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Abstract Hydrogen boride (HB) nanosheets are recognized as a safe and lightweight hydrogen carrier, yet their hydrogen (H2) generation technique has been limited. In the present study, nitrogen‐containing organic heterocycles are mixed with HB nanosheets in acetonitrile solution for visible‐light‐driven H2 generation. After exploring various nitrogen‐containing heterocycles, the mixture of 1,10‐phenanthroline molecules (Phens) and HB nanosheets exhibited significant H2 generation even under visible light irradiation. The quantum efficiency for H2 generation of the mixture of HB nanosheets and Phens is 0.6%. Based on spectroscopic and electrochemical analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is determined that radical species generated from Phens with electrons and protons donated by HB nanosheets are responsive to visible light for H2 generation. The HB nanosheets/Phens mixture presented in this study can generate H2 using renewable energy sources such as sunlight without the need for complex electrochemical systems or heating mechanisms and is expected to serve as a lightweight hydrogen storage/release system.

Abstract Most of previous photocatalysts contain metal species, thus exploring a metal-free photocatalyst is still challenging. A metal-free photocatalyst has an advantage for the development of economical and non-toxic artificial photosynthesis system and/or environmental purification applications. In this study, rhombohedral boron monosulfide (r-BS) was synthesized by a high-pressure solid-state reaction, and its photocatalytic properties were investigated. r-BS absorbed visible light, and its photocurrent action spectrum also exhibited visible light responsivity. The r-BS evolved hydrogen (H2) from water under ultraviolet (UV) as well as under visible light irradiation, and its internal quantum efficiency reached 1.8% under UV light irradiation. In addition to the H2 evolution reaction, the r-BS photocatalyst drove carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and dye oxidation reactions under UV irradiation. Although bare r-BS was not so stable under strong light irradiation in water, cocatalyst modification improved its stability. These results indicate that r-BS is a new class of non-metal photocatalyst applicable for H2 production, CO2 reduction, and environmental purification reactions.

Abstract Hydrogen boride (HB), a freestanding 2D hydrogenated‐borophene (borophane) polymorph, is synthesized via ion exchange. HB sheets with a B/H atomic ratio of 1.0 are confirmed to contain three‐center–two‐electron B–H–B bonds and two‐center–two‐electron terminal B–H bonds. The optical properties of HB sheets are expected to be tunable by changing the BHB/BH bond ratio, which alters the electronic structure of HB sheets; however, this is not yet achieved. This study demonstrates that controlling the BHB/BH bond ratio in the HB sheets is possible without altering the hydrogen content by adjusting the volume of ion‐exchange resin during synthesis, thus enabling the tuning of the photoinduced H2 release under UV irradiation. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity correlates with the absorbance ratio of the BHB and BH vibrational modes. Increasing the BHB/BH bond ratio enhances the luminescence intensity, whereas reducing it enhances the photoinduced H2 release rate under UV irradiation. The ability to control the BHB/BH bond ratio of HB sheets provides new avenues for optimizing their properties for various applications, including hydrogen storage and photocatalysis.

Background: A close association between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents has been investigated in previous studies. However, few studies examined the relationship between lifetime comorbidity of ADHD and OCD in adults. Therefore, we sought to investigate the clinical and psychopathological features related to comorbid ADHD in Japanese adult patients with OCD. Methods: We assessed lifetime comorbidity of ADHD in 93 adult Japanese patients with OCD. Additionally, we used the Japanese version of Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales to assess the characteristics and severity of ADHD in each participant. According to the results, we excluded OCD patients that did not have ADHD but who exhibited elevated levels of ADHD traits. We compared OCD patients with ADHD (ADHD+ group) and those without ADHD or its trait (ADHD− group) in terms of background profiles and clinical features, such as OCD symptomatology and psychometric test results. Additionally, the 6-month treatment outcome was compared prospectively between groups. Results: Of the 93 OCD participants, the prevalence of lifetime comorbidity of ADHD was estimated as 16.1%. Compared with the ADHD− group, participants in the ADHD+ group had an earlier age of onset of OCD, higher frequencies of hoarding symptoms, higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms and lower quality of life, more elevated levels of impulsivity, and higher rates of substance or behavioral addiction and major depression. Finally, the mean improvement rate on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale after 6 months of standardized OCD treatment in the ADHD+ group (16.1%) was significantly lower than that in the ADHD− group (44.6%). Conclusion: The lifetime comorbidity of ADHD is likely to exert a significant effect on clinical features and treatment outcome in adult patients with OCD. It is important to consider that underlying ADHD pathology may function as a facilitator for increased severity of global clinical features and treatment refractory conditions in OCD patients. Further studies are required to examine treatment strategies for such patients.

