Search

Transition-metal (TM)-ion-doped TiO2 materials are of great importance for photocatalysis- and photoelectrochemical (PEC)-related applications. We introduced a facile, low-cost, and scalable doping method of TM ions (Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, etc.) into TiO2 nanotubes (NTs), while maintaining their high-ordered tubular structures (with ∼120 nm outside diameter). Both crystallization and doping processes were simultaneously accomplished in aqueous solution at a temperature as low as ∼90 °C, and the fastest doping process could be accomplished in 30 min for Fe doping. Besides, the surface areas of the doped TiO2 NTs were increased to 129.0 m2/g, and their absorption ranges could be expanded from 380 to >500 nm. This study shed light on a facile method for doping TM ions that is extendable to other semiconductors in the field of PEC water splitting and could improve their efficiencies as well.

Heterostructured TiO2 materials are of great importance in electronic and photochemical related applications. We report herein a simple, low-cost, and scalable fabrication of metal oxides heterostructured TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) through a combined strategy of thermal decomposition and crystallization. Various MxOy/TiO2 heterostructured films (M = Zn, Ce, Cu, Cr...) were obtained by using TiO2 NTAs as “nano-containers” as well as “nano-reactors”, while using M(CH3COO)x solutions as the precursors. SEM, XRD, EDS results demonstrated that Cu2O/TiO2 NTAs, ZnO/TiO2 NTAs, Cr2O3/TiO2 NTAs, and CeO2/TiO2 NTAs were successfully fabricated. Photocatalytic results revealed that the heterostructured MxOy/TiO2 films could either enhance the UV photocatalytic activities or enable the visible light photocatalytic activities of the TiO2 NTAs. This study provides a facile general approach to prepare MxOy/TiO2 NTAs films, which could be very useful for environmental and energy areas.

LiZn ferrite ceramics with high saturation magnetization (4πMs) and low ferromagnetic resonance line widths (ΔH) represent a very critical class of material for microwave ferrite devices. Many existing approaches emphasize promotion of the grain growth (average size is 10–50 μm) of ferrite ceramics to improve the gyromagnetic properties at relatively low sintering temperatures. This paper describes a new strategy for obtaining uniform and compact LiZn ferrite ceramics (average grains size is ∼2 μm) with enhanced magnetic performance by suppressing grain growth in great detail. The LiZn ferrites with a formula of Li0.415Zn0.27Mn0.06Ti0.1Fe2.155O4 were prepared by solid reaction routes with two new sintering strategies. Interestingly, results show that uniform, compact, and pure spinel ferrite ceramics were synthesized at a low temperature (∼850 °C) without obvious grain growth. We also find that a fast second sintering treatment (FSST) can further improve their gyromagnetic properties, such as higher 4πMs ...

Transition-metal (TM)-ion-doped TiO

A magnetite/iron foil (MIF) composite was synthesized as a heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst. The MIF catalyst effectively degraded Rhodamine B under neutral conditions (degradation efficiency = 86%), avoiding the procedure of pH adjustment. The MIF catalyst could be conveniently recycled without filtration, and the advantages of the stability and reusability of a MIF catalyst made it promising in practical wastewater treatment.

Heterostructured TiO