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Hg(II) ions in wastewater are highly toxic to the environment and human health, yet many materials to remove the ions exhibit lower adsorption efficiency, and few studies report the reuse of Hg(II)-loaded waste materials. Here, a cheap and efficient adsorbent was prepared for the removal of Hg(II) based on corn bracts (CB) loading copper sulfide (CuS), and the Hg(II)-adsorbed material was reused as a photocatalyst. By changing the adsorption variables such as pH, adsorbent dosage, Hg(II) concentration, contact time and coexisting ions, the optimum adsorption conditions were obtained. The study indicated the adsorption capacity and removal rate of CB/CuS reached 249.58 mg/g and 99.83% at pH 6 with 20 mg CB/CuS, 50 mL Hg(II) concentration (100 mg/L) and 60 min, and coexisting ions did not affect the uptake of Hg(II). The adsorption behavior of CB/CuS toward Hg(II) followed pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models, with the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of 316.46 mg/g. Finally, we explored an alternative strategy to dispose of spent adsorbents by converting the CB/CuS/HgS into a photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B, with a removal rate of 98%. Overall, this work not only develops a promising material for the treatment of Hg(II)-containing wastewater, but opens up a new approach for the use of the waste adsorbent. HIGHLIGHTS Corn bracts as a carrier of CuS was designed for rapid uptake of Hg(II).; The removal rate of the adsorbent could reach 99.83% in only 60 min.; The theoretical maximum could reach 316.46 mg/g.; Coexisting ions had no significant effect on selective Hg(II) ion removal.; The spent adsorbent was used for photodegradation reaction.

The functional properties of (1-x)CuCo2O4/(x)CuS nanocomposite as an improved supercapacitor electrode have been investigated. X-ray diffraction with Rietveld analysis, HRTEM, FESEM, and FTIR techniques were employed for the full structural characterization of the nanocomposites. The particle size and morphology, the phase composition and percentage, the lattice parameters, the cation distribution and the crystallite size were accurately determined for the prepared samples. The variation of the bandgap of the phases developed with the alloying parameter (x) was studied utilizing the UV diffuse spectrum. All samples exhibited a blue shift except the sample with x = 0.25, it revealed a redshift. The photoluminescence intensity and the color emitted were affected by CuCo2O4 and CuS alloying. The preliminary test of cyclic voltammetry (CV) proved that alloying of CuS nanoparticles with CuCo2O4 enhanced the electrochemical activities, and optimum performance achieved with allying ratio x = 0.25.

MXene, a novel two-dimensional (2D) multi-layer material, has drawn unusual interest as the microwave absorbers for electromagnetic energy attenuation. Synthetic MXene-based heterostructure composites via optimizing structure is an effective strategy to endow MXene materials with high-performance microwave absorption. This study reports the fabrication and investigation of the microwave absorption performance of a sandwich-like CuS/Ti3C2Tx MXene composites prepared by loading CuS nanoparticles onto 2D Ti3C2Tx via a solvothermal method. The morphology and electromagnetic absorption properties of this composite were investigated and the results demonstrated that the CuS/Ti3C2Tx composite with a heterolayered architecture displayed superior microwave absorption ability. With a 35 wt% filler loading in the paraffin matrix, the minimum reflection loss value reached −45.3 dB at a frequency of 7.3 GHz and the effective absorption bandwidth achieved a value as high as 5.2 GHz with a thickness of 2.0 mm. The enhanced microwave absorption performances can be ascribed to the cooperation of the conductive network, interface polarization, dipole polarization, multiple reflection and scattering. Therefore, the synthesized CuS/Ti3C2Tx MXene composites offer an efficient foundation for the design and utilization of other lightweight microwave absorbers.

Although transition metal sulfides have presented prospect in electrochemical sensing, their electrocatalytic performance still cannot meet the demands for practical applications due to the difficulties in mass transport and electron transfer. In this work, double-shelled CuS nanocages (2-CuS NCs) were prepared for enzyme-free ascorbic (AA) sensor through a Cu2O- templated method. The unique double-shelled hollow structure displayed large specific surface areas, ordered diffusion channels, increased volume occupying rate, and accelerated electron transfer rate, resulting in enhanced electrochemical dynamic. As a sensing electrode for AA, 2-CuS NCs modified glassy carbon electrode (2-CuS NCs/GCE) exhibited eminent electrocatalytic activity in terms of satisfying sensitivity (523.7 μA mM−1 cm−2), short response time (0.31 s), and low limit of detection (LOD, 0.15 μM). 2-CuS NCs look promising for analytical sensing of AA in electrochemical sensors thanks to its prominent electrocatalytic kinetics issued from double-shelled hollow porous structure.