Seeking and developing efficient CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) electrocatalysts is a hot topic in this era of global warming. Among material candidates for sustainable and cost-effective applications, metal sulfides have attracted attention as promising nature-inspired materials due to multiple adsorption sites which are enhanced by the covalent character of sulfur. This article summarizes the current status regarding the utilization and development of metal sulfide materials as CO2RR electrocatalysts. First, the research background and basic principles of electrochemical CO2RR are introduced. Next, an overview of the main obstacles to developing efficient CO2RR electrocatalysts is presented. The section is followed by a summary of the empirical evidence supporting the application of metal sulfides as CO2RR electrocatalysts beside nature-inspired motivation. The summary of synthesis methods of various metal sulfides is also presented. Furthermore, the paper also highlights the recent works on metal sulfide as efficient CO2RR including the undertaking strategy on the activity enhancement, and finally, discusses the challenges and prospect of metal sulfides-based CO2RR electrocatalysts. Despite recent efforts, metal sulfides remain relatively unexplored as materials for CO2RR electrocatalytic applications. Therefore, this review aims to stimulate novel ideas and research for improved catalyst designs and functionality.

Abstract Photocatalysts are promising materials for solid-state antiviral coatings to protect against the spread of pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This paper reports that copper oxide nanoclusters grafted with titanium dioxide (CuxO/TiO2) inactivated the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, including its Delta variant, even under dark condition, and further inactivated it under illumination with a white fluorescent bulb. To investigate its inactivation mechanism, the denaturation of spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 was examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition to spike proteins, fragmentation of ribonucleic acids in SARS-CoV-2 was investigated by real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). As a result, both spike proteins and RNAs in the SARS-CoV-2 virus were damaged by the CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst even under dark condition and were further damaged under white fluorescent bulb illumination. Based on the present antiviral mechanism, the CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst will be effective in inactivating other potential mutant strains of SARS-CoV-2. The CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst can thus be used to reduce the infectious risk of COVID-19 in an indoor environment, where light illumination is turned on during the day and off during the night.

Nanoscale boron-based materials are promising for electronic devices, and it is important to understand their chemical stability. Here, hydrogen boride nanosheets are stable against hydrolysis in water, which ab initio calculations attribute to the charge state of boron and the boron-boron bond network.

Conventional hydrogen production, as an alternative energy resource, has relied on fossil fuels to produce hydrogen, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere. Hydrogen production via the dry forming of methane (DRM) process is a lucrative solution to utilize greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, by using them as raw materials in the DRM process. However, there are a few DRM processing issues, with one being the need to operate at a high temperature to gain high conversion of hydrogen, which is energy intensive. In this study, bagasse ash, which contains a high percentage of silicon dioxide, was designed and modified for catalytic support. Modification of silicon dioxide from bagasse ash was utilized as a waste material, and the performance of bagasse ash-derived catalysts interacting with light irradiation and reducing the amount of energy used in the DRM process was explored. The results showed that the performance of 3%Ni/SiO2 bagasse ash WI was higher than that of 3%Ni/SiO2 commercial SiO2 in terms of the hydrogen product yield, with hydrogen generation initiated in the reaction at 300 °C. Using the same synthesis method, the current results suggested that bagasse ash-derived catalysts had better performance than commercial SiO2-derived catalysts when exposed to an Hg-Xe lamp. This indicated that silicon dioxide from bagasse ash as a catalyst support could help improve the hydrogen yield while lowering the temperature in the DRM reaction, resulting in less energy consumption in hydrogen production.

