específicas passaram a ser de interesse acadêmico/cientifico. Nutricionalmente os estudos se concentram no balanço energético, na necessidade de carboidratos, proteínas, lipídios assim como dos micronutrientes e outros compostos biologicamente ativos. Estes estudos definem estas substancias sob critérios de essencialidade ou efeito ergogênico superior a capacidade fisiológica. O primeiro determina mudanças nas necessidades nutricionais e o segundo substâncias consideradas ilícitas. No presente momento grande parte da comunidade cientifica dedicada à nutrição aplicada à atividade motora, dirige sua vocação na tentativa de descobrir as necessidades específicas provocadas pela pratica regular da atividade motora permitindo seu exercício regular para que a mesma propicie os benefícios na manutenção da saúde de forma plena nas quatro áreas descritas acima.Nutrition applied to motor activity is divided in four areas of human movement, namely: sports, physical education, dance, recreation/leisure. This conceptual definition differentiates the target population of nutritional intervention. The human body has always presented the movement as part of their daily activity and

Ag loading induced visible light photocatalytic activity for pervoskite SrTiO3 nanofibers

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yeqiu; He, Tao

2018-06-01

The synthesis and photocatalytic activities of Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers were reported in this work. The fabricated Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers were characterized by TG-DSC, XRD, IR, XPS, SEM, TEM, DRS and ESR techniques. The XRD and IR results show that Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers have a perovskite structure after the heat treatment at 700 °C. The XPS result shows that Ag element exists as Ag0 in the fabricated Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers. The SEM and TEM images indicate the obtaining of nanofibers with porous structure. The photocatalytic activity of Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers was evaluated by degrading RhB and MB under visible light irradiation. The Ag-SrTiO3 nanofibers show excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation because of the surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag0. In the photocatalysis process of RhB and MB, lots of hydroxyl radicals were generated, which plays the key role in the decomposition of organic pollutants.

Charge transfer between biogenic jarosite derived Fe3+and TiO2 enhances visible light photocatalytic activity of TiO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Mahabubur; Shoko, Sipiwe; Cummings, Fransciuos; Fester, Veruscha; Ojumu, Tunde Victor

2017-04-01

In this work, we have shown that mining waste derived Fe 3+ can be used to enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 . This will allow us to harness a waste product from the mines, and utilize it to enhance TiO 2 photocatalytic waste water treatment efficiency. An organic linker mediated route was utilized to create a composite of TiO 2 and biogenic jarosite. Evidence of FeOTi bonding in the TiO 2 /jarosite composite was apparent from the FTIR, EFTEM, EELS and ELNEFS analysis. The as prepared material showed enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to pristine TiO 2 , biogenic jarosite and mechanically mixed sample of jarosite and TiO 2 under both simulated and natural solar irradiation. The prepared material can reduce the electrical energy consumption by 4 times compared to pristine P25 for degradation of organic pollutant in water. The material also showed good recyclability. Results obtained from sedimentation experiments showed that the larger sized jarosite material provided the surface to TiO 2 nanoparticles, which increases the settling rate of the materials. This allowed simple and efficient recovery of the catalyst from the reaction system after completion of photocatalysis. Enhanced photocatalytic activity of the composite material was due to effective charge transfer between TiO 2 and jarosite derived Fe 3+ as was shown from the EELS and ELNEFS. Generation of OH was supported by photoluminesence (PL) experiments. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Fabrication of TiO{sub 2}/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructure with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activities under visible light irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Bingkun, E-mail: liubk2015@zzuli.edu.cn [School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002 (China); Mu, Lilong; Han, Bing [School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002 (China); Zhang, Jingtao [School of Food and Bioengineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002 (China); Shi, Hengzhen, E-mail: shihz@zzuli.edu.cn [School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450002 (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}/Ag{sub 2}O composite photocatalyst was synthesized successfully. • The composites show better photocatalytic activity for MB under visible light. • The composites also possess good antibacterial properties. • The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activities was investigated. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2}/Ag{sub 2}O heterostructure prepared by a facile in situ precipitation route was used as an effective visible light-driven photocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue (MB) and inactivation of E. coli. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles were well distributed on the surface of TiO{sub 2} microspheres. The TiO{sub 2}/Ag{sub 2}O composite with optimal mass ratio of TiO{sub 2} and Ag{sub 2}O displayed extremely good photodegradation ability and antibacterial capability under visible light irradiation, which was mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect between Ag{sub 2}O and TiO{sub 2,} including highly dispersed smaller Ag{sub 2}O particles, increased visible light absorption and efficient separation of photo-induced charge carriers. Meanwhile, the roles of the radical species in the photocatalysis process were investigated. Our results showed that the TiO{sub 2}/Ag{sub 2}O could be used as a dual functional material in water treatment of removing the organic pollutant and killing the bacterium at the same time.

Synthesis of Bi2O3 architectures in DMF–H2O solution by precipitation method and their photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Li-Li; Han, Qiao-Feng; Zhao, Jin; Zhu, Jun-Wu; Wang, Xin; Ma, Wei-Hua

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: Flowerlike α-Bi 2 O 3 architectures assembled by nanobrick-based petals with pineapple surface were firstly synthesized by precipitation method at room temperature in DMF–H 2 O solution. - Highlights: • Nanobrick-based flowerlike Bi 2 O 3 crystals with pineapple surface were synthesized by precipitation method. • Good solubility of Bi(NO 3 ) 3 in DMF played a crucial role in the growth of flowerlike Bi 2 O 3 . • The growth mechanism of Bi 2 O 3 microcrystallites has been explained in detail. - Abstract: Well-crystalline flowerlike α-Bi 2 O 3 hierarchical architectures with pineapple-shaped petals have been synthesized by precipitation method at a volume ratio of DMF/H 2 O of 5, where DMF and H 2 O were used to dissolve Bi(NO 3 ) 3 and KOH, respectively. If the DMF/H 2 O ratio was decreased to 2:1, 1:1 and 0:30, flower-, bundle- and dendrite-shaped α-Bi 2 O 3 microcrystallites aggregated by nanorods were formed, respectively. The simple synthetic route and thus obtained Bi 2 O 3 architectures of various morphologies provide a basis insight for their formation mechanism. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared Bi 2 O 3 particles for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under visible-light irradiation was obviously influenced by their morphologies. Bi 2 O 3 of nanorod-based microstructures exhibited higher photodegradation activity than nanobrick-based ones, owing to higher light absorption and carrier separation efficiency in one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured materials

Promoting Effect of CeO2 Addition on Activity and Catalytic Stability in Steam Reforming of Methane over Ni/Al2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakib, A.; Gennequin, C.; Ringot, S.; Aboukais, A.; Abi-Aad, E.; Dhainaut, T.

2011-01-01

Hydrogen production by steam reforming of methane was studied over Ni catalysts supported on CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 . These catalysts were prepared using the impregnation method and characterized by XRD. The effect of CeO2 promoter on the catalytic performance of Ni/Al 2 O 3 catalyst for methane steam reforming reaction was investigated. In fact, CeO 2 had a positive effect on the catalytic activity in this reaction. Experimental results demonstrated that Ni/CeO 2 -Al 2 O 3 catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity and high reaction performance. In addition, the effects of reaction temperature and metal content on the conversion of CH 4 and H 2 /CO ratio were also investigated. Results indicated that CH4 conversion increased significantly with the increase of the reaction temperature and metal content. (author)

Synthesis and Fungicidal activity of some sulphide derivatives of O-Ethyl-N-substituted phenylcarbamates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imeokparia, F.A.

2006-01-01

Monosulphides of O-ethyl-N-substituted phenylcarbamates were prepared by the reaction between O-ethyl-N-substituted phenylcarbamates and sulphur dichloride, while the corresponding disulphides were prepared by the reaction between O-ethyl-N-substituted phenylcarbamates and sulphur monochloride. The synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, thin layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier-transform infrared, and /sup 1/H and /sup 13/C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. In vitro fungicidal assay of these sulphides against Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus stolonifer showed that they had Greater fungicidal activity than their parent carbamates. The synthesized sulphides were more active towards A. Niger and A. flavus. Unlike the parent carbamates, the type of substituents attached to the aromatic nucleus of these sulphides had little or no effect on their fungicidal activity as there was insignificant variation in the fungicidal activity of the monosulphide and the disulphide derivatives of O-ethyl-N-substituted phenylcarbamates. (author)

Preparation and Properties of Paraffin/TiO2/Active-carbon Composite Phase Change Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAO Yong-gan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A novel composite phase change materials (PCMs of paraffin/TiO2/active-carbon was prepared by a microemulsion method, where paraffin acted as a PCM and titanium dioxide (TiO2 as matrix material, and a small amount of active carbon was added to improve the thermal conductivity. The compositions, morphology and thermal properties of the paraffin/TiO2/active-carbon composite PCMs were characterized by XRD, SEM, TGA and DSC respectively. The shape stability during phase change process of this composite was also tested. The results show that paraffin is well encapsulated by TiO2 matrix, and thus exhibiting excellent shape-stabilized phase change feature. Besides, this composite PCM also presents superhydrophobic property. Therefore, these multifunctional features will endow PCMs with important application potential in energy efficient buildings.

Increased photocatalytic activity of NiO and ZnO in photodegradation of a model drug aqueous solution: Effect of coupling, supporting, particles size and calcination temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Derikvandi, Hadis [Department of Chemistry, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 311-86145, Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh, Alireza, E-mail: arnezamzadeh@iaush.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 311-86145, Shahreza, Isfahan, Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahreza (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Razi Chemistry Research Center (RCRC), Shahreza Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-01-05

Highlights: • Increased photoactivity of hybridized/supported NiO-ZnO whit respect to monocomponent one. • Strong dependence of photocatalytic activity of NiO-ZnO to calcination temperature. • Calcination temperature varied the crystallite forms of the semiconductors. • Red shifts in band gaps of the supported coupled semiconductors whit respect to monocomponent one. - Abstract: Mechanically ball-mill prepared clinoptilolite nanoparticles (NC) were used for increasing photocatalytic activity of NiO and ZnO as alone and binary systems. The semiconductors were supported onto the zeolite during calcination of Ni(II)-Zn(II)-exchanged NC at different calcinations temperatures. XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, X-ray mapping, DRS, TEM and BET techniques were used for characterization of the samples. The calcined catalysts at 400 °C for 4 h showed the best photocatalytic activity for metronidazole (MNZ) in aqueous solution. The mole ratio of ZnO/NiO affected the photodegradation efficiency because activity of the coupled catalysts depends to the both e/h production and electron scavenging processes. In the used system, NiO acted as e/h production source and ZnO as an electron sink. Red shifts in band gaps of the supported coupled semiconductors was observed whit respect to monocomponent one, confirming formation of nanoparticles of the semiconductors onto the zeolitic bed. The best activities were obtained for the NiO{sub 1.3}–ZnO{sub 1.5}/NC (NZ-NC) and NiO{sub 0.7}–ZnO{sub 4.3}/NC (NZ{sub 3}-NC) catalysts at pH 3, 1.2 g L{sup −1} of the catalysts and 1 g L{sup −1} of MNZ.

Synthesis and Photocatalytic Activity of Mo-Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ji-guo Huang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The undoped and Mo-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, diffuse reflectance UV-visible absorption spectra (UV-vis DRS, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under irradiation of a 500 W xenon lamp and natural solar light outdoor. Effects of calcination temperatures and Mo doping amounts on crystal phase, crystallite size, lattice distortion, and optical properties were investigated. The results showed that most of Mo6+ took the place of Ti4+ in the crystal lattice of TiO2, which inhibited the growth of crystallite size, suppressed the transformation from anatase to rutile, and led to lattice distortion of TiO2. Mo doping narrowed the band gap (from 3.05 eV of TiO2 to 2.73 eV of TiMo0.02O and efficiently increased the optical absorption in visible region. Mo doping was shown to be an efficient method for degradation of methylene blue under visible light, especially under solar light. When the calcination temperature was 550°C and the Mo doping amount was 2.0%, the Mo-doped TiO2 sample exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity.

CNTs threaded (001) exposed TiO2 with high activity in photocatalytic NO oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Shuning; Zhu, Wei; Liu, Peijue; Liu, Fanfan; Dai, Wenrui; Zhang, Dieqing; Chen, Wei; Li, Hexing

2016-02-07

A microwave-ionothermal strategy was developed for in situ synthesis of CNTs threaded TiO2 single crystal with a tunable percentage of surface exposed (001) active facets. The CNTs were used as microwave antennas to create local "super hot" dots to induce Ti(3+) adsorption and hydrolysis, thereby leading to a good assembly of (001) facets exposed single crystalline TiO2 threaded by the CNTs in the presence of Hmim[BF4] ionic liquid. Due to the high percentage of the active (001) facets of single crystal TiO2 and the direct electron transfer property of the CNTs, the as-prepared CNTs-TiO2 composite showed a photocatalytic NO removal ratio of up to 76.8% under UV irradiation. In addition, with self-doped Ti(3+), the CNTs-TiO2 composite also exhibited an enhanced activity under irradiation with either solar lights or visible lights, showing good potential in practical applications for environmental remediation.

Interface actions between TiO2 and porous diatomite on the structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yue; Li, Fangfei; Jiang, Yinshan; Xia, Maosheng; Xue, Bing; Li, Yanjuan

2014-06-01

TiO2-diatomite photocatalysts were prepared by sol-gel process with various pre-modified diatomite. In order to obtain diatomite with different surface characteristics, two modification approaches including calcination and phosphoric acid treatment on the micro-structure of diatomite are introduced. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and micromorphology analysis. The results indicate that, compared with pure TiO2, the anatase-to-rutile phase transition temperature of TiO2 loaded on diatomite carrier is significantly increased to nearly 900 °C, depending on the different pretreatment method of diatomite. The photocatalytic activities of different samples were evaluated by their degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV and visible-light irradiation. The samples prepared by phosphoric acid pretreatment method exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity. After 90 min of UV irradiation, about 90% of MO is decomposed by the best effective photocatalyst. And after 8 h visible-light irradiation, nearly 60% of MO is decomposed by the same sample. Further mechanism investigation reveals that the H3PO4 pretreatment process can obviously change the surface features of diatomite carrier, cause the formation of Si-O-Ti bond, increase the binding strength between TiO2 and diatomite, restrain crystal growth of loaded TiO2, and thus form thermal-stable mesoporous structure at the granular spaces. It helps to build micro-, meso- and macro-porous hierarchical porous structure in TiO2-diatomite, and improves the charge and mass transfer efficiency during catalyzing process, resulting in the significantly increased photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite pretreated by phosphoric acid.

Osmotic and activity coefficients of aqueous NaTcO4 and NaReO4 solutions at 250C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, G.E.

1978-01-01

Isopiestic vapor-pressure comparison experiments were performed with aqueous binary sodium perchlorate, pertechnetate, and perrhenate solutions to concentrations of approximately 8.5 m. Osmotic coefficients for these solutions and mean molal ionic activity coefficients for NaTcO 4 and NaReO 4 were derived from the isotonic molalities. Pitzer's treatment was applied to describe the concentration dependence of the osmotic coefficients of NaClO 4 , NaTcO 4 , and NaReO 4 , and the implications of the parameters derived from a least-squares fit are discussed in terms of solvent structure and interionic forces. 4 tables, 1 figure

Effect of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 infiltration on the catalytic and electro-catalytic activity of LSM15/CGO10 porous cells stacks for oxidation of propene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ippolito, Davide; Kammer Hansen, Kent

2015-01-01

The objective of this work was to study the effect of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 infiltration on the propene oxidation catalytic activity of a La0.85Sr0.15MnO3/Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 electrochemical porous cell stack (11 layers, 5 single cells in series). The effect of the infiltration of Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2...... on the electrochemical properties of the porous cell stack was also investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Co3O4 and Co3O4/CeO2 exhibited high catalytic activity for propene oxidation. The increase of propene oxidation rate with +4 V (0.8 V/cell) polarization reached 10% for the Co3O4 infiltrated...... reactor and 48% of efficiency at 300 °C. The Co3O4/CeO2 co-infiltration decreased the reactor polarization resistance, while Co3O4 infiltration had negligible effect on reactor electrochemical performance. The beneficial effect of CeO2 on the electrode activity was attributed to the increased...

