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The present work deals with the synthesized Manganese (Mn) doped Nickel oxide nanoparticles. Using hydrothermal method, the Manganese (Mn) doped Nickel oxide nanoparticles were synthesized with the concentration ranges from 1 mol% to 2 mol%. The characterization done for the synthesized nanoparticles are X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), DSC spectroscopy and UV visible spectroscopy. The XRD reveals the amorphous nature with the size ranges from 60 nm to 20 nm. The chemical bonding nature and functional group analysis of the prepared material was confirmed by FTIR Spectroscopy. The optical behaviour of the Manganese (Mn) doped Nickel oxide nanoparticle was done using UV–Visible spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity of the prepared nanoparticles was done for both gram negative and gram-positive bacterial strains. The prepared nanoparticles have proven to be promising candidates to be utilized in drug delivery and food packaging applications.

Here, nickel cobalt oxide micro-flowers (NCO-F) have been prepared by the hydrothermal method for their application as electrode material in supercapacitors. The electrochemical performance of the prepared material has been studied in three different aqueous electrolytes (1 M Na2SO4, 1 M KOH, and 1 M Na2SO4 with hydroquinone (Hq) and benzoquinone (Bq) as redox additives). The NCO-F shows maximum specific capacitance in 1 M KOH (470 Fg−1) followed by 1 M Na2SO4 with Hq and Bq additives (173 Fg−1) and 1 M Na2SO4 (101 Fg−1) at the scan rate of 5 mVs−1. However, the higher value of energy density and power density is obtained in 1 M Na2SO4 (35.80 Whkg−1 at 424 Wkg−1). This is because of the higher potential window possessed by NCO-F in 1 M Na2SO4. The results illustrate that the role of the potential window is important which in turn is governed by the type of electrolyte.

In this work, the NiO-Co3O4-MnCo2O4 (NCM) active material is prepared via a convenient hydrothermal method for energy storage and conversion in Li-ion rechargeable batteries application. The interpretation of XRD results correlates that the synthesized NCM has been oriented in the cubic spinel structure. The prepared NCM divulges micro-cubes-like morphology with aggregated structure and it has been identified that the NCM displays the particle size ranges from 150 to 500 nm. The TEM results show that the synthesized NCM micro-cubes express a highly crystalline nature and the pattern is indexed to (222), (400), (440), (444), and (642) planes, respectively. The discharge–charge profile supplies an initial cycle discharge capacity of 1271 mAh g−1 at the current density of 100 mA g−1. It provides a reversible capacity of 696 mAh g−1 even after 200 cycles with a coulombic efficiency of 99%. Similarly, the NCM acquired at 600 °C for 2 h, 4 h, and 6 h provides a huge reversible discharge capacity of 540, 519, and 521 mAh g−1 even after 109, 120, and 101 cycles. Thus, the prepared material was a suitable candidate for energy storage and conversion in Li-ion rechargeable batteries.

In this work, a new material containing chitosan(CS)-hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HP) composite was synthesized with polyphosphoric acid as the cross-linking agent for the effective removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution. The prepared material was characterized by FTIR, EDS, SEM, BET and XPS. According to batch experiments, its adsorption equilibrium (Qe = 398.8 mg g−1) was reached within 50 min at pH 6.0. The adsorption process could be well fitted to the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model. The thermodynamic analysis indicated that the adsorption was an exothermic and spontaneous process. Furthermore, the CS-HP has superior absorption reusability. This study proved that CS-HP could be considered as the highly efficient and sustainable material for removal of uranium(VI) from aqueous solution.

Porous oil absorbents have been extensively studied in recent years. Boron nitride (BN) is an ideal inorganic material to withstand severe absorption conditions due to its excellent inertness and high-temperature resistance. A large challenge of BN aerogels is their high preparation costs due to requiring high temperatures and dangerous atmospheres. A facial synthesis of h-BN-based aerogels by the cast-freezing method is reported here, which has the advantages of producing a light and recyclable material (~0.035 g/ml) at a low cost and with low energy consumption. In this work, carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is used as the compounder to interact with BN and form an aerogel that has controllable porosity (38–86 μm) and hydrophobicity (~140°). The porous structure, components, and reaction mechanisms are analyzed by SEM, XRD, mercury porosimetry, etc.. The pore distributions can be controlled by the concentrations of CMC and crosslinking agents. The intercalation effect on BN is carried out by CMC, which increases the specific surface area. Finally, the oil absorption performances are measured. The oil absorption capacity is up to 31.55 g/g (~97% ml/ml) because of the high specific surface area of the prepared material; additionally, the capacity of this material shows no obvious decrease after 6 cycles. Therefore, h-BN-based aerogels are expected to be applied in the oil absorption field and have the potential to be applied in the biochemical and nuclear fields.

In this study, cesium tungsten bronze (CsxWO3) a well-known metal oxide semiconductor and excellent photocatalyst and active photothermal material was used as a sensing material toward hydrogen for the first time. The CsxWO3 nanorods were synthesized using a new hydrothermal method and examined through systematic material investigations. The synthesized CsxWO3 nanorods were coated on SiO2/Si substrates and subsequently fabricated laterally with multi-finger platinum (Pt)-based electrodes to test their gas detecting properties. The gas detecting property of the prepared material was studied toward very toxic hydrogen gas (10–500 ppm concentration). The gas sensing results demonstrate that the synthesized CsxWO3 material has excellent gas sensing properties toward hydrogen (31.3%), which is overwhelmingly superior to as-prepared WO3 (4.7%) due to its suitable electrical and optical properties at room temperature (RT). The selectivity results also indicate that the material has outstanding selectivity toward hydrogen compared with different gases such as ammonia and carbon dioxide. The critical features of this material are its high reliability, simple synthesis method, low humidity susceptibility, and high selectivity, making it viable for use in hydrogen sensors. Compared with the as-prepared WO3, the adsorption capability and conductance of the CsxWO3 surface induces active O2 functional groups, significantly enhancing the gas sensing properties.

