Adsorption and photodegradation properties of anionic dyes by layered double hydroxides

The adsorption and photodegradation behavior of methyl orange (MO) and fast green (FG) over ZnAl- and MgAl-based layered double hydroxide (LDH) adsorbents have been examined. ZnAl-LDHs were prepared with Zn/Al ratios of 2 to 4 by co-precipitation at pH 8. The ZnAl-LDHs and a commercial MgAl-LDH with a Mg/Al ratio of 3 were evaluated for their ability to adsorb MO and FG and for the photodegradation behavior of these dyes under UV irradiation. Structure analysis of the LDH-dyes-adsorbed complexes revealed that the adsorption produced two types of structures, an intercalation complex for MO and a surface-adsorbed complex for FG. The maximum adsorption of MO on the LDHs was significantly higher (more than tenfold) than FG. Results indicated the adsorption isotherms for the retention of both dyes by ZnAl- and MgAl-LDHs could be fitted to a Freundlich equation, showing a higher affinity for dyes on MgAl-LDH compared to those on ZnAl-LDH. The catalytic degradation ability of dye-LDH complex solid films on a quartz plate was superior to pure dye films under UV irradiation. The FG non-intercalated LDH complexes showed much faster photodegradation under UV irradiation than the MO-intercalated LDH complexes, which pointed to the important role of the LDH materials containing sensitized dyes in enhancing the generation of labile hydroxyl ions from the hydrophilic LDH surface.     

Adsorption behavior of natural anthocyanin dye on mesoporous silica

Because of its non-toxicity, naturally occurring anthocyanin is potentially suitable as a colorant for foods and cosmetics. To the wider use of the anthocyanin, the immobilization on the inorganic host for an easy handling as well as the improvement of the stability is required. This study is focused on the adsorption of significant amount of the natural anthocyanin dye onto mesoporous silica, and on the stability enhancement of the anthocyanin by the complexation. The anthocyanin has successfully been adsorbed on the HMS type mesoporous silica containing small amount of aluminum. The amount of the adsorbed anthocyanin has been increased by modifying the pore wall with n-propyl group to make the silica surface hydrophobic. The light fastness of the adsorbed anthocyanin has been improved by making the composite with the HMS samples containing aluminum, although the degree of the improvement is not so large. It has been proposed that incorporation of the anthocyanin molecule deep inside the mesopore is required for the further enhancement of the stability.     

Optical and electronic properties of nano-Cd1−xMnxTe alloy

Cd_1−xMn_xTe thin films were fabricated by thermal interdiffusion of multilayers of sputtered compound semiconductors as well as thermally evaporated elements. Electron microscopy revealed their nanostructures. The alloys have been investigated for evaluation of optical and electronic parameters. Spectrophotometry helped to find out the bandgap and composition; photoluminescence was used for observing relative transition probabilities at room temperature. Photoresponse showed the light dependence of the resistance of the alloy films. Hall measurements and four-probe tests indicated the influence of manganese on the room-temperature electronic properties of the alloy.     

The effects of annealing on Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky structure

Thin film of non-polymeric organic compound pyronine-B has been fabricated on moderately doped (MD) n-InP substrate as an interfacial layer using spin coating technique for the electronic modification of Au/MD n-InP Schottky contact. The electrical characteristics have been determined at room temperature. The barrier height and the ideality factor values for Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky diode have been obtained from the forward bias I-V characteristics at room temperature as 0.60 eV and 1.041; 0.571 and 1.253 eV after annealing at 100 and 250 °C, respectively. An increase in annealing temperature at the Au/n-InP Schottky junction is shown to increase the reverse bias leakage current by about one order of magnitude and decrease the Schottky barrier height by 0.027 eV. Furthermore, the barrier height values for the Au/pyronine-B/MD n-InP Schottky diode have also been obtained from the C-V characteristics at room temperature as 1.001 and 0.709 eV after annealing at 100 and 250 °C, respectively. Finally, it was seen that the diode parameters changed with increase in the annealing temperature.     

Facile in situ hydrothermal synthesis of BiVO4/MWCNT nanocomposites as high performance visible-light driven photocatalysts

Visible-light responsive monoclinic BiVO₄/MWCNT nanocomposites were facilely prepared via an in situ hydrothermal method by using sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) as a guiding surfactant. The as-prepared BiVO₄/MWCNT nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The results showed that the hydrothermal temperature and adding SDS had significant influence on the morphology and size of BiVO₄. The photocatalytic activities of BiVO₄/MWCNT nanocomposites were investigated by degrading methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. Remarkable enhancement in photodecomposition of MB was observed with BiVO₄/MWCNT composite compared with bare BiVO₄ particles. This improvement of photocatalytic was attributed to the effective charge transfer from BiVO₄ nanocrystals to MWCNT, which promoted the migration efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole. Furthermore, a possible mechanism for the photocatalytic oxidative degradation was also discussed.     

