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This work determines the optimization of 2D TiO2-noble metal thin film for its applications in photocatalysis and SPR (surface plasmon resonance) biosensing. The impact of noble metal thickness fixed on TiO2 is checked by using RF module in COMSOL Multiphysics. In this work, an optimal slit width of 400 nm is obtained, at which the absorption of light is enhanced due to the enhanced light matter interaction. Near- and far-field analysis is done to attain the optimized parameters. The optimized parameters are used for the photocatalytic degradation rates of organic pollutants like tetracycline (TC), methylene blue (MB), and phenol (Ph). The study examines the role of Ag layer thickness in photocatalysis. Experimental data align with simulations, indicating that a 160-nm Ag layer maximizes the degradation rate at 0.00692 per minute. This thickness optimizes charge transfer and amplifies surface plasmon resonance effects, crucial for efficient pollutant breakdown. Moreover, the SPR biosensor has been analyzed for the detection of bacteria in various liquid analytes. The maximum value of sensitivity is obtained as 2000 nm per refractive index unit (RIU), outperforming current SPR biosensors. The linear behavior between the variables confirms the biosensor's precision in bacterial detection. This study contributes valuable insights into the design of TiO2-noble metal gratings for organic pollutant degradation and biosensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose acetate (CA) membranes used in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination techniques often face fouling challenges. In this experimental study, the phase inversion method was employed to investigate the incorporation of graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONP) metal–organic frameworks (MOF), into the casting solution for composite CA‐RO membranes. The effects of varying GONP concentrations on fouling resistance and hydrophilicity were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements, and water content analysis. The results demonstrated that the modified CA membrane with 0.05 wt% GONP exhibited improved water permeability (10.3 L/m2 h) and salt rejection (95.8%) compared with the pristine CA membrane. These improvements stem from increased hydrophilicity and reduced fouling. This study's findings suggest that incorporating GONP into the polymeric doped solution can effectively mitigate fouling issues and enhance the performance of RO membranes in desalination applications. Highlights: GONP enhances hydrophilicity, reducing fouling in desalination.Effects of varying GONP concentrations were studied.GONP‐CA membrane shows better permeability and salt rejection than pristine.Nanocomposite membranes promise in overcoming fouling in RO membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method using fluorescence was developed to detect Hg2+ ions in water. This method relied on the reaction between NH2‐MIL‐53(Al) and 5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxyacetophenone. The method was carefully fine‐tuned for optimal reaction conditions and analytical parameters like pH levels, nanosensor quantity, and detection limits. It showed great linearity in detecting Hg2+ ions in the range of 0.0–3.0 ppm (0.0–1.50 × 10−5 M), with a very low detection limit of 1.65 × 10−2 ppm (8.23 × 10−8 M). We tested how well the method can distinguish between different substances by investigating whether other common substances in water samples would interfere. The results were positive, as the presence of these substances did not significantly affect the accuracy of detecting Hg2+ ions, confirming the method's reliability. In order to confirm its dependability, we conducted a quantitative test to detect Hg2+ ions in water samples. The recovery rates obtained ranged from 97.16% to 103.2%, demonstrating the method's precision and accuracy. A comparison with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES), a well‐known method for analyzing trace metals, produced similar results, further instilling confidence in the 5Br2HA = N‐Al‐MOF nanosensor that was developed. In general, this research emphasizes the exciting potential of the new nanosensor in detecting Hg2+ ions in various water and cosmetic samples. It provides a strong and dependable alternative to traditional detection methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is the first corroboration of the synthesis, characterization, and advanced energy applications of the novel n-type Ga2O3–ZnO heaped nanorods (HNRs) via modified green route coupled microwave abetted synthesis. Upon nano-composite formation of this eco-friendly and sustainable material, there was a subsequent band gap tuning from 4.83 to 3.31 eV. Synthesized nanorods were characterized with the mixed monoclinic and hexagonal phase possessing average crystallite size of 52.51 nm. Ga2O3–ZnO HNRs sequined nickel foam electrode was assessed for energy generation in terms of the oxygen and hydrogen production. Green HNRs have greater propitiousness toward hydrogen generation with the lower overpotential and Tafel slope value