Converting carbon dioxide (CO2) into value-added chemicals by CO2 reduction has been considered as a potential way to solve the current energy crisis and environmental problem. Among the methods of CO2 reduction, the electrochemical method has been widely used due to its mild reaction condition and high reaction efficiency. In the electrochemical reduction system, the CO2 electrocatalyst is the most important part. Although many CO2 electrocatalysts have been developed, efficient catalysts with high activity, selectivity and stability are still lacking. Copper sulfide compound, as a low-toxicity and emerging material, has broad prospects in the field of CO2 reduction due to its unique structural and electrochemical properties. Much progress has been achieved with copper sulfide nanocrystalline and the field is rapidly developing. This paper summarizes the preparation, recent progress in development, and factors affecting the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction performance with copper sulfide compound as a catalyst. Prospects for future development are also outlined, with the aim of using copper sulfide compound as a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction.

We present an enhanced method for synthesizing sheets of borophane. Despite the challenges associated with low efficiency, we discovered that incorporating hydrochloric acid into the ion-exchange reaction significantly improved the production yield from 20% to over 50%. After a thorough examination of the reaction, we gained insight into the underlying mechanisms and found that the use of hydrochloric acid provides two key benefits: accelerated production of borophene and isolation of high-purity products. This method has the potential to pave the way for the production of novel topological 2D materials with potential industrial applications.

Two-dimensional materials have wide ranging applications in electronic devices and catalysts owing to their unique properties. Boron-based compounds, which exhibit a polymorphic nature, are an attractive choice for developing boron-based two-dimensional materials. Among them, rhombohedral boron monosulfide (r-BS) has recently attracted considerable attention owing to its unique layered structure similar to that of transition metal dichalcogenides and a layer-dependent bandgap. However, experimental evidence that clarifies the charge carrier type in the r-BS semiconductor is lacking. In this study, we synthesized r-BS and evaluated its performance as a semiconductor by measuring the Seebeck coefficient and photo-electrochemical responses. The properties unique to p-type semiconductors were observed in both measurements, indicating that the synthesized r-BS is a p-type semiconductor. Moreover, a distinct Fano resonance was observed in Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy, which was ascribed to the Fano resonance between the E(2) (TO) phonon mode and electrons in the band structures of r-BS, indicating that the p-type carrier was intrinsically doped in the synthesized r-BS. These results demonstrate the potential future application prospects of r-BS.

Hydrogen boride (HB) sheets are two-dimensional materials comprising a negatively charged hexagonal boron network and positively charged hydrogen atoms with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. Herein, we report the spontaneous formation of highly dispersed Ni nanoclusters on HB sheets. The spontaneous reduction reaction of Ni ions by the HB sheets was monitored by in-situ measurements with an ultraviolet-visible spectrometer. Acetonitrile solutions of Ni complexes and acetonitrile dispersions of the HB sheets were mixed in several molar ratios (the HB:Ni molar ratio was varied from 100:0.5 to 100:20), and the changes in the absorbance were measured over time. In all cases, the results suggest that Ni metal clusters grow on the HB sheets, considering the increase in absorbance with time. The absorbance peak position shifts to the higher wavelength as the Ni ion concentration increases. Transmission electron microscopy images of the post-reaction products indicate the formation of Ni nanoclusters, with sizes of a few nanometers, on the HB sheets, regardless of the preparation conditions. These highly dispersed Ni nanoclusters supported on HB sheets will be used for catalytic and plasmonic applications and as hydrogen storage materials.

The development of lightweight and safe hydrogen carrier materials is desirable for hydrogen energy storage and release. Here, authors prepare hydrogen boride nanosheets and observe hydrogen gas production induced by light irradiation.

