Here, a Sb‐doped SnO2 (ATO) nanorod underneath an α‐Fe2O3 nanorod sheathed with TiO2 for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is reported. The experimental results, corroborated with ...theoretical analysis, demonstrate that the ATO nanorod underlayer effect on the α‐Fe2O3 nanorod sheathed with TiO2 enhances the PEC water splitting performance. The growth of the well‐defined ATO nanorods is reported as a conductive underlayer to improve α‐Fe2O3 PEC water oxidation performance. The α‐Fe2O3 nanorods grown on the ATO nanorods exhibit improved performance for PEC water oxidation compared to α‐Fe2O3 grown on flat fluorine‐doped tin oxide glass. Furthermore, a simple and facile TiCl4 chemical treatment further introduces TiO2 passivation layer formation on the α‐Fe2O3 to reduce surface recombination. As a result, these unique nanostructures show dramatically improved photocurrent density (139% higher than that of the pure hematite nanorods).
An antimony‐doped tin oxide nanorod underlayer is designed and synthesized by aqueous thermal hydrolysis and subsequent Sb‐doping. The experimental results, corroborated with theoretical analysis demonstrate that the antimony‐doped tin oxide nanorod underneath effect on the α‐Fe2O3 nanorod sheathed with TiO2 plays an important role in enhancing the photoelectrochemical water splitting performance.
The stringent reaction conditions for an effective Fenton reaction (pH range of 3-4) hinders its application in cancer therapy. Therefore, how to improve the efficiency of the Fenton reaction in a ...tumor site has been the main obstacle in chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Herein, we report biocompatible one-dimensional (1D) ferrous phosphide nanorods (FP NRs) with ultrasound (US)- and photothermal (PT)-enhanced Fenton properties and excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (56.6 %) in the NIR II window, showing synergistic therapeutic properties. Additionally, the high photothermal conversion efficiency and excellent traverse relaxivity (277.79 mm
s
) of the FP NRs means they are excellent photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents. This is the first report on exploiting the response of metallic phosphides to NIR II laser (1064 nm) and ultrasound to improve the CDT effect with a high therapeutic effect and PA/MR imaging.
Rational design of photocatalysts with heterostructure is of scientific and technological interest for taking full advantage use of solar energy. Here we demonstrate a facile method to fabricate Zn
...Cd
S/Bi
S
composite nanospheres, in which Bi
S
nanorods grown on the surface of Zn
Cd
S nanospheres. The as-prepared Zn
Cd
S@ZnS core-shell nanospheres play a vital role in formation of the Zn
Cd
S@Bi
S
composite nanospheres. The Zn
Cd
S/Bi
S
composites show both excellent photocatalysis and photothermal effect. Nanorods-like Bi
S
show wide optical absorption from visible to near infrared light and photocurrent response, which enable enhanced full spectrum absorption of the heterostructured photocatalyst and photocurrent for overall photocatalytic performance. Additionally, Bi
S
nanorods with photothermal effect would synergistically increase the temperature of the micro-environment around the catalysts of Zn
Cd
S. Thus, the Zn
Cd
S/Bi
S
composites exhibit a little better photocatalytic activity than that of pure Zn
Cd
S. The present study provides a promising strategy for the rational design of efficient sulfide semiconductor heterojunction catalysts for making the utmost of solar fuels in dealing with organic pollutants from wastewater.
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•High-temperature annealing in air conferred CeO2 nanorods abundant lattice oxygen.•O3 activation enriched the active oxygen (Ox−) on CeO2 at cost of vacancy depletion.•CO oxidation ...relied crucially on the participation of pre-existing oxygen vacancies.•Ox− (especially O2−) on CeO2 affected the oxidation of soot and NO directly.•Aged CeO2 nanorods impregnated with Ag exhibited superior oxidation activities.