A copper-doped lithium-ion battery anode material Cu0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 was obtained through simple hydrothermal synthesis and assisted by high-temperature calcination. Metal-organic framework was introduced into the precursor, and after calcination at 500°C, a porous nano-particle material with the specific surface area of 41.68 m2 g−1 was obtained. With the assistance of metal-organic framework, the prepared material can effectively alleviate the volume expansion problem generated during the charge/discharge process and improve the electrochemical performance. More importantly, the Cu0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 electrode material not only maintains good cycle stability but also has a high charge/discharge specific capacity. The material can remain 1347.93 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at the current density of 1000 mA g−1, and has a high discharge specific capacity of 1846.50 mAh g−1 in the first cycle at the current density of 1000 mA g−1. Benefit from the structural features, the resultant Cu0.5Ni0.5Co2O4 electrode material exhibits good electrochemical performance with remarkable specific capacities (1411.36–919.76 mAh g−1) at various current densities (50–1000 mA g−1).

Here, for the first time, neodymium was incorporated into the three-dimensional mesoporous siliceous material; TUD-1. In order to understand the chemical and morphological structure of the prepared material, several characterization techniques were performed. The characterization results showed the formation of highly distributed isolated Nd3+ ions incorporated in the silica matrix in tetrahedrally coordinated structure, moreover no aggregation of separate phase(s) was/were observed. The prepared material was investigated as an adsorbent for methyl green (MG) dye in aqueous solution as a model cationic dye. The results showed higher adsorption capacity for Nd-TUD-1 by almost 24 times higher than the neat parent TUD-1 material and more than 100 times higher than bulky Nd2O3 under neutral pH. The adsorption results were fitted perfectly with pseudo-second-order model. Moreover, the adsorption isotherms were perfectly fitted with Freundlich isotherm model which indicated the formation of a multilayer of the dye molecules onto the Nd-TUD-1 surface as a physisorption with endothermic nature.

To expand the variety of Sn/C composites, lignite–based porous carbon was initially prepared with Baoqing lignite as the raw material and K2CO3 as the extractant and activator. A novel Sn/lignite–based porous carbon composite was subsequently fabricated via an in situ one–pot synthesis method. In the nanocomposite, Sn nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on lignite–based porous carbon, improving the lithium–ion storage performance of the as–prepared material. Compared with pure Sn and bare lignite–based porous carbon, Sn/lignite–based porous carbon displayed a superior electrochemical performance. The composite material exhibits a high reversible capacity of 941 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 100 mA g−1. Even after 800 charge/discharge cycles at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1, the nanocomposite retains a reversible capacity of 573 mAh g−1. The enhanced lithium–ion storage performance can be attributed to the combined effect of Sn and lignite–based porous carbon.

In this paper, a simple, low cost and easy to operate hydrothermal method was successfully used to synthesize rGO/ZnO aerogel in one step. Then the obtained sample is prepared into a sensor to test its sensing performance against NO2. The prepared material is characterized in a series of ways. The SEM and TEM results also show that the rGO/ZnO aerogel after freeze-drying is a regular cylinder with a large pore network structure with cross-linking inside, and ZnO is uniformly distributed on the surface of the rGO sheet layer. To further confirm that the pore structure inside the aerogel increased the specific surface area, the samples were characterized by BET, and the specific surface area of aerogel was 108.79 m2/g. These results indicate that rGO/ZnO aerogel has a large surface area, which enhances the active sites at the surface/interface and makes it a promising gas sensing material. The results showed that the rGO/ZnO aerogel had a NO2 response of 13% to 20 ppm at room temperature. And has a good response recovery, reproducibility is good. This is mainly due to the rapid charge transfer rate of the heterogeneous interface of the composite. rGO/ZnO aerogel has a potential application prospect in gas sensor field due to its simple and easy preparation method and excellent performance at room temperature.

In order to design and fabricate a new Al2O3/TiC/TiN micro-nano-composite ceramic tool material with high mechanical properties, a microstructure evolution model of ceramic tool material during sintering process was established to optimize the sintering parameters based on cellular automata. Furthermore, the effects of TiC nano-particles on mechanical properties of the prepared material were investigated. Toughening and strengthening mechanisms of TiC nano-particles were revealed by examining SEM images of microstructure and crack propagation. The results indicated that the mechanical properties increased first and then decreased as TiC nano-particles volume fractions of prepared material rose. When Al2O3, TiC, TiN micro-particles and TiC nano-particles were 60%, 20%, 10% and 10%, respectively, ceramic material prepared exhibited outstanding mechanical properties with Vickers hardness of 20.8 GPa, flexure strength of 881.4 MPa, and fracture toughness of 7.8 MPa m1/2 obtained at the sintering temperature of 1650 °C with holding time for15min through the simulation. The main strengthening and toughening mechanisms of the prepared materials could be attributed to transgranular fracture, intergranular fracture, crack deflection and crack bridging.

