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Tailored design of photocatalysts with complicated hollow structures is of great importance for promoting environmental remediation. Herein, a monodispersed CuO yolk-shelled structure is synthesized for the first time by simple calcination treatment of a pre-synthesized Cu–EG (ethylene glycol) complex with yolk-shelled structure using a simple, environmentally friendly and glycerol-mediated solvothermal method. Ostwald ripening is the main formation mechanism for the yolk-shelled structure. Such CuO yolk-shelled structures show excellent photocatalytic activity, which is 3.65 times faster than that of the commercial CuO powders and is one of the highest reported photocatalytic activities to date in the CuO nanomaterials for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) under visible light irradiation. Such a preferable photocatalytic activity is mainly attributed to the unique yolk-shelled structure, which can enable higher multiple light reflections and scattering between the outer spherical shell and the interior core compared with commercial CuO powders, to provide a more efficient way to enhance light-harvesting efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe-ethylene glycol (Fe-EG) complex was synthesized using a facile and surfactant-free solvothermal method, and was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), bright field transmission electron microscopy(TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtained Fe-EG complex was an excellent candidate for synthesis of various iron oxides micro/nanostructures by a simple calcination approach. In an air atmosphere, γ-Fe 2 O 3 , γ-Fe 2 O 3 /α-Fe 2 O 3 nanocomposites, and α-Fe 2 O 3 micro/nanostructures were successfully prepared by controlling the calcination temperature. Fe 3 O 4 micro/nanostructures were also synthesized by calcination the Fe-EG complex under an argon atmosphere. The magnetic properties of the obtained series of iron oxides micro/nanostructures were studied, and the saturation magnetisation of the obtained γ-Fe 2 O 3 and Fe 3 O 4 were 65.91 and 100.20 emu g −1 , respectively. The results of the work put forward a simple and effective approach for the synthesis of iron oxides micro/nanostructures with controlled chemical composition and good magnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]