Hierarchical ZnO/S,N:GQD composites: Biotemplated synthesis and enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, Aijun, E-mail: caiaijun80@163.com [College of Life Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology, Qinhuangdao 066600 (China); College of Chemistry and Material Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050016 (China); Wang, Xiuping, E-mail: wangxiuping0721@163.com [College of Life Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology, Qinhuangdao 066600 (China); Qi, Yanling, E-mail: qyl6790@126.com [College of Life Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science & Technology, Qinhuangdao 066600 (China); Ma, Zichuan, E-mail: mazc@vip.163.com [College of Chemistry and Material Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050016 (China)

2017-01-01

Highlights: • ZnO/S,N:GQD composites were synthesized by using poplar leaves as biotemplates. • The composites have enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity. • The highly efficient charge separation of electron-hole pairs is achieved. • High surface areas play an important role in the photocatalysis. - Abstract: Graphene quantum dots co-doped with sulfur and nitrogen (S,N:GQDs) are successfully combined with leaf-templated ZnO nanoparticles (L-ZnO) to obtain hierarchical L-ZnO/S,N:GQD composites exhibiting highly surface area. The morphology, structure, and the visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity are investigated. Compared with non-templated ZnO/S,N:GQDs, L-ZnO/S,N:GQD composites exhibit higher photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. Such elevated photocatalytic activity results from two main effects: one is the highly effective charge separation in L-ZnO/S,N:GQD composites; the other is the high surface area, allowing for efficient capture of the visible light.

High photocatalytic activity of hierarchical SiO2@C-doped TiO2 hollow spheres in UV and visible light towards degradation of rhodamine B.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ying; Chen, Juanrong; Hua, Li; Li, Songjun; Zhang, Xuanxuan; Sheng, Weichen; Cao, Shunsheng

2017-10-15

Ongoing research activities are targeted to explore high photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 -based photocatalysts for the degradation of environmental contaminants under UV and visible light irradiation. In this work, we devise a facile, cost-effective technique to in situ synthesize hierarchical SiO 2 @C-doped TiO 2 (SCT) hollow spheres for the first time. This strategy mainly contains the preparation of monodisperse cationic polystyrene spheres (CPS), sequential deposition of inner SiO 2 , the preparation of the sandwich-like CPS@SiO 2 @CPS particles, and formation of outer TiO 2 . After the one-step removal of CPS templates by calcination at 450°C, hierarchical SiO 2 @C-doped TiO 2 hollow spheres are in situ prepared. The morphology, hierarchical structure, and properties of SCT photocatalyst were characterized by TEM. SEM, STEM Mapping, BET, XRD, UV-vis spectroscopy, and XPS. Results strongly confirm the carbon doping in the outer TiO 2 lattice of SCT hollow spheres. When the as-synthesized SCT hollow spheres were employed as a photocatalyst for the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible-light and ultraviolet irradiation, the SCT photocatalyst exhibits a higher photocatalytic activity than commercial P25, effectively overcoming the limitations of poorer UV activity for many previous reported TiO 2 -based photocatalysts due to doping. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Cu{sub 2}O/graphene/rutile TiO{sub 2} nanorod ternary composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Mingxuan, E-mail: mingxuansun@sues.edu.cn; Fang, Yalin; Wang, Ying; Sun, Shanfu; He, Jia; Yan, Zhi

2015-11-25

A ternary composite of Cu{sub 2}O, graphene and rutile TiO{sub 2} nanorods was prepared using Cu(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}·H{sub 2}O, graphene oxide and TiCl{sub 4} as the starting materials and its enhanced photocatalytic performance was demonstrated. Graphene/TiO{sub 2} nanorod composites (GT) were obtained by a simple hydrothermal method and then, Cu{sub 2}O was coupled onto the surface of graphene/rutile TiO{sub 2} to form Cu{sub 2}O/graphene/rutile TiO{sub 2} nanorod (CGT) composites via a chemical bath deposition process. The as-prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), emission field scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), specific surface area analyzer (BET), Raman spectroscopy and ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS). It is found that the introduction of graphene and Cu{sub 2}O has little effect on the morphology of TiO{sub 2} nanorods with average dimensions of 140 nm (length) × 30 nm (diameter) (L/D ratio ≈5). A red shift of light absorption edge and more absorption in the visible light region were observed for the resulted ternary samples compared with TiO{sub 2} and graphene/TiO{sub 2} composites. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the photodegradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation, which showed 2.8 times corresponding enhancement of the degradation efficiency for the ternary composites compared with TiO{sub 2}. This work provides a new strategy to improve the visible light response of TiO{sub 2} and facilitate its application in environmental remediation. - Highlights: • A ternary composite of Cu{sub 2}O/graphene/rutile TiO{sub 2} nanorods were successfully fabricated. • Red shift and more absorption in the visible light region were observed for the ternary composites. • Improved photocatalytic degradation was detected with the introduction of Cu{sub 2}O and graphene. • Both Cu{sub 2}O and graphene played an important role

High photocatalytic activity of immobilized TiO{sub 2} nanorods on carbonized cotton fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bin, E-mail: bwang23@cityu.edu.hk [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Karthikeyan, Rengasamy; Lu, Xiao-Ying [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); Xuan, Jin [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China); State-Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); Leung, Michael K.H., E-mail: mkh.leung@cityu.edu.hk [Ability R and D Energy Research Center, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (China)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • Hollow carbon fibers derived from natural cotton was successfully prepared by pyrolysis method. • TiO{sub 2} nanorods immobilized on carbon fibers by a facile hydrothermal method showed high photocatalytic activity. • The enhancement was due to the reduced band gap, improved dye adsorption capacity and effective electron–hole separation. -- Abstract: In this study, TiO{sub 2} nanorods were successfully immobilized on carbon fibers by a facile pyrolysis of natural cotton in nitrogen atmosphere followed by a one-pot hydrothermal method. Carbonized cotton fibers (CCFs) and TiO{sub 2}-CCFs composites were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results implied that the band gap narrowing of TiO{sub 2} was achieved after integration of CCFs. Dye adsorption isotherm indicated that the maximum dye adsorption capacity (q{sub m}) of CCFs-1000 (13.4 mg/g) was 2 times higher than that of cotton fibers and q{sub m} of TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 (9.0 mg/g) was 6–7 times higher than that of TiO{sub 2} nanorods. Photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} nanorods prepared with 3 mL Ti(OBu){sub 4} showed the highest photocatalytic activity. TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 exhibited higher activity than TiO{sub 2} immobilized on CCFs-400, CCFs-600 and CCFs-800. Good photostability of TiO{sub 2}-CCFs-1000 was found for dye degradation under visible light irradiation. The enhancement of photocatalytic dye degradation was due to the high adsorptivity of dye molecules, enhanced light adsorption and effective separation of electron–hole pairs. This work provides a low-cost and sustainable approach to immobilize nanostructured TiO{sub 2} on carbon fibers for environmental remediation.

Catalytic activity of bed materials from industrial CFB boilers for the decomposition of N2O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barisic, V.; Klingstedt, F.; Kilpinen, P.; Hupa, M.; Naydenov, A.; Stefanov, P.

2005-01-01

The correlation between the catalytic activity towards N 2 O decomposition and fuel type was studied for the bed materials sampled from the bottom bed of two industrial CFB boilers, a 12MW th and a 550MW th , burning biomass fuels and wastes, alone or as a mixture. It was found that the elemental composition of the surface of the bed material particles changed according to the composition of the ash from the parent fuel. The measured catalytic activity of the bed material samples increased with the amount of the catalytically active oxides (CaO, MgO, Fe 2 O 3 , Al 2 O 3 ). In the case of limestone addition, the activity of the bed material was influenced by both the elemental composition of the fuel, and the ratio between lime and sulfated lime

Synthesis and photocatalytic activity of mesoporous – (001) facets TiO_2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Yeshuo; Fei, Xuening; Zhou, Yongzhu

2017-01-01

Highlights: • The (001) facets of TiO_2 single crystals with mesoporous structure. • The (010) and (100) facets of TiO_2 single crystals were covered by the flower – shaped TiO_2 crystals. • This special structure could promote charge separation and provide more active sites, which will lead to a substantial increase in photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: In this work, the mesoporous – (001) facets TiO_2 single crystals have been successfully synthesized through a two-step solvothermal route without any template. Their structure and morphology were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX). Based on the different characteristics and atomic arrangements on each facet of anatase TiO_2 single crystals, we synthesized these mesoporous – (001) facets TiO_2 single crystals by controlling the interaction characteristics of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and isopropanol (i-PrOH) on the crystal facets. It can been seen that the (001) facets of these as-synthesized TiO_2 single crystals have a clear mesoporous structure through the SEM images and BET methods. Moreover, the other four facets were covered by the flower – shaped TiO_2 crystals with the generation of the mesoporous – (001) facets. This special and interesting morphology could promote charge separation and provide more active sites, which will lead to a substantial increase in photocatalytic activity. Moreover, it is more intuitive to reflect that the different crystal facets possess the different properties due to their atomic arrangement. Besides, according to the different synthetic routes, we proposed and discussed a plausible synthesis mechanism of these mesoporous – (001) facets TiO_2 single crystals.

Visible light photocatalytic activities of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of organic pollutants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rameshbabu, R. [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Kumar, Niraj [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Centre for Materials Science and Nano Devices, Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Karthigeyan, A., E-mail: karthigeyan.a@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in [Centre for Materials Science and Nano Devices, Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Neppolian, B., E-mail: neppolian.b@res.srmuniv.ac.in [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India)

2016-09-15

ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as surfactant. The phase formation of synthesized products was systematically investigated from powder X-ray diffraction. Cubic ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and hexagonal ZnO were identified in accordance with different molar concentrations of Fe{sup 3+} ions. The morphology and functionality were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The optical properties and change in the band gap from UV to visible region upon increasing molar concentration of Fe{sup 3+} ions were analyzed from diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Superparamagnetic property was observed for synthesized ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The methylene blue and methyl orange were taken as model dyes to illustrate the photocatalytic activity of synthesized products under visible light irradiation. Maximum degradation of 99% for methyl orange (MO) was achieved by the use of 13 nm sized ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles as catalyst and a minutely less activity was observed for the methylene blue (MB) degradation (98%), when the photocatalytic processes were carried out for 5 h and 6 h, respectively. - Highlights: • Co-precipitation method is proposed to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles. • Modifications in the molar concentration lead to the shift in absorption edge. • Superparamagnetic property is demonstrated for the nanoparticles. • Two dye pollutants are utilized to demonstrate the photocatalytic activity.

Observations of NO2 and O3 during thunderstorm activity using visible spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Jadhav, D. B.; Londhe, A. L.; Bose, S.

1996-08-01

Simultaneous observations for the total column densities of NO2 , O3 and H2O were carried on using the portable Spectrometer (438-450 nm and 400-450 nm) and the visible Spectrometer (544.4-628 nm) during premonsoon thunderstorms and embedded hail storm activity at Pune (18°32’N & 73°51’E), India. These observations confirm the fact that there is an increase in O3 and NO2 column densities during thunderstorms. The increase in O3 was observed following onset of thunderstorm, while the increase in NO2 was observed only after the thunder flashes occur. This implies that the production mechanisms for O3 and NO2 in thunderstorm are different. The observed column density of NO2 value (1 to 3 × 1017molecules · cm-2) during thunderstorm activity is 10 to 30 times higher than the value (1 × 1016molecules · cm-2) of a normal day total column density. The spectrometric observations and observations of thunder flashes by electric field meter showed that 6.4 × 1025molecules / flash of NO2 are produced. The increased total column density of ozone during thunderstorm period is 1.2 times higher than normal (clear) day ozone concentration. The multiple scattering in the clouds is estimated from H2O and O2 absorption bands in the visible spectral region. Considering this effect the calculated amount of ozone added in the global atmosphere due to thunderstorm activity is 0.26 to 0.52 DU, and the annual production of ozone due to thunderstorm activity is of the order of 4.02 × 1037 molecules / year. The annual NO2 production may be of the order of 2.02 × 1035molecules / year.

The influence of mechanical activation on the morphological changes of Fe/BaTiO_3 powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosanović, D.; Obradović, N.; Pavlović, V.P.; Marković, S.; Maričić, A.; Rasić, G.; Vlahović, B.; Pavlović, V.B.; Ristić, M.M.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Fe/BaTiO_3 ceramic was prepared using a solid-state reaction. • Powder mixture of 60% Fe and 40% BaTiO_3 was mechanically activated up to 240 min. • Microstructure was characterized using Powder XRD and SEM. • Thermal stability of the activated samples was investigated using DSC. • Raman spectrum changes with activation, along with atypical resonant scattering. - Abstract: Crystal structure and morphology of mechanically activated nanocrystalline Fe/BaTiO_3 was investigated using a combination of spectroscopic and microscopic methods. These show that mechanical activation led to the creation of new surfaces and the comminution of the initial powder particles. Prolonged milling resulted in formation of larger agglomerates of BaTiO_3 and bimodal particle size distribution, where BaTiO_3 particles were significantly larger than those of iron-containing phases. Milling times of 210 min and above lead to a significant decrease in temperature of the oxidation of iron in the sample, indicating abrupt change in reactivity. Raman spectroscopy analysis has revealed that activation had a pronounced influence on Fe/BaTiO_3 lattice, thereby affecting both the stability of the crystal structure and the phase transition phenomena.

Microwave-assisted silica coating and photocatalytic activities of ZnO nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siddiquey, Iqbal Ahmed; Furusawa, Takeshi; Sato, Masahide; Suzuki, Noboru

2008-01-01

A new and rapid method for silica coating of ZnO nanoparticles by the simple microwave irradiation technique is reported. Silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), CHN elemental analysis and zeta potential measurements. The FT-IR spectra and XPS clearly confirmed the silica coating on ZnO nanoparticles. The results of XPS analysis showed that the elements in the coating at the surface of the ZnO nanoparticles were Zn, O and Si. HR-TEM micrographs revealed a continuous and uniform dense silica coating layer of about 3 nm in thickness on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, the silica coating on the ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed by the agreement in the zeta potential of the silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles with that of SiO 2 . The results of the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution showed that silica coating effectively reduced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. Silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles showed excellent UV shielding ability and visible light transparency

Preparation of zeolite supported TiO{sub 2}, ZnO and ZrO{sub 2} and the study on their catalytic activity in NO{sub x} reduction and 1-pentanol dehydration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fatimah, Is [Chemistry Department, Islamic University of Indonesia Kampus Terpadu UII, Jl. Kaliurang Km 14, Sleman, Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

2016-03-29

Preparation of zeolite supported TiO{sub 2}, ZnO and ZrO{sub 2} and their catalytic activity was studied. Activated natural zeolite from Indonesia was utilized for the preparation and catalytic activity test on NO{sub x} reduction by NH{sub 3} and also 1-pentanol dehydration were examined. Physicochemical characterization of materials was studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement, scanning electron microscope, solid acidity determination and also gas sorption analysis. The results confirmed that the preparation gives some improvements on physicochemical characters suitable for catalysis mechanism in those reactions. Solid acidity and specific surface area contributed significantly to the activity.

Synthesis and concentration dependent antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pandiyarajan, T.; Udayabhaskar, R. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620 015 (India); Vignesh, S.; James, R. Arthur [Department of Marine Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620 024 (India); Karthikeyan, B., E-mail: balkarin@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620 015 (India)

2013-05-01

We report, synthesis and antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes. CuO nanoparticles are prepared at room temperature through sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction studies show the particles are monoclinic (crystalline) in nature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images clearly show that the prepared particles are flake like in structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra exhibits three different bands that correspond to the A{sub u} and B{sub u} modes. Antibacterial studies were performed on Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas liquefaciens bacterial strains. Among these bacterial strains, S. flexneri and B. subtilis are most sensitive to copper oxide nanoparticles than the positive control (Penicillin G) and S. typhimurium strain shows the less sensitive. Results show that sensitivity is highly dependent on the concentrations of CuO nanoflakes. - Highlights: ► CuO nanoflakes are prepared through simple sol–gel method at room temperature. ► Bacterial strains are highly affected by CuO nanoflakes than the positive control. ► Zone of inhibition increases with an increase of CuO concentrations. ► Sensitivity is highly dependent on the concentrations of CuO nanoflakes.