of 127 mV and 117.9 mV dec−1. With the durability for 1500 min in electrolyte environment, the fabricated electrode excelled in reaching a charge storage capacity of 514 mAH g−1. In terms of the photoelectrical operation, Ga2O3–ZnO HNRs surpassed the pristine nanomaterials by effectively passivating the perovskite solar cells. Solar cell device comprised of the green HNRs as passivation agents achieved an efficiency of 16.19% and 1.04 V of the open circuit voltage (Voc). Synthesized nanomaterials have expressed sustainability and efficiency for advanced energy applications in a cost effective manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the higher global energy needs through cleaner sources the present study manifests a modified and ecofriendly method for the fabrication of CuO–Sb2O3-based electrode for electrochemical experiments. The aqueous solution derived from the Amaranthus viridis L. plant, belonging to the Amaranthaceae family, was employed as a reducing agent in order to impact the structure of CuO–Sb2O3 nanocomposites. The improved material exhibited a regular crystal size of 40.04 nm that is in excellent accordance with the findings obtained from scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, FE-SEM, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy were utilized in order to examine and assess the synthesized nanocomposite. Based on the Tauc plot, the optical bandgap energy was found to be 2.7 eV. The bioorganic framework-derived CuO–Sb2O3 electrode was then evaluated for energy generation and storage applications, with cyclic voltammetry revealing a capacitance of 344.4 F/g at 2 mV/s. Hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reactions demonstrated the electrocatalytic potential of CuO–Sb2O3 as a water splitting electrocatalyst, with the highest efficiency of the electrode up to 18 h for HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This work deciphers the first report on the treble lanthanide‐doped perovskite heterosystem [Gd3+‐Ho3+‐Dy3+]:CsPbI2.7Br0.3 (GHD:C‐PVSK) and subsequently explores its prospects for solar cells, energy generation, and charge storage. RESULTS: GHD:C‐PVSK remained optically active for a period of 28 days with a band gap energy of 1.62–1.76 eV. The developed perovskite material possesses cubic phase with typical ABX3 geometry and the subsequently deposited thin films have compact morphology. As a light absorber layer, a GHD:C‐PVSK‐based solution‐processed perovskite solar cell executed an efficiency of 15.11% and an improved fill factor of 71.25%. In electrocatalytic assays, GHD:C‐PVSK emerged as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen and hydrogen generation with greater tendency towards pure hydrogen production, exuding overpotential (ηHER) – that is, 143 mV and 123.4 mV dec−1 of the Tafel slope value. With a remarkable service life of 100 min inside the electrolyte, the GHD:C‐PVSK electrode was characterized by its excellent charge storage. It has a unit capacity of 383 mA h g−1 and is marked by reduced equivalent series resistance (Rs) of 0.66 Ω. CONCLUSION: Through photoelectrical and electrical analysis, GHD:C‐PVSK has emerged as a sustainable and energy‐efficient material that can be stabilized by suitable thermal modulation and lanthanide doping. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of technologies has influenced our daily lives to build efficient energy storage systems for various electric vehicles and portable electronic devices. The abundant reserves, low cost, and low toxicity of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) make them one of the most promising next-generation energy storage technologies. However, limited anode materials hinder their further development. Here, we predict a 2D VC4 monolayer as the Na host material for SIBs. Based on our theoretical analysis, it is stable dynamically as well as thermally. As a Na host material, the VC4 anode is found to have a low open-circuit voltage (0.51 V) and a high Na storage capacity of 1353 mA h g−1. Also, the Bader charge technique reveals charge transfer from Na to VC4 and thus verifies the electrochemical reaction between Na and the host. Eventually, we inspect the low activation barrier for Na migration on VC4 (0.32 eV), revealing rapid charging/discharging rates. These fascinating results of the current study provide a theoretical and technical basis for the advancement of SIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the efficient synthesis and thorough characterization of novel graphene doped BiV O 4 / ZnO nanocomposites. Among these doping percentages, 3% BVZO/G is optimized composite as it shows the highest photocatalytic performance i–e 98% and 95% among all the doping percentages. Under the visible light exposure λ ⩾ 420 nm , the decomposition of tetracycline (TC) and methylene blue has been studied to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the prepared composites. The characterization techniques such as photoluminescence spectroscopy, UV visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared have been used to investigate the optical, structural, morphological, and vibrational properties