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Silica (SiO2) is the inevitable form of silicon owing to its high affinity for oxygen, existing as a geogenic element perpetrating multifarious health problems when bioavailable via anthropogenic activities. The hydrated form of silica viz. orthosilicic acid (H4SiO4) excessively displays grave toxicity, attributed to prolonged exposure and incessant H+ ions generating capacity inflicting pulmonary toxicity and renal toxicity silica. The diverse deleterious potency of silica highlights the desirability of selective and sensitive detection of toxic species (mainly orthosilicic acid) bioaccumulation in affected living human cells. In this paper we have reported, the design of water-dispersible turn-on fluorimetric sensing material for the detection of orthosilicic acid in the aqueous phase and in live cells. The sensing material was prepared by adsorbing a suitable rhodamine derivative (i.e., Rhodamine B hydrazide (Rh1)) on water dispersible TiO2 nanoparticles. The function of the sensing system, which is composed of Rh1 and TiO2 (Rh1@TiO2), is accredited to H+ ion (from orthosilicic acid) induced spirolactam ring-opening of the rhodamine derivative generating orange fluorescence and bright pink colouration. The sensing system was efficiently utilized for fluorimetric detection and imaging of orthosilicic acid accumulation in-vitro in human kidney cells (HK cells). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this sensing system (Rh1@TiO2) is reported for detection of toxic silica species accumulation in-vitro in human kidney cells. The advantages, such as good water dispersibility, the absence of organic solvents during fluorimetric studies, quick turn-on type signal transduction, low-level imaging, which are offered by the synthesized sensing material (Rh1@TiO2), make it a potential candidate to fabricate medical tool for early identification of silicainduced nephrotoxicity, which can help to reduce the burden and risk of chronic kidney disease development.

Herein, we are reporting the use of pure single phase barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst for epoxidation of styrene. BaFe12O19 nanocatalysts exhibit high conversion of styrene with excellent selectivity of styrene oxide formation. Easy method of preparation, capability of catalyzing the epoxide reaction of styrene to styrene oxide with excellent styrene conversion (~91%) and high styrene oxide selectivity (~86.5%), easy magnetic separation and very good reusability make the synthesized BaFe12O19 nanocatalyst an excellent catalyst for this reaction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the use of BaFe12O19 as catalyst for this reaction has been reported.

Herein, we reports the application of various spinel ferrite nanoparticles, MFe2O4 (M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), as efficient catalyst for Biginelli reaction. All ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized using a novel aqueous solution based method. It was observed that, the catalytic activity of the ferrite nanoparticles followed the decreasing order of CoFe2O4 > CuFe2O4 > NiFe2O4 > ZnFe2O4. The most important feature of these ferrite nanocatalysts is that, these nanoparticles can directly be used as catalyst and no surface modification or functionalization is required. These ferrite nanoparticles are easily separable from reaction mixture after reaction by using a magnet externally. Easy synthesis methodology, high catalytic activity, easy magnetic separation and good reusability make these ferrite nanoparticles attractive catalysts for Biginelli reaction.

In this work, we have reported a nanocomposite, composed of a BiFeO3 nanowire and reduced graphene oxide (BFO-RGO), as an electrode material for a high-performance supercapacitor. A facile hydrothermal method was employed to prepare BFO-RGO nanocomposite. The electrochemical measurements were performed by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The specific capacitance of the BFO-RGO nanocomposite was 928.43 F g–1 at current density 5 A g–1, which is superior to that of pure BiFeO3. Additionally, this nanocomposite shows good cyclic stability, and ∼87.51% of specific capacitance is retained up to 1000 cycles. It also exhibits a high charge density of 18.62 W h kg–1 when the power density is 950 W kg–1. These attractive results suggest the potential of BiFeO3 nanowire-RGO nanocomposite as an active material for the construction of a high-performance supercapacitor electrode. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the applica...

