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The current research introduces a novel in-situ and visibly-active heterojunction formation concept to fabricate a sustainable antimicrobial cementitious material. To achieve this, cement mortar incorporating iron-rich industrial waste products (FWPs) was outer-coated with photocatalyst Titanium dioxide (TiO 2). The proposed technique forms a novel surface-active Fe 2 TiO 5 heterojunction oxide layer, which considerably improves the photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties of TiO 2 under the visible spectrum of light. Primarily, the study evaluated the structural suitability of the developed iron-rich cementitious material in terms of its durability and strength properties. The findings indicate that the iron-rich cementitious material performed better than conventional cementitious material. After this, the effectiveness and novelty of the proposed research were examined, such that the Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite was subjected to detailed microscopic investigations such as XRD, HRTEM, UV-DRS, XPS, FESEM, etc. The results verified the production of the inherent Fe 2 TiO 5 heterojunction through the presence of Fe in the photocatalyst TiO 2 lattice via the formation of ITO complex bonds. It also revealed that the Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite functions effectively under visible light with an energy band gap of 2.57 eV. The antimicrobial activity of the Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite was also assessed by neutralizing E.coli bioaerosols. The disinfection results indicated that the Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite exhibits excellent antimicrobial properties. It achieved 69.33 % and 95–98 % antibacterial efficiency under dark and visible light, respectively. Thus, the study establishes a Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite material that combines photocatalytic and antimicrobial properties, making it suitable for use as a sustainable building material. Also, it contributes to environmental sustainability by promoting a circular economy and green building practices. • The design and manufacturing of an antibacterial and photocatalytic sustainable building material. • Utilization of cement mortar incorporating FWPs to make the surface active Fe 2 TiO 5 heterojunction photocomposite. • Fe from FWPs enhances TiO 2 's photocatalytic action via the inherent concept of Fe 2 TiO 5 heterojunction formation. • The Fe 2 TiO 5 photocomposite potentially inactivates E.coli bioaerosols under visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pure nanostructured anatase titanium dioxide (TiO 2) and subsequent nitrogen–doped derivatives (TiO 2–x N x; where, x = 0.005, 0.01, 0.05) were synthesized by sol–gel auto–combustion technique. XRD analysis confirms the formation of pure anatase phase of TiO 2 up to doping of 1 mol% (x = 0.01) of nitrogen having tetragonal structure with space group of I 4 1 / amd whereas an additional monoclinic phase of TiO 2 –B was observed at 5 mol% of nitrogen doping in TiO 2. This sample has smallest crystallite size of ∼4.7 ± 0.2 nm corresponding to TiO 2 –B phase and ∼12.0 ± 0.1 nm corresponding to anatase phase. XRD also reveals that the crystallite size of all other samples having pure anatase phase ranges between ∼8.7 ± 0.1 nm & 13.9 ± 0.1 nm. The crystalline phase revealed from XRD of all samples was further supported by the Raman analysis. The direct optical band gap of pure TiO 2 (∼3.4 eV) was reduced non–monotonically after nitrogen doping in the ranges from ∼2.8 eV (TiO 1.95 N 0.05) to ∼2.0 eV (TiO 1.99 N 0.01). FTIR spectra confirm the metal oxide bond formation, surface adsorption of water molecules and presence of residual hydroxyl group in all crystalline samples. HRTEM analysis validates the coexistence of secondary phase of TiO 2 –B along with anatase phase of TiO 2 in studied highest doped sample (TiO 1.95 N 0.05) including its broader particle size distribution as compared to pure TiO 2. The electrical studies reveal that the highest values of dielectric constant and ac conductivity can be realized for pure TiO 2 and at 1 mol% (x = 0.01) of nitrogen doping, among all the studied nitrogen doped samples. • Influence of nitrogen doping on the physical properties of anatase TiO 2. • Highest nitrogen doping level in N:TiO 2 possesses structurally dual phase nature. • TEM images also validate the presence of dual phases within the N:TiO 2 lattice. • Nonmonotonic control of optical band gap can be realized via doping of N in TiO 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic aerogels exhibit an extremely high porosity, low weight, and exceptionally low thermal conductivity, making them suitable as insulating materials for use in challenging environments. The widespread application of conventional ceramic aerogels is typically constrained by the fragile nature of the material and its high-temperature infrared radiation transparency. Here, we successfully prepared SiTiOC/PS/TiO 2 hybrid aerogels by effectively synthesizing them using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the carbon skeleton and reinforcing them with polystyrene microspheres (PS) and PAN nanofibers loaded with TiO 2 (TiO 2 /PAN NFs), and TiO 2 /PAN NFs as shading material. This was achieved through a combination of the polymer precursor transformation method, sol-gel method, and techniques such as freeze-drying and electrostatic spinning. The findings indicated that the fabricated SiTiOC/PS/TiO 2 hybrid aerogels exhibited a lightweight structure, exceptionally high infrared reflectivity, remarkably low thermal conductivity, and outstanding mechanical characteristics. The successful synthesis of the SiTiOC/PS/TiO 2 hybrid aerogels offers a novel approach for advancing the production of various thermal insulation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The slag-metal reaction between traditional CaO-SiO 2 -CaF 2 -Na 2 O-based slag and high-titanium steel deteriorates the performance of the mold flux, negatively affecting the surface quality of the slab and causing issues in continuous casting. To maintain the stability of slag properties after the slag-metal interaction, BaO and Li 2 O were added to the mold flux as a potential new slag system of the BaO-CaO-SiO 2 -TiO 2 -CaF 2 -Li 2 O-Na 2 O seven-component slag for the continuous casting of high titanium steel. In this study, the effects of the BaO/CaO ratio on the structure and properties of the seven-component slag were examined using molecular dynamics simulation and Raman spectroscopy, and the effect of the BaO content on the amphoteric behavior of TiO 2 was also investigated. With the gradual substitution of CaO by BaO, the melt's basicity increases, and TiO 2 transforms from acidic TiⅤ to alkaline TiⅥ. Simultaneously, the addition of BaO promotes the conversion of O b into O f and O nb , resulting in a simplified melt structure. The continuous increase in content of structural units Q Si 0 and Q Si 1 , along with the continuous decrease in content of Q Si 3 and Q Si 4 , further elucidates this phenomenon. Hence, it can be inferred that BaO primarily functions as a depolymerizing agent within the network structure of the melt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first attempt to examine the electrochemical properties of TiO 2 composite with Fe 3 O 4 thin film. In our analysis, X-Ray diffraction (XRD) confirms the formation of Fe 3 O 4 on TiO 2. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the functional groups. The UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis shows that the addition of Fe 3 O 4 results in decrease in optical band gap. Our Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) results demonstrate that, under steady state conditions, the behaviors of TiO 2 and Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 electrodes regarding ion adsorption and charge transmission vary. Pseudocapacitive effects and charge transfer affects the functionality of the TiO 2 electrode, whereas two-layer capacitance effects primarily control the response of the Fe 3 O 4 /TiO 2 electrode. Numerous factors, including ion diffusion, rate capability, charge transfer, and series resistance, can be directly determined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The experimental results and analysis presented in this work brings to light the significance of Fe 3 O 4 in the electrochemical response of an electrode-electrolyte interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the Dy 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 (DASN) and Dy 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -TiO 2 (DAST) glass fillers were used for joining alumina ceramic. During the cooling process of the alumina/DASN/alumina joints, Dy 2 Si 2 O 7 and Al 2 O 3 were precipitated simultaneously and gradually grown. As a result, voids were formed due to the poor flowability of the glass ceramic filler and the large density difference between the glass filler and Dy 2 Si 2 O 7 crystals. On the contrary, the addition of TiO 2 altered the sequence of the crystalline phase precipitation during the cooling process. During cooling from the joining temperature (1450 °C) to 1100 °C, only Dy 2 Si 2 O 7 was formed in the brazing seam. Simultaneously, the flowing glass phase was able to fill the spaces caused by the density differences. When the growth of Dy 2 Si 2 O 7 phase ceased, the Al 2 O 3 phase began to precipitate. Therefore, the voids caused by density differences can be eliminated in the alumina/DAST/alumina joints with high crystallinity. The optimal flexural strength of alumina/DAST/alumina joints tested at room temperature and 1000 °C reached 350 MPa and 158 MPa, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 -based colossal dielectric ceramics have emerged as a prominent research focus in recent years. However, their further applications have been constrained by several key limitations, including the requirement