Synthesis and concentration dependent antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pandiyarajan, T.; Udayabhaskar, R.; Vignesh, S.; James, R. Arthur; Karthikeyan, B.

2013-01-01

We report, synthesis and antibacterial activities of CuO nanoflakes. CuO nanoparticles are prepared at room temperature through sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction studies show the particles are monoclinic (crystalline) in nature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images clearly show that the prepared particles are flake like in structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra exhibits three different bands that correspond to the A u and B u modes. Antibacterial studies were performed on Shigella flexneri, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Salmonella typhimurium, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aeromonas liquefaciens bacterial strains. Among these bacterial strains, S. flexneri and B. subtilis are most sensitive to copper oxide nanoparticles than the positive control (Penicillin G) and S. typhimurium strain shows the less sensitive. Results show that sensitivity is highly dependent on the concentrations of CuO nanoflakes. - Highlights: ► CuO nanoflakes are prepared through simple sol–gel method at room temperature. ► Bacterial strains are highly affected by CuO nanoflakes than the positive control. ► Zone of inhibition increases with an increase of CuO concentrations. ► Sensitivity is highly dependent on the concentrations of CuO nanoflakes

Controllable synthesis of Au@SnO2 core-shell nanohybrids with enhanced photocatalytic activities

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shaofeng; Hao, Jinggang; Ren, Feng; Wu, Wei; Xiao, Xiangheng

2017-05-01

Combination of semiconductors with plasmonic nanostructures is an effective route to promote the solar light harvesting as well as the efficiency of photocatalysis. In the present work, the Au@SnO2 hybrid nanostructures with Au nanorods as the cores and highly crystallized SnO2 nanoparticles as the shells were fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method. A critical factor, which influences the coating state of the SnO2 shells over Au NRs, was found to be the concentration of CTAB agent in the system and the corresponding mechanism was also proposed. The photocatalytic activities of the Au@SnO2 nanohybrids were examined by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dyes at room temperature. The Au@SnO2 nanohybrids exhibited much higher catalytic activities than that of the commercial SnO2 NPs, which could be attributed to the localized electric field enhancement effect of Au nanorods plasmon and charges transfer between the Au nanorods and SnO2.

CATALYTIC HYDROCRACKING OF WASTE LUBRICANT OIL INTO LIQUID FUEL FRACTION USING ZnO, Nb2O5, ACTIVATED NATURAL ZEOLITE AND THEIR MODIFICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wega Trisunaryanti

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Catalytic hydrocracking of waste lubricant oil into liquid fuel fraction using ZnO, Nb2O5, activated natural zeolite (ZAAH and their modification has been investigated. The zeolite was produced in Wonosari, Yogyakarta. Activation of the zeolite was carried out by refluxing with HCl 3M for 30 min, produced the activated natural zeolite (ZAAH. The ZnO/ZAAH catalyst was prepared by impregnation of Zn onto the ZAAH by ion exchange method using salt precursor of Zn(NO32.4H2O. The Nb2O5/ZAAH catalyst was prepared by mixing the ZAAH sample with Nb2O5 and oxalic acid solution until the paste was formed. The impregnation of Zn onto Nb2O5/ZAAH was carried out using the same method to that of the ZnO/ZAAH catalyst resulted ZnO/Nb2O5-ZAAH catalyst. Characterization of catalyst includes determination of Zn metal by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS, acidity by gravimetric method and catalyst porosity by Surface Area Analyzer (NOVA-1000. Catalytic hydrocracking was carried out in a semi-batch reactor system using ZnO, ZAAH, ZnO/ZAAH and ZnO/Nb2O5-ZAAH catalysts at 450 oC under the H2 flow rate of 15 mL/min. and the ratio of catalyst/feed = 1/5. The composition of liquid products was analyzed by Gas Chromatograpy (GC.The results showed that impregnation of ZnO and/or Nb2O5 on the ZAAH increased the acidity and specific surface area of catalyst. The products of the hydrocracking process were liquid, coke and gas. Conversion of liquid products was increased by the increase of catalyst acidity. The highest liquid product was produced by ZnO/Nb2O5-ZAAH catalyst, 52.97 wt-%, consist of gasoline, 38.87 wt-% and diesel, 14.10 wt-%.   Keywords: hydrocracking, waste lubricant oil, liquid fuel fraction

Superstructure Ta2O5 mesocrystals derived from (NH4)2Ta2O3F6 mesocrystals with efficient photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xin; Li, Wei; Huang, Jian; Li, Zhonghua; Liu, Jiawen; Hu, PingAn

2018-02-06

Superstructured mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 nanosheets were successfully prepared from mesocrystalline (NH 4 ) 2 Ta 2 O 3 F 6 nanorods by the annealing method for the first time. The as-prepared mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 nanosheets in this work showed remarkable visible light absorption, mainly due to the formation of oxygen vacancy defects in the mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 nanosheets, which was also confirmed by XPS spectra, Raman spectra and EPR spectra. Besides, the mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 nanosheets showed a highly enhanced photocatalytic activity of 11 268.24 μmol g -1 h -1 , about 3.95 times that of commercial Ta 2 O 5 . Moreover, the specific surface area of the mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 -800 nanosheets was 16.34 m 2 g -1 , about 5.32 times that of the commercial Ta 2 O 5 (3.072 m 2 g -1 ). The valence band XPS spectra indicated a strong oxidizing ability of the mesocrystalline Ta 2 O 5 nanosheets in comparison to that of commercial Ta 2 O 5 . The formation of superstructured Ta 2 O 5 mesocrystals generated long lifetime carriers and effective conduction pathways, which greatly enhanced the photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production.

Ag-decorated Fe_3O_4@SiO_2 core-shell nanospheres: Seed-mediated growth preparation and their antibacterial activity during the consecutive recycling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Miaomiao; Wu, Wenjie; Qiao, Ru; Tan, Linxiang; Li, Zhengquan; Zhang, Yong

2016-01-01

We demonstrated a seed-mediated growth approach to synthesize Ag nanoparticles-decorated Fe_3O_4@SiO_2 core-shell nanospheres without use of surface functionalization. The particle size and decoration density of the immobilized Ag nanoparticles on SiO_2 surface were tunable by adjusting the added AgNO_3 concentration and the alternating repetition times in seed-mediated growth procedure. The as-prepared Ag-decorated Fe_3O_4@SiO_2 nanospheres exhibited excellent antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Candida albicans, in which the minimum inhibitory concentration were 12.5 μg mL"−"1, 50 μg mL"−"1 and 50 μg mL"−"1, respectively. It is speculated that their antibacterial activity is attributed to both the interaction of released Ag ions with the functional groups of vital enzymes and proteins and the strong oxidation of reactive oxygen species generated under the action of photoinduced electrons in Ag nanoparticles. Besides studying their antibacterial mechanism, we also investigated the variation of antibacterial activity of these heterostructured nanospheres during the consecutive magnetic separation and recycling. It shows that the magnetic antibacterial agent could be reused and its activity remained stable even after nine cycles, which enable it to be promisingly applied in biomedical areas. - Highlights: • Ag-decorated Fe_3O_4@SiO_2 were synthesized via a seed-mediated growth method. • The core-shell heterostructures exhibited excellent antibacterial activity. • The activity was attributed to the effect of released Ag"+ with ROS oxidation. • The antibacterial agent was reused during magnetic separation and recycling.

Efficient degradation of carbamazepine by easily recyclable microscaled CuFeO_2 mediated heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Yaobin; Tang, Hebin; Zhang, Shenghua; Wang, Songbo; Tang, Heqing

2016-01-01

Highlights: • CuFeO_2 microparticles were prepared by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. • CuFeO_2 microparticles efficiently catalyzed the activation of peroxymonosulfate. • Quenching experiments confirmed sulfate radicals as the major reactive radicals. • Carbamazepine was rapidly degraded by micro-CuFeO_2/peroxymonosulfate. • Feasibility of CuFeO_2/peroxymonosulfate was tested for treatment of actual water. - Abstract: Microscaled CuFeO_2 particles (micro-CuFeO_2) were rapidly prepared via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the micro-CuFeO_2 was of pure phase and a rhombohedral structure with size in the range of 2.8 ± 0.6 μm. The micro-CuFeO_2 efficiently catalyzed the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to generate sulfate radicals (SO_4·−), causing the fast degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ). The catalytic activity of micro-CuFeO_2 was observed to be 6.9 and 25.3 times that of micro-Cu_2O and micro-Fe_2O_3, respectively. The enhanced activity of micro-CuFeO_2 for the activation of PMS was confirmed to be attributed to synergistic effect of surface bonded Cu(I) and Fe(III). Sulfate radical was the primary radical species responsible for the CBZ degradation. As a microscaled catalyst, micro-CuFeO_2 can be easily recovered by gravity settlement and exhibited improved catalytic stability compared with micro-Cu_2O during five successive degradation cycles. Oxidative degradation of CBZ by the couple of PMS/CuFeO_2 was effective in the studied actual aqueous environmental systems.

Interface actions between TiO2 and porous diatomite on the structure and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-diatomite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia, Yue; Li, Fangfei; Jiang, Yinshan; Xia, Maosheng; Xue, Bing; Li, Yanjuan

2014-01-01

TiO 2 -diatomite photocatalysts were prepared by sol–gel process with various pre-modified diatomite. In order to obtain diatomite with different surface characteristics, two modification approaches including calcination and phosphoric acid treatment on the micro-structure of diatomite are introduced. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, XPS, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms and micromorphology analysis. The results indicate that, compared with pure TiO 2 , the anatase-to-rutile phase transition temperature of TiO 2 loaded on diatomite carrier is significantly increased to nearly 900 °C, depending on the different pretreatment method of diatomite. The photocatalytic activities of different samples were evaluated by their degradation rate of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV and visible-light irradiation. The samples prepared by phosphoric acid pretreatment method exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity. After 90 min of UV irradiation, about 90% of MO is decomposed by the best effective photocatalyst. And after 8 h visible-light irradiation, nearly 60% of MO is decomposed by the same sample. Further mechanism investigation reveals that the H 3 PO 4 pretreatment process can obviously change the surface features of diatomite carrier, cause the formation of Si–O–Ti bond, increase the binding strength between TiO 2 and diatomite, restrain crystal growth of loaded TiO 2 , and thus form thermal-stable mesoporous structure at the granular spaces. It helps to build micro-, meso- and macro-porous hierarchical porous structure in TiO 2 -diatomite, and improves the charge and mass transfer efficiency during catalyzing process, resulting in the significantly increased photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 -diatomite pretreated by phosphoric acid.

Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity of Cu/Cu2O Nanoparticles Prepared in Aqueous Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayed M. Badawy

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Copper/Copper oxide (Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles were synthesized by modified chemical reduction method in an aqueous medium using hydrazine as reducing agent and copper sulfate pentahydrate as precursor. The Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM. The analysis revealed the pattern of face-centered cubic (fcc crystal structure of copper Cu metal and cubic cuprites structure for Cu2O. The SEM result showed monodispersed and agglomerated particles with two micron sizes of about 180 nm and 800 nm, respectively. The TEM result showed few single crystal particles of face-centered cubic structures with average particle size about 11-14 nm. The catalytic activity of Cu/Cu2O nanoparticles for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide was investigated and compared with manganese oxide MnO2. The results showed that the second-order equation provides the best correlation for the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 on Cu/Cu2O. The catalytic activity of hydrogen peroxide by Cu/Cu2O is less than the catalytic activity of MnO2 due to the presence of copper metal Cu with cuprous oxide Cu2O. © 2015 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 6th January 2015; Revised: 14th March 2015; Accepted: 15th March 2015How to Cite: Badawy, S.M., El-Khashab, R.A., Nayl, A.A. (2015. Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity of Cu/Cu2O Nanoparticles Prepared in Aqueous Medium. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 10 (2: 169-174. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7984.169-174 Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.10.2.7984.169-174  

Pulsed laser synthesis in liquid of efficient visible-light-active ZnO/rGO nanocomposites for improved photo-catalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Moqbel, Redhwan A.; Gondal, Mohammed A.; Qahtan, Talal F.; Dastageer, Mohamed A.

2018-03-01

In this work the synthesis of visible light active zinc oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ZnO/rGO) nanocomposite by laser induced fragmentation of particulates in liquid, its morphological/optical characterizations, and its application in the process of photo-catalytic degradation of toxic Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under visible radiation were studied. It is observed from the optical and morphological characterization that the anchoring of ZnO on the rGO sheets in ZnO/rGO nanocomposite considerably reduced the aggregation of ZnO (increased surface area), reduced the recombination of photo-induced charge carriers, promoted more adsorption of reactants on the catalytic surface and also enhanced and extended the light absorption in the visible spectral region. With all these improved characteristics of ZnO/rGO nanocomposite, it was found that this material as a photo-catalyst yielded an RhB degradation efficiency of 86%, as compared to the 40% degradation with pure ZnO NPs under the same experimental conditions. In the ZnO/rGO nanocomposite, rGO functions as an electron acceptor to promote charge separation, an aggregation inhibitor to enhance the active surface area, a co-catalyst, a good dye adsorber and also as a supporting matrix for ZnO.

Active species in a large volume N2-O2 post-discharge reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutasi, K; Pintassilgo, C D; Loureiro, J; Coelho, P J

2007-01-01

A large volume post-discharge reactor placed downstream from a flowing N 2 -O 2 microwave discharge is modelled using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The density distributions of the most populated active species present in the reactor-O( 3 P), O 2 (a 1 Δ g ), O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ), NO(X 2 Π), NO(A 2 Σ + ), NO(B 2 Π), NO 2 (X), O 3 , O 2 (X 3 Σ g - ) and N( 4 S)-are calculated and the main source and loss processes for each species are identified for two discharge conditions: (i) p = 2 Torr, f = 2450 MHz, and (ii) p = 8 Torr, f = 915 MHz; in the case of a N 2 -2%O 2 mixture composition and gas flow rate of 2 x 10 3 sccm. The modification of the species relative densities by changing the oxygen percentage in the initial gas mixture composition, in the 0.2%-5% range, are presented. The possible tuning of the species concentrations in the reactor by changing the size of the connecting afterglow tube between the active discharge and the large post-discharge reactor is investigated as well

Improved photocatalytic activity of highly ordered TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays for methylene blue degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Xiaojun, E-mail: xjlv@mail.ipc.ac.cn [Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Photochemical Conversion and Optoelectronic Materials and HKU-CAS Joint Laboratory on New Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Zhang, Hao; Chang, Haixin [WPI-Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578 (Japan)

2012-10-15

Although many efforts have been done on the photocatalytic properties of anodic TiO{sub 2} nanotubes, much less work is done on the photocatalytic performance of TiO{sub 2} nanowires. Self-organized anodic TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have been fabricated using a simple electrochemical approach and used as photocatalysts in photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dyes. Here we found for the first time TiO{sub 2} nanowires have better photocatalytic properties and incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) than TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. N doped TiO{sub 2} nanowires showed further enhancement in photodegradation activity and photocurrent response in the visible region. Such TiO{sub 2} nanowires are expected to have great potential in photodegradation of pollutants, photovoltaic solar energy conversion and water splitting for hydrogen generation as well. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays electrode fabricated via anodizing Ti foil. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} nanowire arrays have higher photodegradation activity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer N doped TiO{sub 2} nanowires enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Core–shell TiO2 microsphere with enhanced photocatalytic activity and improved lithium storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Hong; Tian, Dongxue; Liu, Lixiang; Wang, Yapeng; Guo, Yuan; Yang, Xiangjun