There are various kinds of biofillers used as reinforcing materials for synthesis of biocomposites, but still now none of these are commercialized due to some disadvantages. In this work P(AN-co-MMA)/Prawn shell powder was synthesized by using a water-soluble cobalt complex as a catalyst. Since waste Prawn shell powder, rich in Chitosan was used as filler material, therefore it is an eco-friendly, cost-effective and green synthesis process. The prepared biocomposite material was characterized by FTIR, SEM and TGA. The mechanical properties and water absorbency of the prepared material are also studied. From the experimental analysis it was observed that the thermal stability of the prepared biomaterial increases with an increase in the % of prawn shell powder. The SEM analysis indicated the uniform distribution of prawn shell powder throughout the composite material. From water absorption test it was found that the prepared composite material shows the high value of water absorption capacity as compared with the composite without prawn shell. The tensile strength, impact strength and flexural strength of the Synthesized material are comparatively higher than the Copolymer.

In the present work vanadium oxide (V2O5) was prepared by simple and direct sol–gel method by using ammonium metavanadate as precursor in the presence of ammonia as complexing agent. For structural and morphological analysis of V2O5 different characterization techniques were used. X-Ray Diffraction and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy were used for structural identification and functional group detection. The morphology of prepared material was studied by Scanning Electron microscopy technique. For band gap measurement (optical study) of V2O5, the UV–Visible Spectrophotometer techniques were used. Finally the Photocatalytic activity of the calcinated product for Methylene Blue (MB) dye was studied. The percentage of degradation and rate constant also calculated. The present work shows the good photocatalytic activity of V2O5 for hazardous MB dye and degradation take place in this case is about 75%. Thus V2O5 is promising material for photocatalytic activity.

Nickeltitanate (Ilmenite) has been prepared with stoichiometric variation by substituting Mn in the ‘A’ site, using the sol–gel method in a highly active form. The PdSn electrocatalyst was then impregnated with nickeltitanate by a microwave-assisted polyol method. The physiochemical characterisation of the synthesized electrocatalyst PdSn–Ni1−xMnxTiO3 was done by X-ray diffractometry, UV-visible spectrophotometry, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The elemental composition was obtained using energy dispersive spectra which confirmed the presence of Ni, Mn, Ti, O, Pd and Sn. Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry and polarization experiments showed that the synthesized PdSn–Ni1−xMnxTiO3 exhibited an enhanced catalytic activity and better stability in the alkaline medium, compared to conventional PdSn/C catalysts. It was observed that the charge transfers from the support material (Ni1−xMnxTiO3) to the PdSn electrocatalyst boosted the oxidation reaction. By varying the methanol concentration from 0.5 M to 2.0 M, the resulting current density also varied from 129 to 151 mA cm−2. This result demonstrated that the prepared material PdSn–Ni1−xMnxTiO3/C electrocatalyst is an excellent candidate for the methanol oxidation reaction.

The synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets such as graphene and its derivatives through a bottom-up approach has many advantages such as growth control and functionalization, but it is always challenging to get the desired material. Herein, we have reported the synthesis of water soluble 2D-nanosheets through a bottom-up approach from 2,4,6-tribromo-3-hydroxybenzoic acid via a self-coupling pathway and characterized them using several techniques. AFM and TEM analyses reveal that the synthesized material has a layered structure with a thickness of ∼1.2 nm. Also, the prepared nanosheets are amorphous in nature with high negative charge (−38 ± 2.5 mV). The flexible nature of 2D-nanosheets and their functionality can be used in many related applications. Therefore, we have utilized the synthesized 2D-nanosheets in biomolecular recognition studies. It was found that the enzymatic activity of α-chymotrypsin can be controlled reversibly in the presence of the synthesized 2D-nanosheets. The kinetic study revealed that the nanosheet surface selectively binds to the active sites of the enzyme through a competitive pathway. Furthermore, we explored the nanozyme activity of the material in a peroxidase-like activity assay of two bio-active molecules: Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate (NADH) and dopamine. The results suggest that the prepared material efficiently catalyzed the oxidation of NADH to biological cofactor NAD+ and dopamine to aminochrome in the presence of H2O2. These synthesized graphene-like 2D-nanosheets with functional groups can be further tuned with other functionalities, which can open a new window for other related applications.

Perovskite material namely Barium strontium titanate (BST) was prepared by solid state reaction (SSR) method. The three different processing parameters are introduced to SSR method to influence the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of BST. Ultrasonic wave irradiation, microwave irradiation and ball milling process to SSR reaction was completed successfully. To perceive the characteristic properties of the prepared BST, various characterisation techniques were employed. X-Ray diffraction studies revealed that the prepared materials are basically in crystalline nature with cubical structure also high in purity. Scanning Electron microscopy studies showed that the ultrasonication influenced SSR method produces the clear and definite morphology compared with other two synthesis routes involved samples. The optical absorption behaviour of the prepared BST had been highly improved when various synthesis routes added to SSR method which is known from UV–Vis spectra. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to demonstrate the electrical responses of the prepared material. In overall, from the observed results revealed that the optical and electrical properties of BST could be improved by the addition of processing parameters to SSR method for energy conversion applications.

Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) is a competitive ultra-high-temperature structural material. However, it suffered from a fatal low-temperature oxidation, which extremely limited its application. To solve this problem, a novel high entropy refractory metallic silicide with composition of (Mo0.2W0.2Cr0.2Ta0.2Nb0.2)Si2 was synthesized by in-situ spark plasma reaction sintering in this work. The interrupted oxidation tests at 500 °C for 300 h have been performed, and shown that the prepared material has an excellent oxidation resistance at low temperatures without pest phenomenon. The mechanism for eliminating pest oxidation is that the high entropy of this material would suppress generation of bulk metallic oxides with formation of only an intact SiO2 film during oxidation.