Here, we report a simple ‘in situ’ co-precipitation reduction synthesis method for the preparation of nanocatalysts composed of Ag, Ni nanoparticles, and reduced graphene oxide (RGO). First-principles calculations based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) were performed to obtain the electronic structures and properties of Ag–Ni-graphene superlattice and to understand the interfacial interactions which exist at the interface between Ag, Ni, and graphene. The catalytic performance of the synthesized catalysts (AgxNi(1−x))yRGO(100−y) were evaluated for four reactions (i) reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in the presence of excess NaBH4 in aqueous medium, (ii) A3 coupling reaction for the synthesis of propargylamines, (iii) epoxidation of styrene, and (iv) ‘Click reaction’ for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives. For all of these reactions the catalyst composed of Ag, Ni, and RGO, exhibited significantly higher catalytic activity than that of pure Ag, Ni, and RGO. Moreover, an easy magnetic recovery of this catalyst from the reaction mixture after completion of the catalytic reactions and the good reusability of the recovered catalyst is also reported here. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the demonstration of the versatile catalytic activity of (AgxNi(1−x))yRGO(100−y) towards multiple reactions, and the DFT study of its electronic structure have been reported.

Here, a simple method for preparation of a novel nanocatalyst, composed of Ag nanoparticle, mesoporous TiO 2 and CoFe 2 O 4 nanoparticle, has been reported for three important reactions (i) epoxidation of styrene, (ii) reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and (iii) photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue dye. The synthesized catalyst exhibited high catalytic activities towards all of these three reactions. For styrene epoxidation, ∼98.1% conversion of styrene with ∼94.5% selectivity of styrene oxide was observed within 10 h. This catalyst catalyzed the reduction of 4-nitrophenol within 4 min with k app = 1.08 min −1 . The catalyst also showed complete photodegradation of Methylene Blue within 60 min under visible light exposure. The catalyst was easily recovered from the reaction mixture by applying a permanent magnet externally. The recovered catalyst also showed excellent reusability. Easy synthesis methodology, versatile catalytic activity, easy separation and good reusability make this nanocatalyst attractive in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.

Here, we report a facile hydrothermal synthesis method to prepare BiFeO3 nanowire-reduced graphene oxide (BFO-RGO) nanocomposites. The unique properties of 2-D reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and 1-D BiFeO3 nanowires (BFO) were exploited to design nanocomposites to obtain high performing microwave absorber materials. The composite with 97 wt % BFO and 3 wt % RGO exhibited minimum reflection loss value of −28.68 dB at 10.68 GHz along with the effective absorption bandwidth (≥ −10 dB) ranging from 9.6 to 11.7 GHz when the absorber thickness was only 1.55 mm. First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) of BFO, graphene, and BFO-RGO nanocomposites were performed to obtain information about their electronic structures to interpret their complex permittivity and its derived properties. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time investigations on microwave absorption properties of the BiFeO3 nanowire and BFO-RGO nanocomposites have been reported, and this nanocomposite shows its...

We report a simple synthetic route for the preparation of titanium dioxide (TiO2), cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticle and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) based nanocomposites TiO2/CoFe2O4/RGO. This is the first time a non-hydrothermal technique is reported for preparation of TiO2/CoFe2O4/RGO nanocomposites. Moreover, unlike other reported methods only water was used as reaction medium. Catalytic activity of synthesized nanocomposites towards degradation of various dyes, such as Methyl Orange, Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue under visible light were investigated. Catalysis reactions were monitored by using UV-vis spectroscopy. TiO2/CoFe2O4/RGO exhibited its high capability to act as an excellent magnetically separable catalyst towards degradation of various dyes under visible light. The high catalytic activity and simple preparation methodology make TiO2/CoFe2O4/RGO nanocomposites an attractive catalyst for degradation of hazardous organic dyes.