Electrochemical behavior of nanostructured LiV3O8 in aqueous LiNO3 solution

Despite the large number of studies on the electrochemical behavior of LiV₃O₈ as a cathode material in nonaqueous lithium ion batteries, little information is available about the electrochemical behavior of LiV₃O₈ as an anode material in aqueous rechargeable lithium batteries. In this work, nanostructured LiV₃O₈ is successfully prepared using a low-temperature solid-state method. The electrochemical properties of the LiV₃O₈ electrode in 1 M, 5 M, and saturated LiNO₃ aqueous electrolytes have been characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge/discharge experiments. The results show that LiV₃O₈ electrode in saturated LiNO₃ electrolyte exhibits good electrochemical performance in terms of specific capacity and electrochemical cycling performance. LiV₃O₈ electrode can be reversibly cycled in saturated LiNO₃ aqueous electrolyte for 300 cycles at a rate of 0.5 C (300 mA g⁻¹ is assumed to be 1 C rate) with impressive specific capacities.     

Improved photostability of hydrophobic natural dye incorporated in organo-modified hydrotalcite

β-carotene and annatto extract are typical carotenoids used as safe colorants for foods. However, the instability against irradiation limits their wide use. The improvement of stability was investigated by the intercalation of dye into the interlayer space of the anion-exchangeable clay, hydrotalcite. A hydrophobic environment was constructed in the interlayer space of the hydrotalcite by its modification with anionic surfactants (dodecyl sulfate and dodecylbenzene sulfonate). The lipophilic β-carotene and annatto dye were successfully incorporated into the organo-modified hydrotalcite, and the incorporated dyes exhibited improved photostability under visible irradiation from a 100 W halogen lamp (190 klux) in the air. The effect of the stabilization on the anionic annatto dye was higher by the incorporation in the modified hydrotalcite than that in the modified cation exchangeable clay, suggesting that the polarity of the clay sheet had some influence on the stabilization of the incorporated dye. The stabilization effect of β-carotene was not so significant as that of the annatto dye, because sufficient intercalation of non-polar β-carotene might require stronger hydrophobic environment. The π–π interaction between the β-carotene and the benzene ring of dodecylbenzene sulfonate was found to contribute to the stability enhancement.     

Fabrication of Ru(bpy)3-titanate nanotube nanocomposite and its application as sensitive solid-state electrochemiluminescence sensor material

A novel and facile method for effective immobilization of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ within titanate nanotubes (TiNTs) and its application as a sensitive solid-state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor material was studied. The process involved the formation of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-titanate nanotube nanocomposite (Ru-TiNTs) via electrostatic interactions by mixing TiNTs and Ru(bpy)₃(ClO₄)₂ in aqueous medium. Then Ru-TiNTs were attached to the surface of a Pt electrode to form an ECL sensor. Characterization of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-titanate nanotube nanocomposite was accomplished by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectrum, and field emission scanning electron microscope. The electrochemistry and ECL behavior of Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ immobilized on TiNTs were studied with tripropylamine as a coreactant. As-prepared Ru-TiNTs exhibited very good stability and Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ species contained showed excellent ECL behavior. Therefore, the as-prepared Ru(bpy)₃²⁺-titanate nanotube nanocomposite exhibited great promise as new luminescent materials for solid-state ECL detection.     

Sorption and decomposition of crude oil using exfoliated graphite/ZnO composites

Exfoliated graphite/ZnO composites (EG/ZnO) were prepared by impregnating expandable graphite with Zn(OH)₂, abruptly expanding at 700 °C for 40 s, and heating at 500 °C for 3 h. The composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), nitrogen adsorption and mercury porosimetry. The sorption capacity of the composites for spilled crude oil was measured and under UV irradiation the decomposition of the absorbed crude oil was investigated. The results showed that the composites provided with the adsorption and photocatalysis capacity for crude oil at the same time. The sorption capacity of the composites decreased gradually on increasing the ZnO content of the composites. Moreover, the decomposition ratio of the absorbed crude oil increased on increasing the ZnO content or decreasing the weight ratio of crude oil to composites.     