2013-01-01

Inorganic hollow core–shell spheres have attracted considerable interest due to their singular properties and wide range of potential applications. Herein a novel facile generic strategy of combining template assisted and solvothermal alcoholysis is employed to prepare core–void–shell anatase TiO 2 nanoparticle aggregates with an excellent photocatalytic activity, and enhanced lithium storage in large quantities. Amorphous carbon can be loaded on the TiO 2 nanoparticles uniformly under a suitably formulated ethanol/water system in the solvothermal alcoholysis process, and the subsequent calcination results of the formation of core–shell–shell anatase TiO 2 nanoparticle aggregates. The intrinsic core–void–shell nature as well as high porosity of the unique nanostructures contributes greatly to the superior photocatalytic activity and improved performance as anode materials for lithium ion batteries. - Graphical abstract: A novel strategy of combining template assisted and solvothermal alcoholysis is employed to prepare unique core–void–shell anatase TiO 2 nanoparticle aggregates with the superior photocatalytic activity and improved lithium storage. Highlights: ► TiO 2 mesospheres are synthesized by solvothermal alcoholysis. ► It is core–void–shell structure and the thickness of shell is estimated to 80 nm. ► It exhibits a remarkable photocatalytic activity and improved lithium storage

Effective gene silencing activity of prodrug-type 2'-O-methyldithiomethyl siRNA compared with non-prodrug-type 2'-O-methyl siRNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Junsuke; Nishigaki, Misa; Ochi, Yosuke; Wada, Shun-Ichi; Wada, Fumito; Nakagawa, Osamu; Obika, Satoshi; Harada-Shiba, Mariko; Urata, Hidehito

2018-07-01

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are an active agent to induce gene silencing and they have been studied for becoming a biological and therapeutic tool. Various 2'-O-modified RNAs have been extensively studied to improve the nuclease resistance. However, the 2'-O-modified siRNA activities were often decreased by modification, since the bulky 2'-O-modifications inhibit to form a RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). We developed novel prodrug-type 2'-O-methyldithiomethyl (MDTM) siRNA, which is converted into natural siRNA in an intracellular reducing environment. Prodrug-type 2'-O-MDTM siRNAs modified at the 5'-end side including 5'-end nucleotide and the seed region of the antisense strand exhibited much stronger gene silencing effect than non-prodrug-type 2'-O-methyl (2'-O-Me) siRNAs. Furthermore, the resistances for nuclease digestion of siRNAs were actually enhanced by 2'-O-MDTM modifications. Our results indicate that 2'-O-MDTM modifications improve the stability of siRNA in serum and they are able to be introduced at any positions of siRNA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation, characterization and activity evaluation of CaZrTi2O7 photocatalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shifu; Ji Mingsong; Yuang Yunguang; Liu Wei

2012-01-01

CaZrTi 2 O 7 photocatalyst sample was prepared by a polymerizable complex method. The photocatalyst was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence emission spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, N 2 adsorption measurements, and terephthalic acid probed fluorescence technique. The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by photocatalytic oxidation of methyl orange and photocatalytic reduction of Cr 2 O 7 2− and nitrobenzene. The results showed that when the reaction solution was illuminated by UV light for 50 min, the photooxidation efficiency of methyl orange and the photoreduction efficiency of Cr 2 O 7 2− were 83.1% and 87.9%, respectively. When methanol was used as the holes scavengers and the illumination time was 10 h in the photocatalytic reduction experiment of nitrobenzene, the production efficiency of aniline was 70.3%. The effect of the heat treatment conditions on the photocatalytic activity was also investigated. The optimum preparation condition for CaZrTi 2 O 7 sample is 800 °C for 12 h. The mechanisms of influence on the photocatalytic activity of the sample were also discussed with the valance band theory. - Highlights: ► CaZrTi 2 O 7 photocatalyst was prepared by a polymerizable complex method. ► The heat treatment has a significant influence on the photocatalytic activity. ► The optimal heat treatment condition is approximately 800 °C for 12 h. ► The CaZrTi 2 O 7 has the band bap of about 2.89 eV with particle size of about 80 nm.

Chemically activated graphene/porous Si@SiO{sub x} composite as anode for lithium ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tao, Hua-Chao [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, China Three Gorges University, 8 Daxue Road, Yichang, Hubei 443002 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Microgrid of New Energy, Hubei Province (China); Yang, Xue-Lin, E-mail: xlyang@ctgu.edu.cn [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, China Three Gorges University, 8 Daxue Road, Yichang, Hubei 443002 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Microgrid of New Energy, Hubei Province (China); Zhang, Lu-Lu; Ni, Shi-Bing [College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, China Three Gorges University, 8 Daxue Road, Yichang, Hubei 443002 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center for Microgrid of New Energy, Hubei Province (China)

2014-10-15

Chemically activated graphene/porous Si@SiO{sub x} (CAG/Si@SiO{sub x}) composite has been synthesized via magnesiothemic reduction of mesoporous SiO{sub 2} (MCM-48) to porous Si@SiO{sub x} and dispersing in the suspension of chemically activated graphene oxide (CAGO) followed by thermal reduction. The porous Si@SiO{sub x} particles are well encapsulated in chemically activated graphene (CAG) matrix. The resulting CAG/Si@SiO{sub x} composite exhibits a high reversible capacity and excellent cycling stability up to 763 mAh g{sup −1} at a current density of 100 mA g{sup −1} after 50 cycles. The porous structure of CAG layer and Si@SiO{sub x} is beneficial to accommodate volume expansion of Si during discharge and charge process and the interconnected CAG improves the electronic conductivity of composite. - Highlights: • Chemically activated graphene encapsulated porous Si composite was prepared. • The graphene offers a continuous electrically conductive network. • The porous structure can accommodate volume expansion of Si-based materials. • The composite exhibits excellent lithium storage performance.

Determination of reactive oxygen species from ZnO micro-nano structures with shape-dependent photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Weiwei; Zhao, Hongxiao; Jia, Huimin [Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Henan 461000 (China); Yin, Jun-Jie [Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD 20740 (United States); Zheng, Zhi, E-mail: zhengzhi99999@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion of Henan Province, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials, Xuchang University, Henan 461000 (China)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with shape dependent photocatalytic activity were prepared by hydrothermal reaction. The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were identified precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Highlights: • ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies were prepared by solvothermal reaction. • Multi-pod like ZnO structures exhibited superior photocatalytic activity. • The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were characterized precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. • The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies have been prepared by the changing solvents used during their synthesis by solvothermal reaction. Three typical shapes of ZnO structures including hexagonal, bell bottom like and multi-pod formed and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Multi pod like ZnO structures exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity toward degradation of methyl orange. Using electron spin resonance spectroscopy coupled with spin trapping techniques, we demonstrate an effective way to identify precisely the generation of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and singlet oxygen from the irradiated ZnO multi pod structures. The type of reactive oxygen species formed was predictable from the band gap structure of ZnO. These results indicate that the shape of micro-nano structures significantly affects the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, and demonstrate the value of electron spin resonance spectroscopy for characterizing the type of reactive oxygen species formed during photoexcitation of semiconductors.

Determination of reactive oxygen species from ZnO micro-nano structures with shape-dependent photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Weiwei; Zhao, Hongxiao; Jia, Huimin; Yin, Jun-Jie; Zheng, Zhi

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with shape dependent photocatalytic activity were prepared by hydrothermal reaction. The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were identified precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Highlights: • ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies were prepared by solvothermal reaction. • Multi-pod like ZnO structures exhibited superior photocatalytic activity. • The generations of hydroxyl radical, superoxide and singlet oxygen from irradiated ZnO were characterized precisely by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. • The type of reactive oxygen species was determined by band gap structure of ZnO. - Abstract: ZnO micro/nano structures with different morphologies have been prepared by the changing solvents used during their synthesis by solvothermal reaction. Three typical shapes of ZnO structures including hexagonal, bell bottom like and multi-pod formed and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Multi pod like ZnO structures exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity toward degradation of methyl orange. Using electron spin resonance spectroscopy coupled with spin trapping techniques, we demonstrate an effective way to identify precisely the generation of hydroxyl radicals, superoxide and singlet oxygen from the irradiated ZnO multi pod structures. The type of reactive oxygen species formed was predictable from the band gap structure of ZnO. These results indicate that the shape of micro-nano structures significantly affects the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, and demonstrate the value of electron spin resonance spectroscopy for characterizing the type of reactive oxygen species formed during photoexcitation of semiconductors

Functionalized ZnO Nanoparticles with Gallic Acid for Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joomin Lee

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, we report a new multifunctional nanoparticle with antioxidative and antibacterial activities in vitro. ZnO@GA nanoparticles were fabricated by coordinated covalent bonding of the antioxidant gallic acid (GA on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. This addition imparts both antioxidant activity and high affinity for the bacterial cell membrane. Antioxidative activities at various concentrations were evaluated using a 2,2′-azino-bis(ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS radical scavenging method. Antibacterial activities were evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus: S. aureus, including several strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli. The functionalized ZnO@GA nanoparticles showed good antioxidative activity (69.71%, and the bactericidal activity of these nanoparticles was also increased compared to that of non-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles, with particularly effective inhibition and high selectivity for MRSA strains. The results indicate that multifunctional ZnO nanoparticles conjugated to GA molecules via a simple surface modification process displaying both antioxidant and antibacterial activity, suggesting a possibility to use it as an antibacterial agent for removing MRSA.

Photocatalytic activity of ZnO doped with Ag on the degradation of endocrine disrupting under UV irradiation and the investigation of its antibacterial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bechambi, Olfa [Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Laboratoire de Chimie des Matériaux et Catalyse, 2092, Tunis (Tunisia); Chalbi, Manel [Laboratoire de Bioprocédés Environnementaux, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, B.P. 1177, 3018 Sfax (Tunisia); Najjar, Wahiba, E-mail: najjarwahiba2014@gmail.com [Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Laboratoire de Chimie des Matériaux et Catalyse, 2092, Tunis (Tunisia); Sayadi, Sami [Laboratoire de Bioprocédés Environnementaux, Centre de Biotechnologie de Sfax, B.P. 1177, 3018 Sfax (Tunisia)

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A series of Ag-doped ZnO were synthesized via hydrothermal method. • Effect of doping with silver on the textural, structural optical properties of ZnO. • The photocatalytic activity has been tested using bisphenol A and nonylphenol. • The highest degradation efficiency was obtained with 1% Ag. • Ag doping enhances the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of ZnO. - Abstract: Ag-doped ZnO photocatalysts with different Ag molar content (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0%) were prepared via hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen physisorption at 77 K, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–-Visible spectroscopy, Photoluminescence spectra (PL) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the structural, textural and optical properties of the samples. The results showed that Ag-doping does not change the average crystallite size with the Ag low content (≤1.0%) but slightly decreases with Ag high content (>1.0%). The specific surface area (S{sub BET}) increases with the increase of the Ag content. The band gap values of ZnO are decreased with the increase of the Ag doping level. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) in aqueous solutions under UV irradiation and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) showed that silver ions doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO. The TOC conversion BPA and NP are 72.1% and 81.08% respectively obtained using 1% Ag-doped ZnO. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the fact that the modification of ZnO with an appropriate amount of Ag can increase the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electrons-holes in ZnO. The antibacterial activity of the catalysts which uses Escherichia coli as a model for Gram-negative bacteria confirmed that Ag-doped ZnO possessed more antibacterial activity than the pure ZnO.

Photocatalytic activity of ZnO doped with Ag on the degradation of endocrine disrupting under UV irradiation and the investigation of its antibacterial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechambi, Olfa; Chalbi, Manel; Najjar, Wahiba; Sayadi, Sami

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A series of Ag-doped ZnO were synthesized via hydrothermal method. • Effect of doping with silver on the textural, structural optical properties of ZnO. • The photocatalytic activity has been tested using bisphenol A and nonylphenol. • The highest degradation efficiency was obtained with 1% Ag. • Ag doping enhances the photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of ZnO. - Abstract: Ag-doped ZnO photocatalysts with different Ag molar content (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0%) were prepared via hydrothermal method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen physisorption at 77 K, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–-Visible spectroscopy, Photoluminescence spectra (PL) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the structural, textural and optical properties of the samples. The results showed that Ag-doping does not change the average crystallite size with the Ag low content (≤1.0%) but slightly decreases with Ag high content (>1.0%). The specific surface area (S BET ) increases with the increase of the Ag content. The band gap values of ZnO are decreased with the increase of the Ag doping level. The results of the photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) and nonylphenol (NP) in aqueous solutions under UV irradiation and in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) showed that silver ions doping greatly improved the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO. The TOC conversion BPA and NP are 72.1% and 81.08% respectively obtained using 1% Ag-doped ZnO. The enhancement of photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the fact that the modification of ZnO with an appropriate amount of Ag can increase the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electrons-holes in ZnO. The antibacterial activity of the catalysts which uses Escherichia coli as a model for Gram-negative bacteria confirmed that Ag-doped ZnO possessed more antibacterial activity than the pure ZnO

Evaluation of the SO(2) and NH(3) gas adsorption properties of CuO/ZnO/Mn(3)O(4) and CuO/ZnO/NiO ternary impregnated activated carbon using combinatorial materials science methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, Jennifer V; Smith, Jock W H; Sullivan, Braden M; Macdonald, Landan; Croll, Lisa M; Dahn, J R

2013-02-11

Impregnated activated carbons (IAC) are widely used materials for the removal of toxic gases in personal respiratory protection applications. The combinatorial method has been employed to prepare IACs containing different types of metal oxides in various proportions and evaluate their adsorption performance for low molecular weight gases, such as SO(2) and NH(3), under dry conditions. Among the metal oxides used for the study, Mn(3)O(4) was found to have the highest capacity for retaining SO(2) gas under dry conditions. NiO and ZnO were found to have similar NH(3) adsorption capacities which are higher than the NH(3) capacities observed for the other metal oxide impregnants used in the study. Although Cu- or Zn-based impregnants and their combinations have been extensively studied and used as gas adsorbents, neither Mn(3)O(4) nor NiO have been incorporated in the formulations used. In this study, ternary libraries of IACs with various combinations of CuO/ZnO/Mn(3)O(4) and CuO/ZnO/NiO were studied and evaluated for their adsorption of SO(2) and NH(3) gases. Combinations of CuO, ZnO, and Mn(3)O(4) were found to have the potential to be multigas adsorbents compared to formulations that contain NiO.

Hemoglobin–Albumin Cluster Incorporating a Pt Nanoparticle: Artificial O2 Carrier with Antioxidant Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Hosaka, Hitomi; Haruki, Risa; Yamada, Kana; Böttcher, Christoph; Komatsu, Teruyuki

2014-01-01

A covalent core–shell structured protein cluster composed of hemoglobin (Hb) at the center and human serum albumins (HSA) at the periphery, Hb-HSAm, is an artificial O2 carrier that can function as a red blood cell substitute. Here we described the preparation of a novel Hb-HSA3 cluster with antioxidant activities and its O2 complex stable in aqueous H2O2 solution. We used an approach of incorporating a Pt nanoparticle (PtNP) into the exterior HSA unit of the cluster. A citrate reduced PtNP (1.8 nm diameter) was bound tightly within the cleft of free HSA with a binding constant (K) of 1.1×107 M−1, generating a stable HSA-PtNP complex. This platinated protein showed high catalytic activities for dismutations of superoxide radical anions (O2 •–) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), i.e., superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Also, Hb-HSA3 captured PtNP into the external albumin unit (K = 1.1×107 M−1), yielding an Hb-HSA3(PtNP) cluster. The association of PtNP caused no alteration of the protein surface net charge and O2 binding affinity. The peripheral HSA-PtNP shell prevents oxidation of the core Hb, which enables the formation of an extremely stable O2 complex, even in H2O2 solution. PMID:25310133

Antifouling activity of seaweed extracts from Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heloisa Elias Medeiros

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Marine biofouling historically constitutes one of the major constraints faced by mankind in its oceanic activities. The search for alternatives to TBT-based antifouling paints has led several researchers to focus efforts in the development of environmentally friendly natural compounds. This work has contributed with this search, testing the antifouling potential of crude organic extracts from four seaweed species collected at Praia Branca, Guarujá district, São Paulo, Brazil. Throughout laboratory antifouling assays in which the attachment of a common fouling organism, the brown mussel Perna perna, was employed, antifouling activity (p A incrustação biológica constitui, historicamente, um dos maiores problemas encontrados pelo homem em suas atividades no mar. A busca por alternativas a tintas antiincrustantes contendo tributilestanho (TBT tem levado diversos pesquisadores a concentrar esforços no desenvolvimento de substâncias naturais menos danosas à biota marinha. Este trabalho procurou contribuir com essa busca, testando o potencial antiincrustante de quatro diferentes espécies de macroalgas da Praia Branca, município de Guarujá, SP. Através de testes antiincrustantes em laboratório utilizando a fixação de um organismo incrustante comum, o mexilhão Perna perna, foi constatado que os extratos de Jania rubens (Rhodophyta, Cryptonemiales e Bryothamnion seaforthii (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales, à concentração natural, apresentaram atividade antiincrustante significativa (p < 0,05, enquanto Dictyopteris delicatula (Phaeophyta, Dictyotales e Heterosiphonia gibbesii (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales não demonstraram eficiência na inibição da fixação de bissos do molusco. Das algas que indicaram potencial atividade contra a incrustação, J. rubens apresentou melhor desempenho em relação a B. seaforthii. Futuras investigações em campo serão necessárias para a obtenção de resultados que possam refletir melhor as condições naturais

Activation of a Cu/ZnO catalyst for methanol synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Jens Wenzel; Rasmussen, F.B.; Helveg, S.

