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[Display omitted] • The surface chemical composition of β-Ga 2 O 3 films is discussed in depth. • The component of O 1s with the binding energy around 531.8 eV is attributed to surface lattice O atoms. • The defects inside the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were analyzed by HRTEM. β gallium oxide (β-Ga 2 O 3) is an ultrawide bandgap semiconductor with great potential for solar-blind ultraviolet detection, power devices, and gas sensing. However, the understanding of the surface properties of β-Ga 2 O 3 remains insufficient. Here, epitaxial growth of β-Ga 2 O 3 films was carried by metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on sapphire substrates. The surface chemical composition, surface layer crystalline properties, and surface morphology of the β-Ga 2 O 3 films were discussed and analyzed in detail. By comparing the atomic ratios of O/Ga, the surface morphology, and the crystalline properties of the films, we attribute the component of O 1s with the binding energy around 531.8 eV to surface lattice O atoms. Moreover, the one-dimensional defects inside the surface layers and the near-interface regions of the films were observed at atomic scale by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). By comparing the lattice fringes of different facets, the geometric phase uniformity, and the distribution of strain, we found that the crystalline quality of the surface layers is much higher than the near-interface regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cerium substituted HA at different concentrations were prepared and characterized. • The antimicrobial study of prepared samples showed effective antimicrobial action. • The biocompatibility test demonstrated that all prepared samples were nontoxic. • The prepared materials have high potential to employ as drug delivery systems. • Cerium substituted HA can be used as a local treatment of bone cancer. The current study used the precipitation method to prepare pure calcium hydroxyapatite (HA) and cerium-substituted hydroxyapatite (Ce-HA) nanoparticles, where cerium ions were exchanged into the HA structure at different concentrations ranging from 3 to 7 wt%. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, and zeta potential were used to examine the structural characteristics of the nanoparticles. Additionally, the antibacterial and antifungal effects of the produced materials on Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal bacterial species were studied. Nanoparticles with cerium doping showed effective antibacterial and antifungal properties. All samples were tested for bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF), and the formation of an apatite layer on their surfaces was highlighted using SEM in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-rays (EDX).Doxorubicin (DOX) release from Ce-HA nanoparticles and pure HA was tested in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for up to 28 days. Both nanoparticles were able to release the drug while still being semi-fully loaded. Similarly, the cytotoxic effect of all produced samples on the MG-63 cell line was evaluated, and all samples showed good cytocompatibility. The cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles showed promising anticancer activity against bone cancer cells, especially samples with high cerium content. The resulting nanoparticles show excellent promising ability for the delivery of doxorubicin to bone cancer with the capacity for bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron doped diamonds (BDD) with boron concentration above 1019 at./cm3, grown under conditions of high isostatic pressure by the temperature gradient method, were studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy methods, EELS analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was shown that boron is distributed unevenly in the grown crystal. It was found that in places of maximum boron content, interplanar distances d 111 increase from 0.206 to approximately 0.2065 nm. Parallel bands were discovered, the boundaries of which are fragments of the intermediate carbon phase (ICP-phase). Numerous twins along the {111} plane, as well as fragments of rhombohedral 9R phase, were discovered. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu2+ doped MgFe 2 O 4 have been synthesized by microwave combustion method. • Cu2+ doped MgFe 2 O 4 confirms cubic inverse spinel structure with Fd 3 ¯ m space group. • Structural and elementals are confirmed by XRD, XPS and EDX analysis for MgFe 2 O 4. • Hysteresis confirms Mg 1- x Cu x Fe 2 O 4 were shows a ferromagnetic behaviour in nature. • The detailed photocatalytic degradation mechanism of Mg 0.7 Cu 0.3 Fe 2 O 4 is discussed. This study presents the synthesis of Mg 1- x Cu x Fe 2 O 4 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5) nanoparticles (NPs) using the direct microwave combustion method (MCM) with L-arginine as the fuel source. The samples were characterised comprehensively using various analytical techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in the ultraviolet–visible (DRS-UV) range, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The cubic spinel structure was verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. It revealed an average crystallite size ranging from 15.8 to 26.6 nm. The oxidation states and elemental composition of Mg 1- x Cu x Fe 2 O 4 were evaluated using XPS analysis. Notably, the major absorption bands at 557 and 434 cm−1 corresponded to the tetrahedral (Mg2+ –O2−) and octahedral (Fe3+ –O2−) sites, respectively. HRSEM images showed agglomerated particles with elemental verification of Mg 1- x Cu x Fe 2 O 4. This was validated by EDX studies. The optical bandgap was determined by DRS-UV analysis. Functional groups were analyzed by FTIR spectra. Hysteresis loop measurements revealed the ferromagnetic properties of the obtained samples. Furthermore, the study evaluated the detailed mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation (PCD) of Mg 0.7 Cu 0.3 Fe 2 O 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural analysis, spectroscopic studies and multiferroic properties of Zn 1- x Ni x O (x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, 0.12, 0.15) nanoparticles are reported here. Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple chemical growth route using hydroxyoxalate type materials. The hexagonal wurtzite structure of prepared compounds has been ascertained through X-ray diffraction. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) reveals the particle size and lattice growth direction of the nanoparticles. The expected doping concentration of nickel was confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The excitonic peaks observed from absorption spectra of the prepared nanoparticles exhibit blue shift for nickel doping. Ni-doped ZnO explore superior photocatalytic response and are controlled by three factors: band gap, crystallite size and surface defect. To be specific, 12 % Ni doping results in 7.8 times increase in the photocatalytic degradation efficiency. The samples exhibit characteristic P -E and M − H loops. The obtained remnant polarization for 9 % and 15 % Ni doping are 9 × 10−3 and 6 × 10−3 μC/cm2 respectively. The multiferroicity perceived in the synthesized Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles with the ME coefficient at around 1.1mV/cm-Oe have important application potentiality in electromagnetic coupled devices. • Ni-doped ZnO nanopowders for tuning the physical properties as multiferroicity. • Prominence of absorption in UV-VIS due to exciton-exciton collision. • Superior sunlight-driven photocatalytic effect of Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles. • Signature of multiferroic behavior in nickel doped ZnO materials. • Magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of nickel doped ZnO nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of croconic acid disodium salt (CADS) as an organic gelator with Cd(II) salt to obtain an efficient soft-scaffold supramolecular self-healable metallogel (Cd-CADS) in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) media was investigated following an ultrasonication technique. The experimentally scrutinized rheological values of the fabricated metallogel not only revealed the visco-elastic property and mechanical stiffness, but also exposed the self-healable behaviour of the gel material. Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) were incorporated within the gel network to obtain a 2D nanosheet dispersed metallogel of Cd(II) croconate (h-BN@Cd-CADS). The microstructural investigations of the original gel network and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) 2D nanosheet dispersed gel-network were performed through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and established the interconnecting rod-like fibrous type morphological patterns and inter-connected hexagonal type rod-shaped architecture pattern, respectively. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to visualize the morphological distinction of the Cd-CADS metallogel with the h-BN 2D nanosheets. The infrared spectral (FT-IR) outputs helped to identify the formation pathway to construct the semi-solid self-healing flexible metallogel and h-BN 2D nanosheet dispersed metallogel nanocomposite, respectively. Fascinating electronic-charge transportation was revealed in the as-fabricated Cd-CADS and h-BN@Cd-CADS metallogel-based devices. Furthermore, h-BN 2D-nanosheet-directed modulation of the non-linear rectifying feature of the supramolecular Cd-CADS-metallogel was observed, with the h-BN@Cd-CADS metallogel showing a greater rectifying property, implying that it has a higher conductivity compared to the Cd-CADS metallogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene nanosheets (GNSs)/Al 2 O 3 composites were synthesized by wet milling. In this study, the effects of wet milling speed on the layer distribution, quality and conversion efficiency of graphene in GNSs/Al 2 O 3 composites were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), raman spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the intensity of graphite peak decreases and the conversion efficiency of graphene increases with the increase of rotational speed in the range of 200–300 rpm, and a small amount of graphene coated Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles were found in GNSs/Al 2 O 3 composites. The number of layers (≤10 layers) of GNSs gradually increases with the increase of ball milling speed. When the rotational speed is 300 rpm, the graphene conversion efficiency is the highest. At different rotational speeds, graphene defects were the least influential marginal defects. There was no characteristic peak of graphene oxide (GO) appeared in the composite, indicating a small oxidation degree of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Heteroatom doping could markedly enhance the properties of carbon materials. For the precursor with nitrogen (N) heteroatom, it is difficult to fix its own N heteroatom in target products to the maximum extent by traditional methods. In this work, we take corn cob core as instance to fabricate N‐doped hard carbon with high N content by a newly developed pyrolysis‐deposition‐self‐doping (PDSD) in confined graphite canister. Compared with the traditional method of pyrolysis by placing the sample in an open corundum crucible, the N doping amount of hard carbon obtained by PDSD method in a sealed graphite canister significantly increases from 0.93 to 5.63 at%. It demonstrates the crucial function of confined graphite canister in tuning the doped heteroatom's weight of carbon matrix. The influence of two kinds of pyrolysis methods on the microstructure of the materials was systematically analyzed by X‐ray diffractometer, Raman, X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Furthermore, corresponding electrochemical tests are measured as anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries and the results suggest that the product prepared by PDSD method exhibits better cycling and rate performance. This fully proves the advantages of PDSD method for improving the amount of heteroatom doping, and lays the experimental and theoretical foundation for the future research and development of heteroatom doped carbon materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The present work aims to produce decanal from the dehydrogenation (DH) of 1‐decanol with CO2 as soft oxidant over copper catalysts. The main advantage of Cu catalysts is that they can promote DH and reverse water gas shift reactions, which are part of oxidative DH of 1‐decanol in presence of CO2. For this purpose, various supported Cu catalysts (Cu/MgO, Cu/CeO2, Cu/ZnO, and Cu/ZrO2) have been prepared using K2CO3 as precipitating agent. The catalysts were characterized by X‐ray Diffraction (XRD), brunauer‐emmett‐teller (BET) surface area, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, H2‐temperature programmed reduction, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), and CO2‐temperature programmed desorption analysis. Catalytic activity of these catalysts has been evaluated at atmospheric pressure with CO2 as soft oxidant in a fixed bed flow reactor. The high catalytic activity by Cu/MgO catalyst was mainly attributed to the presence of basic sites and dispersion of Cu metal particles. Catalytic activity was correlated with catalysts characteristics. Highlights: CO2 as a soft oxidant prevents over oxidationCO2 reacts with H2 produced via reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGSR)Copper catalysts are known to be active for both dehydrogenation and RWGSRsThe basic sites and interactions between Cu and MgO in Cu/MgO catalyst are responsible for high activity10Cu/MgO catalyst can be regenerated with, little activity loss [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexural behavior of red deer's (Cervus Elaphus) antler is managed by not only orientation of osteons but also age, number density of fully fledged Cross-Linking Fibers (CLFs) and mineralization. Although crack propagation is affected by all these factors, a possible role of CLFs during the deformation remains rather disguised. The aim of this study was to enlighten the effect of dimensions, micro skeleton and mineral content of CLFs on plastic deformation. Therefore, mechanical properties, microarchitecture and mineralization of fracture sites of deer antlers were investigated using three-point bending tests in 32 specimens followed by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The bending tests show that maximum bending strength is in the range of 150–177 MPa, and elastic modulus approximates to 5–6 GPa. Furthermore, fracture toughness of the test specimens examined for all branching groups of antlers was 8–9 MPa · m 1 / 2 . Age and the number of branching albeit are main reasons for differentiating microarchitecture and varying mechanical properties. SEM analyses show that a hierarchical architecture from bottom to up exists, in which some feathers and nano-sized fibrils are attached to larger fibrils that brings CLFs altogether. Antlers of adolescent deers are supposed to have shorter and thinner cross-linking fibers than elder ones. Some feathered micro-fibrils were identified across the CLFs connecting osteons. The thickness (270.0–320.0 nm) and length (700 nm) of feathers were strictly proportional to the microfibrils' size (10.0 µm in length and 1.0 µm in thickness). Furthermore, weight percentages of minerals varies along the CLFs that taking root on osteons by a bundle of many smaller fibrils whereas Pb, Cd and Hg have the highest values at the tip of broken CLFs. Such high values of these brittle elements lead to cracked ligament bridging as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetoplumbite barium hexaferrite (BaFe 11.8 Co 0.2 O 19) is synthesised through sol-gel auto-combustion method under two pH conditions of precursor solutions (acidic i.e. pH < 1 and neutral i.e. pH = 7). The XRD analysis followed by Reitveld refinement indicates the formation of phase pure samples in both cases but the barium hexaferrite obtained from acidic precursor solution has smaller crystallite sizes. The Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis followed by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) confirms a lower particle size of ∼20 nm for barium hexaferrite synthesised from acidic pH precursor solution. The shift in Raman peak (520-540 cm−1) by 20 cm−1, represents the whole structural block and further confirms the differences in the distribution of particle sizes due to the method of synthesis. The magnetic studies display a lower coercive field for the samples with smaller particle sizes. This is due to the crystalline size-induced microstrain that controls the magneto-crystalline anisotropy, shape anisotropy and stress anisotropy. The electromagnetic characterisation confirms broader absorption in the range of 8–18 GHz (X -band) with R L ≤ −7 db for the entire range for the samples with smaller particle sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the effect of heterojunction on photocatalytic activity, pure Bi5O7NO3,α-Bi2O3Chanel triphase heterojunction were synthesized using hydrothermal method with Bi(N03)3 • 5H2O as raw materiaL X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize the crystal structures and phase compositions. The result showed that after 90 min light irradiation of 250 W mercury lamps, the Rhodamine B degradation efficiency of heterojunction and Bi5O7NO3 are 98. 1% and 89. 9%. The values are far higher thanα-Bi203 25% and &@946;-Bi203 45%. The methyl orange degradation efficiency of these two samples are about 90%, faster than 77% ofα-Bi2O3 and 86% of β-Bi2O3. According to band gap and Mott-Schottky curve, Bi5O7NO3, α- and β-Bi2O3 form a staggered energy band configuration. Photogenerated electrons transfer from the conduction band of Bi5O7NO3 to the α-Bi2O3 and β-Bi2O3 conduction bands in tuni. The electron and hole is separated to improve the photocatalytic activity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy show that the morphology and double absorption further enhance the photocatalytic activity. Therefore high activityBi5O7 NO3 photocatalyzer is in situ grown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, a novel dual-step selective epitaxy growth (SEG) of Ge was proposed to significantly decrease the defect density and to create fully strained relaxed Ge on a Si substrate. With the single-step SEG of Ge, the threading defect density (TDD) was successfully decreased from 2.9 × 107 cm−2 in a globally grown Ge layer to 3.2 × 105 cm−2 for a single-step SEG and to 2.84 × 105 cm−2 for the dual-step SEG of the Ge layer. This means that by introducing a single SEG step, the defect density could be reduced by two orders of magnitude, but this reduction could be further decreased by only 11.3% by introducing the second SEG step. The final root mean square (RMS) of the surface roughness was 0.64 nm. The strain has also been modulated along the cross-section of the sample. Tensile strain appears in the first global Ge layer, compressive strain in the single-step Ge layer and fully strain relaxation in the dual-step Ge layer. The material characterization was locally performed at different points by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, while it was globally performed by high resolution X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endovascular treatment with stent retriever thrombectomy is a major advancement in the standard of care in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The modalities through which thrombi embed along stent retriever following mechanical thrombectomy (MTB) have not yet been elucidated. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we analyzed the appearance of thrombi retrieved by MTB from AIS patients, when embedded into the stent retriever. We observed that the organization and structural compactness vary for compositionally different thrombi. The modalities of attachment onto the stent vary according to thrombus composition and organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of polyethylene glycol capping on structural, optical and thermal properties, ZnS:Ni2+ nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical precipitation method. It is demonstrated that by varying the concentration of PEG the particle size can be varied within ∼3.58 to 12 nm. To analyze the samples of nanostructures, the samples are subjected to X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy and High resolution transmission electron microscopy characterization techniques. The spectral bands between 673 and 494 cm−1 are related to Zn-S stretching vibrations which was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectral studies. It is found that the uncapped sample emits strong UV light, whereas the capped samples exhibit strong and broad visible emission. An enhancement of fluorescence intensity has been obtained, in a capped sample with the minimum particle size and thus with more defect centers, in comparison to that of uncapped one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to their autocatalytic properties, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are used in biomedical applications. While their usage in neurodegenerative disease control, diabetes, etc. has been documented, their function is mostly untapped in cardiovascular disease treatment. Hence, in this work is the leading to combine, classify and test cardiomyoblast hypertrophy efficiency of AuNPs. In the case of AuNPs, the Imperata cylindrica extracts (IPC) and gold solution (HAuCl4) were fabricated with 1:5 volume ratios and were distinguished by specific processes, such as ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The radical scavenging of superoxide and hydroxylic AuNPs has been shown to be stronger relative to bulk gold and extracts. In cell line tests, rat cardiomyoblasts H9c2 and 3T3 fluorescence were used in this work. The generation of intracellular superoxide anion was less due to the incubation of greater AuNPs levels. In addition, preliminary findings gave an insight into the role of AuNPs in attenuating cardiomyoblastic induced isoproterenol hypertrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the direct effect of the seed layers on the growth of the ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) and related photovoltaic parameters of the hybrid perovskite solar cell (PSC). Four different types of ZnO seed layer samples are prepared to analyze the growth of ZNRs over the respective seed layers. Various device parameters for the respective PSCs made of different seed layers are investigated. The ZnO quantum dot-based seed layer shows the well-aligned, vertical, and uniform distribution of ZNRs and improves SC parameters over the other three samples. The ZnO seed layer deposited via drop cast methods results in less density, random, and nonuniform distribution of the ZNRs. The surface morphology, optical absorption, transmission, and crystalline structure were analyzed with high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), TEM, UV-visible absorption, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. 10.69% of power conversion efficiency with improved open-circuit voltage (${V}_{OC}$) of 1.01 V is achieved for device structure, fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO)/ZnO QDs seed layer/ZNRs/perovskite/poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,5,6-trimethylphenyl)amine (PTAA)/gold (Au). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) is a sp2 hybridized carbon atom arranged in a honeycomb lattice. Graphene is a new allotrope of carbon compound which could prime new openings in research fields. GO was successfully synthesized via Phyllanthus Emblica (PE) leaf. Structures, morphologies and photo catalytic activities of the as synthesized nanomaterial were determined by using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Visible spectroscopy, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. The photo catalytic activities of the as-synthesized GO were estimated for the degradation of malachite green (MG) and methyl violet (MV) in aqueous solution under replicated solar light. The photo catalytic degradation of GO was 94% for brilliant green and 99% for methyl violet in 120 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are sought after by many industries including food industries, heavy metal sensing, pharmaceutical, and textile. The present study reports on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and theirs antibacterial activity using a methanolic leaf extract of Heteropyxis natalensis, a native South African medicinal tree. The synthesised particles were characterised by ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), energy dispersive Xray spectroscopy (EDX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A colour change of the reaction solution from yellow to brown preliminarily confirmed the presence of AgNPs, and a single absorbance peak at 422 nm, using UV-vis spectroscopy, was the indicative of AgNPs. While EDX revealed the presence of elemental silver in the sample, HRTEM identified spherical AgNPs ranging from 5-60 nm. Hydroxyls, alkynes, alkenes, alkanes, esters, and alkyl halides as possible capping agents of silver ions (Ag+) into AgNPs were identified by FTIR. In addition, AgNPs exhibited antibacterial efficacy against 5 strains of pathogenic bacteria: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus subtilis. The results obtained in this study could potentially benefit future research in nanomedical-driven fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focuses on the photocatalytic reduction of p‐nitrophenol using Europium, Yttrium and Lutetium doped Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles which were synthesized via chemical precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to characterization using different analytical tools to confirm the formation of nanoparticles. They were characterized using X‐Ray diffraction (XRD) studies, Fourier Transform‐Infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), High resolution Scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), High resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDAX), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV‐Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐DRS) studies. The synthesized rare earth nanomaterials were successfully applied for the photoreduction of the organic pollutant p‐nitrophenol with the addition of NaBH4 as reducing agent using 300 W Xenon lamp. The addition of the synthesized photocatalyst enhanced the reduction ability of NaBH4 in reducing p‐nitrophenol to p‐aminophenol. The results confirmed the superior photocatalytic activity of Lu0.05CeO2 compared to the other rare earth doped photocatalysts. The time taken by Lu0.05CeO2 photocatalyst for the complete reduction of p‐nitrophenol was 45 min and was found to be 96 % efficient in the reduction of 0.5 mM p‐nitrophenol to p‐aminophenol compared to the other photocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanocomposite material C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS was prepared by a simple microwave-assisted hydrothermal method combined with photoreduction method. The crystal structure, microstructure, and surface physical chemistry properties of the material were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance absorption spectroscopy (UV–vis/DRS), X-ray photoelectron energy spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), and electrochemical tests. As a result, this material has full-spectrum light absorption property and the composited CdS presents a good hexagonal phase. Moreover, the composite material presents a nanorod-like multi-layer core-shell structure, wherein the rod-like MoS 2 @CdS surface is covered with Pt and C. The formation of the multi-layer core-shell structure increases the specific surface area of as-composite material and strengthens its light absorption performance. The electrochemical impedance and transient photocurrent test results show that C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS has the highest charge separation efficiency and enhanced photocurrent density compared with other systems. Photogenerated charge carriers have higher separation efficiency, and photogenerated electrons and holes exhibit longer life. During the photocatalysis experiments, the nanocomposite C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS shows enhanced photodegradation activity under multi-modal photocatalytic experiments and excellent stability under visible light irradiation. In addition, C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS has a strong photocatalytic water splitting ability. Under the same experimental conditions, its hydrogen production is 60 times that of commercially available P25. Through capture experiments, the reactive species in the photocatalytic reaction process were determined, and the possible photocatalytic reaction mechanism of this multi-layer core-shell C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS nanocomposite was inferred. • Constructed a multi-layer core-shell structure photocatalytic composite material. • Improved the photocatalytic activity and stability of CdS-based photocatalyst. • The hydrogen production of C@Pt/MoS 2 @CdS was approximately 60 times that of commercially available P25. • Recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers was effectively restrained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Bi‐reforming of methane (BRM) is gaining an increase interest due to the critical requirements to mitigate global warming and provide alternative energy resources. However, there has been a serious challenge to the scale‐up of the process to commercial production due to the catalyst deactivation. In the present study, the influence of ZrO2 modifications on the activity and stability of MgO‐supported Ni catalyst in the BRM reaction was investigated. The ZrO2‐MgO mixed oxide support was prepared by co‐precipitation method with variation in the ZrO2 composition and subsequently