The effect of flash-lamp annealing (FLA) on the re-crystallization of thin films made of colloidal Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals (NCs) is investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Unlike similar previous studies of NCs synthesized at high temperatures in organic solvents, NCs in this work, which have diameters as small as 2–6 nm, were synthesized under environmentally friendly conditions in aqueous solution using small molecules as stabilizers. We establish the range of FLA conditions providing an efficient re-crystallization in the thin film of NCs, while preserving their kesterite structure and improving their crystallinity remarkably. The formation of secondary phases at higher FLA power densities, as well as the dependence of the formation on the film thickness are also investigated. Importantly, no inert atmosphere for the FLA treatment of the NCs is required, which makes this technology even more suitable for mass production, in particular for printed thin films on flexible substrates.

Copper sulfide (CuS) thin films were prepared on commercial glass substrates by Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) method using solution of different copper salts at 50 °C temperature for seven hours. Different anions of copper salts that is crucial for the properties of the films affect the precipitation mechanism and growth rate. For this reason, the effect of the different copper salts on the properties of CuS thin films was investigated and discussed. The influence of the different copper salts in the chemical bath was determined by means of optical transmission of the thin films in the wavelength range of 400–1100 nm taken at room temperature. Next, using these data, the optical band gap values Eg, the extinction coefficient k, the refractive index n, and the real ?1 and imaginary parts ?2 of the dielectric constant were calculated. The crystallographic structure of CuS thin films were analyzed with an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). XRD analysis was revealed the polycrystalline and hexagonal phase of CuS thin films. The surface roughness of the films were measured by AFM. The surface roughness of the thin films was different despite the same deposition time. © 2018 Elsevier GmbH FEF2012D5 This work was supported by Cukurova University under FEF2012D5 project number.

Xiangyang Cheng,1,* Dejian Li,2,* Aiqi Lin,3 Jun Xu,1 Liang Wu,1 Huijie Gu,1 Zhongyue Huang,1 Jiangyi Liu,1 Yiming Zhang,1 Xiaofan Yin1 1Department of Orthopedics, Minhang Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China; 2Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Pudong Hospital, Fudan University Pudong Medical Center, Shanghai 201301, China; 3Department of Retired, Minhang Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 201199, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Introduction: For an ideal drug delivery system, the outstanding drug-loading capacity and specific control of the release of therapeutics at the desired lesions are crucial. In this work, we developed a triple-responsive nanoplatform based on copper sulfide (CuS)-capped yolk-shell-structured periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (YSPMOs) for synergetic chemo-photothermal therapy. Methods: Herein, the YSPMOs were employed as a drug carrier, which exhibited a high doxorubicin (DOX) loading capacity of 386 mg/g. In this controlled-release drug delivery system, CuS serves as a gatekeeper to modify YSPMOs with reduction-cleavable disulfide bond (YSPMOs@CuS). CuS could not only avoid premature leakage in the delivery process, but also endowed the excellent photothermal therapy (PTT) ability. Results: Upon entering into cancer cells, the CuS gatekeeper was opened with the breaking of disulfide bonds and the DOX release from YSPMOs(DOX)@CuS in response to the intracellular acidic environment and external laser irradiation. Such a precise control over drug release, combined with the photothermal effect of CuS nanoparticles, is possessed by synergistic chemo-photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. Both in vitro and in vivo experimental data indicated that the synergistic effect of YSPMOs(DOX)@CuS showed efficient antitumor effect. In addition, low systemic toxicity was observed in the pathologic examinations of liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Conclusion: This versatile nanoplatform combination of PTT, chemotherapeutics, and gating components shows general potential for designing multifunctional drug delivery systems. Keywords: periodic mesoporous organosilica, CuS, triple-responsive release, chemo-photothermal therapy

An effective and practical in situ sulfuration approach has been developed in this work, for the fabrication of CuS with a 3D hierarchical network structure under mild preparation conditions. The prepared CuS consists of a primary structure of the multi-structure interchange copper foam precursor, and a secondary structure of nanoplates. The structural characteristics, morphologies, and photocatalytic performances of the prepared photocatalyst were investigated systematically. To evaluate the photocatalytic performance of the prepared CuS samples, we investigated the degradation of MB (methylene blue), RhB (Rhodamine B), and MB/RhB dye solutions over the samples under the irradiation of simulated solar light. Specifically, the degradation of RhB rapidly reached &asymp, 100.0% after simulated solar light irradiation for 25 min, which is higher than those of P25 (83.0%) and bulk CuS (54.8%). For the mixed systems of MB/RhB, both the degradations of MB and RhB reached up to &asymp, 99.0% after simulated solar light irradiation for 25 min. The superior photocatalytic performances of the prepared samples are attributed to the synergistic effects of high optical absorption, large specific surface area, and abundant active sites. The prepared catalysts can retain the photocatalytic activities during the entire reaction process without significant loss after four catalytic cycles, which reveals that the CuS with a stable 3D hierarchical network structure has a promising prospect as an ideal recyclable catalyst.

