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Novel composite sub-micron fibers materials, consisting of superfine powdered diatomite (SPD) and fibrous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), were fabricated by electrospinning. SPD was obtained after high energy ball milling for 6h high energy ball milling with 10% (wt%) Polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as dispersant. The diameters of SPD (400 nm–1000 nm) were 30 times less than that of the normal powdered diatomite particles, and SPD also had pores inside based on Rhodamine B (RhB) micro-pollutant. The composite sub-micron fibers were composed by three dimensional networks from PVA sub-micron fibers, on which SPD particles were randomly attached on. The composite sub-micron fibers exhibited excellent mechanical behavior and stable thermal decomposition property in the temperature from 275 °C to 300 °C. Comparing with PVA sub-micron fibers, SPD-PVA composite sub-micron fibers possess extra 36% adsorption capacity to RhB, which was due to 48.5% (wt%) of SPD in fibers. Conserving the adsorptive functionality of SPD particles in electrospinning non-woven polymeric fiber, could enable them to be used in the fields of adsorbants. Image 1 • Electrospinning non-woven PVA sub-micron fibers with superfine powdered diatomite are fabricated. • SPD is mostly attached on the PVA sub-micron fibers surface, a small part of which is embedded in the PVA sub-micron fibers. • The electrospinning composite membrane displays good mechanical properties and thermal stability. • Composition of SPD-PVA composite sub-micron fibers show a synergistic increase in adsorption of Rhodamine B from acetone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sm3+-doped barium stannate (BaSnO 3 :Sm3+) down-conversion particle was prepared via a sol-gel method with SnCl 4 ·5H 2 O, BaCO 3 and Sm(NO 3) 3 as raw materials followed by an annealing process. Differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the formation of BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ nanocrystals with a typical perovskite structure. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicated that the as-prepared BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ nanocrystals could convert UV-light to yellow light at 587 nm and effectively widen the spectra response ranges of the DSSC to the ultraviolet region. The photoelectric properties of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ photo-anodes were also investigated. The BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ down-conversion photo-anodes showed a much greater photovoltaic efficiency compared with the photo-anode of BaSnO 3 without rear earth (RE). The photoelectric conversion efficiency of the DSSCs based on BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ photo-anode doping Sm3+ of 1mol% was almost twice higher than that based on pure BaSnO 3 photo-anode under the simulated light irradiation. • The down-conversion nanocrystal of Sm3+-doped BaSnO 3 was synthesized. • The photoluminescence mechanism of BaSnO 3 : Sm3+ nanoparticles were analyzed. • A photoanode based on BaSnO 3 :Sm3+ achieved its efficiency. • It was due to the formation of new hole traps and the downconversion of Sm3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped Bi 2 MoO 6 (Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ -Bi 2 MoO 6 ) photocatalyst has been prepared via coprecipitation method followed by an annealing process. The as-synthesized powder exhibits spherical and sheet structure with size of 200 nm-300 nm. Then the photocatalyst was applied to degrade rhodamine (RhB) to measure its photocatalytic activies under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm). From the results, Ho 3+ /Yb 3+ -Bi 2 MoO 6 showed higher photocatalytic efficiency (96.48%) than that (79.70%) of bare Bi 2 MoO 6 within 25min. Besides, the photocatalytic activity of the sample keeps well after three photodegradation cycles. This work provides a great way to synthesize photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous ceramics with the introduction of low-grade diatomite (LDE) and oyster shell (OS) were successfully fabricated via low-temperature sintering method. The micro-nano-sized OS powders were used as an excellent fluxing medium and pore-forming agent for ceramics. The physical and mechanical properties of porous ceramics were proved as a positive dependency with the mass ratio of OS powder and sintering temperature. When the mixing ratio of LDE and OS was selected as 70 wt% and 30 wt% and the sintering temperature was improved to 800 °C, the open porosity, bulk density and compressive strength were optimized to 50.20%, 1.26 g/cm3 and 18.8 MPa, respectively. The porous ceramic with the best physical-mechanical property were almost 100% recycled LDE and could be used as building materials with good craftwork and environmental protection characteristics. Image 10015 • Oyster shell powders are identified as excellent flux medium and pore-forming agent. • The sintering temperature of porous ceramic has been successfully declined by ∼300 °C. • Open porosity and compressive strength are enhanced to 50.20% and 18.8 MPa. • Solid waste low-grade diatomite and oyster shells are almost 100% recycled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]