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The electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen is an important technique to replace traditional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production. This method efficiently converts electrical energy into chemical energy, it is ostensibly a promising candidate for addressing the energy crisis. Significant effort has been devoted to developing efficient electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. The exploration of suitable catalytic materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and other bifunctional electrocatalytic reactions is crucial. Transition metal selenides (TMSes) have emerged as potential HER and OER electrocatalysts because of their unique electronic structures, which are beneficial for charge transfer, tuneable bandgaps, distinctive morphologies, and low-cost. This review discusses the mechanisms and performance comparisons of TMSes in overall water splitting under various pH conditions. From an industrial and commercial perspective, the catalytic performance of TMSes for the HER and OER is not ideal. Methods for preparing electrocatalytic materials and optimizing materials for overall water decomposition and modulation mechanisms have been introduced to improve electrocatalytic performance, such as element doping, carbon composites, bimetallic systems, morphology control, and heterogeneous interface engineering. Finally, the challenges and prospects of TMSes were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic hydrogen production has garnered considerable attention as a latent solution to various energy challenges. Because of their distinct optical characteristics, persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) can emit light long after illumination ends, making them highly advantageous for round-the-clock photocatalysis. However, photocatalytic activity is currently restricted owing to the low specific surface area and the high number of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. In this study, PLNP (ZnGa5Si5O18)/sulfur-doped carbon nitride (SCN) was synthesized via a solvothermal method and calcination. Under irradiation with a xenon lamp, the resulting PLNPs/SCN (1 : 1) composite exhibited excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity, with a hydrogen evolution rate of 3963.80 μmol g−1 h−1, which was 15 times and 1.4 times higher than that of PLNPs (307.1 μmol g−1 h−1) and SCN (2800.80 μmol g−1 h−1), respectively. The formation of a stable type II heterojunction is responsible for the high photocatalytic activity. This heterojunction effectively suppressed the electron–hole complexation generated during photoexcitation and enhanced the carrier flexibility. In addition, the PLNPs/SCN (1 : 1) composite had a larger specific surface area than the PLNPs. The synthesis of this novel composite heterojunction under mild conditions not only provides a new strategy for preparing PLNP-based composite catalysts but also holds significant potential for enabling round-the-clock photocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-functionalised nano-platforms based on persistent-luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) have attracted considerable attention for biomedical applications owing to their lack of background noise and suitability for in vivo imaging without the need for in situ excitation. However, nano-platforms based on PLNPs for continuous photodynamic therapy (PDT) are currently lacking. Herein, we report a nano-platform (LiGa4.99O8:Cr0.01/IrO2, LGO:Cr/IrO2) prepared using PLNPs (LiGa4.99O8:Cr0.01, LGO:Cr) covalently bonded with iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrO2 NPs), producing near-infrared (NIR) persistent luminescence, "afterglow" PDT and photo-thermal therapy (PTT) effects. The LGO:Cr/IrO2 not only exhibits NIR-persistent luminescence at 719 nm and a PTT effect under 808 nm irradiation but also a continuous "afterglow" PDT effect without the need for in situ excitation owing to persistent energy transfer from LGO:Cr to the IrO2 NPs, in turn generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). This multi-functional nano-platform is expected to further promote the application of PLNPs in tumour treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) can provide long afterglow after excitation and possess advantages for advanced optical anticounterfeiting. Nevertheless, PLNPs with dual-wavelength persistence luminescence for dynamic and multimode anticounterfeiting are just at the initial stages. Herein, we synthesized dual-wavelength (503 and 696 nm) afterglow PLNPs Zn0.2Ga1.1Si0.9O3.65:Cr (ZGSiO:Cr) using a hydrothermal method followed by calcination. The luminescence color and the afterglow time of PLNPs are tunable through the content of Si4+. The colors of the emission, including red, white, cyan, and purple, could be observed under single ultraviolet (UV)-light irradiation; the PLNPs show the visible afterglow emission, after UV-light irradiation. The as-prepared ZGSiO:Cr exhibits high-level, dynamic, and multimodal anticounterfeiting with facile and quick operation and low cost and provides a more convenient and effective method for multimode anticounterfeiting, encryption, and