CuS nanoflowers were loaded on anatase TiO2/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fibers by hydrothermal treated electrospun tetrabutyl orthotitanate (TBOT)/PVDF fibers at low temperature. The results indicated that the amount of copper source and sulfur source determined the crystallization and morphology of the resultant products. It was found that the composite of CuS narrowed the band gap energy of TiO2 and enhanced the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs of TiO2. The photocatalytic reaction rate of CuS/TiO2/PVDF fibers to rhodamine B was 3 times higher than that of TiO2/PVDF fibers under visible light irradiation. Besides, owing to the preparation process was carried out at low temperature, the flexibility of CuS/TiO2/PVDF fibers was ensured. In addition, the self-cleaning performance of the dye droplets on the resultant product surface was demonstrated under visible light. Meanwhile, the resultant product can automatically remove dust on the surface of the material under the rolling condition of droplets due to its hydrophobicity. Therefore, the as-prepared CuS/TiO2/PVDF fibers can not only degrade the contaminated compounds, but also depress the maintenance cost owing to its self-cleaning performance, which means a very practical application prospect. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s11671-019-3052-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Jie Sheng,1,2 Beibei Ma,1 Qian Yang,1 Chao Zhang,2 Zhongying Jiang,1,2 Entomack Borrathybay3 1College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Yili Normal University, Micro-nano Electric Sensing Technology and Bionic Devices Key Laboratory, Yining 835000, China; 2Physics School of Nanjing University, Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing 210093, China; 3College of Biology and Geography Sciences, Yili Normal University, Yining 835000, Xinjiang, China Introduction: In recent years, near-infrared laser-induced photothermal therapy is being considered as a promising approach to kill tumors owing to its noninvasive nature and excellent antitumor efficiency. However, the lack of ideal photothermal agents hinders further development of this technology. Materials and methods: Aiming at solving this long-standing obstacle, we report here about the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-DA modified copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles (NPs) (PEG-DA-CuS NPs), a kind of semiconductor photothermal agents that show excellent photothermal stability and high heat conversion efficiency. Results and discussion: Owing to the surrounding PEG, the water solubility of CuS NPs was significantly improved when circulating in blood in the body. When the NPs reached the tumors and were irradiated by a 1,064 nm laser (1 W/cm2, 10 minutes), the local temperature increased above 90°C, triggering the retro Diels–Alder reaction. After the release of PEG chain, CuS NPs soon formed aggregates and enriched the tumor via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, promoting the efficacy of photothermal therapy. Conclusion: Therefore, we believe PEG-DA-CuS NPs are able to serve as a kind of cytotoxic and efficient photothermal agent to kill cancer. Keywords: CuS, PEG, retro Diels–Alder reaction, excellent photothermal stability, high heat conversion efficiency, aggregation in tumor

Copper sulphide CuS was deposited on three substrates; glass, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) and Ti by using spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD). After depositing CuS thin films on the substrates at 200 °C, they were annealed at 50, 100, 150, and 200 °C for 1 hour. Structural measurements revealed covellite CuS and chalcocite Cu2S phases for thin films before and after annealing at 200 °C with changes in intensities, and only covellite CuS phase for thin films after annealing at 50, 100, and 150 °C. Morphological characteristics show hexagonal-cubic crystals for the CuS thin film deposited on glass substrate and plates structures for films deposited on ITO and Ti substrates before annealing, these crystals became bigger in size and there were be oxidation and some agglomerations in some regions with formation of plates for CuS on glass substrate after annealing at 200 °C. For Hall Effect measurements, thin films sheet resistivity and mobility increased after annealing while the carrier concentration decreased. Generally, the thin film deposited on ITO substrate had the lowest resistivity and the highest carrier concentration before and after annealing. The thin film deposited on Ti substrate had the highest mobility before and after annealing, which makes it the best thin film for device performance. The objective of this research is to show the improvement of thin films electrical properties especially the mobility after annealing those thin films.

