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This study focuses on achieving high photocatalytic activity using MoS2/TiO2 heterostructures (MOT). To this end, MoS2 and TiO2 were synthesized by employing hydrothermal synthesis techniques, and then MoS2/TiO2 heterostructures were synthesized by using 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 ratios of MoS2 and TiO2, respectively. While the structural and electronic changes for the 1:2 and 1:3 ratios were relatively minor, significant modifications in bandgaps and morphology were observed for the 1:1 and 1:4 ratios. Thus, this study presents a comparative analysis of the photocatalytic performance of the 1:1 (MOT11) and 1:4 (MOT14) heterostructures. The formation of these heterostructures was confirmed through Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Notably, the bandgaps of MOT11 and MOT14 were red-shifted to 1.66–1.25 eV and 1.01–1.68 eV, respectively, indicating improved visible-light absorption capabilities. The photocatalytic activity of MOT11 and MOT14 was evaluated through the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under simulated solar irradiation. MOT11 demonstrated a high degradation efficiency of 98.9% within 60 min, while MOT14 achieved 98.21% degradation after 90 min of irradiation. The significance of this study lies in its demonstration that a facile synthesis route and a small proportion of MoS2 in the heterostructure can achieve excellent photocatalytic degradation performance under solar light. After MS-analysis, S-Scheme has been suggested, which has also been complimented by the scavenger tests. Additionally, the improved photocatalytic properties of MOT11 and MOT14 suggest their potential for future applications in hydrogen generation and water splitting, offering a pathway towards sustainable and clean energy production.

This study focuses on the investigation of beryllium (Be) doping in V2O5 nanoparticles and the coordinated effects it has on the structural, optical, and photocatalytic characteristics of the material. XRD analysis reveals modifications in the orthorhombic structure upon Be doping, decreasing crystallite size (68.7–46.6 nm), and increased dislocation line density. Optimizing charge carrier mobility and separation is crucial for improving photocatalytic activity, and this is achieved via these adjustments. Raman spectra indicated increased crystallinity with Be doping. The optical analysis demonstrated an adjustable band gap (2.47–2.60 eV) and reduced refractive index (2.49–2.45), that enhance light absorption efficiency. More importantly, the study shows that Be-doped V2O5 nanoparticles have better photocatalytic activity for the breakdown of methylene blue, indicating its potential for environmentally friendly remediation. The present work contributes to the advancement of customized doping approaches for maximizing V2O5 functioning across a range of applications by clarifying the complex impacts of Be doping.

Photocatalytic responses and synergistic effects of V2O5, TiO2, and V2O5/TiO2 heterostructures with varied ratios have been investigated, revealing promising outcomes. The successful synthesis of nanostructures and heterostructures was verified through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Notably, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectral studies confirmed that the optical band gap of V2O5/TiO2 heterostructures increases with higher TiO2 concentrations. These findings enhance our understanding of the agglomerated heterostructures of V2O5/TiO2, particularly with ratios of 1:1 and 1:3, showcasing potential applications in photocatalysis. Furthermore, their performance was subjected to Malachite Green dye degradation using a solar simulator, achieving an impressive efficiency of 93.29%. Additionally, the photocatalytic efficacy was assessed through reusability experiments over three cycles. Remarkably, the heterostructures exhibited stability across these cycles, suggesting their potential for extended use in diverse photocatalytic purposes. The importance of these results is the applicability of our fabricated V2O5/TiO2 heterostructures as a photocatalyst with high performance, especially in the realm of sustainable and efficient dye degradation processes.