BiSb nanoparticles were synthesized by solvothermal method. The synthesized material having a trigonal structure with space group R3m was confirmed through X-ray diffraction pattern. The Williamson-Hall method was employed to analyze the lattice stress and micro-strain produced in the BiSb nanoparticles. On the prepared material surface morphology studies were carried out using HR-SEM with EDXA. UV-visible absorption spectrum shows a wide absorption peak at 287 nm and the estimated band gap value is at Eg = 1.6 eV (from Tauc plot). The values of remanent polarization Pr = 0.156 μC/cm2, saturation polarization Ps = 0.253 μC/cm2, and coercive electric field Ec = 13.5 kV/cm obtained from the loop were close to the value. The BiSb nanoparticles exhibit semi-metallic-reported characteristics. This material is useful for thermoelectric power generation applications.

PurposeInvestigations over new types of materials as a potential power source for different types of devices were raised dramatically in the last few years. It is connected especially with global needs and that most of the devices in our world need electricity to work. In this paper, an investigation on magnetoelectric effect in the magnetostrictive-piezoelectric composite material is presented.Design/methodology/approachAn author's research setup for investigation of magnetoelectric effect in the developed novel material was prepared. The new composite material was made of magnetostrictive particles of Terfenol-D and lead zirconium titanate (PZT) material.FindingsObtained results show that changes in an electric voltage output from the prepared material are highly dependent on the changes in external magnetic field. It was found out that rate of changes of magnetic field around composite material is one of the most important factors which has influence on the magnetoelectric effect. Taking into account the obtained results, it was proven that prepared hybrid material shows magnetoelectric effect in the case of work in alternating magnetic field.Originality/valueThis phenomenon might be used in a field of energy harvesting as potential power source for devices with low power consumption. Moreover, this new material gives an opportunity to be used as an additional gauge for determination of deformation or crack propagation in the samples during fatigue tests.

The outer cover of the egg (chicken) having the mesh size in the range of 100–350 μm serves as a versatile bio-filler for manufacturing of a novel biocomposite, “pectin-g-P(AN-co-AM)/chicken eggshell”, which was synthesized by using water-soluble cobalt complex as effective catalyst, and its properties were studied by using FTIR and on–off switching swelling behaviour. Moreover, water absorbency and biodegradability along with drug delivery properties of the prepared material were studied by using proper methods. It was observed that the synthesized material shows property of super absorbency (hydrogel) and demonstrates interesting results at pH = 2 and 8 and is responsive to swelling-de-swelling behaviour. This novel material also shows potential applications in drug delivery system. This bio-composite is cost-effective and environmental friendly because it is synthesized in microwave-assisted medium without emission of any toxic gaseous components to the atmosphere.

Prussian blue analogues, Ni3[Fe(CN)6]2-Co3[Fe(CN)6]2-derived flower-like Ni-Co hydroxides coupled with eggplant-derived macroporous carbon tubes, have been prepared by chemical replacement method at room temperature. The composite electrode exhibits high specific capacitance (801 F g-1), rate stability (68.5 %), and cycle stability. It is indicted that the synergistic effect of the high conductivity of macroporous carbon tubes and flower-like structures contributes to the abundant active redox sites, thus delivering high electrochemical performance. Then, the prepared material in this study could be an ideal candidate as electrode materials for supercapacitor.

The aim of this study was to evaluate a new catalytic material for biogas-fuelled DIR-SOFCs. This material was a perovskite-type SrTiO3 doped with La, Ce and Ni of a general formula La0.27Sr0.54Ce0.09Ni0.1Ti0.9O3-σ (LSCNT). Additional preparation steps were undertaken to promote a nickel exsolution process. Heat post-treatment of powders in a humidified H2 resulted in an intensive growth of nickel nanoparticles (NPs) while the reduction temperature was increased gradually from 800 to 1200 °C. A selected reduction temperature equal to 900 °C gave the NPs an average size of 22 nm. The prepared material was used as a functional layer deposited onto the anodic site of a Ni/YSZ-supported SOFC to promote the effective reforming of synthetic and H2S-contaminated biogas at 750 °C. It was found that after 130 h of operation in a 60% CH4/40% CO2 mixture, the fuel cell with an additional LSCNT layer showed higher power density, and no carbon deposits were observed. However, 20 ppm of H2S present in the fuel caused a full deactivation of both the reference and SOFC with LSCNT layer. Cyclic tests in sour biogas revealed that the fabricated anodic layer is much more resistant to sulfur poisoning compared to a bare Ni/YSZ anode. Recovery of overall performance after 3 poisoning cycles was nearly 90% for the fuel cell with the LSCNT layer, while the unmodified one reached only 75%. The concentrations of the exhaust gases, such as CH4, CO2, and CO, were continuously measured in situ using a FTIR-based technique. A thermochemical analysis revealed that the investigated material ensured much better biogas reforming stability over the whole testing time and strongly promoted catalytic reactions.