Here, synthesis and catalytic activity of a novel nanocatalyst (CuO@mTiO2@CF), consisting of CuO nanoparticles, mesoporous titanium oxide and Cobalt ferrite have been reported for the first time. The catalyst was synthesized using a simple aqueous solution based chemical methodology. Synthesized CuO@mTiO2@CF showed excellent catalytic activity towards various organic reactions such as (i) Epoxidation of styrene, (ii) Click reaction, (iii) Biginelli reaction, (iv) Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol and trifluralin in presence of excess NaBH4. Moreover, this novel nanocatalyst offered easy magnetic separation after the catalysis reaction and excellent reusability. Easy synthesis methodology, versatility, good reusability and easy separation make the nanocatalyst attractive in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.

Here we report the development of a glucose sensor based on electrochemical detection. The working electrode was a screen printed Au electrode, which was modified with Ru nanoparticle loaded thiol functionalized mesoporous silica. This sensor demonstrated its capability of detecting and estimating glucose concentration in aqueous medium over a wide range of concentration with high sensitivity, durability and reproducibility.

Silica (SiO2) is the inevitable form of silicon owing to its high affinity for oxygen, existing as a geogenic element perpetrating multifarious health problems when bioavailable via anthropogenic activities. The hydrated form of silica viz. orthosilicic acid (H4SiO4) excessively displays grave toxicity, attributed to prolonged exposure and incessant H+ ions generating capacity inflicting pulmonary toxicity and renal toxicity silica. The diverse deleterious potency of silica highlights the desirability of selective and sensitive detection of toxic species (mainly orthosilicic acid) bioaccumulation in affected living human cells. In this paper we have reported, the design of water-dispersible turn-on fluorimetric sensing material for the detection of orthosilicic acid in the aqueous phase and in live cells. The sensing material was prepared by adsorbing a suitable rhodamine derivative (i.e., Rhodamine B hydrazide (Rh1)) on water dispersible TiO2 nanoparticles. The function of the sensing system, which is composed of Rh1 and TiO2 (Rh1@TiO2), is accredited to H+ ion (from orthosilicic acid) induced spirolactam ring-opening of the rhodamine derivative generating orange fluorescence and bright pink colouration. The sensing system was efficiently utilized for fluorimetric detection and imaging of orthosilicic acid accumulation in-vitro in human kidney cells (HK cells). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this sensing system (Rh1@TiO2) is reported for detection of toxic silica species accumulation in-vitro in human kidney cells. The advantages, such as good water dispersibility, the absence of organic solvents during fluorimetric studies, quick turn-on type signal transduction, low-level imaging, which are offered by the synthesized sensing material (Rh1@TiO2), make it a potential candidate to fabricate medical tool for early identification of silicainduced nephrotoxicity, which can help to reduce the burden and risk of chronic kidney disease development.

Here, an ‘in situ’ co-precipitation reaction method has been reported for the preparation of CoFe2O4–RGO (CF–RGO) nanocomposites. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a simple synthetic method is reported for the preparation of CoFe2O4–RGO nanocomposites where a hydrothermal technique was not used. The novelty of this technique lies in its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and the capability of large scale production of CoFe2O4–RGO nanocomposites. The synthesized CoFe2O4–RGO nanocomposites possess excellent microwave absorbing properties as well as high photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of various dyes under visible light irradiation. 85CF–15RGO (85 wt% CF and 15 wt% RGO) showed excellent microwave absorption properties with a Reflection Loss (RL) of −31.31 dB (∼99.94% absorption) at 9.05 GHz with an 8.2–10.92 GHz effective band width range. To the best of our knowledge 85CF–15RGO nanocomposite exhibited comparable and even superior microwave absorption properties in the X-band region than most of the ferrite based composites. 75CF–25RGO (75 wt% CF and 25 wt% RGO) acted as a very good magnetically separable photocatalyst for the degradation of various synthetic dyes (such as methyl orange, methylene blue, rhodamine B and a mixture of these dyes) under visible light irradiation emitted from a 100 W reading lamp. Moreover, CoFe2O4–RGO catalyst also showed easy magnetic separation with high reusability. The photocatalytic activity of 75CF–25RGO was found to be comparable and in some cases better than the various reported RGO–ferrite composites. The simple method of preparation and multifunctional character make CF–RGO nanocomposites attractive materials for application in the area of photocatalysis as well as microwave absorption.