Study of the structural, dielectric and magnetic properties of Bi2O3 and PbO addition on BiFeO3 ceramic matrix

In this paper we studied the effects of Bi₂O₃ and PbO addition on BiFeO₃ (BFO) ceramic matrix. The structural, dielectric and magnetic properties of fifteen BFO samples were discussed in view of possible applications in RF and microwave devices. The present work also reports the preparation of the samples. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) were also added as a binder in the fabrication procedure. The samples have been studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and magnetic hysteresis measurements. Further, a study based on impedance spectroscopy also has been done. Dielectric permittivity (ε′) and dielectric loss (tan δ) were measured at room temperature in the frequency range 100 Hz-10 MHz, as well as a.c. conductivity. The -Im[Z(f)] versus Re[Z(f)] plot has been obtained. The samples were investigated in view of possible applications like miniaturized filters, diplexers and dielectric resonator antennas (DRA). In the RF and MW frequency region, the application of magneto-dielectric and multiferroic perovskite composite materials is desirable for the miniaturization of components.     

Electrospun nanofibers of poly(acrylonitrile)/Eu and their photoluminescence properties

Nanofibers of poly(acrylonitrile)/Eu³⁺ were prepared by using sol-gel processing and electrospinning technique. The diameter of the nanofibers in the non-woven membranes was about 70-100 nm. The nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and photoluminescence (PL). In our work, the PAN/Eu³⁺ hybrid nanofibers showed excellent photoluminescence properties. A possible PL mechanism was proposed accordingly. It is expected that these kind of materials would be applied in equipments such as optoelectronic nanodevices in the future.     

Syntheses and properties of the Fe-Co/Fe3O4 ferrites

The Fe alloy-ferrite composites Fe-Co/Fe₃O₄ are synthesized by using disproportion of Fe (II) and reduction of Co (II) by Fe⁰ in a concentrated and boiling KOH solution. The Fe alloy and ferrites are prepared in aqueous solution without any templet and surfactants at low temperature. Their structures and magnetic properties are investigated by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). From the results of XRD, it is shown that the samples have b.c.c and f.c.c structure of Fe, and the spinel structures of the ferrite before calcinations; the samples have b.c.c and spinel structures after calcinations at 300 °C; and the samples have only f.c.c structure and the spinel structures calcined at 500 °C.     

Electrochemical behaviour of nano-sized spinel LiMn2O4 and LiAlxMn2−xO4 (x=Al: 0.00-0.40) synthesized via fumaric acid-assisted sol-gel synthesis for use in lithium rechargeable batteries

Pristine spinel LiMn₂O₄ and LiAl_xMn_2−xO₄ (x=Al: 0.00-0.40) with sub-micron sized particles have been synthesized using fumaric acid as chelating agent by sol-gel method. The synthesized samples were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic cycling studies. The TGA curve of the gel shows several weight-loss regions stepwise amounting to 55% till 800 °C attributed to the decomposition of the precursors. Calcination to higher temperatures (800 °C) yields pure-phase spinel (LiAl_xMn_2−xO₄), as it is evident from the high-intensity XRD reflections matching to the standard pattern. SEM and TEM studies confirm that the synthesized grains are of uniform regular surface morphology. FT-IR studies show stretching and bending vibration bands of Li-O, Li-Al-Mn-O. LiAl_0.1Mn_1.90O₄ spinel was found to deliver discharge capacity of 139 mA h/g during the first cycle with columbic efficiency of 97%. LiAl_0.1Mn_1.90O₄ spinel exhibits the high cathodic peak current indicating better electrochemical performance. Low doping (x=0.1) of Al is found to be beneficial in stabilizing the spinel structure.     

Spectroscopic investigations of a novel push-pull azo compound embedded in rigid polymer

A new heterocyclic push-pull azo compound-in-poly(methymethacrylate) (PMMA) film has been made by means of the spin-coating method. The spectroscopic properties of the films have been investigated with the steady-state absorption spectra, and steady-state fluorescence and femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectra in the first time, which is an important characteristic for the application of the film. The excited singlet (S₁) state lifetimes for trans and cis isomers of the film at room temperature have been measured. The excited triplet (T₁) state lifetime of cis isomer of the film has been obtained. The electronic structure of the film has been explained. The results show that the aggregate state of the azo molecules greatly influences its absorption spectra.     