Excessive consumption of fossil fuels gives rise to the increasing emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere and furthers the ecocrisis. Electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) has both functions of dwindling greenhouse gas concentration and converting it into valuable products. Due to the intrinsic chemical inertness of CO2 molecules, the study on efficient and low‐cost catalysts has attracted much attention. Recently isolated atoms, dispersed in stable support, play an important role in decreasing energy barriers of intermediate steps and obtaining target products with high activity and selectivity for ECR. The effective regulation of central atoms or coordination environment is significant to realize the desired performances of ECR with a high efficiency and selectivity. Hence, a comprehensive summary about strategies for improving the performance of ECR on single atom catalysts (SACs) is necessary. Herein, the SACs on various supports are introduced, the methods to design stable SACs are discussed, and the strategies for tuning the performance of ECR on SACs are summarized. The localized environment manipulation is widely used for high‐performance SACs design, including regulating central atoms and coordination environment. Finally, the perspectives are discussed to shed light on the rational design of intriguing SACs for ECR.

Abstract Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is one of the most attractive chemical reactions, since it converts global‐warming gases into valuable syngas including hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Numerous previous studies used metal oxides catalysis supports, such as Al2O3, but their operating temperature was very high and severe coking occurred and deteriorated their catalytic activities. The present study reports that a metal carbide like tantalum carbide (TaC) acts as a multifunctional catalyst support for the DRM reaction, including light‐harvesting properties for saving energy operation as well as an anticoking property for long‐term stability. Nickel nanoparticles loaded on tantalum carbide (Ni/TaC) are prepared by impregnation and reductive hydrogen treatment. TaC particles act as a light‐harvesting support to promote the DRM reaction by photon irradiation through plasmonic photothermal energy conversion in TaC. Furthermore, Ni/TaC exhibits an excellent long‐term anticoking property, as compared to Ni loaded on conventional metal oxide supports such as Al2O3 or Ta2O5. According to the sole gas condition's experiment, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy, the oxy‐carbide layer near the interface between TaC and Ni plays an essential role in imparting the efficient anticoking property of Ni/TaC.

The performance of quantum dot-sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) is mainly limited by chemical reactions at the interface of the counter electrode. Generally, the fill factor (FF) of QDSSCs is very low because of large charge transfer resistance at the interface between the counter electrode and electrolyte solution containing redox couples. In the present research, we demonstrate the improvement of the resistance by optimization of surface area and amount of catalyst of the counter electrode. A facile chemical synthesis was used to fabricate a composite counter electrode consisting of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) powder and CuS nanoparticles. The introduction of a sputtered gold layer at the interface of the porous-FTO layer and underlying glass substrate also markedly reduced the resistance of the counter electrode. As a result, we could reduce the charge transfer resistance and the series resistance, which were 2.5 [Ω] and 6.0 [Ω], respectively. This solar cell device, which was fabricated with the presently designed porous-FTO counter electrode as the cathode and a PbS-modified electrode as the photoanode, exhibited a FF of 58%, which is the highest among PbS-based QDSSCs reported to date.

Seeking and developing efficient CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) electrocatalysts is a hot topic in this era of global warming. Among material candidates for sustainable and cost-effective applications, metal sulfides have attracted attention as promising nature-inspired materials due to multiple adsorption sites which are enhanced by the covalent character of sulfur. This article summarizes the current status regarding the utilization and development of metal sulfide materials as CO2RR electrocatalysts. First, the research background and basic principles of electrochemical CO2RR are introduced. Next, an overview of the main obstacles to developing efficient CO2RR electrocatalysts is presented. The section is followed by a summary of the empirical evidence supporting the application of metal sulfides as CO2RR electrocatalysts beside nature-inspired motivation. The summary of synthesis methods of various metal sulfides is also presented. Furthermore, the paper also highlights the recent works on metal sulfide as efficient CO2RR including the undertaking strategy on the activity enhancement, and finally, discusses the challenges and prospect of metal sulfides-based CO2RR electrocatalysts. Despite recent efforts, metal sulfides remain relatively unexplored as materials for CO2RR electrocatalytic applications. Therefore, this review aims to stimulate novel ideas and research for improved catalyst designs and functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]