impregnated with Ni. The characterization of the freshly prepared Ni/MgO and Ni/MgO‐ZrO2 catalysts using N2 physisorption analysis, X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD), FESEM, XPS, H2‐TPR, and CO2‐TPD techniques revealed suitable physicochemical properties for the BRM reaction. The Ni/MgO‐ZrO2 catalysts showed an improved performance in the BRM reaction in terms of activity and stability compared to the Ni/MgO at 800°C and CH4, H2O, CO2 ratio of 3:2:1, respectively. The best performance was obtained using the Ni/15%ZrO2‐MgO for the BRM with CO2 and CH4 conversion of 81.5% and 82.5%, respectively. The characterization of the spent Ni/MgO catalyst using Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) analysis revealed the formation of amorphous carbon that could be responsible for its fast deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the α -Fe2O3 nanowires were synthesized and decorated by ZnO nanoparticles using the hydrothermal method. The structural and morphological study of samples was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. FTIR was employed for α -Fe2O3 and α -Fe2O3 decorated with ZnO nanoparticles composites to verify the presence of ZnO in the composite after decorating. Furthermore, the optical properties was carried out using UV-vis spectrophotometer and photoluminescence spectra (PL) techniques. XRD analysis showed α -Fe2O3 nanowires had a rhombohedral structure with a preferred crystal plane (104). In the α -Fe2O3 nanowires decorated by ZnO nanoparticles, ZnO nanoparticles showed a hexagonal structure. Due to SEM images, the nanowires had an average diameter of 41 nm, and ZnO nanoparticles had a spherical shape with a maximum diameter of 70 nm. A uniform distribution was observed for both the α -Fe2O3 nanowires and the α -Fe2O3 nanowires decorated with ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, the result of bandgap energy calculation was 2.12 eV for α -Fe2O3, while for α -Fe2O3 nanowires decorated with ZnO nanoparticles was 3.17 eV which is near to the bandgap energy of ZnO nanoparticles. PL spectra revealed a few transitions in which the origin of these emissions would be associated to oxygen vacancies, iron vacancies, defects and band-to-band transition. The PL emission peaks of α -Fe2O3 nanowires decorated with ZnO nanoparticles are similar to α -Fe2O3 nanowires, but notably quenched with the ZnO nanoparticles. Based on the result of this study, it is possible to tune bandgap energy for various applications. In addition, this composite is promising candidates for solar cell photo electrodes and gas sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report a facile approach for the preparation of a magnetically separable Fe3O4@poly(m‐phenylenediamine)@Cu2O nanocatalyst and its catalytic efficiency in the synthesis of 5‐phenyl‐[1,2,3]triazolo[1,5‐c]quinazolines from (E)‐1‐bromo‐2‐(2‐nitrovinyl)benzenes, aldehydes, and sodium azide under mild reaction condition is described. The morphology, chemical composition, interior structure and magnetic properties of the Fe3O4@PmPDs@Cu2O nanocomposites were studied using powder X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and nitrogen adsorption‐desorption technique. The as‐prepared Fe3O4@PmPDs@Cu2O nanocatalyst was simply recovered using external magnet and reused up to successive six runs with no obvious loss in its catalytic efficiency and structural integrity (confirmed by powder X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy of recycled nanocatalyst) along with low leaching of copper (2.32 ppm) and iron (0.008 ppm) ions. The present protocol has a broad substrate scope with high yield in shorter reaction time and it does not require any additive or base. Overall, it has better green chemistry metrices like low E‐factor (0.93), process mass intensity (1.93), high reaction mass efficiency (51.9 %) and carbon efficiency (95 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) is a viable alternative methodology because of cost-effective and availability of environmentally friendly templates for desired application, which has attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. In the present study, Co3O4 NPs were synthesized in various volume ratios in the presence of Solanum tuberosum leaf extract as a template. The synthesized Co3O4 NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), surface area electron diffraction (SAED), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. XRD analysis found that the average crystalline sizes for the 1 : 2, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1 volume ratios was 25.83, 21.05, and 27.98 nm, respectively. SEM-EDX and TEM analyses suggest that the green-synthesized Co3O4 NPs are spherical in shape without the presence of impurities. The band gap E g values of the 1 : 2, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1 volume ratios of Co3O4 NPs were found to be 1.83, 1.77, and 2.19 eV, respectively. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of various bioactive ingredients within the leaf extract of Solanum tuberosum. Co3O4 NPs-modified electrodes showed better sensing capability towards ascorbic acid and citric acid due to enhanced electron transfer kinetics. Among three volume ratios (1 : 2, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1) of Co3O4 nanoelectrodes, 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 were identified as the best performing nanoelectrodes. This is possibly due to the high catalytic behavior and the more homogenized surface structure. Co3O4 (1 : 2) nanodrug showed the enhanced antibacterial activity (16 mm) towards S. aureus which is attributed to the formation of enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO)/ZnFe2O4 (rZnF) nanocomposite is synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method and employed as a counter electrode (CE) material for tri-iodide redox reactions in Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) to replace the traditional high cost platinum (Pt) CE. X-ray diffraction analysis and High resolution Transmission electron microscopy, clearly indicated the formation of rZnF nanocomposite and also amorphous rGO sheets were smoothly distributed on the surface of ZnFe2O4 (ZnF) nanostructure. The rZnF-50 CE shows excellent electro catalytic activity toward I3− reduction, which has simultaneously been confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization measurements. A DSSC developed by rZnF-50 CE (η = 8.71%) obtained quite higher than the Pt (η = 8.53%) based CE under the same condition. The superior performances of rZnF-50 CE due to addition of graphene in to Spinel (ZnF) nanostructure results in creation of highly active electrochemical sites, fast electron transport linkage between CE and electrolyte. Thus it's a promising low cost CE material for DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of methanol to dimethyl ether (MTD) has known to be one of the main routes for the production of a clean bio-fuel, i.e., dimethyl ether (DME). However, efficient, selective, and stable catalyst is highly required for production of DME especially at relatively low temperature. Herein, aluminum phosphate nanocatalysts were fabricated by a co-precipitation method in the presence of triethylamine (TEA) as a surfactant. Thermal, structural, spectroscopic, morphological and texture properties of the catalysts were characterized by thermal analyses (TG–DTA), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and N2-sorption analyses. In addition, the acidity of these catalysts was evaluated by isopropyl alcohol dehydration and chemisorption of basic probes. Results of acidity and pyridine-TPD indicated that these catalysts possessed Brϕnsted acidic sites of weak and intermediate strengths. The results of catalytic activity demonstrated that aluminum phosphate nanocatalyst (AP1T1) calcined at 400 °C exhibited the best catalytic performance for methanol dehydration into DME with a conversion of 100% and a 100% selectivity at 250 °C. In addition, this catalyst (AP1T1) exhibits a unique behavior where its catalytic performance only decreases by 10% upon increasing the % of methanol in the reacting feed to 35%. Moreover, it possessed excellent long-term stability with almost the same efficiency after a period of 120 h. The observable catalytic activity of these catalysts was well linked to the catalyst acidity and the activation energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report on the preparation of a copper oxide/reduced graphene oxide/titanium dioxide (CuO/rGO/TiO2) photocatalyst and its application in a coupling reaction for carbon–nitrogen bond formation under visible light irradiation. The CuO/rGO/TiO2 nanocomposite was synthesized from graphene oxide, Cu and Ti precursors and was fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic effectiveness of the CuO/rGO/TiO2 nanocomposite was explored in a pseudo 4-component reaction of salicylaldehyde, malononitrile and secondary amines for the preparation of benzopyranopyrimidines in high yields (75–95%) under visible light irradiation (60–120 min) in ethanol as the solvent at room temperature. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the CuO/rGO/TiO2 nanocomposite was studied in a domino reaction for the coupling of salicylaldehyde and malononitrile in the presence of other aldehydes and secondary amines under the same reaction conditions to afford the corresponding benzopyranopyrimidine derivatives in 77–93% yields after 120–180 min. The reusability investigation of the CuO/rGO/TiO2 photocatalyst showed that it could be recovered and recycled for 5 runs without a significant decrease in its catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing active, natural abundant and non-expensive electrocatalysts for large scale production and storage of clean hydrogen (H 2) fuel is a prerequisite to drive stable water splitting reaction. Herein, atomic Cu species loaded on hierarchical flower-like CoFe layered double hydroxides (LDHs) superlattice (denoted as Cu x /CoFe LDHs) were firstly fabricated by a facile co-precipitation method followed by a room temperature treatment to load the atomic Cu species from alkaline copper salt solution. The superlattice structure was proved by the high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Remarkably, benefiting from high level long ordering associated with vacant cation sites and defects, the unique superlattice structural features and the atomic Cu % loading onto the LDHs matrix, the obtained Cu x /CoFe LDHs electrocatalyst exhibited superior activity and stability for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The loaded atomic Cu species improves the electronic structure and provides more exposed active sites due to synergetic electron coupling between Copper and the LDHs. These atomic species have outstanding potentials for achieving high selectivity and reactivity in electrocatalysis and heterocatalysis. Importantly, the efficient resulted Cu 4.76 /CoFe LDHs electrode in which the atomic Cu % loading ratio is 4.76% showed the best electrocatalytic activity which only required the much lower overpotential of 253 mV to reach 10 mA/cm2 and a small Tafel slope of 63 mV/decade in 1 M KOH. This electrocatalyst possessed unique superior features to many other state-of-the-art earth-abundant electrocatalysts. This work paves a facile and novel method for enhancing the catalytic activity of CoFe LDHs based electrocatalyst, which may be extended to the synthesis of future electrocatalysts having highly active OER performance. [Display omitted] • Novel synthesis of Cu x /CoFe LDHs electrocatalysts via co-precipitation followed by atomic Cu species loading. • 3D hierarchical porous flower-like morphologies offering more accessible channels and active sites. • Electrons transfer from M (Co or Fe) to Cu via M–O–Cu bonds. • The Cu 4.76 /CoFe LDHs electrode showed much lower overpotential and small Tafel slope. • The loaded atomic Cu species improves the electronic structure and provides more exposed active sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current investigation, HA nanorods and nanoplates with a high surface area have been synthesized using the chemical precipitation method via alcogel formation employing L -arginine as a crystal growth modifier. The prepared HA particles have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analysis. A representative morphology-dependent catalysis of the synthesized HA particles has been attempted using the Henry reaction under solventless conditions. The HA nanorods have been found to catalyze the Henry reaction with 100% conversion and 84.1% yield while the nanoplates were found to be catalytically inactive. A plausible mechanism supported by DFT studies has been proposed for the observed morphology-dependent catalysis of Henry reaction signifying the importance of surface Ca2+ ions in lowering the LUMO levels of the substrate besides assembling the reactants to proximity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deteriorating quality of water owing to the existence of toxic chemicals in ecological water sources due to industrial effluents has become a cause for concern these days. An electrocatalytic device was fabricated for the detection of the haematotoxic pollutant quinol (QL) using barium titanate nanoparticles (BaTiO3 NPs). A sustainable co-precipitation method was employed to synthesize the BaTiO3 NPs. Then, their physical characteristics were confirmed using techniques such as X-ray diffraction to elucidate their crystalline nature, scanning electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy to study their surface morphology, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to analyze their elemental composition. The prepared BaTiO3 NPs were applied over a disposable screen-printed electrode and used for the determination of QL with a wide dynamic response range (0.001–340 μM), low detection limit (0.009 μM) and excellent sensitivity (1.19 μA μM−1 cm−2). The superior electrical conductivity of the BaTiO3 NPs/SPCE is associated with a low s-value and high number of non-bridging oxygen ions present in the nanoparticle structure. The proposed sensor displays excellent selectivity, reproducibility and storage stability as a QL sensor. Additionally, the superior sensing performance of the BaTiO3 NPs was effectively applied in water samples, with acceptable recovery values towards hazardous environmental pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we have demonstrated the synthesis of Molybdenum Carbide‐reduced graphene oxide (Mo2C‐rGO) heterostructure. Uniquely, the in‐situ formation of rGO using D‐glucose in the heterostructure and its battery performance has been discussed. The High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR‐TEM) study clearly shows the growth of Mo2C nanoparticles along with rGO confers a unique integrated layered heterostructure. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman study exhibits the formation of graphene oxide (GO) followed by multi‐layers of rGO along with hexagonal Mo2C. The electrochemical study of Mo2C‐rGO heterostructure demonstrates stable cycling performance and excellent rate capabilities. The heterostructure showed the initial capacity (1st discharge) around 632.23 mAh/g and specific capacity i. e., 537.91 mAh/g @ 0.5 A/g with 99–100 % columbic efficiency. The reversible capacities of 521.56 mAh/g, and 400.76 mAh/g were observed at current densities of 1 A/g and 2 A/g for 300 cycles, respectively, which justifies the stability of heterostructure. The cycled cell was investigated by using Electrochemical Imepedance Spectroscopy (EIS), ex‐situ XRD, and Field Emmision Scanning Electron microscopy (FESEM), which shows the negligible change in the ionic conductivity, structure, and morphology after 300 cycles. It shows the excellent stability of Mo2C‐rGO heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, mullitisation at low temperature was observed in an oxime-modified aluminosiloxane precursor [(CH3)2CNO}2Al{OSi(Ph)2O}Al{ONC(CH3)2}2]. Oxime-modified aluminosiloxane was synthesised by carrying out a reaction between oxime-modified aluminium(III) isopropoxide [{(CH3)2CNO}2Al(OiPr)] and diphenylsilanediol in a 2:1 molar ratio. 29Si and 27Al NMR spectroscopic data suggest the presence of tetra- and penta-coordinated environment around Si and Al elements. The presence of Al-O-Si linkages was observed in the FTIR spectra of the precursor as well as in the formed mullite. Thermal study of precursor suggests clean decomposition of precursor molecules to amorphous aluminosilicate 3Al2O.2SiO2at ~500°C. Low temperature (900°C) transformation of precursor to mullite was observed by the sol-gel process. XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) studies suggest the formation of mullite in the orthorhombic phase without phase segregation. Scanning electron microscopy suggests agglomeration of nanocrystallite, while HRTEM (High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy) results corroborate with the XRD data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc orthotitanate (Zn 2 TiO 4) thin films were prepared on MgO (110) substrates by a pulsed laser deposition system. The structural, surface morphological and optical properties of the obtained samples were investigated. Monocrystalline Zn 2 TiO 4 films with cubic structure were obtained through post annealing process and the film annealed at 1000 °C exhibited the optimal crystalline quality. The XRD Φ scan measurements and high resolution transmission electron microscopy results showed that the epitaxial relationship of Zn 2 TiO 4 film on MgO substrate is Zn 2 TiO 4 (220)∥MgO (220) and Zn 2 TiO 4 [001]∥MgO [001]. The 1000°C-annealed Zn 2 TiO 4 film has excellent transparency in the visible light range and a wide band gap of 4.41 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Co/HTNT catalyst is developed by immobilizing Co on the surface of titanate nanotubes. The microstructure and composition of the catalyst are investigated with atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The developed Co/HTNT catalyst shows great performance in catalyzing NaBH 4 hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of 25 mg NaBH 4 catalyzed by 50 mg Co/HTNT in 10 g NaOH solution (12.5 wt%) provides a hydrogen production rate of 1.04 L min−1 g Co −1 at 30 °C, and the activation energy of the reaction is 29.68 kJ mol−1. The high catalytic activity and economical property make this catalyst a promising choice for on-site hydrogen production from NaBH 4 hydrolysis. • A Co/HTNT catalyst is developed by immobilizing Co nanoparticles on HTNTs. • The high surface area of HTNTs ensures good Co distribution in the catalyst. • The Co/HTNT catalyst shows excellent performance in catalyzing NaBH 4 hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water pollution caused by various natural and artificial sources such as expansion of industrialization, rapid increment in population size, the threat of climate change, and development in urbanization takes a serious attention. Due to this fact, various protocols and techniques were adopted for the treatment of such polluted water. In the present findings, TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) and TiO2/rGO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using titanium tetra butoxide in the presence of Citrus sinensis (CS) and Musa acuminata (MA) peel waste extract as a capping, reducing, and stabilizing agent. The synthesized NPs and NCs were characterized using thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern, ultraviolet diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The synthesized NPs and NCs were investigated as green alternative photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under visible light irradiation. Thermal analysis results confirmed that the green synthesized TiO2 NPs were found to be too stable above 550°C. XRD analysis result showed that the average crystalline size of CS and MA mediated synthesized TiO2 NPs with various volume ratios was in the range of 7.3–27.3 nm and 13.4–22.4 nm, respectively. The average crystalline size of CS and MA peel extract template