Impurity-induced magnetic order in the mixture of two spin gap systems (CH3)2CHNH3CuCl3 and (CH3)2CHNH3CuBr3

The ground state of the solid solution of the two spin gap systems (CH₃)₂CHNH₃CuCl₃ and (CH₃)₂CHNH₃CuBr₃ has been investigated by ¹H NMR. The existence of a magnetic ordering in the sample with the Cl-content x=0.85 was clearly demonstrated by a drastic splitting in a resonance line at low temperatures below T_N=13.5 K. The observed NMR spectra in the ordered state was qualitatively consistent with the simple antiferromagnetic state.     

Detailed infrared spectroscopic study of thermal transitions in new hybrid [(CH3)2CHNH3]4Cd3Cl10 crystal

Phase transitions of tetra(isopropylammonium)decachlorotricadmate(II) [(CH₃)₂CHNH₃]₄Cd₃Cl₁₀ crystal have been studied by infrared, far infrared and Raman measurements in wide temperature range, between 11 K and 388 K. The temperature changes of wavenumber, center of gravity, width and intensity of the bands were analyzed to clarify cationic and anionic contributions to the phase transitions mechanism. The results of investigation showed earlier by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal expansion and dielectric measurements clearly confirmed the sequence of phase transitions at T₁=353 K, T₂=294 K and T₃=260 K. The current results derived from DSC and infrared measurements revealed additional phase transition at T₄=120 K.     

Magnetic properties for the Cu2MnSnSe4 and Cu2FeSnSe4 compounds

Magnetic susceptibility χ measurements in the range from 2 to 300 K were carried out on samples of the Cu₂FeSnSe₄ and Cu₂MnSnSe₄ compounds. It was found that Cu₂FeSnSe₄ was antiferromagnetic showing ideal Curie-Weiss behavior with a Néel temperature T_N of about 19 K and Curie-Weiss temperature θ=−200 K, while for Cu₂MnSnSe₄ the behavior was spin-glass with a freezing temperature T_f of about 22 K and Curie-Weiss temperature θ=−25 K. The spin-glass order parameter q(T), determined from the susceptibility data, was found to be in agreement with the prediction of conventional spin-glass theory.     

Prediction of nanoparticles’ size-dependent melting temperature using mean coordination number concept

Many models have been developed to predict size-dependent melting temperature of nanoparticles. A new model based on the cluster mean coordination number (MCN) calculations is developed in this work. Results of the model for Al, Au, Pb, Ag, Cu, In, Sn, and Bi were compared with other models and experiments. The comparison indicated that the MCN model is in good agreement with available experimental values. It is also found that the melting temperature is more dependent on particle size as the atomic radius increased.     

Controlled synthesis of cuprous oxide nanospheres and copper sulfide hollow nanospheres

Uniform Cu₂O nanospheres have been successfully synthesized by reducing CuSO₄ with ascorbic acid in sucrose solution at room temperature. The diameter of the Cu₂O nanospheres can be tuned from 90 to 280 nm by adding different amounts of sucrose in the solution. Furthermore, CuS hollow nanospheres with different diameters have been obtained based on the Kirkendall effect using the as-prepared Cu₂O nanospheres as sacrificial templates. Cu₂O/Cu_7.2S₄ core/shell nanospheres and Cu_7.2S₄ hollow nanospheres are obtained as the intermediate products at different stages of the conversion process. Through the post-treatment of sodium citrate solution, Cu_7.2S₄ hollow nanospheres can be changed into CuS hollow nanospheres. The products are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Optical properties of the products have also been studied.     

Synthesis of fine-crystalline Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3-MgO ceramics by novel hybrid processing route

We report the use of a novel powder-in-sol precursor hybrid processing route to synthesize dense, homogeneous, and fine-crystalline Ba_0.6Sr_0.4TiO₃-MgO (BST-MgO) ceramics as well as the study of the sintering behavior, microstructures, and dielectric properties of the ceramics. Nanosized BST powders are dispersed into BST sol-gel precursor and uniformly distributed BST slurry is obtained after ball-milling mixing. Mg(NO₃)·6H₂O solution is added to the BST slurry to give homogeneous BST-MgO slurry upon ball-milling mixing. The BST-MgO slurry is dried and calcined prior to pressing and sintering at low temperatures of 1200-1300 °C to form the ceramics. The ceramics possess very low dielectric loss tangent below 0.005 for frequency above 1 kHz and for temperature in the range −190-80 °C. The dielectric constant and dielectric tunability increase, while the ferroelectric transition broadening decreases, with increasing average grain size.