of high sintering temperature (>1400 °C), relatively high dielectric loss (>0.05, 1 kHz), and temperature stability (<200 °C). This study reports rutile (In 0.5 Ta 0.5) 0.1 Ti 0.87 O 1.88 F 0.12 ceramics at 1220 °C sintering using 12 % InF 3 as the acceptor In3+ source, which exhibits a colossal dielectric constant (1.1 × 105) and an ultra-low dielectric loss (0.0071) at 1 kHz and room temperature, even loss values below 0.04 (20 Hz - 100 kHz). Notably, the thermal stabilities (10 kHz, 100 kHz) simultaneously satisfy X9E (Δε r /ε 25 °C ≤ ±4.7 %) above 300 °C. F − not only supplies electrons to enhance the semiconductivity of grains, but also decreases the oxygen vacancy and average grain size (270 ± 12.53 nm) to improve grain boundaries resistances, which reduces dielectric loss and enhances frequency and temperature stabilities. As a result, the dielectric mechanism is mainly related to internal barrier layer capacitor (IBLC) and high grain boundary resistance. Therefore, this strategy provides a creative design for developing TiO 2 -based ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, erbium-doped gadolinium oxide rare earth oxide nanoparticles (Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+) with good light absorption capacity from the visible to the infrared region were prepared by polyol method, and then compounded with TiO 2 by hydrothermal method. SEM, TEM, XPS, UV–vis and electrochemical workstation were used to study the morphology, structure, UV–vis light absorption and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+/TiO 2. The results showed that the Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+ spherical nanoparticles with a particle size of about 15 nm were uniformly distributed on the surface of the TiO 2 nanorod array, and the Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+/TiO 2 nanocomposites had good light absorption capacity in the infrared region. Furthermore, the photocurrent densities of Gd 2 O 3 /TiO 2 and Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+/TiO 2 were 2.08 and 2.75 times higher than those of TiO 2 , respectively, manifesting that the broadening of infrared light absorption can improve the PEC property of TiO 2. Meanwhile, the DFT calculation results showed that the energy band of Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+/TiO 2 was significantly narrower than that of TiO 2 , indicating that Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+/TiO 2 had a redshift phenomenon of UV–vis absorption. The calculation results of state density showed that the f orbital of Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+ intersected with the d orbital of TiO 2 , indicating that there is an electron transfer between Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+ and TiO 2. Erbium-doped gadolinium oxide rare earth oxide nanoparticles (Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+) with good light absorption capacity from the visible to the infrared region were prepared by polyol method, and then compounded with TiO 2 by hydrothermal method. Both theoretical and experimental results confirmed the extension of optical absorption into the infrared range and the charge transfer from Gd 2 O 3 :Er3+ to the TiO 2 surface, facilitating electron-hole separation and reducing charge recombination rate. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) is commonly used additive to improve the strength, hardness and coefficient of expansion properties of vitrified bonds. In this work, TiO 2 nanobelts were prepared through hydrothermal method, and the effect of TiO 2 nanobelts content on the microstructure and physical properties of vitrified bonds and vitrified bond CBN composites were systematically investigated. When the content of 0.2 wt% TiO 2 nanobelts and sintered at 660 °C, as-prepared nano-vitrified bonds exhibited the beneficial performance improvement. Specifically, the obtained coefficient of thermal expansion, flexural strength, microindentation hardness, and mobility are 5.37 × 10−6 °C−1, 85.96 MPa, 853.19 MPa, and 140.6 %, respectively. Moreover, the vitrified bonds with 0.2 wt% TiO 2 nanobelts addition is further used to optimize the performance of cubic boron nitride (CBN) composites. When sintered at 720 °C, the CBN composite samples depicted the excellent flexural strength, rockwell, porosity, and grinding ratio of 63.27 MPa, 61.5 HRB, 48.9 %, and 22.3, respectively. It can be attributed to the positive contribution of nano-vitrified bonds on the physical properties of CBN composites. This work is expected to contribute to the research on improving the performance of vitrified bonds with nano additives, and further obtain excellent performance nano-vitrified bond materials for the design and manufacturing of high-performance superhard abrasive tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study addresses the limited fracture toughness of Al 2 O 3 ceramics by developing graphene-TiO 2 reinforced alumina nanocomposites through pressing. Mechanical properties, including hardness, fracture toughness, and elasticity, were examined, alongside the structural characterization via XRD analysis and microstructure evaluation using SEM. Cytotoxicity and cell adhesion tests were conducted for in vitro biological evaluation. The inclusion of a graphene additive led to a nearly threefold increase in fracture toughness, reaching up to 8.161 MPa m1/2. Graphene doping induced a discernible shift to lower angles in the XRD pattern, revealing the presence of Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 TiO 5 , and TiO 2 phases. Samples immersed in artificial body fluid for 14 days exhibited minimal ion release, with Titanium ion below 0.001 mg/L and aluminum ion below 0.05 mg/L, indicating a lack of significant ion release. The cytotoxic activity of the samples against NIH/3T3 cells was assessed through Alamar Blue analysis, revealing no significant change in cell viability after 48 h of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to further improve the properties of novel MgAl 2 O 4 -Si 3 N 4 ceramic used as solar thermal absorbing material in concentrating solar power, effects of Sm 2 O 3 and TiO 2 on performance of the composites were investigated especially the mechanisms of different additives on microstructure and high temperature stability. The results show that both additives can accelerate sintering, reduce sintering temperature, improve the density and high temperature stability via liquid phase sintering mechanism. Besides, TiO 2 can form displacement solid solution with Al 2 O 3 to promote the sintering process. Sm 2 O 3 is more conducive to improving the bending strength due to its function of increasing the length diameter ratio of β-Si 3 N 4. TiO 2 is more favorable for improving solar absorption owing to the distinctive absorption spectrum and large number of cation vacancy caused by substitution of Al3+ by Ti4+. MgAl 2 O 4 -Si 3 N 4 composites with Sm 2 O 3 and TiO 2 additives have better performance than MgAl 2 O 4 -Si 3 N 4 , Si 3 N 4 and SiC ceramics prepared via the same procedure, which makes it a certain choice for solar thermal absorbing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coatings are utilized to enhance the surface properties of materials. This study aimed to modify the TiN coating with a novel sandwich-zigzag intermediate layer and delve into the intricate damage mechanisms under harsh corrosion-erosion coupling environments. Due to the infiltration of NaCl into the coating and the subsequent formation of TiO 2 , the sandwich-zigzag TiN coatings exhibited a reduction in mechanical behavior and erosion resistance when exposed to salt spray at 550 °C for 50 h. Moreover, the erosion rates of the as-corroded TiN coatings displayed an opposite trend compared to that of the as-deposited coatings, showing that the erosion rate was highest at the erosion angle of 30°. Nevertheless, the presence of the zigzag-TiN intermediate layer benefited the coating by preventing stress accumulation and heterogeneous interface. This ultimately improved the erosion resistance of the coatings by more than 2 times at universal erosion angle compared to that of the substrates under the synergistic effects of corrosion and erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical anodization, under a constant voltage of 45 V and for 15, 30, and 45 min, was performed to fabricate highly ordered TiO 2 nanotubes. Depending on the processing paramters, the diameter of the TiO 2 nanotubes was found to be around 95 ± 6 nm, while the thickness of TNT layer exhibited a change with anodizing time, varying from 1 to 4 μm. Subsequent to the anodization α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 heterogeneous structure was created by the spin coating of iron precursor based solutions on TiO 2 nanotubes. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were utilized to ascertain the phase structure and morphology of TiO 2 nanotubes. The change of optical band gap values depending on the processing parameters was calculated using UV–Vis spectrophotometer data. The photocatalytic performances of the samples, namely the degradation rates and kinetics, were evaluated by examining the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB). The (TC15) sample, obtained by anodizing for 15 min and decorated with α-Fe 2 O 3 , exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, with a degradation efficiency of 70 % at the end of 7 h of light exposure. On the other hand, the inhibition percentages of bacterial growth were examined and it was seen that the TC30 sample with the highest value was 88.89 % for E.coli bacteria and 70.57 % for S.aureus. To assess the mechanism of antimicrobial activity, ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) Analysis were perfomed on T30 and TC30 groups and the ROS amount of TC30 was higher than T30. According to the results of the L929 mouse fibroblast cytotoxicity experiment with indirect contact according to ISO 10993-5 standards, all samples showed a successful performance in terms of cell viability. The cell viability of TC15 was higher in comparison to the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding titanium oxide has become a common practice in modern blast furnace operating procedures. The blast furnace slag is based on the CaO–MgO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –TiO 2 low titanium slag system rather than CaO–MgO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 system. Phase equilibria in the CaO–SiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 –MgO–TiO 2 system in the low-TiO 2 part have been experimentally determined by means of high temperature equilibration and quenching technique followed by electron probe X-ray microanalysis. Introducing a small quantity of titanium-bearing materials can lower the liquidus temperature. The TiO 2 content in the slag should be controlled below 4.6 wt%, otherwise it will enter the perovskite phase region where the liquidus temperatures increases rapidly. The compositions of the solid solutions corresponding to the liquidus have been precisely measured and should be utilized for developing the thermodynamic database. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of a photo-electrochemical cell (PEC) to produce hydrogen from wastewater is a promising innovation. In this context, this study investigates the impact of a pollutant on the photo-electrochemical properties of sol-gel synthesized TiO 2 and TiO 2 –Co 3 O 4 thin films for hydrogen production in a polluted electrolyte. Combining the photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 with the electronic properties of Co 3 O 4 offers an effective solution for achieving effective photo-electrochemical properties in polluted environments. Nevertheless, despite the lowest photocatalytic activity, the hybrid thin film TiO 2 –Co 3 O 4 with the highest Ti/Co ratio (1:0.5) shows the most promising performance with simultaneous 11.4 μmol cm−2 h−1 H 2 production and 12% acid orange 7 degradation after 3 h irradiation under xenon light without the use of any sacrificial agent. This indicates that the electronic conductivity provided by the presence of Co 3 O 4 is a critical property for achieving optimal performance in PEC coupling for hydrogen production and wastewater treatment. [Display omitted] • Sol-gel TiO 2 –Co 3 O 4 films enabled coupling of water splitting and remediation. • 11 μmol cm−2 h−1 H 2 was produced after 3h Xe irradiation without sacrificial agent. • Simultaneous 12% acid orange 7 degradation was measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high entropy carbide (TaNbTiV)C was fabricated via spark plasma sintering of high entropy powders that were prepared using a molten salt method. The as-fabricated high entropy carbide was then investigated for its high-temperature oxidation behavior at 850 °C, under atmospheres with three different oxygen contents (20 vol%, 40 vol%, and 60 vol%). After the high-temperature oxidation process, the main phases observed in all the specimens were incompletely oxidized phase (Nb x Ti 1-x)C y O 2-y and oxides (Nb 0.5 Ta 0.5) 2 O 5 , TiO 2 , and Nb 2 O 5. Importantly, the thickness of the oxide layer initially increased and then decreased as the oxygen content increased. When the oxygen content reached 40 vol%, the ceramic displayed severe oxidation behavior with observed thicker of the oxide layer, as well as numerous pores and cracks in the oxide layer. This work provides new insights into the oxidation behavior of high entropy carbides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiphase composites of lithium ceramics have emerged as a prominent area of research in the development of advanced solid tritium breeding materials. In this study, Li 2 TiO 3 /Li 2 SiO 3 co-doped Li 4 SiO 4 ceramic pebbles were prepared through an in-situ reaction between Li 4 SiO 4 and TiO 2. The objective of this study is to enhance the thermal cycling stability of Li 4 SiO 4 by impeding the grain boundary migration of Li 4 SiO 4 under high temperature conditions. The effects of the in-situ generated Li 2 TiO 3 /Li 2 SiO 3 particles on the microstructure, crush load and thermal cycling stability of Li 4 SiO 4 ceramic pebbles were investigated. The in-situ formed Li 2 TiO 3 and Li 2 SiO 3 particles effectively hindered the grain growth and minimized the formation of large intracrystalline pores in Li 4 SiO 4. At a sintering temperature of 900 °C, the Li 2 TiO 3 /Li 2 SiO 3 particles are beneficial in increasing the crush load of Li 4 SiO 4 ceramic. However, at lower sintering temperatures, their impact was counterproductive. An increase in the volume fractions of the Li 2 TiO 3 /Li 2 SiO 3 had a positive effect on grain refinement but a negative effect on crush load. The Li 2 TiO 3 /Li 2 SiO 3 co-doped Li 4 SiO 4 ceramic pebbles exhibited excellent structural stability during thermal cycling. The optimum mechanical stability was achieved at a TiO 2 addition of y = 0.1. The in-situ generated fine second phase particles effectively impeded grain boundary migration at high temperatures, providing a viable strategy for improving the thermal stability of Li 4 SiO 4 tritium breeders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium hexaaluminate (CaAl 12 O 19 , CA 6) has great potential for application in high-temperature industries. However, owing to its intrinsic hexagonal lamellar crystal structure, it is difficult to obtain calcium hexaaluminate materials with high densification. In this study, using a two-stage sintering method and TiO 2 sintering aid, the densification of calcium hexaaluminate materials (relative density >95 %) was achieved. The evolution behaviors of the phase composition and microstructure and the intrinsic sintering kinetics were investigated in detail. The results showed that the addition of TiO 2 promoted the formation of CA 6 grains with a more homogeneous morphology and an increased-density equiaxial morphology. The elevation of the sintering temperature the sintering temperature also facilitated the densification of CA 6 , as the growth rate of the CA 6 grains along the C-axis raised significantly with the sintering temperature. When 1 wt% of TiO 2 was added and the sintering temperature was 1750 °C, a CA 6 material with a bulk density of 3.61 g/cm3 (relative density over 95 %) could be fabricated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina (Al 2 O 3) ceramic is widely used in various industrial applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and environmental stability. 3D printing technology endows ceramic components with more design flexibility and manufacturing efficiency. However, the high sintering temperature of Al 2 O 3 (typically above 1600 °C) has hindered its integration with other functional ceramics or metals, thereby restricting its broader application. In this work, we developed a series of photosensitive Al 2 O 3 slurries with different sintering aids suitable for vat photopolymerization 3D printing. Optimal sintering temperatures of 1450 °C and 1250 °C for 3D-printed Al 2 O 3 ceramics were achieved by adding 3.5 wt% TiO 2 and 3.5 wt% CuO–Mg(OH) 2 –TiO 2 as sintering aids, respectively. We investigated the viscosities and curing behaviors of these Al 2 O 3 slurries, as well as the phase compositions, microstructures, and mechanical properties of Al 2 O 3 ceramics after sintering. Various cellular and lattice structures were fabricated by 3D printing to demonstrate their good printability and excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-Fe 2 O 3 as one of the most promising anode materials of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has many advantages including a high theoretical specific capacity, high operating potentials offering high safety, low synthetic cost, and environmental friendliness. However, Fe 2 O 3 suffers from rapid capacity fading caused by the huge volume change during charging and discharging processes. TiO 2 as an anode of LIBs has excellent structural stability. In the work, α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 composite has been synthesized via a one-pot solvothermal method. The combination of the two materials can produce complementary effects to make the composite have high specific capacities and good cycling performance. The TiO 2 can buffer the large volume variation of Fe 2 O 3 during cycling and prevent the Fe 2 O 3 particles from pulverization and aggregation. In addition, the effects of the solvothermal reaction time and the TiO 2 content on the physical and electrochemical performance have been researched in detail. The α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 -24-0.5 anode with the solvothermal reaction time of 24 h and the TiO 2 content of 22 wt% shows the best electrochemical performance. 