Herein, we report for the first time synthesis of a BiFeO3 nanowire-reduced graphene oxide nanocatalyst (BFO–RGO) using a hydrothermal method. The BFO–RGO nanocatalyst exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards Biginelli reaction, Click reaction, styrene epoxidation, 4-NP reduction and a herbicide, (trifluralin) reduction. The novelty of this catalyst lies in its high catalytic efficiency towards many organic reactions, easy separation and good reusability.

In this paper, we report a simple aqueous solution based chemical method for preparation Ru nanocatalysts supported on mesoporous silica SBA-15 (Ru@SBA-15) catalysts. Synthesized catalysts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and N2 adsorption-desorption surface area and pore size analyzer, and particle size analyzer. Catalytic activity of the synthesized catalysts towards decolorization of various dyes, such as 4-nitrophenol, Methyl Orange, Congo Red, Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue and mixture of dyes was investigated in presence of excess NaBH4. Catalysis reactions were monitored by employing UV-vis spectroscopy. Catalysis reactions followed pseudo-first order rate equation. The catalyst with 2.5 wt% Ru nanoparticle exhibited excellent catalytic activity and convenient recycling. The high catalytic activity and simple preparation methodology make 2.5Ru@SBA-15 an attractive catalyst for decolorization of organic dyes.

article i nfo Hard soft ferrite nanocomposites One-pot synthesis Spring exchange coupling Magnetic measurements Microwave absorption In this paper, we report a simple but novel aqueous solution based 'one-pot' method for preparation of (Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4)x-(BaFe12O19)1 � x nanocomposites consisting of hard ferrite-soft ferrite phases. Nanocom- posites, having same compositions, have also been prepared by employing a physical mixing method. X-ray dif- fraction analysis showed the presence of nanocrystalline Ni0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 and BaFe12O19 phases in the composites, prepared by both methods. However, transmission electron microscopic and scanning electron mi- croscopic analysis revealed that, nanocomposites, prepared by one-pot method, possessed better homogeneous

Herein, we are reporting the use of pure single phase barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19) nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst for epoxidation of styrene. BaFe12O19 nanocatalysts exhibit high conversion of styrene with excellent selectivity of styrene oxide formation. Easy method of preparation, capability of catalyzing the epoxide reaction of styrene to styrene oxide with excellent styrene conversion (~91%) and high styrene oxide selectivity (~86.5%), easy magnetic separation and very good reusability make the synthesized BaFe12O19 nanocatalyst an excellent catalyst for this reaction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the use of BaFe12O19 as catalyst for this reaction has been reported.

From the last few decades, water pollution due to the dye containing effluents, which are released from various dyeing industries, has become one of the major environmental problems. Continuous efforts are going on to effectively deal with industrial wastewater containing aromatic pollutants. Varieties of physical, biological and chemical methods have been developed for this purpose. Among these methods, recently the catalytic reduction of water soluble dyes over heterogeneous catalysts has gained immense attention for treatment of dye containing wastewater because it offers high efficiency. In this review article, the use of metal nanoparticles based catalysts for the catalytic reduction of water soluble dyes has been discussed. Various synthetic methods to prepare these nanocatalysts with typical examples, their advantages, as well as limitations, have also been discussed in details.

Herein, we reports the application of various spinel ferrite nanoparticles, MFe2O4 (M = Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), as efficient catalyst for Biginelli reaction. All ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized using a novel aqueous solution based method. It was observed that, the catalytic activity of the ferrite nanoparticles followed the decreasing order of CoFe2O4CuFe2O4NiFe2O4ZnFe2O4. The most important feature of these ferrite nanocatalysts is that, these nanoparticles can directly be used as catalyst and no surface modification or functionalization is required. These ferrite nanoparticles are easily separable from reaction mixture after reaction by using a magnet externally. Easy synthesis methodology, high catalytic activity, easy magnetic separation and good reusability make these ferrite nanoparticles attractive catalysts for Biginelli reaction.