Silica (SiO 2 ) and iron-incorporated silica (Fe/SiO 2 ) materials are prepared from rice husk pyrolytic residues through alkali treatment, co-precipitation and calcination. The prepared material is characterized by ICP-AES, XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis DRS, XPS, SEM-EDS and TEM, and the results indicate that the prepared materials are mesoporous, where framework and extra-framework iron species concurrently exist in the Fe/SiO 2 . The prepared materials are applied to treat methylene blue (MB) solution, where influencing factors such as temperature, pH, the dosage of H 2 O 2 and Fe/SiO 2 are studied. Under the optimal conditions, Fe/SiO 2 shows a much better adsorption effect than SiO 2 , where Fe/SiO 2 can adsorb 85 % of MB within only 2 min, and almost 98.8 % color is removed within 90 min in the presence of both Fe/SiO 2 and H 2 O 2 . Only 0.46 % iron leaches from Fe/SiO 2 , and it performs relatively good results in the recycle utilization where almost 90 % of chroma is removed within 10 min or 20 min. Hydroxyl radicals are successfully captured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiment and it proves that a heterogeneous Fenton-like system form in the presence of both Fe/SiO 2 and H 2 O 2 , i.e., Fe/SiO 2 acts as both adsorbent and catalyst in the treatment process of MB.

Nanocrystalline hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoflowers have been synthesized by a facile mixing annealing approach. Here, the nontoxic precursor (boric acid and urea) under Ar-atmosphere and various annealing temperature (1000 °C, 1100 °C, and 1200 °C) were responsible for nanoflowers kind structure. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The observed results indicated that the optical and other physical properties of the prepared material were found to be as a function of post-annealing temperature.

Rare earth (RE) ions activated ZnO thin films were prepared via sol-gel route and the thin films be categorized by various techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies display the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the prepared thin films. Scherrer's formula was utilized to calculate the average crystallite size (25–40 nm) with different Sm3+ concentrations. The optical energy gap was calculated by Diffused Reflectance spectra (DRS). The Acid Red (AR) dye was degraded under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation with ZnO: Sm3+(1-9 mol %) nanostructured thin films and the highest photodegradation (95 %) was observed for 7 mol % of Sm3+ doped ZnO catalyst. All the obtained results suggest that prepared material could be a prominent material as photocatalyst.

The ZrO2 nanomaterial was prepared by the co-precipitation method by maintaining the pH of the reaction solution at 7, 8 and 9. The crystalline quality of the prepared material was confirmed from the powder XRD pattern and the Scherrer formula was used to calculate the particle size. The FE-SEM picture shows the morphology of the ZrO2 nanoparticles. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) results give details of the magnetic nature of the synthesized materials. The samples were characterized by TGA/DTA and electrochemical performances of the samples were investigated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

A novel approach for preparing porous tin dioxide material by sol–gel hard template method was proposed in this study. The aerogel technology was used to synthesize the porous SnO2 and improve the porosity. The prepared material possesses excellent gas-sensing performance to NOx at room temperature, which has high sensitivity, excellent selectivity and fast response time. At room temperature, the maximum value toward 100 ppm NOx gas gets to 54%, and corresponding response time is only 19.5 s. The response time of the prepared sensor always remains within 26 s in NOx concentration ranging from 5 to 100 ppm. In the meantime, the response and response time for NOx at 5 ppm (the lowest detectable of the sensor) are 40% and 26 s, respectively. The prepared material can be used as a matrix material for gas-sensoring composites and has a very good development prospect in gas sensors’ field.

Eugenyl acetate has been investigated because of its beneficial bioactive antioxidant, antimicrobial and potential properties against the development of Aedes aegypti larvae. Here, we report, for the first time, the use of a catalyst prepared from flint kaolin with microwave irradiation for the acetylation of eugenol. A few kinetic parameters were evaluated in the experiments used for eugenol ester synthesis. High conversions (98%) were obtained after 1 h of reaction. The prepared material shows good activity (over 90%) even after 4 cycles of use. Therefore, the use of microwave radiation made it possible to prepare a catalyst in a very short time using a low-cost industrial by-product as a raw material that proved to be highly active, in addition to the additional advantage of being reusable, which would reduce possible environmental impacts caused by its disposal in the environment.

Yttrium substituted Bismuth Ferrite of a composition, Bi(Fe0.95Y0.05)O3 (abbreviated as BFYO5) has been synthesized through a conventional mixed oxide route. The orthorhombic crystal structure and a pure-phase formation of the polycrystalline material was verified through X-ray diffraction pattern. The composition of its constituent elements and their concentration ratio were confirmed by using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy technique. Scherrer's equation was used to estimate the average crystallite size of the examined sample specimen and found to be 39 nm. Analysis of the BFYO5 compound's surface morphology was conducted using field emission scanning electron microscope, which clearly shows a densely packed specimen with a homogeneous distribution of various grain dimensions. The interrelationship between frequency and temperature in dielectric, impedance and conductivity parameters with the structure of a sample has also been reported. The impedance spectroscopy analysis shows the nature of negative temperature coefficient of resistance, grain and its boundary effect on the resistive and capacitive features and the presence of non-Debye type of electrical relaxation process in the studied material. The analysis of polarization versus electric field shows the improvement in the value of remnant polarization comparing with the parent compound bismuth ferrite. The substantial enhancement in the magnetization value of the prepared material was also confirmed by its magnetic hysteresis loop study. Based on an important enhancement in the electrical properties, remnant polarization and its magnetic properties, BFYO5 material could be considered as a promising candidate for some of the advance device applications.

Sodium-ion batteries are considered to be a capable alternative for lithium-ion batteries in large-scale energy storage applications due to the earth’s abundance and low cost of sodium resources. Herein, we prepared the layered sodium chromium oxide (O3-Na0.95CrO2) cathode material via solid-state reaction. A far-reaching analysis of the prepared cathode material was performed for its thermal, structural, morphological, chemical, and electrochemical properties. The prepared material was indexed to rhombohedral structure with the space group of R $$ \overline{3} $$ m. The presence of Na-O bond was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed that quasi-polygonal particles were appeared in the sample. The layered O3-Na0.95CrO2 cathode material delivered an initial discharge capacity of 101 mAh g−1in the voltage range 2 to 4 V at 0.1 C rate and sustained with 81 mAh g−1 even after 50 cycles.

