Search

Using a facile refluxing synthesis, a series of BiO(ClBr)0.5−x/2Ix solid solutions was prepared and applied as photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants. The synthesized solid solutions crystallized in microspheres are constructed by nanoplates which transform into nanosheets for increasing iodine ions contents. Furthermore, introducing iodine ions significantly decreased the optical bandgap of the obtained solid solutions. The photocatalytic activity of these samples over the degradation of Rhodamine B indicates the highest performance of the solid‐solution at x=0.2 with a decomposition efficiency of 92.6 % for 120 mins of reaction under the light emission diode (LED) irradiation which is much higher than that of pure sample and BiOCl0.5Br0.5. This enhancement in photocatalytic performance was attributed to the effective separation of photo‐induced electron‐hole pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Despite being established as the most popular commercial energy storage system (ESS), lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are still facing practical issues due to their high cost and limited availability of the lithium source. Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), which have economic and environmental costs, but on‐par performance compared to LIBs, are now being considered as the next‐generation ESS. Herein, we report a facile and mass‐scalable synthesis of SnS2 nanosheets grafting on porous g‐C3N4 via direct solid‐state reaction from tin (IV) acetate and thiourea as precursors. The synthesized SnS2@g‐C3N4 composites served as an anode active material for SIBs with outstanding performances in terms of high capacity and ultralong cycling stability. The optimum anode delivered an initial discharge capacity of 1350.7 mAh g−1 and the first coulombic efficiency of 55.13%. However, this composite can offer a remarkable charge capacity of 919.6 and 602.7 mAh g−1 after 400 and 3000 cycles at specific currents of 500 and 2000 mA g−1, respectively. The enhancement in the cyclability of the obtained composites is attributed to the presence of g‐C3N4 as a scaffolding material effectively relieving serious strains induced by the volume variation of SnS2 during sodium storage. The high exfoliation of SnS2 nanosheets with larger interlayer spacing as well as the presence of a self‐induced internal electric field formed at the heterointerface of SnS2 and g‐C3N4 enables the enhanced transport of electrons and sodium ions, accompanied by the improvement in their electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic properties of bismuth metal-organic framework (Bi-MOF) nanorods and their derivatives such as Ag/Bi-MOF and Ag/Bi 2 O 3 . Bi-MOF nanorods exhibit significant photocatalytic activity under visible light, with the addition of silver (Ag) enhancing electron-hole pair separation and reducing their recombination. This leads to improved photocatalytic performance, particularly in the degradation of organic pollutants such as Rhodamine B (RhB) and Methylene Blue (MB). The results show that Bi-MOF and its derivatives demonstrate excellent chemical stability and high performance in photocatalytic applications, even when subjected to high temperatures and tested across a wide pH range. The large surface area and microporous structure facilitate selective adsorption of small organic molecules like MB. The pores and large surface area not only provide numerous active sites but also enhance the interaction between reactants and the catalyst surface, improving photocatalytic efficiency. Bi-MOF and its derivatives perform optimally across a broad pH range, from acidic to alkaline environments, where strong oxidizing hydroxyl radicals (·OH) are easily formed, aiding in the effective degradation of organic compounds. The study also shows that Bi-MOF and its derivatives can be reused multiple times without significant loss in performance. This research contributes to the development of advanced materials for environmental remediation, highlighting the potential of Bi-MOF-based nanocomposites in practical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)