In this paper, we report a simple aqueous solution based chemical method for preparation of Cu nanoparticle loaded mesoporous silica SBA-15 (Cu@SBA-15) catalysts. Synthesized catalysts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), N 2 adsorption–desorption surface area and pore size analyzer, and particle size analyzer. Catalytic activity of Cu nanoparticle loaded SBA-15 towards reduction of various dyes, such as 4-nitrophenol, Methyl Orange, Congo Red, Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue and mixture of dyes were investigated in the presence of excess NaBH 4 . Catalysis reactions were monitored by employing UV–vis spectroscopy. Catalysis reactions followed pseudo-first order rate equation. These catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic activity and convenient recycling. The high catalytic activity, cost effectiveness and simple preparation methodology make 12.5Cu@SBA-15 an attractive catalyst for decolorization of organic dyes.

A novel and efficient electrochemical sensor has been developed to quantitatively measure H2O2 concentration by cyclic voltammetry. The sensor was prepared by modifying screen printed gold electrodes by ruthenium nanoparticle (Ru nanoparticle) loaded thiol functionalized mesoporous SBA15 (Ru@SBA15-SH) which was prepared by three simple steps. During measurement H2O2 electrochemically interacted with Ru nanoparticles and was channelled appropriately through the mesoporous structure of SBA15. The developed sensor showed a wide detection range with high sensitivity, durability and reproducibility. Furthermore, a very low limit of detection was reported by the sensor (0.42 μM (∼0.0142 ppm)), which was much lower than the permissible exposure limit.

This study deals with the exploration of CoFe2O4 supported Ag nanoparticles as a catalyst for the decolorization of various dyes (such as 4-nitrophenol, Congo red, rhodamine B) and dye mixtures by employing a reduction reaction with excess NaBH4 in an aqueous medium. Nanocatalysts with 10 wt% Ag loading (10Ag@CoFe2O4) exhibited very high catalytic activity and dye solutions were found to be decolorized within 4 to 6 minutes. A simple method for the preparation of a catalyst (10Ag@CoFe2O4) was reported, which exhibited very high catalytic efficiency towards the decolorization of dyes with different chemical structures as well as demonstrating its magnetic properties for easy separation from reaction mixtures and its reusability.

The development of a simple yet novel aqueous solution based ‘one-pot’ method has been reported for the preparation of nanocomposites composed of soft ferrite (Mn0.2Ni0.4Zn0.4Fe2O4) and hard ferrite (BaFe12O19) phases. A physical mixing method has also been employed to prepare nanocomposites having the same compositions. The effects of synthetic methodologies on the microstructures of the nanocomposites as well as their magnetic and microwave absorption properties have been evaluated. The crystal structures and microstructures of these composites have been investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In the nanocomposites prepared by both methods, the presence of nanocrystalline Mn0.2Ni0.4Zn0.4Fe2O4 and BaFe12O19 phases were detected. However, nanocomposites prepared by the one-pot method possessed better homogeneous distribution of hard and soft ferrite phases than the nanocomposites prepared by the physical mixing method. Very good spring exchange coupling interaction between the hard and soft ferrite phases was observed for the nanocomposites prepared by the one-pot method and these composites exhibited magnetically single phase behaviour. The spring exchange coupling interaction enhanced the magnetic properties (high saturation magnetization and coercivity) and microwave absorption properties of the nanocomposites prepared by the one-pot method, in comparison with the nanocomposites prepared by the physical mixing method as well as pure Mn0.2Ni0.4Zn0.4Fe2O4 and BaFe12O19 nanoparticles. The minimum reflection loss of the composites was found to be ∼−25 dB (i.e. >99% absorption) at 8.2 GHz with an absorber thickness of 3.5 mm.