currency information tracking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous organic networks (MONs) are emerging porous functional materials and have been widely explored in diverse domains. However, conventional synthesis of MONs involves high temperature, long reaction time and inert-gas protection, limiting their broad applications. In this study, we demonstrate a novel green ultrasound-assisted method for ultrafast, convenient, and efficient synthesis of MONs for efficient removal of antibiotics. An ultrasonically synthesized MON (US-MON) with a large specific surface area, high yield (>90%), good thermal and hydrophobicity can be prepared within 10 min at an ultrasound power of 500 W, which largely reduce the synthesis time of MONs, making it the fastest method for the synthesis of MONs thus far. The physical and chemical properties of the US-MON were comparable to or better than those of the traditional solvothermal and room-temperature-synthesized MONs, offering a large adsorption capacity of 437.4 mg g−1 for a typical antibiotic tetracycline hydrochloride. Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of functionalized US-MON–2OH and US-MON–2NH2 was also achieved. All the ultrasonically synthesized US-MONs offered good removal efficiency for antibiotics including tetracycline and quinolones. This study uncovers the great potential of the ultrasound-assisted method for the ultrafast synthesis of MONs and broadens the application scope of MONs toward the efficient elimination of antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Round-the-clock photocatalysts based on persistent luminescent nanoparticles (PLNPs) have great potential for water treatment and energy conservation, with continuous photocatalytic activity even at night or under dark conditions. However, their round-the-clock photocatalytic efficiency is still not high enough owing to the short persistent luminescence time, the low specific surface area, and the fast recombination rate of the light-generated e–/h+ pairs. Furthermore, no PLNP combinations with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) for photocatalytic application have been reported as of yet. Here, we report a round-the-clock composite photocatalyst based on Zn3Ga2Ge2O10:0.5% Mn combined with NH2-MIL-101-(Fe) via covalent bonding for the photo-degradation of RhB and the photo-reduction of Cr-(VI). The PLNPs/MOFs composite photocatalyst exhibits high photocatalytic activity in the dark for more than 12 h due to the long afterglow time of more than 16 days of Zn3Ga2Ge2O10/0.5% Mn, the efficient persistent luminescence resonance energy transfer between PLNPs and MOFs, the large specific surface area of MOFs, the large number of active transition metal sites of MOFs, and the decrease of the photogenerated e–/h+ pair binding rate. The combination of PLNPs/MOFs provides a strategy for developing highly efficient round-the-clock photocatalysts, which offer great potential in environmental protection and utilization of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of new photocatalysts with high catalytic efficiency, catalytic stability, and visible-light activity is very important for environmental decontamination and clean energy production. Here, we show the preparation of a composite photocatalyst of ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC)-CuO by a solution impregnation method with OMC as the carrier. The novel combination of CuO nanaoparticles and OMC exhibit not only a high visible-light catalytic activity and excellent surface adsorption property, but also a catalytic stability. The photodegradation efficiency of OMC-CuO for rhodamine B is 97.2% under visible-light irradiation, and higher than pure TiO 2 and CuO nanaoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of multimodal nanoprobes that combined properties of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within a single probe is very important for medical diagnosis. The NIR-emitting persistent luminescent nanoparticles (PLNPs) are ideal for optical imaging owing to no need for in situ excitation, the absence of background noise, and deep tissue penetration. However, no PLNP based multimodal nanoprobes have been reported so far. Here, we report a novel multimodal nanoprobe based on the gadolinium complexes functionalized PLNPs (Gd(III)-PLNPs) for in vivo MRI and NIR luminescence imaging. The Gd(III)-PLNPs not only exhibit a relatively higher longitudinal relaxivity over the commercial Gd(III)-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid complexes but also keep the superlong persistent luminescence. The prepared Gd(III)-PLNPs multimodal nanoprobe offers great potential for MRI/optical imaging in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near infrared (NIR)-emitting persistent luminescent nanoparticles (PLNPs) have great potential for in vivo bioimaging with the advantages of no need for in situ excitation, high signal-to-noise ratio, and deep tissue penetration. However, functional NIR-emitting PLNPs with long afterglow for long-term in vivo imaging are lacking. Here, we show the synthesis of NIR-emitting long-persistent luminescent nanoparticles ( LPLNPs ) Zn2.94Ga1.96Ge2O10:Cr3+,Pr3+ by a citrate sol-gel method in combination with a subsequent