A new Lanthanum doped Magnesium ferrite (MgLaxFe2−X) dielectric materials was found using sol–gel auto composition method with four different composition values(x) varying 0.13, 0.25, 0.32 and 0.45 and sintered in microwave furnace at the temperature of 925 °C. The proposed material was investigated under Vibrating Sample Magnetometer test for analyzing its magnetic property. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) test confirmed that prepared material was nano sized material. The phase and homogenized of the material was analyzed under X-ray Diffraction and the chemical components presented in the material was identified under Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis. After various investigation, the proposed materials suitable for micro strip patch antenna to be designed and particularly suits for ISM band. The experimental results show better gain of 7.67 dB, Directivity 7.47 dB, with the resonant frequency of 2.4 GHz which yields return loss of − 12.85 dB compared to other micro strip patch antenna.

In this study, the ordered mesoporous jar structure ZnO particles have been synthesized by template method. The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMAB) was used as the template agent, and zinc acetate dihydrate was used as zinc sources. The prepared material has ordered mesoporous on the surface. The prepared ordered mesoporous ZnO particles showed the hexagonal prisms hollow jar structure, the hexagonal prisms average diameter was about 150 nm, the average length was about 200 nm, and the jar average diameter was about 100 nm. The prepared materials were used as a gas sensor to test the toxic gas. The ordered mesoporous ZnO material showed more excellent gas sensing performances than the imporous ZnO material which was prepared without template agent by the same method. In particular, the ordered mesoporous ZnO showed a higher response to NOx, the detection limit reached to 0.5 ppm, the sensitivity reached to 66.92, and the response time was 1.08 s to 100 ppm NOx at 193 °C. The prepared material will be an excellent gas sensing matrix materials, and have a wide application prospect in gas sensors field.

For a potential and efficient solution in the mitigation of aquatic pollution, this study reported a well-designed and developed protected granulated activated carbon (GAC) material which ensures high strength property and adsorption performance to meet the industrial application. The prepared GAC material was shaped into a spherical core using natural binders basically assumed to constitute waste solids materials. Then after, the granulated carbon core (GAC core) was protected by a porous ceramic shell which confined the material with strong protection and high mechanical strength to resist against degeneration and pressure drop as a limiting factor for most sorbents employed in solution. The CSGAC characterization results proved that the ceramic shell has a smaller thickness (0.1 cm), good mechanical strength (2.0 MPa), and additionally, it presents larger porous channels which promote the fast and higher adsorption performance making it the desired material for the application in the real liquid environment. The test results showed that the prepared material had higher removal of triclosan (TCS) (30-40 mg/L) than BPA counterpart from the aqueous solutions. Moreover, it showed higher adsorption performance compared to the unprotected carbon materials. Furthermore, the mechanisms of BPA and TCS adsorption by core-shell granulated activated carbon (CSGAC) were discussed.

Large amount of oil leakage and organic wastewater discharge have greatly harmed the natural environment and human health. Therefore, researchers urgently need an effective method to address this problem. Superwetting materials can provide people with a good way to solve the problem because of their special selective wettability. In this report, a kind of green, fluorine-free, durable and low-cost superhydrophobic magnetic sponge was prepared by Fe3O4 particles and stearic acid. It can be controlled by changing the magnetic field to avoid direct contact with toxic and harmful solvents by the operator. The prepared material can be soaked for 7 days under harsh conditions of an acid solution, an alkali solution and a salt solution, and still maintain superhydrophobic property. Moreover, it is loaded with a weight of 200 g for 80 cycles of extrusion deformation (the compressive strain is 75%), and then with superhydrophobic properties. The sponge can be used for the separation of oil–water mixtures and oil–water emulsion purification with a separation efficiency of over 90%. It is worth mentioning that crude oil emulsion can be separated and purified by this material. The magnetic superhydrophobic sponge is prepared by simple and easy-to-operate method, which can be prepared in large scale. These results provide useful avenue utilization for the sponge, demonstrating the potential applications for oil–water separation, sewage purification, emulsion purification and oil spill collection.

Ferromagnetic activated carbon (FAC) was prepared through impregnation of cassava peel with FeCl3 (3.75%) solution and pyrolyzed at 800 °C. Samples were characterized using iodine number, methylene blue number, X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transformation infrared, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled to energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental analysis and N2 adsorption for surface area determination. The proximate analysis of cassava peel showed that the moisture content, fixed carbon, ash content, and the volatile matter were 3.52%, 82.97%, 4.97%, and 8.54%, respectively. The prepared FAC had a BET surface area of 405.9 m2/g, pore size of 2.03 nm and total pore volume of 0.11 cm3/g. The SEM analysis showed the presence of both micro and mesopores on the FAC sample. The XRD pattern of FAC showed the presence of characteristic peaks of magnetite–maghemite, confirming that the prepared material is ferromagnetic. According to the experimental results, the cassava peels are considered as appropriate raw material for FAC preparation.