We report the synthesis and structural studies of copper sulfide nanocrystals from copper(II) dithiocarbamate single molecule precursors. The optical studies of the as-prepared copper sulfide nanoparticles were carried out using UV–Visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The absorption spectra show absorption band edges at 287 nm and exhibit considerable blue shift that could be ascribed to the quantum confinement effects as a result of the small crystallite sizes of the nanoparticles and the photoluminescence spectra show emission curves that are red shifted with respect to the absorption band edges. The structural studies were carried out using powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The XRD patterns revealed the formation of hexagonal structure of covellite CuS with estimated crystallite sizes of 17.3–18.6 nm. The TEM images showed particles with almost spherical or rod shapes with average crystallite sizes of 3–9.8 nm. SEM images showed morphology with ball-like microsphere on the surfaces and EDS spectra confirmed the presence of CuS nanoparticles. Keywords: CuS, Dithiocarbamate, Nanoparticles, Electron microscopy, AFM

Actively targeted theranostic nanomedicine may be the key for future personalized cancer management. Although numerous types of theranostic nanoparticles have been developed in the past decade for cancer treatment, challenges still exist in the engineering of biocompatible theranostic nanoparticles with highly specific in vivo tumor targeting capabilities. Here, we report the design, synthesis, surface engineering, and in vivo active vasculature targeting of a new category of theranostic nanoparticle for future cancer management. Water-soluble photothermally sensitive copper sulfide nanoparticles were encapsulated in biocompatible mesoporous silica shells, followed by multistep surface engineering to form the final theranostic nanoparticles. Systematic in vitro targeting, an in vivo long-term toxicity study, photothermal ablation evaluation, in vivo vasculature targeted imaging, biodistribution and histology studies were performed to fully explore the potential of as-developed new theranostic nanoparticles.

To make full use of the solar energy, it remains a great challenge for semiconductor photocatalysts to harvest the full solar light spectrum from ultraviolet (UV) to visible even the near infrared (NIR) wavelength. Here we show firstly the CuS/RGO (reduced graphene oxide) hybrid photocatalyst synthesized via a microwave assisted method with full solar light (UV–Vis-NIR) active for efficient Cr(VI) reduction. The CuS/RGO displays high absorption and catalytic activity in the UV, visible and even the NIR light regions. As co-catalyst, RGO can separate and inhibit the recombination of charge carriers, consequently improving the catalytic activity. Only 1 wt% RGO emersions can reduce 90% of Cr(VI) under the radiation of light over the full spectrum. Findings may provide a new strategy and substance to expand the utilization range of solar light from UV to visible even the NIR energy.

Copper sulphide crystallizes in a variety of phases that exhibit distinct optical properties including different optical band gaps in the visible region. The crystalline phases are associated with unique properties shown by semiconductor nanocrystals that could be exploited to produce new photocatalysts with tuned optical behavior. This research reports on the use of ionic liquids as a reaction medium to produce copper sulphide nanocrystals whose crystalline phase depends on the synthesis conditions. Noteworthy, these solvents allow the production of water dispersible copper sulphides following the thermal treatment of Cu(II) alkyldithiocarbamates complexes, used here as single-molecule precursors, thus improving their potential for heterogeneous photocatalysis in the aqueous phase. Finally, the ensuing copper sulphides have been preliminarily assessed for their photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The results indicate that the ionic liquid route described here has an impact on the copper sulphides produced and thereby on their performance as photocatalysts.

This work describes the synthesis of CuS powders in high yield and via an environmentally friendly and straightforward process, under ambient conditions (temperature and pressure), by adding to aqueous copper (II) a nutrient solution containing biologically generated sulfide from sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). The powders obtained were composed of CuS (covellite) nanoparticles (NPs) exhibiting a spheroid morphology (

One of the challenges in the field of perovskite solar cells (PSC) is the development of inorganic hole-transporting-materials (HTM) suitable for solution-processed deposition, in order to have cheaper, more stable and scalable devices. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of p-type copper sulfide nanoparticles for their application for the first time as a low-cost, fully-inorganic HTM in mesoscopic n-i-p PSC. By employing CuS combined with two different perovskites, CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI(3)) and (FAPbI(3))(0.78)(MAPbBr(3))(0.14)(CsPbI3)(0.08) (CsFAMAPbIBr), very high current densities and fill-factors are observed, suggesting an effective hole-extraction happening at the CuS interface. Noticeable, our cells exhibit one of the highest power conversion efficiencies (PCE) in n-i-p configuration employing a sole solution-processed inorganic HTM via non-toxic solvents, leading to 13.47% and 11.85% for MAPbI(3) and CsFAMAPbIBr, respectively. As a remark, such PCE values are only limited by a reduced open-circuit voltage around 0.8 V, due to different phenomena occurring at perovkite/CuS interface such as an increased non-radiative recombination, caused by considerable difference in valence band value, and the effect of CuS metallic character. Overall, these findings highlight CuS as an extremely cheap alternative to common organic HTMs and pave the way to new improvements employing this material in full-inorganic blocking layers PSC.