711.2 mAh/g is obtained at 0.1 A/g for the sample. Cycling for 200 cycles, 510.7 and 450.1 mAh/g are obtained at 0.5 and 1 A/g, respectively. Moreover, α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 -24-0.5 as the anode is applied in the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 //α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 -24-0.5 full cell, which can deliver 718.7 mAh/g at 0.5C in 1.7–4.6 V. The full cell can power different color light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs and light strings. This study presents the successful utilization of α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 in the full cells for the first time, showing the potential applications of the composite. [Display omitted] • TiO 2 with stable structure makes α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 anode have good cycling performance. • The α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 anode can combine the advantages of the Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 anodes. • α-Fe 2 O 3 /TiO 2 anode holds significant practical value in full cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in self-cleaning coatings is rising due to their potential to enhance comfort and quality of life in polluted urban environments, driving the search for materials with optimal physical properties. Convergent with this goal, this study investigates the wetting properties and photo-catalytic efficiency of reticulated TiO 2 layers. It shows that these properties are significantly influenced by the topographical characteristics of the TiO 2 surface, which can be precisely controlled through variations in pulverization pressure and low-temperature post-annealing treatments. Post-deposition annealing of the TiO 2 layers achieves 100 % self-cleaning efficiency for both thick and thin films, with optical transmission ranging from approximately 60 %–80 % in the visible spectrum. Additionally, the TiO 2 layers exhibited promising capabilities for eliminating pathogenic microorganisms and disinfecting surfaces. The underlying causal factors of these remarkable and technologically promising surface features are explored and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphitic carbon nitride nanorods/titanium dioxide microspheres (g-C 3 N 4 NRs/TiO 2 MSs) Z-scheme heterojunctions were simply prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method, which showed improved visible-light-induced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl). The photodegradation activity of g-C 3 N 4 NRs/TiO 2 MSs is 6.6 and 1.9 times better than that of pristine g-C 3 N 4 and TiO 2 , which is assigned to the unique morphology and formed heterojunction. Hydroxyl radical (⋅OH) and superoxide radical (⋅O 2 −) were the main species for TC-HCl photodegradation according to capture experiments, and a possible mechanism is proposed. This study provides an effective reference for the preparation of binary heterostructures with excellent photocatalytic activity from a simplified process. Z-scheme g-C 3 N 4 NRs/TiO 2 MSs heterojunction was successfully constructed from the simple one-step process which shows enhanced photocatalytic activity and good stability for treating refractory tetracycline hydrochloride. The enhancement is assigned to unique morphology and the formed heterojunction which facilitates charge transfer and visible light absorption. [Display omitted] • Z-scheme g-C 3 N 4 NRs/TiO 2 MSs heterojunction was simply constructed by a one-step hydrothermal method. • TiO 2 microspheres were tightly attached to the surface of g-C 3 N 4 nanorods. • g-C 3 N 4 NRs/TiO 2 MSs (0.8:1) shows 6.6-fold higher TC-HCl degradation rate than g-C 3 N 4 NRs. • The improved activity is related to the unique morphology and heterojunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission (EC) has tasked the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to provide a recommendation towards the acceptability of titanium dioxide (TiO 2) in pharmaceutical products by early 2024 to inform on final decision in early 2025[1]. Unlike the already implemented ban of TiO 2 in foods, removing this excipient from pharmaceutical products will likely have significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and patients. This commentary explores the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry tasked with supporting the development and registration of TiO 2 free (TF) drug products. Specifically, justification of formulation changes and potential impact to in vitro and in vivo performance, as well as differences in global regulatory comparative dissolution requirements to justify changing to TF drug product are discussed. Particularly, the uncertainties around how a formulation change such as removal of TiO 2 from immediate release solid oral dosage forms will be viewed in Europe compared to other regions is discussed. To respond to these challenges and avoid disruption to the medicines supply chain in case in vitro data such as dissolution is either too challenging or insufficient to justify changing to TF product, pharmaceutical companies may have to decide if the level of risk is worth the effort needed to reformulate, develop, and register a new TF product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, TiO 2 NPs have attracted great attention among the semiconductors because of stability, commercial availability, and ease of preparation. For this reason, NPs are widely used in wastewater treatment and membrane bioreactor (MBRs) In this study, the effect of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticle material was investigated on both the landfill leachate (LFL) treatment and membrane fouling performance. The system performance was evaluated for under varying TiO 2 concentrations (50–300 mg/L TiO 2), constant HRT (24 h), and constant backwashing (5 min)-relaxing (0.5 min) in AnMBR. The optimum conditions were determined as 300 mg/L TiO 2 and the corresponding to COD, Color, TOC and TN removal efficiencies were observed as 55 %, 23 %, 22 %, 30 %, respectively. The best membrane performance was observed at 300 mg/L TiO 2 corresponding to membrane fouling rate as 0.01 mbar/min. TiO 2 addition significantly mitigated membrane fouling (75 % decrease) for AnMBR. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria have been observed to be the dominant species in LFL and MBRs. The bacterial species responsible for membrane fouling were determined as Alphaproteobacteria, Sphingobacteria and Flavobacteria. The addition of TiO 2 was determined membrane fouling decreased in AnMBR. As a result of TiO 2 NPs were observed to thin the cake layer and postpone membrane fouling and filtration. [Display omitted] • The best membrane performances were observed at 300 mg TiO 2 /L. • Membrane fouling rate was determined as 0.01 mbar/min. • TiO 2 addition significantly mitigated membrane fouling (75 % decrease). • TiO 2 prevents cake layer formation and/or pore clogging and postpone. • Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria have been observed as dominant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeTiO 3 /TiO 2 (FTTO) was successfully synthesized and applied for both electrocatalytic NO reduction reaction (e NORR) and photo-assisted e NORR. By introducing Fe into TiO 2 , a heterojunction of FeTiO 3 /TiO 2 was constructed to enhance the electron transfer capability. The large specific surface area of FTTO can provide more active sites. In the e NORR, the FTTO achieved an NH 3 yield of 2845.82 μg h−1 mg−1 at a voltage of −0.70 V (vs. RHE) in K 2 SO 4 solution, which is 2.04 times that of unmodified TiO 2. In the photo-assisted e NORR, the FTTO photoelectrode showed superior ammonia yield of 4259.97 μg h−1 mg−1, which is 11.74 times of that under exclusive illumination and 1.50 times for e NORR. The Zn–NO battery system, using FTTO as the positive electrode and Zn as the negative electrode, demonstrated an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 2.15 V vs. Zn and an NH 3 yield of 388.72 μg h−1 mg−1 at a current density of 5 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of fresh water is limited compared to its huge consumption. Conversely, certain industries like dyes, textiles, paper, and tanning not only consume vast quantities of fresh water, but also generate significant amounts of wastewater that poses severe threats to living organisms. The present investigation focuses on the degradation of Rhodamine-B (Rh–B) as a model pollutant by using the nanocomposite based on waste scrap tire-derived activated carbon (AC) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2). These nanostructures were fabricated using wet chemistry techniques. Analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the morphology of the structures remained largely unchanged even with a concentration of 6 mg of AC. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirmed the successful fabrication of rutile and anatase phases of TiO 2 @AC nanocomposite. The XPS results confirmed the presence of AC and TiO 2 in the composite. Furthermore, the optical band gap of the nanocomposites decreased up to 17.17 % and 34.57 % through direct and indirect methods respectively, owing to the varying quantity of AC used. The narrowing of optical band gap and the increased surface oxygen vacancies were caused by the successive addition of AC during the synthesis of nanocomposites. This resulted in the efficient degradation of Rhodamine-B (Rh–B) using adsorption and photocatalytic oxidation. The findings demonstrate a significant influence of AC on the TiO 2 catalyst in the removal of Rh–B dye. The maximum efficiency of dye removal, reaching up to 99.14 %, was achieved with the highest concentration of AC, thus demonstrating almost complete elimination of Rh–B dye. The findings suggest that the use of waste scrap tires can be effectively applied to design efficient photocatalysts for addressing the wastewater management issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly stable thermoelectric materials based on inexpensive elements have great potential for heat recovery in high temperature applications. TiO 2-d and SrTiO 3 based thermoelectric materials are of great interest due to this reason. In this study TiO 2 –SrF 2 based compounds were produced, to study the effect of fluorine on the thermoelectric properties of TiO 2 type materials. From XPS measurements it is clear that some exchange from the TiO 2 –SrF 2 happens forming a TiO x F y type phase. The electronic properties of the compound are very similar to the electronic properties of reduced TiO 2 while some improvement is seen in the reduction of the thermal conductivity. A higher activation energy in the SrF 2 rich samples might allow for increased electronic conductivity at higher temperatures interesting for further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunar soil simulants play a crucial role in scientific research, payload tests and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) experiments. However, the currently available lunar soil simulants are either low in TiO 2 content (≤3 wt%) or high in TiO 2 content (≥6.7 wt%), despite orbital observations indicating lunar soils with moderate TiO 2 content being widely