respectively. The findings of the research indicate that the doping of graphene resulted in enhanced absorption of visible light and efficient mitigation of charge carrier recombination. To check the stability of optimized photocatalyst, reusability test has been performed. Additionally, role of active species has been examined using different scavengers in trapping experiment. By understanding the composite material for the enhanced photocatalysis, the results of this research help to design a sustainable and efficient photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of a homojunction is an effective strategy for effective charge transfer to suppress charge carrier recombination in augmented photocatalysis. The present work reveals the synthesis of homojunction formation through the reinforcement of Cd nanostructures into a solid lattice of zinc vanadate (Zn3V2O8, ZnV) using the hydrothermal method. The formation of a homojunction between cadmium vanadate (CdV, Cd3V2O8) and ZnV was confirmed by various spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) associated with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry (UV–Vis). The synthesized material was explored for photocatalytic hydrogen (PC H2) production using the water splitting process under visible-light illumination. The spectroscopic and experimental results revealed that the formation of a CdV/ZnV homojunction significantly improved the transport of photogenerated charge carriers (electron–hole pairs) and thus resulted in enhanced H2 production efficiency (366.34 μmol g−1 h−1) as compared to pristine ZnV (229.09 μmol g−1 h−1) and CdV (274.91 μmol g−1 h−1) using methanol as a sacrificial reagent (SR) with water under visible-light illumination. The synergistic effect of Cd on ZnV NPs resulted in band gap reduction and broadened visible light absorption which was attributed to enhanced H2 production. The current study explains how a homojunction affects various features of important factors behind photocatalytic activity, which supports significant insights into the advancement of materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen storage is a crucial step in commercializing hydrogen‐based energy production. Solid‐state hydrogen storage has gained much attention from researchers and needs extensive research. In the present study, we investigate the structural, mechanical, and optoelectronic properties of lithium‐based LiAH3 (A=Mn, Fe, Co) metal hydrides to elucidate their potential for solid‐state hydrogen storage. First, we evaluate the structure stability of LiAH3 hydrides using formation enthalpies calculations. Then, the mechanical stability is determined by elastic stiffness constants, which reveal that LiAH3 hydrides are stable mechanically as they meet the Born stability requirements. Electronic band structure calculations manifest that all LiAH3 hydrides possess a metallic character. Several optical properties have been discussed in detail. The gravimetric hydrogen storage capacities of LiMnH3, LiFeH3 and LiCoH3 hydrides are 4.65, 4.60 and 4.39 wt%, respectively, achieving the target of US‐DOE for rechargeable equipment. Additionally, we have determined the volumetric hydrogen storage capacities (Cv) for all LiAH3 hydrides. It is worth mentioning that the highest Cv values have been obtained to be 180.80, 188.18 and 177.25gH2l−1 for LiMnH3, LiFeH3 and LiCoH3 hydrides, respectively, which have achieved the US‐DOE target set for 2025. Our investigation predicts the applicability of lithium‐based hydrides as promising solid‐state hydrogen storage materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study implements an environmental-friendly and sustainable methodology to fabricate CuO:La2O3-based electrode by using phyto-aqueous extract derived from the Amaranthus viridis plant leaves. CuO:La2O3 was synthesized in several concentrations ranging from 2.5 to 10%. The synthesized nanoparticles revealed varied morphology for different concentrations with a varying crystalline size in the range of 18.2–43.44 nm. The lowest optical band gap energy of 3.25 eV was observed for 7.5% doped concentration. Taking advantage of its unique morphology and lower crystalline size, 7.5% CuO:La2O3 was specifically selected to be utilized as an electrode material for subsequent investigations involving supercapacitor and water splitting studies. The supercapacitor behavior was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) techniques. The specific capacitance value of 879.6 F/g was obtained for the fabricated electrode. The water splitting studies revealed the better potential of fabricated electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction with an overpotential value of 351 mV as compared to that of hydrogen evolution reaction where the overpotential value of 182 mV was observed. Moreover, the fabricated electrocatalyst showed excellent cyclic stability for more than 2000 cycles and up to 20 h. Nevertheless, comprehensive findings displayed CuO:La2O3 as an efficient energy storage material as well as promising catalytic material for the water splitting studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]