The catastrophic crisis of energy and huge pollution has made the industries to focus on lightweight materials. Composite material is made by consolidating at least two divergent materials. They are consolidated so that the subsequent composite material or composite has unrivaled properties which are not possible with a solitary constituent material. This research investigates the effect of Graphene concentration in epoxy resin on the tensile and flexural properties of Kevlar fiber laminate of 4 mm thickness. The laminate had been manufactured by using hand lay-up procedure according to ASTM standards and test had been conducted on it. From this experimentation various tensile and flexural properties values obtained. Same procedure conducted on three different graphene concentration variation (5%, 6% and 7%) weight on the prepared material. Analytical investigation of composites is done in Autodesk fusion 360 software. It was found that Kevlar with 7% graphene is recommended for applications where tensile and flexural loadings arise.

In this work, a simple and efficient microwave-assisted hydrothermal method was adopted to synthesis zinc oxide nanostructures. Zinc acetate and hexamethylenetetramine were used as precursors. Various parameters involving synthesis conditions were attuned in order to achieve well-defined morphology. XRD peaks indicated the high crystallinity and hexagonal wurtzite structure of the prepared material. Field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed different morphology of the synthesized material. The prepared material can be used in organic solar cells, for effective dissociation of electron-hole pairs and thus enhancing photovoltaic performance.

The study represents preparation of chitosan-based Cu(II) ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) and its utilization for selective solid phase extraction and preconcentration of copper in aqueous and real samples. The IIP was prepared by precipitation co-polymerization. The prepared IIP was characterized by different morphological and elemental analytical techniques such as, FT-IR, SEM/EDS, XRD, TGA, and ICP-OES. Then, prepared material was used for extraction of Cu(II) by optimizing different extraction experiments such as effect of pH, sorbent dosages, and contact time. The results showed successful preparation of an ion-imprinted polymer and optimization of extraction parameters for Cu(II) extraction in aqueous and real samples.

In this study, dendritic fibrous core–shell silica particles having cubic morphology with uniform and vertical nanochannels have been successfully synthesised. The synthesized dendritic fibrous nanosilica over a cubic core (cSiO2@DFNS) have been characterized by using various techniques, such as powder X-ray diffraction, TEM, FE-SEM, TGA EDS, FT-IR and N2 adsorption–desorption experiments. The prepared DFNS particles demonstrated a very high surface area and pore diameter. Amine groups were functionalized on the fibres of cSiO2@DFNS and after that silver nanoparticles could be successfully immobilized on amine functionalized cubic silica particles. Due to the presence of a high surface area and a uniform pore diameter, the silver nanoparticle loaded cSiO2@DFNS could be successfully employed as an efficient and recoverable catalyst for reduction of toxic aromatic nitro compounds and degradation of organic dyes. Higher catalytic activity of the prepared material could be attributed to its fibrous morphology which could facilitate proper interactions of the reactants molecules with the silver nanoparticles.

Photocatalyst of hydroxyapatite–nano TiO2 (HAp-nTiO2) was prepared from phosphatation of calcined cockle (Anadara granosa) shells followed by dispersion of nano TiO2 powder into HAp precipitate and calcination at 400 °C for 2 h. The prepared material was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectrophotometry, gas sorption analysis, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The photocatalytic activity of the material was evaluated for methyl violet degradation over photocatalysis and photooxidation mechanism. The results showed that the homogeneous dispersion of TiO2 in the HAp-nTiO2 composite was achieved, as seen in the X-ray diffraction analysis, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis, and gas sorption analyses. The physicochemical and photocatalytic character of the composite exhibited the positive role of HAp as TiO2 support in enhancing the photocatalytic activity with a higher turnover number and reusability property than that of pure TiO2. It was also noted that the HAp-nTiO2 composite demonstrated rapid methyl violet degradation over photooxidation rather than by photocatalytic mechanism.

In present work, flake-like CuMn2O4 (Copper manganite) Nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by Co-precipitation method. The FCC spinel phase structure was determined from the PXRD pattern. The optical properties were analyzed by UV–Vis DRS spectroscopy and energy band gap is found to be 2.54 eV. From the FTIR analysis, two bands are observed at 605 cm−1and 498 cm−1 respectively for metal oxide bonds of Cu–O and Mn–O which is originating from the stretching vibration modes. From the SEM analysis, the size of the prepared material was found to be 50–100 nm. The EDAX spectrum reveals that there are no impurities were present in the CuMn2O4 NPs. Towards the application perspective, the photocatalytic performance was examined by the prepared CuMn2O4 NPs against the organic dyes of Methylene Blue (MB) and Malachite Green (MG) and their corresponding degradation efficiencies are 86% and 92% under sunlight irradiation.

Preparing a lightweight yet high-strength bio-based structural material with sustainability and recyclability is highly desirable in advanced applications for architecture, new energy vehicles and spacecraft. In this study, we combined cellulose scaffold and aramid nanofiber (ANF) into a high-performance bulk material. Densification of cellulose microfibers containing ANF and hydrogen bonding between cellulose microfibers and ANF played a crucial role in enhanced physical and mechanical properties of the hybrid material. The prepared material showed excellent tensile strength (341.7 MPa vs. 57.0 MPa for natural wood), toughness (4.4 MJ/m3 vs. 0.4 MJ/m3 for natural wood) and Young’s modulus (24.7 GPa vs. 7.2 GPa for natural wood). Furthermore, due to low density, this material exhibited a superior specific strength of 285 MPa·cm3·g−1, which is remarkably higher than some traditional building materials, such as concrete, alloys. In addition, the cellulose scaffold was infiltrated with ANFs, which also improved the thermal stability of the hybrid material. The facile and top-down process is effective and scalable, and also allows one to fully utilize cellulose scaffolds to fabricate all kinds of advanced bio-based materials.