Participation in proficiency testing (PT) is an important task to meet the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 in the area of quality assurance of laboratory results. A PT program in the field of chemical analysis of iron ore was organized by CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur (nodal laboratory) and CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi (PT Coordinator) during November 2011-January 2012. Twenty-two (22) laboratories in India participated in the PT program. The results of participating laboratories were first analyzed to identify the distribution patterns and the presence of outliers. Several parametric and robust statistical methods were used to identify the outliers. Correct outlier rejection is of utmost importance because the choice of the outlier test method influence the consensus value and standard deviation which in turn determine the Z-score of a laboratory result in a PT program. In the present study, five parametric outlier tests were compared: Dixon's Q test, Grubbs single test, double test, t test, and Z-scores. In addition three robust tests as alternative to parametric tests were chosen: box plot, Huber test and MAD-based test. It was observed that multiple outlier test methods should be used to identify the outliers in a PT program especially when the number of participating laboratories is less. They complement each other and helps give diverse information and better overview of the data set. Among the 22 participating laboratories, Z-scores of 4 laboratories for analysis of total iron fall outside the acceptable limit of ±2. Similarly, for analysis of alumina and silica, five laboratories had unacceptable Z-scores.

The paint industry in India is broadly classified into two categories: organized sector and unorganized sector. Multinational and big Indian companies form the organized sector, whereas the small- and medium-scale industries which produce paints for the local market form the unorganized sector. The present study was undertaken to determine the level of lead in decorative paints in India. A total of 148 paint samples sourced from four organized sector companies and six unorganized sector companies were analyzed for the total lead content. Results of this study reveal that 39 % of the total paints tested (n = 148) contain lead more than 300 ppm, the voluntary limit prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards, BIS (IS 15489:2011), and 45 % of the tested paints contain lead more than 90 ppm, the US limit. Further analysis of the data indicates that only 5 % of the tested paints manufactured by organized sector companies contain lead more than 300 ppm (n = 91), whereas 93 % of the tested paints manufactured by unorganized sector companies contain lead more than 300 ppm (n = 57). Comparison with earlier reported data suggests that while organized sector companies are gradually abandoning the use of lead-based compounds in their paints, the unorganized sector companies are still adding lead-based compounds intentionally in their paints despite the potential health hazards associated with it. The maximum concentration of lead obtained was 80,350 ppm in one of the paints manufactured by an unorganized sector company. The presence of high concentration of lead in yellow and green color paints indicates that color can be a predictor of lead content in decorative paints.

In this paper, we report a simple but novel aqueous solution based 'one-pot' method for preparation of (NiFe2O4)x-(SrFe12O19)1-x nanocomposites consist of hard ferrite-soft ferrite phases. A physical mixing method has also been employed to prepare nanocomposites having same compositions. The effects of synthetic methodologies on the microstructures of the nanocomposites as well as their magnetic and microwave absorption properties have been evaluated. Crystal structures and microstructures of these composites have been investigated by using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope. In the nanocomposites, prepared by both methods, presence of nanocrystalline NiFe2O4 and SrFe12O19 phases was detected. However, nanocomposites, prepared by one-pot method, possessed better homogeneous distribution of hard and soft ferrite phases than the nanocomposites, prepared by physical mixing method. Nanocomposites, prepared by one-pot method, demonstrated significant spring exchange coupling interaction between hard and soft ferrite phases and exhibited magnetically single phase behaviour. The spring exchange coupling interaction enhanced the magnetic properties (high saturation magnetization and coercivity) and microwave absorption properties of the nanocomposites, prepared by one-pot method, in comparison with the nanocomposites prepared by physical mixing method as well as pure NiFe2O4 and SrFe12O19 nanoparticles. Minimum reflection loss of the composite was ~ -17 dB (i.e., 98% absorption) at 8.2 GHz for an absorber thickness of 3.2 mm.