2006-01-01

The structural changes during activation by temperature-programmed reduction of a Cu/ZnO catalyst for methanol synthesis have been studied by several in situ techniques. The catalyst is prepared by coprecipitation and contains 4.76 wt% Cu, which forms a substitutional solid solution with Zn......O as determined by resonant X-ray diffraction. In situ resonant X-ray diffraction reveals that the Cu atoms are extracted from the solid solution by the reduction procedure, forming metallic Cu crystallites. Cu is redispersed in bulk or surface Zn lattice sites upon oxidation by heating in air. The results...... is highly dispersed and in intimate contact with the surface of the host ZnO particles. The possibility of re-forming the (Zn,Cu)O solid solution by oxidation may provide a means of redispersing Cu in a deactivated catalyst....

Favorable recycling photocatalyst TiO2/CFA: Effects of loading percent of TiO2 on the structural property and photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Jianwen; Chen Shaohua; Ye Zhilong; Wang Shumei; Wu Peng

2010-01-01

A series of photocatalysts TiO 2 /CFA were prepared using coal fly ash (CFA), waste discharged from coal-fired power plant, as substrate, and then these photocatalysts were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis, nitrogen adsorption test and ultraviolet-visible absorption analysis. The effects of loading percent of TiO 2 on the photocatalytic activity and re-use property of TiO 2 /CFA were evaluated by the photocatalytic decoloration and mineralization of methyl orange solution. The results show that the pore volume and the specific surface area of the TiO 2 /CFA both increased with the increase in the loading percent of TiO 2 , which improved the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 /CFA. However, when the loading percent of TiO 2 was too high (up to 54.51%), superfluous TiO 2 was easy to break away from CFA in the course of water treatment, which was disadvantaged to the recycling property of TiO 2 /CFA. In this study, the optimal loading percent of TiO 2 was 49.97%, and the efficiencies of photocatalytic decoloration and mineralization could be maintained above 99% and 90%, respectively, when the photocatalyst was used repeatedly, without any decline, even at the sixth cycle.

Novel Ag@TiO2 nanocomposite synthesized by electrochemically active biofilm for nonenzymatic hydrogen peroxide sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, Mohammad Mansoob; Ansari, Sajid Ali; Lee, Jintae; Cho, Moo Hwan

2013-01-01

A novel nonenzymatic sensor for H 2 O 2 was developed based on an Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite synthesized using a simple and cost effective approach with an electrochemically active biofilm. The optical, structural, morphological and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite were examined by UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and their electrochemical performance was analyzed by CV, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite modified GCE (Ag@TiO 2 /GCE) displayed excellent performance towards H 2 O 2 sensing at − 0.73 V in the linear response range from 0.83 μM to 43.3 μM, within a detection limit and sensitivity of 0.83 μM and ∼ 65.2328 ± 0.01 μAμM −1 cm −2 , respectively. In addition, Ag@TiO 2 /GCE exhibited good operational reproducibility and long term stability. - Graphical abstract: Synthesis of Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite by electrochemically active biofilm for H 2 O 2 sensing. - Highlights: • Electrochemically active biofilm (EAB) • EAB mediated synthesis of Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite • Ag@TiO 2 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode • Ag@TiO 2 /GCE for H 2 O 2 sensing • Nonenzymatic sensor for H 2 O 2

Antiprotozoal Activity of Buxus sempervirens and Activity-Guided Isolation of O-tigloylcyclovirobuxeine-B as the Main Constituent Active against Plasmodium falciparum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia B. Althaus

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Buxus sempervirens L. (European Box, Buxaceae has been used in ethnomedicine to treat malaria. In the course of our screening of plant extracts for antiprotozoal activity, a CH2Cl2 extract from leaves of B. sempervirens showed selective in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum (IC50 = 2.79 vs. 20.2 µg/mL for cytotoxicity against L6 rat cells. Separation of the extract by acid/base extraction into a basic and a neutral non-polar fraction led to a much more active and even more selective fraction with alkaloids while the fraction of non-polar neutral constituents was markedly less active than the crude extract. Thus, the activity of the crude extract could clearly be attributed to alkaloid constituents. Identification of the main triterpene-alkaloids and characterization of the complex pattern of this alkaloid fraction was performed by UHPLC/+ESI-QTOF-MS analyses. ESI-MS/MS target-guided larger scale preparative separation of the alkaloid fraction was performed by ‘spiral coil-countercurrent chromatography’. From the most active subfraction, the cycloartane alkaloid O-tigloylcyclovirobuxeine-B was isolated and evaluated for antiplasmodial activity which yielded an IC50 of 0.455 µg/mL (cytotoxicity against L6 rat cells: IC50 = 9.38 µg/mL. O-tigloylcyclovirobuxeine-B is thus most significantly responsible for the high potency of the crude extract.

Enhanced apatite-forming ability and antibacterial activity of porous anodic alumina embedded with CaO-SiO2-Ag2O bioactive materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Siyu; Li, Xiaohong; Yang, Pengan; Ni, Shirong; Hong, Feng; Webster, Thomas J

2016-01-01

In this study, to provide porous anodic alumina (PAA) with bioactivity and anti-bacterial properties, sol-gel derived bioactive CaO-SiO2-Ag2O materials were loaded onto and into PAA nano-pores (termed CaO-SiO2-Ag2O/PAA) by a sol-dipping method and subsequent calcination of the gel-glasses. The in vitro apatite-forming ability of the CaO-SiO2-Ag2O/PAA specimens was evaluated by soaking them in simulated body fluid (SBF). The surface microstructure and chemical property before and after soaking in SBF were characterized. Release of ions into the SBF was also measured. In addition, the antibacterial properties of the samples were tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The results showed that CaO-SiO2-Ag2O bioactive materials were successfully decorated onto and into PAA nano-pores. In vitro SBF experiments revealed that the CaO-SiO2-Ag2O/PAA specimens dramatically enhanced the apatite-forming ability of PAA in SBF and Ca, Si and Ag ions were released from the samples in a sustained and slow manner. Importantly, E. coli and S. aureus were both killed on the CaO-SiO2-Ag2O/PAA (by 100%) samples compared to PAA controls after 3 days of culture. In summary, this study demonstrated that the CaO-SiO2-Ag2O/PAA samples possess good apatite-forming ability and high antibacterial activity causing it to be a promising bioactive coating candidate for implant materials for orthopedic applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neutron detection using Dy2O3 activation detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.; Mohamed, E.J.

1979-01-01

The aim of the present study is to examine the usefulness of Dy 2 O 3 not only as thermal neutron activation detector but also as a fast neutron detector. For thermal neutrons, the half life of 165 Dy is measured to be (141 +- 6) min, its response to thermal neutrons is (2.18 +- 0.01) cpm/ncm -2 s -1 for a 250 mg Dy 2 O 3 pellet. For fast neutrons the Dy 2 O 3 detector is placed within a 20 cm polyethylene sphere and its response is found to be (2.2 +- 0.1) cpm/ncm -2 s -1 for 4 MeV neutrons and (2.10 +- 0.04) cpm/ncm -2 s -1 for 14 MeV neutrons. For neutron dosimetry, its response is found to be (16.7 +- 0.4) cpm per mrem h -1 . (author)

Co-doping TiO{sub 2} with boron and/or yttrium elements: Effects on antimicrobial activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yuzheng [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Wu, Yusheng, E-mail: henanwys@sina.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870 (China); Yang, He; Xue, Xiangxin; Liu, Zhihua [Institute of Metallurgical Resources and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110819 (China)

2016-09-15

Highlights: • B-Y/TiO{sub 2} nano materials firstly applied to the fields of antibacterial materials. • Systems analysis the existence state of boron and yttrium ion in TiO{sub 2}. • Doping B and Y greatly strengthened the antibacterial activity of TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Pure TiO{sub 2}, boron and/or yttrium doped TiO{sub 2} nano-materials were synthesized by a sol–gel method and characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS and PL. XRD analysis indicates that, in the pure TiO{sub 2} and B single doped TiO{sub 2} (B-TiO{sub 2}) nano-materials calcinated at 700 °C, the presence of TiO{sub 2} is a mixture of anatase and rutile; in the Y single doped (Y-TiO{sub 2}), B and Y co-doped TiO{sub 2} nano-materials (B/Y-TiO{sub 2}), the presence of TiO{sub 2} is anatase. SEM image shows the prepared materials have a common round morphology and hexagonal plate morphology caused by the agglomeration of particles. Boron atoms are partially embedded into the TiO{sub 2} interstitial structure or incorporated into the TiO{sub 2} lattice through occupying the position of the oxygen atoms. The results of antimicrobial experiment show that B/Y-TiO{sub 2} material has a remarkable antimicrobial activity. Compared with the visible light irradiation, antimicrobial activity of B/Y-TiO{sub 2} in dark is significant poor.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Ag{sub 2}O hybrid photocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xinjuan, E-mail: lxj669635@126.com [Institute of Coordination Bond Metrology and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Liu, Junying [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 China (China); Chu, Haipeng [Institute of Coordination Bond Metrology and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Li, Jinliang; Yu, Wei [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 China (China); Zhu, Guang [Anhui Key Laboratory of Spin Electron and Nanomaterials, Suzhou University, Suzhou 234000 (China); Niu, Lengyuan [Institute of Coordination Bond Metrology and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Sun, Zhuo [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 China (China); Pan, Likun, E-mail: lkpan@phy.ecnu.edu.cn [Engineering Research Center for Nanophotonics & Advanced Instrument, Ministry of Education, Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062 China (China); Sun, Chang Q. [Institute of Coordination Bond Metrology and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Ag{sub 2}O composites were fabricated for visible light photocatalytic degradation of phenol with a high degradation rate of 92% for 60 min. - Highlights: • Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Ag{sub 2}O composites were synthesized via a co-precipitation method. • The photocatalytic activity for the degradation of phenol is investigated. • A high degradation rate of 92% for 60 min is achieved under visible light irradiation. - Abstract: Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Ag{sub 2}O hybrid photocatalysts were successfully synthesized via a co-precipitation method. The morphology, structure and photocatalytic performance in the degradation of phenol were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectra and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, respectively. The results show that Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}–Ag{sub 2}O hybrid photocatalysts exhibit enhanced photocatalytic performance in the degradation of phenol with a maximum degradation rate of 92% for 60 min under visible light irradiation compared with pure Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} (57%), which is ascribed to the increase in light adsorption and the reduction in electron–hole pair recombination with the introduction of Ag{sub 2}O.

Photocatalytic activity of TiO2 doped with boron and vanadium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bettinelli, M.; Dallacasa, V.; Falcomer, D.; Fornasiero, P.; Gombac, V.; Montini, T.; Romano, L.; Speghini, A.

2007-01-01

Boron (B)- and vanadium (V)-doped TiO 2 photocatalysts were synthesized using modified sol-gel reaction processes and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and N 2 physisorption (BET). The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The results showed that the materials possess high surface area. The addition of B favored the transformation of anatase to rutile, while in the presence of V, anatase was the only phase detected. The MB degradation on V-doped TiO 2 was significantly affected by the preparation method. In fact while the presence of V in the bulk did not influence strongly the photoreactivity under visible irradiation, an increase of surface V doping lead to improved photodegradation of MB. The degradation of MB dye indicated that the photocatalytic activities of TiO 2 increased as the boron doping increased, with high conversion efficiency for 9 mol% B doping

Synthesis, structure and photocatalytic activity of nano TiO2 and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The material shows higher photocatalytic activity both in UV and visible region of the solar radiation compared to commercial Degussa P25 TiO2. Transition metal ion substitution for Ti4+ creates mid-gap states which act as recombination centers for electron{hole induced by photons thus reducing photocatalytic activity.

A metallic metal oxide (Ti5O9)-metal oxide (TiO2) nanocomposite as the heterojunction to enhance visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L H; Deng, Z X; Xiao, J X; Yang, G W

2015-01-26

Coupling titanium dioxide (TiO2) with other semiconductors is a popular method to extend the optical response range of TiO2 and improve its photon quantum efficiency, as coupled semiconductors can increase the separation rate of photoinduced charge carriers in photocatalysts. Differing from normal semiconductors, metallic oxides have no energy gap separating occupied and unoccupied levels, but they can excite electrons between bands to create a high carrier mobility to facilitate kinetic charge separation. Here, we propose the first metallic metal oxide-metal oxide (Ti5O9-TiO2) nanocomposite as a heterojunction for enhancing the visible-light photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles and we demonstrate that this hybridized TiO2-Ti5O9 nanostructure possesses an excellent visible-light photocatalytic performance in the process of photodegrading dyes. The TiO2-Ti5O9 nanocomposites are synthesized in one step using laser ablation in liquid under ambient conditions. The as-synthesized nanocomposites show strong visible-light absorption in the range of 300-800 nm and high visible-light photocatalytic activity in the oxidation of rhodamine B. They also exhibit excellent cycling stability in the photodegrading process. A working mechanism for the metallic metal oxide-metal oxide nanocomposite in the visible-light photocatalytic process is proposed based on first-principle calculations of Ti5O9. This study suggests that metallic metal oxides can be regarded as partners for metal oxide photocatalysts in the construction of heterojunctions to improve photocatalytic activity.

Enhanced oxidation of naphthalene using plasma activation of TiO2/diatomite catalyst.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Zuliang; Zhu, Zhoubin; Hao, Xiaodong; Zhou, Weili; Han, Jingyi; Tang, Xiujuan; Yao, Shuiliang; Zhang, Xuming

2018-04-05

Non-thermal plasma technology has great potential in reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission. But in plasma-alone process, various undesired by-products are produced, which causes secondary pollutions. Here, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor has been developed for the oxidation of naphthalene over a TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst at low temperature. In comparison to plasma-alone process, the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst significantly enhanced naphthalene conversion (up to 40%) and CO x selectivity (up to 92%), and substantially reduced the formation of aerosol (up to 90%) and secondary volatile organic compounds (up to near 100%). The mechanistic study suggested that the presence of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst intensified the electron energy in the DBD. Meantime, the energized electrons generated in the discharge activated TiO 2 , while the presence of ozone enhanced the activity of the TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst. This plasma-catalyst interaction led to the synergetic effect resulting from the combination of plasma and TiO 2 /diatomite catalyst, consequently enhanced the oxidation of naphthalene. Importantly, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of plasma to activate the photocatalyst for the deep oxidation of PAH without external heating, which is potentially valuable in the development of cost-effective gas cleaning process for the removal of PAHs in vehicle applications during cold start conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microporous TiO2-WO3/TiO2 films with visible-light photocatalytic activity synthesized by micro arc oxidation and DC magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Kee-Rong; Hung, Chung-Hsuang; Yeh, Chung-Wei; Wu, Jiing-Kae

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A simple MAO is used to prepare porous WO 3 /TiO 2 layer on Ti sheet as a visible-light enabled catalyst. ► The photocatalytic activity of the WO 3 /TiO 2 is enhanced by sputtering over an N,C-TiO 2 layer. ► This is ascribed to the synergetic effect of hybrid sample prepared by two-step method. - Abstract: This study reports the preparation of microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 films with a high surface area using a two-step approach. A porous WO 3 /TiO 2 template was synthesized by oxidizing a titanium sheet using a micro arc oxidation (MAO) process. This sheet was subsequently overlaid with a visible light (Vis)-enabled TiO 2 (N,C-TiO 2 ) film, which was deposited by codoping nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) ions into a TiO 2 lattice using direct current magnetron sputtering. The resulting microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film with a 0.38-μm-thick N,C-TiO 2 top-layer exhibited high photocatalytic activity in methylene blue (MB) degradation among samples under ultraviolet (UV) and Vis irradiation. This is attributable to the synergetic effect of two-step preparation method, which provides a highly porous microstructure and the well-crystallized N,C-TiO 2 top-layer. This is because a higher surface area with high crystallinity favors the adsorption of more MB molecules and more photocatalytic active areas. Thus, the microporous TiO 2 -WO 3 /TiO 2 film has promising applications in the photocatalytic degradation of dye solution under UV and Vis irradiation. These results imply that the microporous WO 3 /TiO 2 can be used as a template of hybrid electrode because it enables rapid fabrication.