The combination of versatile metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with high porosity and catalytic activity with plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) defines a new paradigm in photocatalytic degradation of ecotoxicants. Herein, we prepared a novel composite from a waste polyethylene terephthalate, MOF – UiO-66 and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for degradation of nerve agent simulant paraoxon-ethyl, where the additional plasmon excitation at 455 nm enhances Lewis’s acid activity of UiO-66. The obtained material was characterized by spectroscopic: XRD, UV-Vis, FT-IR, XPS, microscopic: SEM, TEM and ICP-MS and TGA. We found the balance between pore availability of UiO-66 for paraoxon-ethyl adsorption to Lewis sites, plasmonic enhancement, and cost minimization in optimal material through variation of added Ag precursor amounts PET@UiO-66-Ag25. Synergetic mechanisms enhanced the degradation rate by more than 3 times compared to PET@UiO-66 with the quantitative paraoxon degradation for 1 hour (>95 %) and >99 % for 2 hours. Moreover, the prepared material is overperforming other materials in terms of environmental impact, easiness of preparation, visible light usage, high apparent quantum yield and recycling performance.

A simplified sol-gel method that can be scaled up for large-scale production was adopted for the preparation of manganese oxide nanocrystals. Prepared Mn2O3 exhibited micron-sized particles with a nanoporous structure. In the present study, a simple and low-cost strategy has been employed to fabricate nanoporous Mn2O3 with an increased surface area for an electrode/electrolyte interface that improved the conduction of Mn2O3 material. The crystal phase and morphology of the prepared material was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The prepared electrode materials were deposited on a nickel foam substrate to investigate the electrochemical properties. The galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and complex impedance studies confirmed excellent specific capacitance and capacitive behavior of the prepared material. The synthesized Mn2O3/graphene composites exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 391 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/S. Moreover, a specific capacitance of 369 F/g was recorded at a current density of 0.5 A/g using the galvanostatic charge/discharge test. The high porosity of the materials provided a better electrolyte-electrode interface with a larger specific area, thus suggesting its suitability for energy storage applications.

Garnet-structured solid electrolyte materials have drawn much attention due to their high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. Doping strategy is found to be very helpful in enhancing the performance of garnet-based solid electrolytes. In the present study, Li6.28Al0.24La3Zr2O12 with different amounts of Ba2+ doping at La3+ site is prepared with the help of solid-state reaction method. Li6.38Al0.24La2.9Ba0.1Zr2O12 sintered at 1000° C shows stabilization of cubic phase having closely packed grains with ionic conductivity of 0.46 × 10–4 S/cm at 25°C and activation energy of 0.29 eV. The presence of a well-defined thermally activated relaxation process in the prepared material is confirmed by the frequency-dependent electrical modulus and dielectric spectra.

Zirconium oxide nanoparticles (Nps) were synthesized by the ecologically benign and efficient green combustion method by using latex of E-tirucalli plant extract as a fuel. The synthesized powder samples were confirmed for their size and shape from X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis shows the purity of the prepared material. Structural features of the molecules can be identified using Raman spectroscopy. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the molecule and energy band gap of the material was estimated by UV–Visible absorption spectroscopy. Photocatalysis system for environmental remediation using zirconium oxide Nps was efficiently approached. Also, antibacterial studies of four bacterial pathogens which are harmful to mankind were shown positively from the prepared Nps. The electrochemical property of the synthesized ZrO2 Nps has been shown by quantifying dopamine at micro-molar concentration levels.

Planar ordered honeycomb-like structures of the MnO2 layered birnessite-type crystalline form have for the first time been synthesized on the surface of Mn(OAc)2 solution drops upon interaction with O3 gas. The obtained network consists of 2D nanocrystals of the thickness up to 10 nm. The prepared material possesses a hierarchical structure and can be used in a fabrication of advanced sensor and electrode materials.

BACKGROUND: The main target of periodontal disease and alveolar bone defeat treatment is the regeneration of the lost structures. AIM: This work deals with the evaluation of the effect of functionalised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as grafting material in the management of furcation defects created in dogs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Potential cytotoxicity of the grafting material was assessed. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis after incubation of the grafting material in simulated body fluid (SBF) at pH 7.4 and 37°C for one week was done. In six healthy mongrel dogs' full-thickness mucoperiosteal flaps were raised on the buccal aspects to create two walls intrabony defects at the furcation areas. The mandibular premolar area received the grafting material. Histological evaluation was carried out at 1, 2- and 3-months’ period. RESULTS: Cytotoxicity results proved the safety of grafting material application. The prepared material exhibited good Ca-apatite crystal patterns at the surface revealed by SEM and high calcium content showed by EDX results. Good bone formation ability was also apparent histologically. CONCLUSION: The prepared grafting material (MWCNTs) can serve as a delivery vehicle for osteogenic cells and osteogenic growth factor proteins in the bone development process.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the stability of Cu-doped manganese oxide catalyst in the oxidation of m-xylene. The catalyst was prepared by hydrothermal method and characterized by TGA, XRD and TEM methods. The TGA results indicated high thermal stability of the prepared material. The XRD, TEM and catalytic results proved that Cu-doped manganese oxide exhibited high recyclability and stability with time on stream. The catalytic studies also indicated the probability of adsorption of m-xylene and its oxidation products on the surface of the catalyst, leading to the minimal deactivation of the catalyst at low temperatures. The reversible effect of water vapor on the oxidation of on Cu-doped manganese oxide was considered to be the result of the competitive adsorption of water vapor and m-xylene.