distributed on the lunar surface. In December 2020, China's Chang'e−5 (CE-5) mission successfully returned a new mare soil sample characterized by high FeO content (22.5 wt%) and moderate TiO 2 content (5.5 wt%), providing an opportunity to develop moderate-TiO 2 lunar soil simulants. This study presents a newly developed simulant of the CE-5 lunar soil named IGG-01, which closely replicates the major physical and chemical properties of the CE-5 lunar soil. The median particle size of IGG-01 is 68.69 ± 4.44 μm, and its estimated specific surface area is 0.34 m2/g. It contains 17.6 wt% FeO and 4.8 wt% TiO 2. It consists of pyroxene (49.3 wt%), plagioclase (40.9 wt%), ilmenite (6.1 wt%), and olivine (3.7 wt%), with specific gravity and bulk density are 3.33 g/cm³ and 1.86 g/cm³, respectively. The friction angle is 41.8°, and the cohesion is 19.2 kPa. It exhibits strong and weak reflectance absorption features in the 1 and 2 μm band centers. The physical properties of IGG-01 are also comparable to those of Apollo samples and typical lunar mare soil simulants. The unique chemical composition of IGG-01 makes it suitable for various scientific and engineering experiments, including but not limited to the study of dusty plasma migration, water formation via solar wind injection, oxygen preparation via hydrogen reduction, and tests involving the movement of rovers and excavation equipment. • A new lunar mare soil simulant (IGG-01) with a TiO 2 content of 4.8 wt% was produced. • It has median grain size of ∼69 μm, bulk density of ∼1.9 g/cm3, cohesion of ∼19 kPa. • It fills the gap between the low-Ti and high-Ti lunar soil simulants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of titanium dioxide nanotube (TiO 2 NT) photoelectrodes for sustainable hydrogen production has garnered significant research interest. Despite the advantages of TiO 2 NT fabricated via anodization of titanium metal, such as their well-ordered vertical structure, challenges persist including the thick oxide barrier layer, limited optical transparancy, and the wide energy band gap (∼3.0 eV), which constrain their practical efficiency in PEC applications. This study addresses these limitations by introducing a novel approch to transfer TiO 2 NT onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate. TiO 2 NTs were synthesized with varying anodization times and steps to achieve optimal free-standing structures. To further enhance PEC performance, co-catalyst including molybdenum carbide (Mo 2 C) and nickel sulfide (NiS) were incorporated using immersion and successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) methods, respectively. Comprehensive characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–Vis–NIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) provided insights into the crystal phase, morphological structure, band gap, and elemental composition of the photoelectrodes. Photoelectrochemical and photostability evaluations were conducted through linear scan voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry under dark and light conditions. Results indicate that transferring TiO 2 NTs onto FTO significantly enhanced photocurrent density, achieving a 2.5-fold increase at 0.7 V versus a TiO 2 NT/Ti substrate. The incorporating of co-catalysts Mo 2 C, NiS and the combined NiS/Mo 2 C further enhanced the photocurrent density to 2.20, 3.00 and 8.00 mA cm−2 respectively, with a remarkable 31-fold enhancement compared to the TiO 2 NT/Ti substrate. This findings underscore the potential of the TiO₂ NT/FTO photoelectrode with optimized co-catalyst integration for advanced photoelectrochemical applications. [Display omitted] • Enhanced TiO 2 NTs efficiency by transferring from Ti foil substrate onto FTO. • Mo 2 C and NiS as co-catalysts of TiO 2 NTs prepared by immersion and SILAR methods. • Mo 2 C and NiS contribute in enhancing PEC water-splitting efficiency of TiO 2 NTs. • The two co-catalyst synergistically increase a 31-fold in photocurrent efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary challenges encountered in durability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is the carbon support corrosion of the conventional Pt/C catalyst. To address this challenge, the carbon support is replaced with titanium-based ones in the present study. Pt/TiO 2 , Pt/TiO 2-x (Pt/Black TiO 2), and Pt/TiC catalysts are synthesized and their structural characteristics, electrochemical activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and stability are investigated and evaluated in comparison with the conventional Pt/C catalyst. Based on structural analyses, it is observed that the Pt/TiC catalyst exhibits a high specific surface area (1050 cm2 mg−1) and proper electrical conductivity of the support (4.5 × 10⁻1 S cm−1). According to the electrochemical evaluations, the Pt/TiC catalyst demonstrates superior ORR activity in acidic media, with a higher half-wave potential (0.84 V RHE) and a lower Tafel slope (69 mV.dec⁻1). Furthermore, stability evaluations indicate that both Pt/TiC and Pt/TiO 2-x catalysts exhibit higher stability compared to the Pt/C catalyst. Finally, based on the results obtained from the fuel cell tests, the Pt/TiC catalyst demonstrates competitive performance under optimal operating conditions (maximum power density of 573 mW cm−2 and current density of 694 mA cm−2 at 0.6 V) despite the low cathode loading of 0.1 mg Pt /cm2. [Display omitted] • Durability of Pt/TiO 2 Pt/TiO 2-x , and Pt/TiC is evaluated using 10000 aging cycles. • Among the synthesized catalysts, Pt/TiC shows superior ORR activity and stability. • Pt/TiC as the cathode catalyst shows a proper performance at low Pt loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blast furnace slag glass–ceramics were prepared by melting using rare-earth-containing blast furnace slag (REBFS) as the main raw material and Fe 2 O 3 and Cr 2 O 3 as composite nucleating agents. By adding different TiO 2 contents, the study comprehensively revealed the effects of high field strength ions on the glass network structure, crystalline properties, elemental distribution and physicochemical properties. Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry revealed that TiO 2 acted primarily as a network modifier in the glass network. The appropriate TiO 2 content disrupted the glass network, decreasing the crystallization activation energy (E C) of the glass–ceramic. However, excess TiO 2 repaired the network structure, thereby increasing the E C. The combined effect of the Cr and Ti substantially improved the crystallization characteristics of the glass-ceramics. Cr 2 O 3 induced the formation of spinel, which promoted the crystallization of the main crystalline augite phase. The self-aggregation of the high field strength Ti4+ ion induced the formation of a titanium- and cerium-containing titanite phase, which also contributed to grain refinement. This titanite phase effectively increased the Vickers hardness and acid and alkali resistances of the glass-ceramics to 9.16 GPa and over 98.5 %, respectively. The excellent physicochemical properties render REBFS glass–ceramics as being promising materials for various construction applications. This research provides theoretical support for comprehensively utilizing blast furnace slag and provides theoretical guidance for preparing slag glass–ceramics possessing desirable physicochemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green method provides stable, rapid, and eco-friendly methods for synthesis nanoparticles with plant extract as capping and reducing agents. This method renders biocompatibility, scalability, and potential medical applications of nanoparticles. This study green synthesized CuO/TiO 2 and ZnO/TiO 2 nanocomposites using Parkia timoriana bark extract. The synthesized nanocomposites were determined utilizing UV–vis DRS FTIR, XRD, TGA, AFM, FE-SEM, E -DAX, HR-TEM, and XPS. Antioxidant assay and antidiabetic studies revealed the biological activity of nanocomposites. The antioxidant property in ZnO/TiO 2 (84.07 %) was higher than in CuO/TiO 2 nanocomposites (72.76 %). The IC 50 value of CuO/TiO 2 and ZnO/TiO 2 in α-amylase inhibition assay was 72.12 μg/mL and 75.95 μg/mL, respectively and IC 50 value of CuO/TiO 2 and ZnO/TiO 2 in α-glucosidase inhibition assay was 30.80 μg/ml and 25.69 μg/ml. Thus, it concludes ZnO/TiO 2 nanocomposites exhibited higher antioxidant and antidiabetic activity than CuO/TiO 2 nanocomposites. These results show that biosynthesized nanocomposites can be used for treating diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the preparation, physical characteristics, microstructural attributes, and fast neutron (FN) removal parameters of apatite-wollastonite (AW)-containing GCs doped with 10 % SiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , and TiO 2 were reported. Glass-ceramics containing the AW crystal structure within the SiO 2 –CaO–Al 2 O 3 –MgO–P 2 O 5 –CaF 2 glass system were prepared and doped with 10 % SiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , and TiO 2 by weight. The microstructural and chemical evolution of the glass-ceramics were studied using SEM/EDS. The density and Vicker hardness of the samples were experimentally evaluated, while the fast neutron removal cross-sections (Σ R) were computed using standard equations. The SEM micrograph showed densely crystallised and crack-free surface surfaces. Silicon and titanium additions did not cause a significant increase in density. However, Fe doping had a higher effect on density. The values of Σ R for pristine, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , and Fe 2 O 3 -doped AW were found to be 0.0796 cm−1, 0.0832 cm−1, 0.0869 cm−1, and 0.0904 cm−1, respectively. Compared to some other materials, such as polymers, AW-10Fe showed better attenuation for fast neutrons. The investigated ceramics could be used in tissue engineering and fast neutron moderation functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of TiO 2 content on the viscosity, free running temperature, electrical conductivity, crystallization behavior, and structure of high-titanium CaO–SiO 2 -10 wt% MgO-13 wt%Al 2 O 3 –TiO 2 -4 wt.