Antimicrobial Activity of TiO2 Nanoparticle-Coated Film for Potential Food Packaging Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Hajar Othman

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recent uses of titanium dioxide (TiO2 have involved various applications which include the food industry. This study aims to develop TiO2 nanoparticle-coated film for potential food packaging applications due to the photocatalytic antimicrobial property of TiO2. The TiO2 nanoparticles with varying concentrations (0–0.11 g/ 100 mL organic solvent were coated on food packaging film, particularly low density polyethylene (LDPE film. The antimicrobial activity of the films was investigated by their capability to inactivate Escherichia coli (E. coli in an actual food packaging application test under various conditions, including types of light (fluorescent and ultraviolet (UV and the length of time the film was exposed to light (one–three days. The antimicrobial activity of the TiO2 nanoparticle-coated films exposed under both types of lighting was found to increase with an increase in the TiO2 nanoparticle concentration and the light exposure time. It was also found that the antimicrobial activity of the films exposed under UV light was higher than that under fluorescent light. The developed film has the potential to be used as a food packaging film that can extend the shelf life, maintain the quality, and assure the safety of food.

Comparative study of CO2 and H2O activation in the synthesis of carbon electrode for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Taer, E.; Apriwandi, Yusriwandi, Mustika, W. S.; Zulkifli, Taslim, R.; Sugianto, Kurniasih, B.; Agustino, Dewi, P.

2018-02-01

The physical activation for the comparative study of carbon electrode synthesized for supercapacitor applications made from rubber wood sawdust has been performed successfully. Comparison of physical activation used in this research is based on the different gas activation such as CO2 and H2O. The CO2 and H2O activation are made by using an integrated carbonization and activation system. The carbonization process is performed in N2 atmosphere followed by CO2 and H2O activation process. The carbonization process at temperature of 600°C, the CO2 and H2O activation process at a temperature of 900°C and maintained at this condition for 2 h and 3 h. The electrochemical properties were analyzed using cyclic voltammetric (CV) method. The CV results show that the carbon electrode with CO2 activation has better capacitive properties than H2O, the highest specific capacitance obtained is 93.22 F/g for 3 h of activation time. In addition, the analysis of physical properties such as surface morphology and degree of crystallinity was also performed.

The study of the effect of Ba coverage through the accelerations lifetime of activated BaO/SrO cathodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashim, A.A.; Ray, A.K.; Hassan, A.K.; Barratt, D.S.

2005-01-01

A novel type of BaO/SrO oxide cathode with 5% addition of Ni powder by weight on a Ni cap containing an activating impurity was studied. The conductivity and the electron activation energy were studied as a function of temperature in the range of 300-1200 K after conversion and activation of the cathode at 1200 K for 1 h. The experimental results yield three values for the activation energy of 1.49, 2.23 and 3.3 eV, which are close to BaO band structure parameters with a small shift due to the effect of other oxide components and metallic fraction additions. The experiments furthermore confirm that the current density of the cathode was enhanced at high temperature range with the long operation. The conduction mechanisms observed a metallic conduction at low temperature after operation for several 100 h due to improvements in the Ba coverage layer on the grains of oxide layer. Additionally, there appears a qualified conduction stability of the current density J = 10-45 mA cm -2 at the acceleration temperature range of 1100-1150 K under the duty of low voltage. The low voltage duty V = 30 mV is focused on the conduction electrons faraway from the emission electrons

Effect of chemisorbed surface species on the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticulate films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Yaan; Yang Wensheng; Chen Yongmei; Du Hui; Yue, Polock

2004-01-01

TiO 2 sols prepared in acidic and basic medium were deposited into films by a spin coating method. Photodegradation experiments showed that photocatalytic activity of the films prepared from acidic sol was much higher than that from basic sol. It is identified that there are more chemisorbed species of CO 2 on the surface of the TiO 2 films from the basic sol than on the surface of the TiO 2 films from the acidic sol. The chemisorbed species of CO 2 reduce the concentration of active species such as hydroxyl group and bridging oxygen on surface of the TiO 2 film and contribute to the formation of surface electron traps in the band gap which are detrimental to charge separation, thus lowering the photocatalytic activity

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of LaMnO{sub 3} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaterian, Maryam, E-mail: shaterian@znu.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 45371-38791, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Enhessari, Morteza [Department of Chemistry, Islamic Azad University, Naragh Branch, Naragh, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rabbani, Davarkhah [Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Asghari, Morteza [Separation Processes Research Group (SPRG), Department of Engineering, University of Kashan, Kashan, PO Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Salavati-Niasari, Masoud [Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, Kashan, PO Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-11-01

Highlights: • Visible-light sensitive LaMnO3 nanoparticles were synthesized via sol–gel process. • Structural and optical properties of photocatalysts have been investigated. • The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the degradation of methyl orange as a model of pollutant. • The prepared nanocrystals showed good visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methyl orange. - Abstract: Visible-light sensitive LaMnO{sub 3} nanoparticles were synthesized via sol–gel process using stearic acid as complexing reagent. Characterizations of the resulting powders were carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Further, the photocatalytic activity of LaMnO{sub 3} was evaluated by degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution under visible-light irradiation. The prepared nanoparticles showed excellent visible-light photocatalytic ability for the degradation of methyl orange so that, 60 ppm of nanoparticles can decolorizes the methyl orange solution (6 ppm) up to 98% in 90 min.

Combustion synthesis and catalytic activity of LaCoO{sub 3} for HMX thermal decomposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Zhi-Xian; Chi, Ying-Nan [Department of Chemistry, Institute for Chemical Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology (China); Hu, Chang-Wen [State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science, Technology Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing (China); Liu, Hai-Yan [Department of Chemistry, Science Institute, North China University, Taiyuan, Shanxi (China)

2009-10-15

Perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} was prepared by stearic acid solution combustion method and characterized by XRD, DSC-TG, and XPS techniques. The catalytic activities of LaCoO{sub 3} for HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine) thermal decomposition were investigated. The as-prepared LaCoO{sub 3} shows higher activity than the calcined one. This could be due to higher concentration of surface-adsorbed oxygen and hydroxyl species as well as higher BET surface area of the as-prepared LaCoO{sub 3}. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Thermal evolution of structure and photocatalytic activity in polymer microsphere templated TiO{sub 2} microbowls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erdogan, Deniz Altunoz; Polat, Meryem [Department of Chemistry, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Garifullin, Ruslan; Guler, Mustafa O. [Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, National Nanotechnology Research Center (UNAM), Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Ozensoy, Emrah, E-mail: ozensoy@fen.bilkent.edu.tr [Department of Chemistry, Bilkent University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

2014-07-01

Polystyrene cross-linked divinyl benzene (PS-co-DVB) microspheres were used as an organic template in order to synthesize photocatalytic TiO{sub 2} microspheres and microbowls. Photocatalytic activity of the microbowl surfaces were demonstrated both in the gas phase via photocatalytic NO(g) oxidation by O{sub 2}(g) as well as in the liquid phase via Rhodamine B degradation. Thermal degradation mechanism of the polymer template and its direct influence on the TiO{sub 2} crystal structure, surface morphology, composition, specific surface area and the gas/liquid phase photocatalytic activity data were discussed in detail. With increasing calcination temperatures, spherical polymer template first undergoes a glass transition, covering the TiO{sub 2} film, followed by the complete decomposition of the organic template to yield TiO{sub 2} exposed microbowl structures. TiO{sub 2} microbowl systems calcined at 600 °C yielded the highest per-site basis photocatalytic activity. Crystallographic and electronic properties of the TiO{sub 2} microsphere surfaces as well as their surface area play a crucial role in their ultimate photocatalytic activity. It was demonstrated that the polymer microsphere templated TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts presented in the current work offer a promising and a versatile synthetic platform for photocatalytic DeNO{sub x} applications for air purification technologies.

Characterization of mammalian selenoprotein o: a redox-active mitochondrial protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Seong-Jeong; Lee, Byung Cheon; Yim, Sun Hee; Gladyshev, Vadim N; Lee, Seung-Rock

2014-01-01

Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO), the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells with 75Se, and it was abolished when selenocysteine was replaced with serine. A CxxU motif was identified in the C-terminal region of SelO. This protein was reversibly oxidized in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in HEK 293T cells when cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide. This treatment led to the formation of a transient 88 kDa SelO-containing complex. The formation of this complex was enhanced by replacing the CxxU motif with SxxC, but abolished when it was replaced with SxxS, suggesting a redox interaction of SelO with another protein through its Sec residue. SelO was localized to mitochondria and expressed across mouse tissues. Its expression was little affected by selenium deficiency, suggesting it has a high priority for selenium supply. Taken together, these results show that SelO is a redox-active mitochondrial selenoprotein.

Characterization of mammalian selenoprotein o: a redox-active mitochondrial protein.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seong-Jeong Han

Full Text Available Selenoproteins exhibit diverse biological functions, most of which are associated with redox control. However, the functions of approximately half of mammalian selenoproteins are not known. One such protein is Selenoprotein O (SelO, the largest mammalian selenoprotein with orthologs found in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria and yeast. Here, we report characterization of mammalian SelO. Expression of this protein could be verified in HEK 293T cells by metabolic labeling of cells with 75Se, and it was abolished when selenocysteine was replaced with serine. A CxxU motif was identified in the C-terminal region of SelO. This protein was reversibly oxidized in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in HEK 293T cells when cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide. This treatment led to the formation of a transient 88 kDa SelO-containing complex. The formation of this complex was enhanced by replacing the CxxU motif with SxxC, but abolished when it was replaced with SxxS, suggesting a redox interaction of SelO with another protein through its Sec residue. SelO was localized to mitochondria and expressed across mouse tissues. Its expression was little affected by selenium deficiency, suggesting it has a high priority for selenium supply. Taken together, these results show that SelO is a redox-active mitochondrial selenoprotein.

Removal of diethyl phthalate from water solution by adsorption, photo-oxidation, ozonation and advanced oxidation process (UV/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, O{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and O{sub 3}/activated carbon)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Medellin-Castillo, Nahum A. [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, Av. Dr. M. Nava No.6, San Luis de Potosi, 78290 (Mexico); Ocampo-Perez, Raul [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, 78290 (Mexico); Departamento de Quimica Inorganica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada (Spain); Leyva-Ramos, Roberto [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios de Posgrado, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi, San Luis Potosi, 78290 (Mexico); Sanchez-Polo, Manuel [Departamento de Quimica Inorganica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada (Spain); Rivera-Utrilla, Jose, E-mail: jrivera@ugr.es [Departamento de Quimica Inorganica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada (Spain); Mendez-Diaz, Jose D. [Departamento de Quimica Inorganica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada (Spain)

2013-01-01

The objective of this work was to compare the effectiveness of conventional technologies (adsorption on activated carbon, AC, and ozonation) and technologies based on advanced oxidation processes, AOPs, (UV/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, O{sub 3}/AC, O{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) to remove phthalates from aqueous solution (ultrapure water, surface water and wastewater). Diethyl phthalate (DEP) was chosen as a model pollutant because of its high water solubility (1080 mg/L at 293 K) and toxicity. The activated carbons showed a high adsorption capacity to adsorb DEP in aqueous solution (up to 858 mg/g), besides the adsorption mechanism of DEP on activated carbon is governed by dispersive interactions between {pi} electrons of its aromatic ring with {pi} electrons of the carbon graphene planes. The photodegration process showed that the pH solution does not significantly affect the degradation kinetics of DEP and the first-order kinetic model satisfactorily fitted the experimental data. It was observed that the rate of decomposition of DEP with the O{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and O{sub 3}/AC systems is faster than that with only O{sub 3}. The technologies based on AOPs (UV/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, O{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, O{sub 3}/AC) significantly improve the degradation of DEP compared to conventional technologies (O{sub 3}, UV). AC adsorption, UV/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, O{sub 3}/H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, and O{sub 3}/AC showed a high yield to remove DEP; however, the disadvantage of AC adsorption is its much longer time to reach maximum removal. The best system to treat water (ultrapure and natural) polluted with DEP is the O{sub 3}/AC one since it achieved the highest DEP degradation and TOC removal, as well as the lower water toxicity. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Activated carbons showed a high adsorption capacity (up to 858 mg/g) to remove DEP. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The pH solution did not significantly affect the photodegradation kinetics of DEP. Black

Shape-Enhanced Photocatalytic Activities of Thoroughly Mesoporous ZnO Nanofibers

KAUST Repository

Ren, Xiaolong

2016-06-24

1D mesoporous materials have attracted extensive interest recently, owning to their fascinating properties and versatile applications. However, it remains as a grand challenge to develop a simple and efficient technique to produce oxide nanofibers with mesoporous architectures, controlled morphologies, large surface areas, and optimal performances. In this work, a facile foaming-assisted electrospinning strategy with foaming agent of tea saponin is used to produce thoroughly mesoporous ZnO nanofibers with high purity and controlled morphology. Interestingly, mesoporous fibers with elliptical cross-section exhibit the significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity for hydrogen production, as compared to the counterparts with circular and rectangular cross-sections, and they also perform better than the commercial ZnO nanopowders. The unexpected shape dependence of photocatalytic activities is attributed to the different stacking modes of the mesoporous fibers, and a geometrical model is developed to account for the shape dependence. This work represents an important step toward producing thoroughly mesoporous ZnO nanofibers with tailored morphologies, and the discovery that fibers with elliptical cross-section render the best performance provides a valuable guideline for improving the photocatalytic performance of such mesoporous nanomaterials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Facile fabrication of porous ZnO by thermal treatment of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 and its photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Y. [College of Environment, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Industrial Water-Conservation and Emission Reduction, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009 (China); Chen, R.Z., E-mail: rizhichen@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Industrial Water-Conservation and Emission Reduction, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009 (China); Yao, J.F. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Vic 3800 (Australia); Wang, H.T., E-mail: huanting.wang@monash.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Vic 3800 (Australia)

2013-02-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Porous ZnO powders can be obtained by thermal decomposition of ZIF-8. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphology, structure and performance of porous ZnO can be controlled. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ZnO-500-5 exhibits efficient photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MB. - Abstract: In this work, porous ZnO photocatalysts were attempted to be prepared by a facile method, i.e. the thermal treatment of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8, and then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption. It was found that the calcination temperature and time significantly influenced the morphology, composition and pore structure of ZnO. The photocatalytic activities of as-prepared ZnO powders were evaluated in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light in comparison with commercial anatase TiO{sub 2} and Degussa P25 TiO{sub 2}. The surface area and crystallinity of porous ZnO obviously affected the photocatalytic activity of ZnO. The ZnO prepared at 500 Degree-Sign C for 5 h (ZnO-500-5) showed the highest photocatalytic activity, which was higher than that of the commercial anatase TiO{sub 2} and lower than that of Degussa P25 TiO{sub 2}.