synthesized TiO2/rGO NCs was found to be in the range of 7.5–15.3 and 11.2–12.5 nm, respectively. The band gap energy was calculated to be in the range of 3.17–3.29 eV and 3.10–3.38 eV for the CS and MA mediated synthesized TiO2 NPs, respectively. E g of CS and MA peel extract template formed TiO2/rGO NCs was found to be in the range of 2.85–3.11 eV and 3.07–3.11 eV, respectively. SEM analysis proved that the various synthesized TiO2 NPs and TiO2/rGO NCs were spherical in shape and the absence of any other foreign materials confirmed the purity of the corresponding nanocatalysts. In addition, TEM, HRTEM, and SAED analysis confirmed that the structures of the synthesized nanocatalysts were spherical in shape and the catalysts were too crystalline and the result was found to fit with the XRD result. Among the synthesized various volume ratios of TiO2 nanocatalysts, high percentage of degradation (62% and 58.2%) was achieved using TiO2-2c and TiO2-2 m, respectively. Moreover, 94.28% and 94.25% of MB degradation were achieved in the presence of TiO2/rGO-1.5c and TiO2/rGO-1.5c nanocomposite photocatalysts, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs) endowed with outstanding physico-chemical characteristics expeditiously garnered tremendous popularity in the scientific community. CDs can be synthesized from a variety of natural resources and can replace metal semiconductor quantum dots in the range of applications such as bio-imaging, sensing and catalysis. Herein, CDs are green synthesized from Beta vulgaris via a single step hydrothermal approach (b-CDs). The synthesized carbon dots are characterized using UVâ€"visible spectrophotometry, Fluorescence spectroscopy, High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), x-ray diffraction technique (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The b-CDs hence developed exhibited the signature ‘excitation-dependent fluorescence emission’ with its most intense emission in the green region. The quantum yield for the b-CDs obtained by this synthetic approach evinced an appreciable value of 11.6%. The antioxidant property of b-CDs are evaluated using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay to obtain a maximum scavenging activity of 94.5% at a concentration of 1000 ÎĽ g mlâˆ'1 and its underlying mechanisms are illustrated. The blood compatibility of b-CDs are assessed using haemolysis assay and the cytotoxicity evaluated using MTT assay shows significant cell growth-inhibition against the human breast cancer (MCF-7) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. This succinct study demonstrates the inherent therapeutic potential of biocompatible carbon dots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work focusses on the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) that are conveniently green synthesized by Mangifera indica gum powder extract. The absorbance is measured by UV–Vis spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 455 nm that represents the Surface Plasmon Resonance of Ag-NPs. Fourier Transform-Infra Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirms the functional groups and reaction mechanisms involved in the green synthesis of Ag-NPs. The elemental analysis of Ag-NPs is carried out by Energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) spectrum and its surface morphology was studied by High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The average size of Ag-NPs is found to be around 19 nm in diameter. The crystalline nature of the Ag-NPs is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Selected area diffraction (SAED). The Ag-NPs shows better antioxidant activity against free radicals such as 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide anion. Ag-NPs effect on reduction mild steel corrosion is examined using non electrochemical methods. It is proved from experimental tests that the inhibition efficiency increases with increased concentrations of Ag-NPs. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared Ag-NPs under visible light irradiation is assessed by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Reaction orders and rates for the water-gas shift reaction on Au catalysts as a function of Au particle size and support. • DFT calculations performed on the catalyst with the lowest (alumina) and highest (titania) rates allowed us to understand the catalytic role that the support plays in activating water. • Non-porous, high surface area supports have permitted preparation of samples with tight Au particle distributions fully accessible by TEM. • Full reaction kinetics presented to understand the relation between the chemical and physical characteristics of the catalysts and their performance. • DFT calculations to examine the adsorption and reaction of CO, water and relevant intermediates over a range of different sites on model unsupported cubo-octahedral Au clusters (Au 55) as well as on model Au nano-rods supported on rutile TiO 2 (1 1 0) and α-Al 2 O 3 (0 0 0 1) surfaces. The water–gas shift (WGS) reaction rates per total mole of Au at 120 °C, 7% CO, 22% H 2 O, 8.5% CO 2 , 37% H 2 decrease in the order Au/Anatase ∼ Au/Anatase001 (uniform anatase TiO 2 single crystals with 64 per cent of the more {0 0 1} facets) ∼ Au/P25 ∼ Au/P25-WGC (obtained from the World Gold Council) ∼ Au/Rutile > Au/ZrO 2 > Au/CeO 2 > Au/ZnO when compared at the same number average Au particle size (d) and vary as ∼ d -3. From high resolution transmission electron microscopy images, the geometry of Au nanoparticles on these catalysts resembled truncated cubo-octahedra. A physical model of Au nanoparticles as truncated cubo-octahedra was used to calculate that the fractions of surface, perimeter and corner sites to the total Au sites vary as d -0.7, d -1.8 and d -2.9, respectively. Thus, the variation in the WGS reaction rate per total mole of Au (∼ d -3) correlates well with the corner sites (d -2.9) allowing us to determine that the dominant active sites for these catalysts are the low coordinated metallic corner Au sites. In addition, as the apparent H 2 O order increases and the apparent activation energy decreases, the WGS reaction rate per total mole of Au systematically decreases for Au nanoparticles supported on anatase, anatase001, P25, rutile, ZrO 2 , CeO 2 , ZnO and Al 2 O 3 at near 120 °C. Density functional theory calculations were carried out over Au nano-rods supported on rutile TiO 2 (1 0 0) and α-Al 2 O 3 (0 0 0 1) surfaces to elucidate the differences in reactivity for the most reactive (Au/TiO 2) and least reactive (Au/Al 2 O 3) catalysts. Water preferentially adsorbs and dissociates at the Lewis acid- Lewis base Ti4+-O b and Al3+-O b site pairs at the Au/TiO 2 (1 1 0) and Au/α-Al 2 O 3 interfaces with activation energies of 0.25 eV and 0.20 respectively. These barriers are significantly lower than those to activate water on the corner sites of unsupported Au nanoparticles (1.48 eV). The prediction that both the TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 readily dissociate water supports the experimental findings that the support plays an important role in activating the water in the WGS reaction. The subsequent oxidation of CO appears to proceed at the Au/support interface via the reaction of CO adsorbed on Au with the OH on the support. DFT results indicate that OH binds 0.4 eV stronger to Al3+ sites at the Au/Al 2 O 3 interface perimeter than to Ti4+ sites at the Au/TiO 2 interface perimeter. As such, the barrier for OH to react with CO at an adjacent Au site is 0.52 eV higher for Au/Al 2 O 3 (0.85 eV) than for Au/TiO 2 (0.33 eV). The theoretical results suggest that the oxidation of CO is rate-limiting on Al 2 O 3 whereas both the water dissociation as well as CO oxidation limit the rate on TiO 2. This is consistent with the near first order CO dependence of the measured rates over both Au/TiO 2 and Au/Al 2 O 3 as well as the changes in the water reaction orders over Au/TiO 2 (−0.2 to −0.5) and Au/Al 2 O 3 (0.5 to 0.8). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-air stability of a novel solar absorber coating type based on aluminium titanium oxynitride nanocomposites deposited by Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) is studied up to temperatures of 800 °C. The microstructural and morphological characterization by high resolution electron microscopy and glancing angle X-ray diffraction reveals the creation of a nanocomposite structure formed by crystalline AlTiN nanoparticles inserted in an oxide matrix. This nanocomposite structure (nc-AlTiON) is responsible for the high absorption within the whole solar wavelength range (0.3–2.5 μm) that the absorber exhibits. The as-deposited absorber has a solar absorptance, α, of 92 % and room temperature emissivity, ε RT , of 70 %. The deposition of an antireflecting Al 2 O 3 top layer lowers the reflectance of the sample in the UV–Vis–NIR region and, consequently the solar absorptance increases up to 93.5 %. Post-deposition thermal treatments of 2 h at 800 °C further improve the solar absorptance and emissivity of the absorber (α = 96 %, ε RT = 60 %). Thus, this nc-AlTiON/Al 2 O 3 coating presents solar performances that match, within the experimental errors, the ones calculated for the commercial absorber paint Pyromark® at C = 1000 (typical of central tower receivers) or even surpass it for concentration factors typical of parabolic trough receivers (C = 100) under the same operating temperatures. Very importantly, the studied nc-AlTiON/Al 2 O 3 solar absorber coating shows no degradation after 1000 h of thermal cycling in air between 300 and 700 °C. Therefore, the developed coating shows the best thermal in-air long-term stability up to 700 °C reported so far for PVD-based solar absorbers under cycling conditions, and it can be considered as a promising absorber candidate for Generation 3 (GEN3) CSP plants. • Simple solar absorber design based on aluminium titanium oxynitride nanocomposites. • Solar performances similar (C = 1000) or better (C = 100) than Pyromark® 2500. • Outstanding stability long term thermal cycling between 300 and 700 °C in air. • Best thermal in-air long-term stability up to 700°C reported so far for PVD-based solar absorbers under cycling conditions. • Potential solar absorber candidate to replace Pyromark in Generation 3 (GEN3) CSP plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we will provide information on the growth mechanism of 3C-SiC using alternating supply deposition (ASD). SiH 4 and C 3 H 8 were introduced successively in a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) system at 1000 °C, forming a stoichiometric polycrystalline 3C-SiC thin film on Si substrates. We demonstrate the influence of different gas flow rates on thin film properties. In detail, altering the flow rates of the precursors and the carrier gas resulted in changes of the growth rate, the surface roughness, the crystal growth mechanisms as well as the crystal quality. Hydrogen inhibition and passivation are proposed to be the main effects influencing the growth behavior of ASD thin films. Applying ASD to grow 3C-SiC thin films with precursors from low to high flow rates resulted in a transition of different growth mechanisms influencing the surface roughness and grain size. Furthermore, we could prove that ASD is a cyclic step-by-step carbon-assisted redistribution of a prior deposited silicon film. This is shown by contact angle measurements of three differently terminated surfaces during the specific phases of one ASD cycle. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis showed a continuous and homogenous thin film and confirmed the absence of silicon- or carbon-rich layers. ASD enables 3C-SiC thin films with customized properties for tailored micro electromechanical system (MEMS) applications. [Display omitted] • Tailored 3C-SiC thin film properties for MEMS applications using alternating supply deposition (ASD). • Discussion of control parameters affecting 3C-SiC properties during deposition. • Changes of the gas flow shows high impact on the roughness and crystallinity. • Characterization of the carbonization layer at the 3C-SiC/Si interface. • Insights into alternating supply deposition (ASD) growth mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Crystallization kinetics of chalcogenide glasses were studied through impulse excitation technique (IET). • High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) confirmed the formation of nanocrystals. • The early crystallization has positive impact on microhardness and infrared transmittance. Chalcogenide glasses (ChGs) have been used in industry and our daily lives as infrared optical elements. Their crystallization kinetics must be investigated because a high level of crystallinity deteriorates the optical performance of glasses. In this study, the crystallization kinetics of ChGs were investigated by using the impulse excitation technique (IET), in which crystallization kinetics was probed based on the increases in Young's modulus at an annealing temperature, T a , higher than their glass transition temperature, T g. It is shown that crystallization can occur at a temperature 148 °C lower than that determined based on calorimetry. The Mori-Tanaka (MT) method was employed to estimate the volume fraction of crystals under different annealing temperatures, and the activation energy of crystallization was also calculated based on the crystallization rate. This early crystallization leads to Se-rich nanocrystals with sizes well below 10 nm. They led to higher microhardness without affecting infrared transmittance. This study provides new insights for the investigation of crystallization kinetics of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • N-doped Cdots synthesized by conjugation of 1,4 butanediol L-arginine. • Self-assembly of amine functionalized transverse oligomeric chain of diols by H-bond. • Dual probe for the detection of nanomolar concentrations of TC and 4-NP. • Static quenching with ground state complexation between N-Cdots and TC /4-NP. • Demonstration of TC and 4-NP detection in real sample matrix: river water and milk. Nitrogen doped carbon dots are emerging as efficient photoluminescent probes for wide range of sensing applications. A simple strategy of synthesizing highly ordered nitrogen doped carbon dots (named here as N-CD arg) is developed by thermal conjugation of 1, 4-Butanediol with L-Arginine. It led to formation of self-assembled transverse carbon chains through oligomerization of 1,4-Butanediol and conjugation with L-Arginine. The structural, morphological and compositional analysis of the N-CD arg is confirmed from 1H and 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy, FT-IR, higher resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It exhibited bright bluish photoluminescence with PL quantum yield of 11 %. Under optimized pH and contact time, the probe solution of N-CD arg exhibited dual sensing for the detection of tetracycline (TC) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) via PL quenching proportional, which followed Stern-Volmer relation. The linear PL quenching response for TC is in the range of 0.5 μM to 60 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 103 nM; while the linear range for 4-NP is 0.4 μM to 20 μM, and the LOD is 77 nM. Selectivity of these species have been confirmed against several metal ions, anions, other antibiotics (for TC detection) and different structural analogues of phenols (for 4-NP detection). The ability of the probe to quantitatively detect trace concentrations of TC and 4-NP in real sample matrices like river water and milk has been demonstrated by spike analysis. The mechanism of PL quenching of N-CD arg by TC and 4-NP has been discussed using PL decay lifetime spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, cuprous oxide (pristine Cu 2 O) and rGO (reduced graphene oxide)-doped Cu 2 O were prepared using a simple synthetic route and adopted as sensitive materials for ozone detection. The microstructural, morphological and compositional properties of as-prepared samples have been analyzed by several characterization techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), UV-Visible spectrophotometer (UV–vis), Multi-functional field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). Meanwhile, the sensing features of as-prepared samples have been investigated carefully and the as-prepared 0.5 wt% rGO-Cu 2 O exhibited best ozone sensing properties, such as high stability, sensitivity and selectivity. It can be found that the response value of 0.5 wt% rGO-Cu 2 O-based sensor towards 20 ppb ozone and 1 ppm ozone were 9.2/1734, respectively, and the corresponding response and recovery times were 11/64 s and 11/411 s, respectively. More importantly, the detection limit of the 0.5 wt% rGO-Cu 2 O sensor was as low as 0.1 ppb. Furthermore, the possible mechanism for the enhanced sensing performance of the as-prepared rGO-Cu 2 O has been discussed. • We report rGO-Cu 2 O nanomaterials for efficient ozone gas detection. • O 3 gas sensing with very low detection limit at 0.1 ppb. • Advantages of the detection of O 3 at low interferences and well stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removing carbon monoxide with catalytic combustion technology is an effective and economical solution. Highly efficient conversion of CO at low temperatures can be achieved by introducing a catalyst, and its application in automotive exhaust emissions and preferential oxidation of CO in fuel cells is remarkable. In this work, catalysts were prepared by mixing the prepared cerium organic framework with Co 3 O 4 , and after calcination at 400 °C, the organic framework collapsed, resulting in a uniform dispersion of Ce on the Co 3 O 4 nano surface. Experimental results demonstrated that the required temperature of the catalyst is 101 °C when the conversion is 90 %, and it remained stable over the 75 h tested at 100 °C. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed that Ce/Co 3 O 4 primarily exposed 311 surface. Combined with DFT calculations, the catalysts may improve the catalytic combustion activity of CO by multiplying the oxygen vacancies and modulating the dispersion of Ce atoms. The reaction occurred on the 311 surface predominantly. Activated CO* preferred to react with the lattice oxygen at the Ce-O-Co linkage compared to the lattice oxygen at Co-O-Co. Energy barrier for the rate dictating step in the complete catalytic cycle is 0.42 eV. This work not only provides experimental support and theoretical basis for the design of low-temperature catalytic combustion CO catalysts, but also provides new ideas for the doping of metal oxides with lanthanide metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of applied pressure (AP) and residual heat quenching (RQ) on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivities of Al-4.6Mg-3.6Zn-0.86Mn-0.48Fe alloys were investigated based on intensively microstructure analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and synchrotron X-ray tomography (SXT). The results indicated that AP and RQ did not change the type of intermetallic; instead, they reduced the length and quantity of lath-like Al 6 (Fe,Mn) and significantly refined the grain by increasing the cooling rate. Moreover, η′ precipitation particles were enriched near the grain boundaries, which was beneficial for the yield strength of the alloy; the AP + RQ sample exhibited the best mechanical properties of the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation of 269 MPa, 164 MPa and 11.4 %, respectively, which were 19 %, 17 %, and 83.8 % higher than those of the gravity cast (GC) sample. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of the AP + RQ sample did not show significant changes, which were attributed to the reduction in solid solute caused by the increased volume fraction of η′ precipitates, thus improving the thermal conductivity; however, the formation of numerous semi-coherent interfaces between η′ and the matrix led to increased lattice distortion, resulting in electron scattering. • Residual heat quenching can improve the strength of cast Al–Mg–Zn alloys. • The 3D morphology of the Fe-rich phases and pores has been significantly improved. • Mechanical properties enhanced by improvement of Al 6 (FeMn) and the presence of η'. • The semi-coherent interfaces between η′ and matrix reduced the thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methyl orange (MO), which is known as a highly durable dye that is extremely toxic to humans and animals, has been processed by using various methods. In recent years, MO degradation through reduction in the presence of NaBH 4 (NB) and suitable nanocatalyst have garnered considerable interest. However, the nanosized particles of the catalyst make separation from the liquid solution more difficult and limit the practical application of this technique. Herein, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) decorated on three-dimensional chitosan aerogel (CSA) were synthesized as a reusable composite for the catalytic degradation of MO by using a green method with durian (Durio zibethinus) shell (DS) extract as a reducing agent. The Cu/CSA composite's physicochemical properties were characterized by using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy- energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), high resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and Raman spectroscopy. These modern techniques elucidated the structure and formation of copper nanoparticles on the CSA surface. The copper nanocatalysts have an average particle size of 32.6 nm, specific surface area of 55.8 m2/g, pore size of 32 Å and pore area of 0.049 cm3/g. Through the investigation of catalyst activity, the conditions of MO reduction were optimised with the 1.0 Cu/CSA sample, catalyst dose of 0.5 g/L and a molar ratio of MO/NB of 1/200. The reaction reached over 94.3% efficiency after 10 min, correlating with a kinetic rate constant of 0.163 min−1. It is worth mentioning that the optimized catalyst can be conveniently synthesized and retrieved from the reaction solution in just 5 s using a vacuum filter. Furthermore, its effectiveness remains largely unaffected even after undergoing five cycles of reuse, thus demonstrating its exceptional durability and potential in environmental remediation. [Display omitted] • An alternative chitosan aerogel-based support for metal nanoparticles. • Nano-copper/chitosan aerogel (Cu/CSA): a benign reduction using durian shell extract. • Outstanding reactivity of Cu/CSA in the catalytic reduction of methyl orange. • High stability and proficient reusability of Cu/CSA during 5 consecutive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The persistence of active pharmaceutical ingredients in water bodies has lead to detrimental impacts on public health as well as deteriorated aquatic resources at breakneck pace. To address this, highly fluorescent chitosan capped ZnS QDs (CZS QDs) were integrated with nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NF NPs) through ultrasonic assisted method to yield a series of magnetically responsive CZS-xNF nanohybrids (x = 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% of NF). The successful fabrication of nanohybrids were affirmed through various techniques such as Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The dual applicability of CZS-xNF nanohybrid was witnessed for the detection of pharmaceutical waste by fluorescence sensing and their concomitant annihilation via visible light driven photodegradation reactions. The developed nanohybrid showed exceptional selectivity towards tetracycline antibiotics, with ultra-low limit of detection of 0.53 μM for tetracycline (TC) and 0.30 μM for minocycline (MC), respectively. The fluorescent sensor was also analysed for trace level detection of tetracyclines in real water samples that showed satisfactory recoveries of 90–106%, depicting practical applicability of sensor. Additionally, the excellent photocatalytic features of synthesized nanohybrid prompted their use in photodegradation of TC and MC and a superior photocatalytic performance was achieved in comparison to CZS QDs. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of CZS-xNF nanohybrid can be attributed to type-I charge transfer mechanism, which resulted in efficient charge separation and reduced photo-induced recombination rate of charge carriers. The nanohybrids were recyclable up to four cycles after being utilized in sensing and photocatalysis, thus offering a promising strategy for environmental remediation through synchronized sensing and extirpation of pharmaceutical waste. The multifunctional magnetically retrievable CZS-xNF nanohybrids (x = 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% of NF NPs) were designed by integrating highly fluorescent chitosan capped ZnS QDs (CZS QDs) and magnetic NiFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles (NF NPs) for detection and photocatalytic removal of pharmaceutical drugs, tetracycline and minocycline. [Display omitted] • Fabrication of photostable and biocompatible CZS-xNF nanohybrid using sonication method. • Uniform anchoring of CZS QDs onto the surface of NF NPs in CZS-xNF nanohybrid. • Ultralow level sensing and annihilation of pharmaceutical drugs, tetracycline and minocycline. • Sensitive and specific detection of tetracycline and minocycline in real water samples. • Excellent recyclability of CZS-10NF upto four sensing and photocatalytic cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A wet impregnation procedure was used to create a g-C3N4/CuS heterojunction. • The catalyst degrades the RhB dye photocatalytically (98.6%) in 40 min. • The results of the repeatability experiment indisputably show that the produced catalyst has a high photo-stability. The g-C 3 N 4 /CuS heterojunction was synthesized using a wet impregnation process. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), High resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Diffused reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS), and Photoluminescence (PL) were employed to examine the crystalline structure, morphology, elemental configuration, optical absorption characteristics, electron hole recombination, and charge transfer property of the prepared materials, respectively. The specific surface area and pore volume of the produced materials were calculated using N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and BET studies. Rhodamine B (RhB) is broken down by the catalysts in the presence of visible light. In 40 min, the catalyst showed quick photocatalytic degradation of the RhB dye (98.6 %). The synthesized catalyst performs at the highest level for photocatalytic degradation due to its low e-h recombination rate, broad spectrum of absorption light, increased photo-generated electrons, and larger specific surface area. Higher photocatalytic activity might be a result of the matched overlapping band structure and the interaction between CuS and g-C 3 N 4. The photoluminescent spectra show that the interaction of g-C 3 N 4 and CuS would not only boost the optical absorption property of g-C 3 N 4 , but would also produce more interfaces for the efficient transfer of photo-generated electron-hole pairs to limit recombination. The repeatability experiment's results unequivocally demonstrate that the developed catalyst has a high photo-stability. The results of the degrading efficiency tests were competitive with numerous photocatalysts that had already been published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by green synthesis from fungi polysaccharides are attracting increasing attention owing to their distinctive features and special applications in numerous fields. In this study, a cost-effective and environmentally friendly biosynthesizing AgNPs method with no toxic chemicals involved from the fruiting body polysaccharide of Phlebopus portentosus (PPP) was established and optimized by single factor experiment and response surface methodology. The optimum synthesis conditions of polysaccharide-AgNPs (PPP-AgNPs) were identified to be the reaction time of 140 min, reaction temperature of 94 °C, and the PPP: AgNO 3 ratio of 1:11.5. Formation of PPP-AgNPs was indicated by visual detection of colour change from yellowish to yellowish brown. PPP-AgNPs were characterized by different methods and further evaluated for biological activities. That the Ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis.) spectroscopy displayed a sharp absorption peak at 420 nm confirmed the formation of AgNPs. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis detected the presence of various functional groups. The lattice indices of (111), (200), (220), and (331), which indicated a faced-centered-cubic of the Ag crystal structure of PPP-AgNPs, was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the particles were found to be spherical through high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) determined the presence of silver in PPP-AgNPs. The percentage relative composition of elements was determined as silver (Ag) 82.5 % and oxygen (O) 17.5 % for PPP-AgNPs, and did not exhibit any nitrogen peaks. The specific surface area of PPP-AgNPs was calculated to be 0.5750 m2/g with an average pore size of 24.33 nm by BET analysis. The zeta potential was −4.32 mV, which confirmed the stability and an average particle size of 64.5 nm was calculated through dynamic light scattering (DLS). PPP-AgNPs exhibited significant free radical scavenging activity against DPPH with an IC 50 value of 0.1082 mg/mL. The MIC values of PPP-AgNPs for E. coli , S. aureus , C. albicans , C. glabrata , and C. parapsilosis are 0.05 mg/mL. The IC 50 value of the inhibition of PPP-AgNPs against α -glucosidase was 11.1 μg/mL, while the IC 50 values of PPP-AgNPs against HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines were calculated to be 14.36 ± 0.43 μg/mL and 40.05 ± 2.71 μg/mL, respectively. According to the evaluation, it can be concluded that these green-synthesized and eco-friendly PPP-AgNPs are helpful to improve therapeutics because of significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer properties to provide new possibilities for clinic applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]