Photocatalytic response of V2O5, ZnO, and V2O5/ZnO nanostructures for the degradation of Tubantin red 8BL dye has been reported. Pure V2O5, ZnO, and V2O5/ZnO composite nanostructures were synthesized through a hydrothermal method. UV–Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterizations were done to examine their bandgap energy (Eg), morphology, composition, and structure, respectively. These discoveries advance our knowledge of the agglomerated nanoparticles of V2O5, ZnO, and V2O5/ZnO for their prospective photocatalytic uses. The presence of V2O5 and ZnO in composite is confirmed through the analysis of FTIR. Flower shaped morphology was observed in V2O5/ZnO nanocomposite by SEM. The 2.83 eV bandgap energy was observed in composite. The nanocomposite was evaluated for Tubantin red 8BL photodegradation. The efficiencies of pure ZnO nanoparticles after 25 min, 50 min, 75 min, 100 min, 125 min, and 150 min irradiation are 54.54 %, 58.00 %, 61.41 %, 63.84 %, 71.19 %, and 78.53 %; for pure V2O5 nanoparticles, they are 72.72 %, 76.45 %, 80.85 %, 85.42 %, 89.99 %, and 94.32 %. Similarly, the efficiencies (%) of V2O5/ZnO composite nanoparticles are 45.10 %, 53.27 %, 60.75 %, 68.24 %, 79.99 %, 91.74 %, and 99.79 %, respectively. Reusability studies (three cycles) were used to further confirm the photocatalytic efficiency, and the findings of the subsequent characterization revealed an arrangement of crystalline layers which is the cause of the high efficiency. These nanostructures also demonstrated stability across three cycles, suggesting more photocatalytic uses for them in the future.

In this study, novel hydrothermal ex situ synthesis was adopted to synthesize MoS2/WO3 heterostructures using two different molar ratios of 1:1 and 1:4. The “bottom-up” assembly was successfully developed to synthesize spherical and flaky-shaped heterostructures. Their structural, morphological, compositional, and bandgap characterizations were investigated through XRD, EDX, SEM, UV-Visible spectroscopy, and FTIR analysis. These analyses help to understand the agglomerated heterostructures of MoS2/WO3 for their possible photocatalytic application. Therefore, prepared heterostructures were tested for RhB photodegradation using solar light irradiation. The % efficiency of MoS2/WO3 composites for 30 min irradiation of 1:1 was 91.41% and for 1:4 was 98.16%. Similarly, the % efficiency of 1:1 MoS2/WO3 heterostructures for 60 min exposure was 92.68%; for 1:4, it was observed as 98.56%; and for 90 min exposure, the % efficiency of 1:1 was 92.41%, and 98.48% was calculated for 1:4 composites. The photocatalytic efficiency was further verified by reusability experiments (three cycles), and the characterization results afterward indicated the ensemble of crystalline planes that were responsible for the high efficiency. Moreover, these heterostructures showed stability over three cycles, indicating their future applications for other photocatalytic applications.

Aluminum antimonide (AlSb), a semiconductor compound, finds its applications in optoelectronics because of its tunable bandgap and promising properties achieved by tailoring suitable dopants. To explore the effects of doping, thin films of pure AlSb and 10% magnesium (Mg)-doped aluminum antimonide (MgAlSb) were synthesized through compound solution deposition on a glass substrate using a low-cost chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique at varying bath temperatures with deposition time intervals ranging from 60 to 180 min. Optical microscopy was used to evaluate the surface roughness and morphology of the synthesized films, revealing the surface roughness and thin film uniformity at different deposition times. The structural characteristics of AlSb and Mg-doped AlSb thin films were further examined using the X-ray diffraction technique, which validated the formation of AlSb and Mg-doped AlSb thin films. This research enables large-scale low-temperature deposition for a variety of conceivable applications in the coatings, materials penetration, energy, and photonic sectors due to the novel properties of this material.

Green synthesis differs in the way that the plant produces chemicals that act as reducing and stabilizing agents, and by adopting this green synthesis, we have synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the leaf and fruit extracts of Annona squamosa (also known as Sharifa), where these extracts have played an important role as reducing and capping agents. The nanoparticles were synthesized as the consequence of a reduction that happened between plant extracts and the precursor solution. The prepared AgNPs were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy, UV-Visible spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction to study their morphology, optical response, and crystallinity. A single distinctive absorption peak of colloidal AgNPs samples was observed at 430 nm and 410 nm for leaf and fruit extract samples, having an optical bandgap of 2.97 eV and 2.88 eV, respectively, with a spherical shape having a diameter in the range of 35–90 nm and 15–50 nm, respectively, whilst XRD studies supported the FCC cubic structure of the mediated AgNPs. These green synthesized AgNPs have a wide variety of uses, particularly in the biomedical domain, where they have the potential to treat numerous diseases and are reported to be efficient against antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic activities.