EFFECT OF THE REDUCTION TEMPERATURE INTO CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF Ni SUPPORTED BY TiO2, AL2O2 AND TiO2/AL2O3 FOR CONVERSION CO2 INTO METHANE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hery Haerudin

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Nickel catalysts, containing 6% (w/w of nickel, have been prepared using TiO2, Al2O3 and mixture of TiO2-Al2O3 (1:9. The catalysts were used for CO2 conversion into methane. The characteristics of catalysts were studied by determination of its specific surface area, temperature programmed reaction technique and X-ray diffraction. The specific surface area were varied slightly by different temperature of reduction, namely after reduction at 300°C it was 39, 120 and 113 m2/g and after reduction at 400°C it was 42, 135  and 120 m2/g for 6% nickel catalysts supported on TiO2, Al2O3 and mixture of TiO2-Al2O3 (1:9 respectively. Temperature program reaction studies (TPO and TPR showed that NiTiOx species were possibly formed during the pretreatments which has shown by the shift of its peak to the lower temperature on Ni catalyst, that supported on mixture of TiO2-Al2O3 compared with catalysts supported on individual TiO2 or Al2O3. The nickel species on reduced Ni catalysts supported on TiO2 and on mixture of TiO2-Al2O3 could be detected by X-ray diffraction. The catalyst's activities toward CH4 formation were affected by the reduction temperature. Activity for CH4 formation was decreased in the following order: Ni/ TiO2 > Ni/ TiO2: Al2O3 > Ni/ Al2O3 and Ni/ TiO2: Al2O3 > Ni/ TiO2> Ni/ Al2O3, when catalysts were reduced at 300°C or 400°C respectively. The CO2 conversion was decreased in the following order: Ni/ Al2O3 > Ni/ TiO2: Al2O3 > Ni/ TiO2 when catalysts were reduced at 300°C or 400°C respectively.   Keywords: nickel catalyst, carbondioxide, methane

Structural Necessity of Indole C5-O-Substitution of seco-Duocarmycin Analogs for Their Cytotoxic Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taeyoung Choi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available A series of racemic indole C5-O-substituted seco-cyclopropylindole (seco-CI compounds 1-5 were prepared by coupling in the presence of EDCI of 1-(tert-butyloxycarbonyl-3-(chloromethylindoline (seg-A with 5-hydroxy-, 5-O-methylsulfonyl, 5-O-aminosulfonyl, 5-O-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl- and 5-O-benzyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid as seg-B. Compounds 1-5 were tested for cytotoxic activity against four human cancer cell lines (COLO 205, SK-MEL-2, A549, and JEG-3 using a MTT assay. Compounds 2 and 3 with small sized sulfonyl substituents like 5-O-methylsulfonyl and 5-O-aminosulfonyl exhibit a similar level of activity as doxorubicin against all cell lines tested.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of C@ZnO core-shell nanostructures and its photoluminescence property

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Tao; Yu, Shanwen; Fang, Xiaoxin; Huang, Honghong; Li, Lun [School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan (China); Wang, Xiuyuan [College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan (China); Wang, Huihu, E-mail: wanghuihu@mail.hbut.edu.cn [School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan (China); Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Green Materials for Light Industry, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan (China)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • C@ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal carbonization method. • Glucose content has a great influence on the microstructure of C@ZnO nanostructures. • An ultrathin amorphous carbon layer enhances the adsorption capacity of C@ZnO. • C@ZnO nanostructures exhibit the improved photocatalytic activity and stability. - Abstract: An ultrathin layer of amorphous carbon coated C@ZnO core-shell nanostructures were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal carbonization process using glucose as precursor in this work. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy (DRS) were used for the characterization of as-prepared samples. Photoluminescence (PL) properties of C@ZnO samples were investigated using PL spectroscopy. The microstructure analysis results show that the glucose content has a great influence on the size, morphology, crystallinity and surface chemical states of C@ZnO nanostructures. Moreover, the as-prepared C@ZnO core-shell nanostructures exhibit the enhanced photocatalytic activity and good photostability for methyl orange dye degradation due to its high adsorption ability and its improved optical characteristics.

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of porous WO3/TiO2 hollow microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Liuyang; Si, Zhichun; Weng, Duan; Yao, Youwei

2014-01-01

Porous WO 3 /TiO 2 hollow microspheres were prepared by a spray drying method for photodegradation of methylene blue and phenol. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope, N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements, Raman spectrometer, UV–Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Zeta-Meter measurements. The results showed that the tungsten oxides mainly existed in highly dispersed amorphous form on anatase when the loading amount of tungsten oxide was below 3 mol%. The improved photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation of the WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst mainly arises from the enhanced charge separation efficiency rather than the improved light absorbance by highly dispersed amorphous tungsten oxides. Highly dispersed amorphous WO x can form a shallowly trapped site due to its similar band structure with TiO 2 . The strongly electron-withdrawing of tungsten oxide in highly dispersed state facilitates the electron transition between titanium and WO x , and consequently improves the charge separation. The enhanced acidity of catalyst by WO x in reactant environment also improved the charge separation efficiency due to the timely transition of holes and electrons accumulated on TiO 2 and WO x , respectively. However, the improved photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation of the WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst mainly arises from light harvest. TiO 2 containing 3 mol% WO 3 displayed the highest photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation while that containing 4 mol% WO 3 present highest activity under visible light irradiation

High quantum yield graphene quantum dots decorated TiO_2 nanotubes for enhancing photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qu, Ailan; Xie, Haolong; Xu, Xinmei; Zhang, Yangyu; Wen, Shengwu; Cui, Yifan

2016-01-01

Highlights: • High concentration yellow GQDs and TiO_2 nanotubes were achieved by a simple and green method. • High quantum yield GQDs enhanced the photodegradation capacity of TiO_2 nanotube. • The catalytic performance of GQDs/TiO_2 depends on the GQDs loading. • The improved photocatalytic activity of GQDs/TiO_2 was attributed to three aspects. - Abstract: Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with high quantum yield (about 23.6% at an excitation wavelength of 320 nm) and GQDs/TiO_2 nanotubes (GQDs/TiO_2 NTs) composites were achieved by a simple hydrothermal method at low temperature. Photoluminescence characterization showed that the GQDs exhibited the down-conversion PL features at excitation from 300 to 420 nm and up-conversion photoluminescence in the range of 600–800 nm. The photocatalytic activity of prepared GQDs/TiO_2 NTs composites on the degradation of methyl orange (MO) was significantly enhanced compared with that of pure TiO_2 nanotubes (TiO_2 NTs). For the composites coupling with 1.5%, 2.5% and 3.5% GQDs, the degradation of MO after 20 min irradiation under UV–vis light irradiation (λ = 380–780 nm) were 80.52%, 94.64% and 51.91%, respectively, which are much higher than that of pure TiO_2 NTs (35.41%). It was inferred from the results of characterization that the improved photocatalytic activity of the GQDs/TiO_2 NTs composites was attributed to the synergetic effect of up-conversion properties of the GQDs, enhanced visible light absorption and efficient separation of photogenerated electron-holes of the GQDs/TiO_2 composite.

CuO nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity against nosocomial strains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mónica Marcela Gómez León

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Using a prototype reactor, CuO nanoparticles (NPs were synthetized through the precipitation method, starting from CuSO2·5H2O and Cu(CH3COO2·H2O. The obtained NPs were characterized by XDR, FT-IR, SEM, and TEM. The antimicrobial activity of the NPs was determined by the plate diffusion method, placing 20 mg of NPs onto four nosocomial strains obtained from north Lima national hospital Intensive-Care Unit (Staphylococcus epidermidis, Aerococcus viridans, Ochrobactrum anthropic, and Micrococcus lylae. NPs characterization revealed that those synthetized from acetate (CuO–Acet shown pure CuO phase, while those synthetized from sulphate CuO–Sulf shown two phases where CuO was the predominant one, having more than 84%. The crystal domains for CuO–Acet and CuO–Sulf were 15 and 19 nm, respectively. The inhibition halos for the studied strains were larger for CuO–Sulf NPs than CuO–Acet NPs, only Ochrobactrum anthropi displayed similar inhibition halos for both types of NPs.

Activity and deactivation of sulphated TiO2- and ZrO2-based V, Cu, and Fe oxide catalysts for NO abatement in alkali containing flue gases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kustov, Arkadii; Rasmussen, Søren Birk; Fehrmann, Rasmus

2007-01-01

Vanadia, copper and iron oxide catalysts supported on conventional TiO2, ZrO2, and sulphated-TiO2 and ZrO2 have been prepared. These catalysts were characterized by elemental analysis, N-2-BET, XRD, and NH3-TPD methods. The influence of potassium oxide additives on the acidity and activity...... of the catalysts with potassium leads to a considerable decrease of their catalytic activity. In the case of the traditional carriers (TiO2, ZrO2), the poisoning of the catalyst with small amounts of potassium oxide (K/metal ratio...

Effects of pO2 on the activation of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors by NO: a cautionary note.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheong, Eunji; Tumbev, Vassil; Stoyanovsky, Detcho; Salama, Guy

2005-11-01

Eu et al., reported that O2 dynamically controls the redox state of 6-8 out of 50 thiols per skeletal ryanodine receptor (RyR1) subunit and thereby tunes the response of Ca2+-release channels to authentic nitric oxide (NO) [J.P. Eu, J. Sun, L. Xu, J.S. Stamler, G. Meissner, The skeletal muscle calcium release channel: coupled O2 sensor and NO signaling functions, Cell 102 (2000) 499-509]. A role for O2 was based on the observation that RyR1 can be activated by submicromolar NO at physiological ( approximately 10 mmHg) but not ambient (approximately 150 mmHg) pO2. At ambient pO2, these critical thiols were oxidized but incubation at low pO2 reset the redox state of these thiols, closed RyR1 channels and made these thiols available for nitrosation by low NO concentrations. Eu et al., postulated the existence of a redox/O2sensor that couples channel activity to NO and pO2 and explained that "the nature of the 'redox/O2 sensor' that couples channel activity to intracellular redox chemistry is a mystery". Here, we re-examined the effect of pO2 on RyR1 and find that incubation of RyR1 at low pO2 did not alter channel activity and NO (0.5-50 microM) failed to activate RyR1 despite a wide range of pO2 pre-incubation conditions. We show that low levels of NO do not activate RyR1, do not reverse the inhibition of RyR1 by calmodulin (CaM) even at physiological pO2. Similarly, the pre-incubation of SR vesicles in low pO2 (for 10-80 min) did not inhibit channel activity or sensitization of RyR1 to NO. We discuss the significance of these findings and propose that caution should be taken when considering a role for pO2 and nitrosation by NO as mechanisms that tune RyRs in striated muscles.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity and synthesis of ZnO nanorods/MoS2 composites

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hui; Shen, Hao; Duan, Libing; Liu, Ruidi; Li, Qiang; Zhang, Qian; Zhao, Xiaoru

2018-05-01

A stable and recyclable organic degradation catalyst based on MoS2 functionalized ZnO nanorods was introduced. ZnO nanorods were synthesized on the glass substrates (2 cm*2 cm) by sol-gel method and hydrothermal method and functionalized with MoS2 via an argon flow annealing method. The structure and morphology of the as-prepared samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. Results showed that a small amount of MoS2 was successfully wrapped on the surfaces of ZnO nanorods. XPS analyses showed the existence of Zn-S between ZnO and MoS2, indicating that the MoS2 was combined with ZnO through chemical bonds and formed the ZnO/MoS2 heterostructure. PL results revealed that ZnO/MoS2 had lower fluorescence spectra indicating an electron transport channel between ZnO and MoS2 which separated electrons and holes. Photocatalytic experiment showed that ZnO/MoS2 composites showed a better photodegradation performance of Rhodamine B (RhB) after functionalized with MoS2 under the UV light irradiation which could be attributed to the separation and transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes between ZnO and MoS2. Meanwhile, the high active adsorption sites on the edges of MoS2 also accelerated the degradation process. Furthermore, the scavengers were used to investigate the major active species and results indicated that h+ was the major reactive species for the degradation.

Antifungal activity of multifunctional Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Ag nanocolloids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chudasama, Bhupendra, E-mail: bnchudasama@thapar.ed [School of Physics and Materials Science, Thapar University, Patiala 147004 (India); Vala, Anjana K.; Andhariya, Nidhi [Department of Physics, Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar 364022 (India); Upadhyay, R.V. [P.D. Patel Institute of Applied Sciences, Charotar University of Science and Technology, Changa 388421 (India); Mehta, R.V. [Department of Physics, Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar 364022 (India)

2011-05-15

In recent years, rapid increase has been observed in the population of microbes that are resistant to conventionally used antibiotics. Antifungal drug therapy is no exception and now resistance to many of the antifungal agents in use has emerged. Therefore, there is an inevitable and urgent medical need for antibiotics with novel antimicrobial mechanisms. Aspergillus glaucus is the potential cause of fatal brain infections and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in immunocompromised patients and leads to death despite aggressive multidrug antifungal therapy. In the present article, we describe the antifungal activity of multifunctional core-shell Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Ag nanocolloids against A. glaucus isolates. Controlled experiments are also carried out with Ag nanocolloids in order to understand the role of core (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) in the antifungal action. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of nanocolloids is determined by the micro-dilution method. MIC of A. glaucus is 2000 {mu}g/mL. The result is quite promising and requires further investigations in order to develop a treatment methodology against this death causing fungus in immunocompromised patients. - Research Highlights: Synthesis of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Ag core-shell nanocolloids. Antifungal activity of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Ag nanocolloids against Aspergillus glaucus isolates. The MIC value for A. glaucus is 2000 {mu}g/mL. Antifungal activity is better or comparable with most prominent antibiotics.

TiO2 nanotubes supported NiW hydrodesulphurization catalysts: Characterization and activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palcheva, R.; Dimitrov, L.; Tyuliev, G.; Spojakina, A.; Jiratova, K.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► NiW catalysts supported on TiO 2 nanotubes, titania and alumina. ► The best results are obtained with NiW/TiO 2 nanotubes in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of thiophene. ► Active phase is Ni-WO x S y . ► Electronic promotion of W by Ti. - Abstract: High surface area TiO 2 nanotubes (Ti-NT) synthesized by alkali hydrothermal method were used as a support for NiW hydrodesulphurization catalyst. Nickel salt of 12-tungstophosphoric acid – Ni 3/2 PW 12 O 40 was applied as oxide precursor of the active components. The catalyst was characterized by S BET , XRD, UV–vis DRS, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TPR and HRTEM. The results obtained were compared with those for the NiW catalysts prepared over high surface area titania and alumina supports. A polytungstate phase evidenced by Raman spectroscopy was observed indicating the destruction of the initial heteropolyanion. The catalytic experiments revealed two times higher thiophene conversion on NiW catalyst supported on Ti-NT than those of catalysts supported on alumina and titania. Increased HDS activity of the NiW catalyst supported on Ti-NT could be related to a higher amount of W oxysulfide entities interacting with Ni sulfide particles as consequence of the electronic effects of the Ti-NT observed with XPS analysis.

Azadirachta indica (neem) leaves mediated synthesis of SnO2/NiO nanocomposite and assessment of its photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Varshney, Bhaskar; Shoeb, Mohd; Siddiqui, M. J.; Azam, Ameer; Mobin, Mohammad

2018-05-01

SnO2/NiO nanocomposite are prepared by using a simple cost effective and ecofriendly green soft template method followed by ultrasonication treatment further by calcination at 300 °C. The resulting nanocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SnO2-NiO photocatalyst was made of a mesoporous network of aggregated NiO and cassiterite SnO2 nanocrystallites, the size of which was estimated to be 16.68 nm and 13.17 nm, respectively, after calcination. According to UV-visible spectroscopy, the evident energy band gap value of the SnO2-NiO photocatalyst was estimated to be 3.132 eV to be compared with those of pure SnO2, that is, 3.7 eV. Moreover, the heterostructure SnO2-NiO photocatalyst showed much higher photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methylene blue than those of individual SnO2 and NiO nanomaterials. This behaviour was rationalized in terms of better charge separation and the suppression of charge recombination in the SnO2-NiO photocatalyst because of the energy difference between the conduction band edges of SnO2 and NiO as evidenced by the band alignment determination. Finally, this mesoporous SnO2-NiO heterojunction nanocatalyst was stable and could be easily recycled several times opening new avenues for potential industrial applications.