% FeO slag by experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. The results revealed that increasing TiO 2 weakened the overall bonding energy and simplified the slag structure, leading to a decrease in viscosity and an increase in electrical conductivity. Thermodynamic calculations revealed a continuous enrichment of the slag towards the pseudobrookite region with increasing TiO 2 content. The precipitation of pseudobrookite phase during cooling resulted in short-slag characteristics and a rising free running temperature. Additionally, the peak intensity of pseudobrookite phase gradually enhanced and its morphology changed from elongated strips to plates with higher TiO 2 concentration. Structural analysis demonstrated that the poorly stabilized [TiO 6 ] octahedron was the major form of Ti atoms in the slag, and its proportion progressively increased with increasing TiO 2 content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes inexpensive antimicrobial polyaniline-titanium oxide (PANI-TiO 2) samples prepared through eco-friendly enhanced microwave (MW) synthesis with 93 W applied over 10 min in aqueous 1.25 M hydrochloric acid media (HCl) using potassium iodate (KIO 3) as oxidising agent, an approach suitable for industrial scale up production of PANI polymers at room temperature. The PANI-TiO 2 samples are produced in the presence of 5–20 wt% of TiO 2 in the initial reaction mixture along with aniline monomer by both the enhanced MW method and a classical chemical synthesis (CS) method at room temperature. The nanocomposites showed lower conductivity than pure PANI, slightly higher conductivity was observed in the MW prepared PANI-TiO 2 in comparison to CS prepared PANI-TiO 2. This result can be correlated with the observation that the optical absorbance of MW PANI-TiO 2 samples were notable higher than for CS PANI-TiO 2 , which may be due to the presence of a greater amount of polarons present in the samples prepared by the enhanced MW method. MW PANI-TiO 2 samples were equally active against both Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive S. aureus bacteria, in contrast to the CS PANI-TiO 2 samples, which could be due to presence of short-chain fragments in the CS samples as confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The incorporation of PANI particles in TiO 2 showed enhanced antimicrobial activity compared to pure TiO 2 , with greater antifungal activity. Our study indicates that a facile, low-cost, and green enhanced MW method can be used for preparation of the advanced antimicrobial PANI-TiO 2 nanocomposites for biomedical applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TiO 2 substrate coatings containing varied ZnO or ZrO 2 nanoparticles were made using the polymeric and microwave combustion methods and then thermally treated at various temperatures. Furthermore, before coating on the substrate, the produced nanoparticles undergo characterization and calcination to optimize the conditions for developing ZnO and ZrO 2 phases and track their composition. The X-ray diffraction method (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and infrared analysis (IR) are used to characterize the calcined produced nanoparticles. After heat treatment at 1000 °C, the TiO 2 substrate is prepared. The produced coated substrate is studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared (IR), apparent porosity, bulk density, chemical corrosive properties and electrochemical measurement in 3.5 % NaCl and 1 M HCl solutions. The corrosion resistance of ZnO or ZrO 2 -covered TiO 2 substrate is ascertained by anticorrosive behaviors, which include weight loss, apparent porosity, corrosion rate, and SEM. The findings showed that 800 °C is the ideal temperature for preparing ZrO 2 -coated substrate, whereas 1000 °C is the perfect temperature for preparing ZnO-coated substrate. The microstructure reveals surface micro-cracks on the ZrO 2 -coated TiO 2 substrate. Good dispersion, homogeneity, and compaction were noted for the ZnO-coated substrate. Between 14 and 17 % of the ZnO-coated substrate and 20–21 % of the ZrO 2 -coated substrate, made via polymeric and microwave combustion techniques, had visible porosity when ZnO-coated samples exhibited greater corrosion resistance against NaCl media. In contrast, ZrO 2 -coated samples had much stronger anticorrosive qualities in HCl media than uncoated and Zn-coated samples. According to the electrochemical results, the ZnO-coated TiO 2 synthesized by polymeric technique at 1000 °C showed 99.86 % inhibitory efficiency against NaCl. An inhibitory efficiency of 94.4 % was observed in a ZrO 2 -coated TiO 2 substrate that was produced at 800 °C using a polymeric technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting by TiO 2 photoanode for clean hydrogen production is limited by the poor charge separation and inert oxygen evolution reaction (OER) kinetics issues for now. In this work, a band-matched heterophase homojunction (TiO x /N–TiO 2) by amorphous TiO x and N-doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays is constructed by two-step anodic oxidation and impregnation. The photocurrent density of TiO x /N–TiO 2 reaches 0.69 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 1.86 folds than bare TiO 2. The enhanced charge carriers' injection/separation efficiency, smaller Tafel slope (37.79 mF dec−1) and larger electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) (1.98 mF cm−2) of TiO x /N–TiO 2 indicate that N doping and heterophase homojunction with amorphous TiO x effectively facilitate the surface OER kinetics and charge carriers' transportation. TiO x /N–TiO 2 is annealed with a transformation of the surface amorphous TiO x layer into anatase TiO 2 (a-TiO x /N–TiO 2) to study the role of amorphous TiO 2 in PEC water splitting. The photocurrent density and applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) for a-TiO x /N–TiO 2 decrease, even lower than the pristine TiO 2. This is due to the reduction of surface oxygen vacancies, which causes the slowdown of OER kinetics and the weakening of charge carrier transportation ability. That is favorable for a better understanding of the OER kinetics and charge carriers' transportation enhancement mechanism by the surficial modification on the semiconductor during the PEC water splitting. A band-matched heterophase homojunction (TiO x /N–TiO 2) by amorphous TiO x and N-doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays is constructed. The increased charge carriers' injection/separation efficiency, smaller Tafel slope and larger electrochemically active surface area of TiO x /N–TiO 2 indicate N doping and heterophase homojunction with amorphous TiO x enhance the surface OER kinetics and charge carriers' transportation. TiO x /N–TiO 2 is annealed with a transformation of the surface amorphous TiO x layer into anatase TiO 2 (a-TiO x /N–TiO 2) to study the role of amorphous TiO x. The photocurrent density and applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) for a-TiO x /N–TiO 2 decrease, even lower than the pristine TiO 2. This is due to the reduction of surface oxygen vacancies, which causes the slowdown of OER kinetics and the weakening of charge carrier transportation ability. [Display omitted] • TiO x /N–TiO 2 heterophase homojunction system with suitable band alignment is constructed. • The charge carriers' transportation is improved by N doping and TiO x /N–TiO 2 heterophase homojunction. • Amorphous TiO x heterophase homojunction is favorable for oxygen evolution reaction kinetics acceleration. • The PEC performance decrease by the amorphous TiO x disappearance further reveals the mechanism of OER kinetics enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anatase type TiO 2 has garnered significant attention due to its potent oxidation capacity, stability, photoinduced superhydrophilicity and self-cleaning performance. However, there are few reports on the preparation of robust TiO 2 films on substrates with a low glass transition temperature. In this work, SiO 2 /TiO 2 films were fabricated on PE substrates using a simple dip-coating technique. The coated PE films exhibited a maximum transmittance of 86 % and an average transmittance of 85 % in the visible region. The composite films demonstrated remarkable photoinduced superhydrophilicity, antifogging characteristics, and excellent photocatalytic performance. The film showed superhydrophilicity under UV light or xenon lamp illumination, and remained superhydrophilicity after it was placed outdoors for 310 days. In addition, the prepared films also had excellent mechanical properties, and their superhydrophilicity remained unaffected even after 200 cycles of bending, 80 cycles of rolling, and 50 mL water impact test. The preparation method may open a new avenue to the application of TiO 2 films on many substrates that are vulnerable to high temperature processes. [Display omitted] • In this work, SiO 2 /TiO 2 films were fabricated on PE substrates using a simple dip-coating technique. • The composite films demonstrated remarkable photoinduced superhydrophilicity, antifogging characteristics, and excellent photocatalytic performance. • The prepared films also had excellent mechanical properties, and their superhydrophilicity remained unaffected even after 200 cycles of bending, 80 cycles of rolling, and 50 mL water impact test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly of graphite structures through pencil drawn method is considered among the most facile and inexpensive approaches for a wide range of electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, the typical limitation of this methodology is that the films and structures can be drawn on a very limited number of substrates. Here, we report a novel methodology for the transfer of pencil drawn graphite films on desired substrate. The graphite films are transferred from cellulose paper, textile and wood paper onto flexible and transparent acrylic tape. The novel wood paper substrate is also used for the fabrication of bar device using a mask which is then transferred onto the acrylic tape. TiO 2 nanoparticles paste is coated on the surface of transferred bar device. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and UV–visible spectroscopy of graphite and graphite/TiO 2 -NPs electrodes are performed respectively to study their morphological, compositional, structural and optical features. The fabricated device acts as a UV photodetector and delivers a photocurrent as higher as 197.68 μA, photoresponsivity of 8.94 mA W−1, detectivity of 4.16 × 109 Jones at bias voltage of 5 V, response time of ∼860 ms and recovery time of ∼890 ms. The flexibility of the demonstrated photodetector is evaluated through recording changes in photocurrent under bending positions from 0 to 150°, and after employing bending cycles up to 1000. The results show that the fabrication of photodetector is facile and low-cost, and it offers valuable working compatibility under bending strains. Moreover, the flexibility of photodetectors enables their effective integration with human skin and clothes for human health monitoring applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 are primarily determined by its crystallinity and crystalline phase ratios. To improve the photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 , greater control over the formation of crystalline and amorphous phases during synthesis is therefore required. In this study, we demonstrate how the addition of minute amounts of three organic compounds (isopropanol, acetone and acetic acid) during hydrothermal treatment affects the amorphous and crystalline phase ratios: the addition of isopropanol or acetone accelerates the phase transition from anatase and brookite to rutile, whereas the addition of acetic acid inhibits the transformation of anatase to rutile, increasing the content of amorphous phase compared to samples where no organic compound was added. We show that the combination of the organic compound added, along with the duration of the hydrothermal treatment, can be used to tailor the phase composition of TiO 2 , so as to obtain either: i) TiO 2 with a high content of both rutile and amorphous phase, ii) TiO 2 with a high rutile content and iii) TiO 2 with different ratios of all four phases, when the duration of synthesis is short (2–4 h). The materials synthesized exhibited high photocatalytic activity (in most cases higher than P25), which is attributed to the beneficial phase composition and high specific surface area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide-enriched phosphate glasses are esteemed for their applicability in the biomaterial area, yet the investigation into the influence of TiO 2 on the crystallization dynamics of glass melts and the spinnability of sodium-calcium-magnesium phosphate glasses remains unclear. To elucidate these effects, sodium-calcium-magnesium phosphate glasses with 0, 5, and 10 mol% of TiO 2 have been prepared using the melt-quenching method, and glass fibers were drawn from the correspondent glass melts. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy have disclosed that the introduction of TiO 2 induces a depolymerization in phosphate network, causing a transition from Q2 species to Q1 units, and reduction in both the theoretical network connectivity (NC theor) and the average chain length (n theor). Meanwhile, the interposition of TiO 2 also gives rise to the replacement of P–O–P linkages with P–O–Ti bonds, along with the formation of [TiO 5 ] groups. This structural transformation resulted in the increase in molar volume and the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), concurrently lowering the glass transition and softening points. Evidently, the TiO 2 -free glass exhibited crystallization across a temperature range spanning from its transition to the liquidus temperature. However, the introduction of TiO 2 and the subsequent formation of P–O–Ti bonds effectively inhibited crystallization, which is favorable for drawing glass fibers. Analyses of viscosity-temperature relationships using various rheological models suggested that TiO 2 raises fragility for all glasses, suggesting a more "open" structure in the glass melts, which can be supported by the increment in free volume. The m-D diagram failed to describe the enhancement in spinnability imparted from TiO 2. While, the quantitative fiber spinnability index (K fib) increases with higher TiO 2 content, as a successful indicative of an improved ability to form fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(Ti 1-x Si x)O 2 :Er/Yb (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) phosphor was synthesized using spray pyrolysis, and the upconversion (UC) properties were optimized by varying the calcination temperature and Si content (x). By introducing Si into the TiO 2 matrix, the thermal stability of titania was effectively improved, allowing the anatase phase to be maintained even when the (Ti,Si)O 2 :Er/Yb phosphor was calcined at temperatures above 800 °C. From investigating the effect of crystal size on the UC emission of (Ti,Si)O 2 :Er/Yb, it was found the optimal crystal size of Antase to achieve the highest UC emission intensity is approximately 5.5 nm, beyond which the UC intensity decreases rapidly. With increasing Si content, the crystalltie size decreased linearly and more amorphous SiO 2 domains were formed in the anatase TiO 2 matrix, which could consume Er/Yb ions to form SiO 2 :Er/Yb with low UC emission. Resultently, the UC emission intensity was significantly affected by Si content. The optimal calcination temperature and Si content to obtain the highest UC luminescence were determined as 700 °C and 10 %, respectively. The optimized (Ti,Si)O 2 :Er/Yb showed approximately 2.7 times improved UC luminescence than TiO 2 :Er/Yb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influences of temperature and compositions (TiO 2 and CaO/SiO 2) on thermodynamics properties and structural evolutions of TiO 2 -CaO-Al 2 O 3 -MgO-SiO 2 slags were investigated in this work. The slag viscosities increased with decreasing the temperature and declined with adding TiO 2. With the raising of CaO/SiO 2 ratio, the viscosity decreased under high temperatures, while it increased with the temperature further decreased lower than 1420 °C. The enthalpy change of the slag increased with raising the temperature as well as the TiO 2 content and reduced with the CaO/SiO 2 ratio increasing. Both the liquidus temperature and break point temperature of the slags decreased with adding TiO 2 and increased with raising the CaO/SiO 2 ratio. Temperature had a significant effect on slag structure evolutions, which decreased the slag polymerization degree. With adding TiO 2 and CaO/SiO 2 ratio in slags, the slag structure stability was weakened by increasing the amount of simpler silicate and TiO 6 units and reducing the proportion of complex Ti-O units. Both the temperature and compositions (TiO 2 and CaO/SiO 2) depolymerized the slag structure to decline the viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deployment of gelcasted MAX phase ceramic components in nuclear reactors is critical due to their exceptional performance. This study explores the corrosion behaviors of three gelcasted MAX phase ceramics (Ti 3 AlC 2 , Ti 2 AlC, and Ti 3 SiC 2) in liquid lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 600 °C under low oxygen conditions. Unique corrosion layers formed on the samples: Ti₃AlC₂ developed an Al 2 O 3 inner layer and TiO 2 outer layer, Ti₂AlC showed TiO 2 grains coated with FeCr 2 O 4 spinel, and Ti 3 SiC 2 exhibited a composite layer of TiO 2 , Fe 3 O 4 , SiO 2 , PbO, and TiO 2. LBE caused slight matrix enrichment in Ti₃AlC₂ and Ti₂AlC samples. Corrosion resistance was ranked as Ti 3 SiC 2 > Ti 3 AlC 2 > Ti₂AlC. Additionally, a coupled corrosion phenomenon resembling electrolytic electrodeposition between MAX phase ceramics and stainless steel was observed in contaminated LBE. This research provides novel insights into the corrosion mechanisms of MAX phases, paving the way for their application in advanced nuclear systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BiCuSeO, an oxide thermoelectric material with a superlattice structure, presents the advantages of affordability, low toxicity, and environmental friendliness. However, its intrinsic low electrical conductivity has impeded its possible applications. To address this challenge, we put tiny PbZr 0.52 Ti 0.48 O 3 (PZT) with varying weight percentages (x = 0, 5, 7, 9, 11) into BiCuSeO (BCSO) to fabricate thermoelectric nanocomposites. Through the spark plasma sintering process, PZT particles underwent in-situ decomposition, generating nano-sized second phases such as PbO 2 , TiO 2 , and PbZrO 3 , which are homogenously distributed within BCSO matrix (validated by XRD and TEM). The introduced PbO 2 , TiO 2 , and PbZrO 3 second phases served a dual purpose: inhibiting the grain growth of BCSO and introducing additional nano-grain boundaries. This resulted in more effective phonon scattering sites, thereby reducing lattice thermal conductivity. Simultaneously, the Pb element derived from PZT decomposition was doped into the Bi site of the BCSO matrix, causing a reduction in the band gap of BCSO from 0.49 eV to 0.388 eV and a significant increase in carrier concentration. Consequently, this doping enhanced the electrical conductivity of BCSO-based composites, with the composite with 11 wt% PZT additive amount exhibiting a remarkable 318-fold increase, reaching 550 S/cm compared to pristine BCSO. Notably, the composite with 7 wt% PZT additive amount achieved an exceptionally low lattice thermal conductivity of 0.333 W m−1 K−1 at 823 K. Through the synergistic optimization of electrical and thermal transport properties, the BCSO-based composite with 7 wt% PZT additive amount obtained a ZT value of ∼0.9 at 873 