reducing atmosphere-free calcination. The persistent luminescence of the LPLNPs is significantly improved via codoping Pr3+/Cr3+ and creating suitable Zn deficiency in zinc gallogermanate. The LPLNP powder exhibits bright NIR luminescence in the biological transparency window with a superlong afterglow time of over 15 days. A persistent energy transfer between host and Cr3+ ion in the LPLNPs is observed and its mechanism is discussed. PEGylation greatly improves the biocompatibility and water solubility of the LPLNPs. Further bioconjugation with c(RGDyK) peptide makes the LPLNPs promising for long-term in vivo targeted tumor imaging with low toxicity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of water-separation-performing, noble-metal-free, and cost-effective electrocatalysts is of the utmost importance. This work outlines the preparation of ordered, macroporous MoS 2 –Fe 2 Mo 3 O 8 /MoO 2 electrocatalysts with heterogeneous structures using pyrolysis and sulfidation methods. The resulting macroporous and heterogeneous structures feature more active sites and facilitate ion diffusion, thereby effectively improving the overall performance. The catalyst demonstrated excellent performance in both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in a 1 M potassium hydroxide solution, requiring overpotentials of 213 and 60 mV, respectively, to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Moreover, the MoS 2 –Fe 2 Mo 3 O 8 /MoO 2 -based electrolyzer only requires an output voltage of 1.49 V, exhibiting superior performance and long-term stability compared to commercial catalysts. This study introduces a novel approach for achieving a heterogeneous macroporous structure that can enhance electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development of clean energy sources such as hydrogen is indispensable for achieving the long-term goal of carbon neutrality by the mid-century. The utilization of renewable energy for power generation to electrolyze water for hydrogen production is one of the most desirable green hydrogen production methods. The cathode side of the decomposing water undergoes the oxygen precipitation reaction, and the oxygen precipitation mechanism can be divided into the adsorbed evolution mechanism (AEM) and lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM). Based on the adsorbed evolution mechanism (AEM), the deprotonation (DeP) process involving multiple electron transfers is central to determining the oxygen release. DeP is essentially a proton-transfer process that allows for the establishment of a bifunctional catalyst system with both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Consequently, an all-transition-metal-based MoS 2 @Co 3 S 4 /NC heterostructure was designed and constructed in this study for the efficient total decomposition of water. The MoS 2 @Co 3 S 4 /NC catalyst achieved the HER and OER current densities of 10 mA cm−2 at the low overpotential (56 mV, 243 mV) and showed excellent long-term durability among all samples. The Mott-Schottky effect is considered the driving force for the HER and DeP in the OER. This study proposes a rational design for bifunctionalized non-precious metal electrolytic water catalysts using the Mott-Schottky effect as a criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Functional boron clusters modified GO to anchor ultrafine and highly dispersed Pd nanoparticles. • Pd/BGO can efficiently catalyze the hydrogenation of nitroaromatics to realize value-added. • Pd/BGO-catalyzed hydrogenation reaction of nitroarenes exhibits ultrafast reaction kinetics. • Pd/BGO exhibits durable stability in catalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatic hydrocarbons. The reduction of nitroaromatics to aminoaromatics is essential for fine chemical production and effective sewage treatment. However, the activity of an external catalyst is essential for the reaction. In this study, Pd nanocrystals were anchored in situ on two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO), which acted as a catalyst support with high specific surface area. The oxygen-containing groups on the surface of GO bonded to the functionally rich boron clusters through hydrogen bonding interactions. A mildly reducible closed-dodecahydrododecaboric acid anion cluster (closo‑ [B 12 H 12 ]2–) was employed as the target site. The mild reducibility of closo‑ [B 12 H 12 ]2– resulted in a wide dispersion of ultrafine Pd nanocrystals on GO. Under ambient conditions, Pd/BGO rapidly hydrogenated nitroaromatics, such as 4-nitrophenol, to aminoaromatics with approximately 100% efficiency. Moreover, Pd/BGO retained its high catalytic activity for the hydrogenation/reduction of 4-nitrophenol after five catalytic cycles. Therefore, Pd/BGO could be a promising and economically viable candidate for various practical applications. The proposed innovative preparation strategy and highly efficient catalytic activity suggested the effective performance of closo‑ [B 12 H 12 ]2– as nanometal nucleation target sites. In addition to providing an alternate route for preparing supported nanometals, this study presents a stable and efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of nitroaromatics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]