PENGUJIAN AKTIVITAS KOMPOSIT Fe2O3-SiO2 SEBAGAI FOTOKATALIS PADA FOTODEGRADASI 4-KLOROFENOL (The Activity Test of Fe2O3-SiO2 Composite As Photocatalyst on 4-Chlorophenol Photodegradation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eko Sri Kunarti

2009-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRAK  Pada penelitian ini telah dilakukan pengujian aktivitas komposit Fe2O3-SiO2 sebagai fotokatalis pada fotodegradasi 4-klorofenol. Penelitian diawali dengan preparasi dan karakterisasi fotokatalis Fe2O3-SiO2. Preparasi dilakukan dengan metode sol-gel pada temperatur kamar menggunakan tetraetil ortosilikat (TEOS dan besi (III nitrat sebagai prekursor diikuti dengan perlakuan termal pada temperature 500 oC. Karakterisasi dilakukan dengan metode spektrometri inframerah, difraksi sinar-X dan spektrometri fluoresensi sinar-X. Uji aktivitas komposit untuk fotodegradasi 4-klorofenol dilakukan dalam reaktor tertutup yang dilengkapi dengan lampu UV. Pada uji ini telah dipelajari pengaruh waktu penyinaran dan pH larutan terhadap efektivitas fotodegradasi 4-klorofenol. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa komposit Fe2O3-SiO2 dapat dipreparasi dengan metode sol-gel pada temperatur kamar diikuti perlakuan termal. Komposit Fe2O3-SiO2 dapat meningkatkan efektivitas fotodegradasi 4-klorofenol dari 11,86 % menjadi 55,38 %. Efektivitas fotodegradasi 4- klorofenol dipengaruhi waktu penyinaran dan pH larutan yang semakin lama waktu penyinaran efektifitas fotodegradasi semakin tinggi, namun waktu penyinaran yang lebih lama dari 4 jam dapat menurunkan efektivitasnya. pH larutan memberikan pengaruh yang berbeda-beda pada efektivitas fotodegradasi 4-klorofenol.   ABSTRACT The activity test of Fe2O3-SiO2 composite as photocatalyst on 4-chlorophenol photodegradation has been studied. The research was initiated by preparation of Fe2O3-SiO2 photocatalyst and followed by characterization. The preparation was conducted by sol-gel method at room temperature using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS and iron (III nitrate as precursors followed by thermal treatment at a temperature of 500oC. The characterizations were performed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Infrared and X-ray Fluorescence Spectrophotometry. The photocatalytic activity test of composites for 4 chlorophenol

Facile preparation of well-combined lignin-based carbon/ZnO hybrid composite with excellent photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Huan; Qiu, Xueqing; Liu, Weifeng; Yang, Dongjie

2017-12-01

In this work, a novel lignin-based carbon/ZnO (LC/ZnO) hybrid composite with excellent photocatalytic performance was prepared through a convenient and environment friendly method using alkali lignin (AL) as carbon source. The morphological, microstructure and optical properties of the as-prepared LC/ZnO hybrid composite was characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and UV-vis. The resulting LC/ZnO hybrid is composed of highly dispersed ZnO nanoparticles embedded on a lignin-based carbon nanosheet, showing excellent photogenerated electrons and holes separation and migration efficiency. The photocatalytic activity of LC/ZnO was much higher than the pure ZnO. The LC/ZnO hybrid composite showed different photocatalytic mechanism for degradation of negative methyl orange (MO) and positive Rhodamine B (RhB). It showed that h+ was the main photocatalytic active group during the degradation of MO, ·O2- and ·OH were the photocatalytic active groups during degradation of RhB. This reported photocatalyst with selective degradation of positive and negative organic dyes may have a great application prospect for photoelectric conversion and catalytic materials. Results of this work were of practical importance for high-valued utilization of lignin for carbon materials.

Facile preparation of squarylium dye sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and their enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Zhongyu, E-mail: zhongyuli@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Changzhou Expansion New Stuff Technology Limited Company, Changzhou 213122 (China); Fang, Yongling [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Zhan, Xueqiu [Department of Basic Courses, Wuxi Institute of Technology, Wuxi 214121 (China); Xu, Song [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China)

2013-07-05

Highlights: •ISQ dye sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were prepared via a facile solution method. •ISQ/TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibited significantly enhanced visible light activity. •ISQ/TiO{sub 2} showed high visible light photocatalytic activity over MB decomposition. •ISQ/TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibited good photocatalytic stability. -- Abstract: A squarylium dye, 1,3-bis[(3,3-dimethylindolin-2-ylidene)methyl]squaraine (ISQ) sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles photocatalysts with different mass ratio of ISQ to TiO{sub 2} were facilely prepared by blending ISQ and TiO{sub 2} in ethanol solution. The resulting composite photocatalysts were characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscope (DRS). The visible light photocatalytic activities of ISQ sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were evaluated using the degradation of methylene blue (MB) as a photodegradation target. The results showed that photo-response of the ISQ sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were remarkably extended to visible-light region, and the ISQ dye sensitized TiO{sub 2} exhibited significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. The maximum photocatalytic activity of the ISQ sensitized TiO{sub 2} was found at a composite photocatalyst (mass ratio of ISQ to TiO{sub 2} was 1:3), and its degradation efficiency of MB reached approximately 98% in 2 h under visible light irradiation. Furthermore, a possible mechanism for the photocatalytic oxidative degradation was also proposed.

Inhibition of FoxO transcriptional activity prevents muscle fiber atrophy during cachexia and induces hypertrophy

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Sarah A.; Sandesara, Pooja B.; Senf, Sarah M.; Judge, Andrew R.

2012-01-01

Cachexia is characterized by inexorable muscle wasting that significantly affects patient prognosis and increases mortality. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of this muscle wasting is of significant importance. Recent work showed that components of the forkhead box O (FoxO) pathway are increased in skeletal muscle during cachexia. In the current study, we tested the physiological significance of FoxO activation in the progression of muscle atrophy associated with cachexia. FoxO-DNA binding dependent transcription was blocked in the muscles of mice through injection of a dominant negative (DN) FoxO expression plasmid prior to inoculation with Lewis lung carcinoma cells or the induction of sepsis. Expression of DN FoxO inhibited the increased mRNA levels of atrogin-1, MuRF1, cathepsin L, and/or Bnip3 and inhibited muscle fiber atrophy during cancer cachexia and sepsis. Interestingly, during control conditions, expression of DN FoxO decreased myostatin expression, increased MyoD expression and satellite cell proliferation, and induced fiber hypertrophy, which required de novo protein synthesis. Collectively, these data show that FoxO-DNA binding-dependent transcription is necessary for normal muscle fiber atrophy during cancer cachexia and sepsis, and further suggest that basal levels of FoxO play an important role during normal conditions to depress satellite cell activation and limit muscle growth.—Reed, S. A., Sandesara, P. B., Senf, S. F., Judge, A. R. Inhibition of FoxO transcriptional activity prevents muscle fiber atrophy during cachexia and induces hypertrophy. PMID:22102632

Preparation and antibacterial activity of Ag–TiO 2 composite film by ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

From these analyses, it was found that silver ions were trapped in TiO2 matrix and their reduction could be achieved at 600°C annealing temperature. The antibacterial activity against S. aureus and . coli has been studied applying the so called antibacterial-drop test. The Ag–TiO2 thin films exhibited a high antibacterial ...

SCR activity of conformed CuOx/ZrO2-SO4 catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Søren Birk; Yates, Malcolm; Due-Hansen, Johannes

2010-01-01

CuOX/ZrO2-SO4 catalysts have been synthesised as conformed materials with the use of sepiolite as agglomerant and the performance in the NH3-SCR reaction with relation to biomass fired boiler units have been studied. The optimal Cu-loading of the catalysts is 3 wt.% CuO, both in terms of activity...

Efficient degradation of carbamazepine by easily recyclable microscaled CuFeO{sub 2} mediated heterogeneous activation of peroxymonosulfate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Yaobin, E-mail: yaobinding@mail.scuec.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074 (China); Tang, Hebin [College of Pharmacy, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074 (China); Zhang, Shenghua; Wang, Songbo [Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074 (China); Tang, Heqing, E-mail: tangheqing@mail.scuec.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environmental Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074 (China)

2016-11-05

Highlights: • CuFeO{sub 2} microparticles were prepared by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. • CuFeO{sub 2} microparticles efficiently catalyzed the activation of peroxymonosulfate. • Quenching experiments confirmed sulfate radicals as the major reactive radicals. • Carbamazepine was rapidly degraded by micro-CuFeO{sub 2}/peroxymonosulfate. • Feasibility of CuFeO{sub 2}/peroxymonosulfate was tested for treatment of actual water. - Abstract: Microscaled CuFeO{sub 2} particles (micro-CuFeO{sub 2}) were rapidly prepared via a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the micro-CuFeO{sub 2} was of pure phase and a rhombohedral structure with size in the range of 2.8 ± 0.6 μm. The micro-CuFeO{sub 2} efficiently catalyzed the activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to generate sulfate radicals (SO{sub 4}·−), causing the fast degradation of carbamazepine (CBZ). The catalytic activity of micro-CuFeO{sub 2} was observed to be 6.9 and 25.3 times that of micro-Cu{sub 2}O and micro-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, respectively. The enhanced activity of micro-CuFeO{sub 2} for the activation of PMS was confirmed to be attributed to synergistic effect of surface bonded Cu(I) and Fe(III). Sulfate radical was the primary radical species responsible for the CBZ degradation. As a microscaled catalyst, micro-CuFeO{sub 2} can be easily recovered by gravity settlement and exhibited improved catalytic stability compared with micro-Cu{sub 2}O during five successive degradation cycles. Oxidative degradation of CBZ by the couple of PMS/CuFeO{sub 2} was effective in the studied actual aqueous environmental systems.

Synthesis and characterization of novel mesocomposites Co3O4 and CuO@OMS (ordered mesoporous silica) as active catalysts for hydrocarbon oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Comănescu, Cezar

2014-03-01

Novel metal nanoporous transition metal oxides M x O y (Co3O4, CuO) have been synthesized by thermal decomposition of inorganic salts precursors (acetates, nitrates) impregnated into hexagonal mesoporous silica (OMS, ordered mesoporous silica) of SBA-15 type (prepared in-house) at different precursor loadings, the mesocomposites thus obtained being monitored after each impregnation-calcination step by small and wide angle powder XRD. The pore size for the ordered silica host range from 5.08 to 7.06 nm. Retention of the hexagonal silica framework has been observed in spite of the temperatures up to 500 °C. Mesoporous Co3O4 has been obtained by leaching the silica through overnight HF dissolution, which partially preserved the small-range ordering found in the parent Co3O4@OMS composite prior to leaching. Both Co3O4 ( meso) and Co3O4@SBA-15 have been tested in methane oxidation and were found to be superior to the bulk Co3O4 performance, with mesoporous Co3O4 being able to fully oxidize methane to CO2 and H2O at 350 °C, while Co3O4@OMS exhibits a lower activity with 20 % conversion at 350 °C. CuO@OMS shows the lowest activity, with only 13 % conversion at 500 °C.

Ag-loaded TiO2/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasilaki, E.; Georgaki, I.; Vernardou, D.; Vamvakaki, M.; Katsarakis, N.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ag nanoparticles were loaded on TiO 2 by chemical reduction. • TiO 2 /Ag and TiO 2 samples were deposited on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). • Their performance was evaluated via methylene blue removal under visible-light. • TiO 2 /Ag/rGO presented superior activity compared to TiO 2 , TiO 2 /Ag and TiO 2 /rGO. - Abstract: In this work, Ag nanoparticles were loaded by chemical reduction onto TiO 2 P25 under different loadings ranging from 1 up to 4 wt% and hydrothermally deposited on reduced graphene oxide sheets. Chemical reduction was determined to be an effective preparation approach for Ag attachment to titania, leading to the formation of small silver nanoparticles with an average diameter of 4.2 nm. The photocatalytic performance of the hybrid nanocomposite materials was evaluated via methylene blue (MB) dye removal under visible-light irradiation. The rate of dye decolorization was found to depend on the metal loading, showing an increase till a threshold value of 3 wt%, above which the rate drops. Next, the as prepared sample of TiO 2 /Ag of better photocatalytic response, i.e., at a 3 wt% loading value, was hydrothermally deposited on a platform of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) of tunable content (mass ratio). TiO 2 /Ag/rGO coupled nanocomposite presented significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to the TiO 2 /Ag, TiO 2 /rGO composites and bare P25 titania semiconductor photocatalysts. In particular, after 45 min of irradiation almost complete decolorization of the dye was observed for the TiO 2 /Ag/rGO nanocatalyst, while the respective removal efficiency was 92% for TiO 2 /Ag, 93% for TiO 2 /rGO and only 80% for the bare TiO 2 nanoparticles. This simple step by step preparation strategy allows for optimum exploitation of the advanced properties of metal plasmonic effect and reduced graphene oxide as the critical host for boosting the overall photocatalytic activity towards visible-light.

TiO2/carbon nanotube hybrid nanostructures: Solvothermal synthesis and their visible light photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Lihong; Ye Liqun; Deng Kejian; Zan Ling

2011-01-01

MWCNT/TiO 2 hybrid nanostructures were prepared via solvothermal synthesis and sol-gel method with benzyl alcohol as a surfactant. As-prepared hybrid materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that MWCNTs were uniformly decorated with anatase nanocrystals in solvothermal condition, but MWCNTs were embedded in a majority of TiO 2 nanoparticles by sol-gel method. When the weight ratio of MWCNTs to TiO 2 was 20%, MWCNT/TiO 2 hybrid nanostructures prepared by solvothermal synthesis exhibited higher visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity than that prepared by sol-gel method. Post-annealing of MWCNT/TiO 2 nanostructures at 400 deg. C resulted in the formation of the carbonaceous Ti-C bonds on the interface between TiO 2 and MWCNTs, which enhanced the photoabsorbance of the hybrid materials in the visible light region and improved the visible-light degradation efficiency of methylene blue. - Graphical abstract: MWCNT/TiO 2 nanostructures have been prepared by solvothermal method, which exhibited higher visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity than that prepared by sol-gel method. The carbonaceous Ti-C bonds on the interface between TiO 2 and MWCNTs enhanced the photoabsorbance of the hybrid materials in the visible light region. Highlights: → Anatase TiO 2 nanoparticles were anchored on CNTs surface uniformly via solvothermal method → The morphology facilitated the electron transfer between CNTs and TiO 2 → Ti-C bonds extended the absorption of MWCNT/TiO 2 to the whole visible light region. → The hybrid nanostructures showed enhanced visible-light induced photocatalytic activity.

Synthesis of mesoporous TiO2 in aqueous alcoholic medium and evaluation of its photocatalytic activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumaresan, L.; Prabhu, A.; Palanichamy, M.; Murugesan, V.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Mesoporous TiO 2 synthesized using P123 as soft template in sol-gel method. → Nanoparticle aggregates are better for photocatalytic activity than free nanoparticles. → Particle to particle transport of electrons in the conduction band of aggregates are important factor. - Abstract: Mesoporous TiO 2 was synthesized using triblock copolymer as the structure directing template in ethanol/water, isopropanol/water or 1-butanol/water medium by sol-gel method. The presence of intense peak at low angle in the XRD patterns confirmed the orderly arrangement of mesopores in the material. Among the three different alcohols, ethanol had influenced better in controlling the particle size than others. The enhanced specific surface area also revealed the formation of mesopores. Aggregates of particles were clearly seen in the TEM images and the size of the particles was approximately 10 nm. The photocatalytic activity of mesoporous TiO 2 was evaluated using aqueous alachlor as a model pollutant. The activity of mesoporous TiO 2 synthesized in ethanol/water mole ratio of 50 was higher than other mesoporous TiO 2 and commercial TiO 2 (Degussa P-25). The transport of excited electrons from one particle to its neighboring nanoparticles of mesoporous TiO 2 is suggested to be the cause for enhanced photocatalytic activity.

Interfacial effects of the Cu{sub 2}O nano-dots decorated Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanorods array and its photocatalytic activity for cleaving organic molecules