K, representing a 2.45-fold increase compared to pristine BiCuSeO. This straightforward method presents a cost-effective and scalable approach to enhance the thermoelectric performance of various materials, opening new avenues for potential commercial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive glasses (BGs) bond with bone by forming hydroxy carbonate apatite (HCA) upon reaction in physiological fluid, a phenomenon known as bioactivity. BGs structural network connectivity determines their bioactivity. Sol–gel BGs are synthesized through the hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxide precursors in the presence of a catalyst, in aqueous environments. Several sol–gel synthesis parameters directly impact BG network connectivity: pH (i.e. acid or basic catalysis), water to alkoxide ratio (R w), alkoxide type and presence of dopant ions. However, the relationship between bioactivity and these parameters remains surprisingly unexplored. This study highlights the relationship between synthesis pH, R w , network connectivity and bioactivity in silica-based sol-gel BGs and BGs doped with titanium (Ti) ions (TiBGs), the latter selected for their known ability to enhance network connectivity. BGs and TiBGs are synthesized with various R w values under acidic and basic conditions, and their bioactivity is assessed in simulated body fluid for 7 days. Increasing R w decreases network connectivity and increases bioactivity of BGs with high network connectivity, as observed for base-catalyzed BGs and for both acid and base catalyzed TiBGs, but not in BGs with lower connectivity as evidenced in acid-catalyzed BGs. Basic catalysis of TiBGs prevents crystalline TiO 2 domain formation, which was instead consistently observed in TiBGs synthesized under acidic catalysis. These findings help the design of BGs for applications where ion release needs to be enhanced even in the presence of dopants that slow down HCA formation, and of BGs with specific properties, e.g. TiO 2 -containing BGs with potential bactericidal activity. Bioactive glasses (BGs) bond with bone by dissolving and forming hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) on their surface, offering applications in medicine and dentistry. BG's network connectivity influences its dissolution rate, and hence HCA formation. While solution-gelation (sol-gel) is commonly used for BG production, the effect of sol gel synthesis parameters on HCA formation remains unexplored. We studied the relationship between synthesis parameters (water-to-alkoxide ratio (R w), catalyst, and dopant ions, particularly titanium), BG network connectivity, and HCA formation. We find that increasing R w with any catalyst enhances HCA formation, particularly in glasses with high network connectivity. This understanding allows tailoring BG synthesis for different applications, e.g. those requiring doping with ions that increase network connectivity and fills a crucial gap in BG literature. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the design of a novel functional metal-organic framework here, denoted as Co-sal–NH 2 –MOF@TiO 2 , featuring the comprise of controllably in-situ grown TiO 2 sheets from NH 2 -MOF(Ti) and [Co] catalytic sites stabilized by salicylaldimine moiety via site isolation for visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution from water. The hierarchical organization of TiO 2 and Co catalyst within NH 2 -MOF (Ti) leads to outstanding photocatalytic performance, as evidenced by a H 2 yield of 15,584 μmolg−1h−1 and turnover numbers (TON) reaching 5844 over 24 h. This catalyst also signifies distinctly enhanced activities of approximately 105-fold, 354-fold, 15-fold, and 100-fold, compared to the pristine NH 2 -MOF(Ti), MOF-derived TiO 2 , NH 2 -MOF(Ti)@TiO 2 and the combination of [Co catalyst + NH 2 -MOF(Ti) + TiO 2 ], respectively. EXAFs and XPS etc. analyses revealed a stable coordination environment for salicylaldimine-supported Co(II) catalytic unit, which integrated with in-situ grown TiO 2 sheets can not only guarantee catalyst stability, but also generate much more densely packed light-harvesting heterojunction units and thus promote separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers between TiO 2 and Co catalyst in NH 2 -MOF(Ti) under light through optimized band gap structure. This work outlines the in-situ construction of organic and inorganic hybrid heterojunction for H 2 production from water. The novel organic and inorganic hybrid heterojunction that [Co] catalytic sites stabilized by salicylaldimine moiety with in-situ derived TiO 2 sheets from MOF(Ti) to realize further promoted visible light-driven H 2 formation. [Display omitted] • Salicylaldimine-supported Co and in-situ derived TiO 2 were integrated into NH 2 -MOF(Ti). • Co-sal–NH 2 –MOF@TiO 2 represented 105-fold enhanced H 2 evolution rate over pristine MOF. • EXAFs and XPS revealed stable coordination environment of Sal-Co and charge transfer pathway. • Synergistic effect between TiO 2 and Co in MOF endow high stability and mobility of charge carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces novel core-shell structured electrocatalysts synthesized via an optimized one-pot sol-gel method, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) in water splitting. The Ni–NiO/TiO 2 and NiO/TiO 2 composites demonstrate superior catalytic performance, with the Ni–NiO/TiO 2 requiring a remarkably low potential of −0.125 V versus Ag/AgCl to achieve a current density of 10 mA.cm-2. This performance surpasses that of NiO/TiO 2 and pure NiO, offering a viable alternative to Pt catalysts. Advanced characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elucidate the crystalline phases, morphologies, and chemical states, enhancing our understanding of the electrocatalysts' efficiency. In particular, Rietveld refinement analysis provides detailed insights into the structural properties that underpin the observed catalytic performance. Electrochemical assessments highlighted the Ni–NiO/TiO 2 composite's reduced overpotential needs, high Faradaic efficiency (∼98%), and notable long-term durability, positioning these materials as promising candidates for sustainable hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Argon-induced Ni segregation enhances the NiO/TiO 2 catalytic activity for water splitting. • Achieved a low onset potential (∼88 mV) and a Tafel slope of 40 mV/dec. • Used Rietveld and XPS for catalyst characterization, elucidate the enhancing HER. • Demonstrated superior stability and ∼98% Faradaic efficiency over Pt catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the influence of catalyst concentration, co-catalyst loading ratio, sacrificial agent concentration, irradiation time, irradiation intensity and different pretreatments of sacrificial agent on hydrogen production, using multistage porous Pd/TiO 2 as the catalyst and kelp as the sacrificial agent. The morphological and structural changes in the catalyst, sacrificial agent, and their mixtures before and after the photocatalysis were analyzed using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Based upon single-factor experiments, it was confirmed that mannitol was the primary substance acting as a sacrificial agent in kelp. Orthogonal experiments were conducted to determine the optimum conditions for hydrogen production with a reaction liquid volume of 100 mL. The highest hydrogen production efficiency was achieved for the following conditions: kelp sacrificial agent's concentration of 1.5 g/L; concentration of multistage porous Pd/TiO 2 catalyst of 3.5 g/L; Pd loading ratio of 1 wt%. Under these conditions, hydrogen production reached the value of 121.1 μmol in 4 h. Under the same conditions, replacing the kelp sacrificial agent with kelp treated with 4% alkali, resulted in a corresponding hydrogen production of 141.0 μmol in 4 h. Compared to other common biomass sacrificial agents, the use of kelp as a sacrificial agent for photocatalytic water splitting demonstrates superior hydrogen production performance. • Kelp is a suitable sacrificial agent for photocatalytic hydrogen production. • Synthesizes multistage porous Pd/TiO 2 for improved hydrogen production. • The primary substance acting as a sacrificial agent in kelp is mannitol. • Alkaline pretreatment optimizes kelp for photocatalytic hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel integrated strategy is proposed to construct the LiNi 0.9 Co 0.09 W 0.01 O 2 with simultaneous spinel phase and Li 2 TiO 3 conductive network, which can enhance the lithium-ion migration kinetics and structural stability of ultrahigh-Ni cathode materials. [Display omitted] The tungsten with high oxidation states (W6+) had been proved to effectively improve the electrochemical performance of ultrahigh-nickel (Ni ≥ 90 %) cathode materials due to the unique microstructures. However, the exat location and underlying action mechanism of tungsten are still not well-understood, and there have been no reports on in-situ modification from bulk to surface simultaneously for these novel cathode materials. Here, a novel integrated strategy is proposed for in-situ modification of LiNi 0.9 Co 0.09 W 0.01 O 2 (NCW). Innovatively, the introduction of nano spinel phase and titanium pinned into the lattice further suppresses the anisotropic variation of unit cell and promotes the lithium-ion migration kinetics within the bulk. Additionally, the Li 2 TiO 3 conductive network enhances migration kinetics across interface and protects the active material against electrolyte erosion. Furthermore, the combination of in-situ analysis and DFT calculation reveals the ordered distribution of tungsten and the suppression effects of titanium on phase transition and cobalt redox. Consequently, the titanium-modified NCW exhibits significantly improved electrochemical performance, such as capacity retention of 93.0 % at 1C after 500 cycles in pouch-type full-cell, along with stable lattice oxygen during operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]