Though the catalytic oxidation of CO, NO and soot over CeO2 could be understood within a similar Mars-van Krevelen-type mechanism, these reactions were likely to be driven by different active phases. In this work, several CeO2 and Ag/CeO2 nanorods with different contents of surface oxygen vacancies (VO-s) and active oxygen species (Ox−) were designed as model catalysts. Their catalytic performance indicated that, CO oxidation was determined by pre-existing ceria VO-s, while Ox− participated in NO and soot oxidation directly. Besides, by loading silver onto the high-temperature aged CeO2 nanorods, Ag/CeO2 catalysts with high availability of ceria lattice oxygen were obtained, whose low-temperature oxidation activity was proven comparable to that of the platinum catalysts. In this sense, the model designing in this work not only provided methods to find out proper reactivity descriptors, but also conferred low-cost catalysts with high practical potential.
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•A ternary ZnMgAl-LDH@Fe2O3/3DHPCNF were successfully prepared.•The electrode showed excellent electrochemical activity as both anode and cathode.•The structural and electrochemical ...effect of Zn has been studied in detail.•The optimized ZnMgAl-LDH@Fe2O3/3DHPCNF has yielded capacity of 3437 mF cm−2.•The supercapacitor device delivered high energy density of 11.622 mW cm−3 at 9.999 mW cm−3.
Nano confinement of Layered double hydroxide (LDHs) nanosheets and metal oxide is a compelling way to develop new functional materials with unique physiochemical features for various energy storage devices with enhanced performance. Herein, ternary zinc-magnesium-aluminum layered double hydroxide (ZMA-LDH) nanosheets and hematite (α-Fe2O3) nanorods are confined in a hetero-interfacial orientation on electrospun three-dimensional hollow and porous carbon nanofibers (3DHPCNF) by a subsequent hydrothermal process, resulting in the formation of a multi-dimensional nanoarchitecture. Such a structure can incorporate a conductive matrix and eliminate the need of current collectors, thereby minimizing the dead mass in electrochemical energy storage materials. The amount of Zn significantly determines the structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of ZMA-LDH nanostructures. ZMA-LDH@Fe2O3/3DHPCNF was used as a free-standing electrode material for supercapacitors and endowed high capacitive behavior at both positive and negative working potentials. With the well-arranged 1D-3D hollow and porous interconnection, increased terrestrial surface area, and superior electrical conductivity, the hierarchical composite electrode offers a high areal capacitance of 3437F cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2 and ultrahigh cyclic stability. This fascinating electrochemical performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of 1D/2D/3D hollow and porous nanostructures, bimetallic compositions, top-to-bottom utilization of electrode materials, and unique combinations of surface interfacial diffusion and faradaic reduction governed by carbon and LDH/Fe2O3, respectively. Furthermore, a flexible all solid-state ZMA-LDH@Fe2O3/3DHPCNF symmetric supercapacitor exhibited a high areal energy density at a high power density along with excellent cyclability. This result suggests new prospects to design highly efficient multi material based electrodes for energy storage devices.
► We synthesized high quality vertically and oblique aligned ZnO nanorods on sapphire substrate. ► We used PVA–Zn(OH)2 nanocomposites as a novel seed materials for microwave assisted-CBD. ► High ...sensitivity of 500% to H2 was examined at RT for ZnO nanorod arrays. ► The oblique/vertical nanorods were the key factors for the high sensitivity.
The high surface area to volume ratio, the networks connections of vertically and oblique nanorod arrays, and the absence of seed layer, were the key factors responsible for the high sensitivity of ZnO nanorod arrays based hydrogen sensor at room temperature. Arrays of vertical and oblique zinc oxide nanorods were grown on a c-plane sapphire substrate by microwave-assisted chemical bath deposition. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)–Zn(OH)2 nanocomposites were used as a novel seed material to seed the sapphire substrate prior to the growth of the ZnO nanorods. The hydrogen sensing capabilities of the ZnO nanorod arrays, without the use of a metal catalyst, were investigated at room temperature. The rods exhibited excellent sensitivity, of 500%, in the presence of 1000ppm of H2 while consuming an ultralow level of power (<10μW). The sensing measurements for hydrogen gas at various temperatures (25–250°C) were repeatable over a period of 100min. The sensor exhibited a sensitivity of 4000% at 250°C upon exposure to 1000ppm of H2 gas. Hysteresis was noticed in the sensor for different concentrations of H2 at different temperatures. It can be surmised that this hydrogen gas sensor has potential for use as a portable room-temperature gas sensor.