Electrochemical Fabrication of Ternary Black Ti‐Mo‐Ni Oxide Nanotube Arrays for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

A mesoporous ternary transition metal oxide nanoparticle composite for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor devices with high specific energy

We report on the optimized fabrication and electrochemical properties of ternary metal oxide (Ti-Mo-Ni-O) nanoparticles as electrochemical supercapacitor electrode materials. The structural, morphological, and elemental composition of the fabricated Ti-Mo-Ni-O via rapid breakdown anodization are elucidated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, Raman, and photoelectron spectroscopy analyses. The Ti-Mo-Ni-O nanoparticles reveal pseudocapacitive behavior with a specific capacitance of 255.4 F g^-1. Moreover, the supercapacitor device Ti-Mo-Ni-O NPs//mesoporous doped-carbon (TMN NPs//MPDC) device exhibited a superior specific energy of 68.47 W h kg^-1 with a corresponding power density of 2058 W kg^-1. The supercapacitor device shows 100% coulombic efficiency with 96.8% capacitance retention over 11 000 prolonged charge/discharge cycles at 10 A g^-1.

Superior visible light antimicrobial performance of facet engineered cobalt doped TiO2 mesocrystals in pathogenic bacterium and fungi

Pristine and Co-doped TiO2 mesocrystals have been synthesized via a simple sol-gel method and their antimicrobial activity has been investigated. The antimicrobial performance was evaluated in terms of zone of inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), antibiofilm activity, and effect of UV illumination in liquid media. The Co-doped TiO2 mesocrystals showed very promising MIC of 0.390 μg/mL and 0.781 μg/mL for P. mirabilis and P. mirabilis, respectively. Additionally, the material showed an MIC of 12.5 μg/mL against C. albicans, suggesting its use as antifungal agent. Upon the addition of 10.0 µg/mL of Co-doped TiO2 mesocrystals, the biofilm inhibition% reaches 84.43% for P. aeruginosa, 78.58% for P. mirabilis, and 77.81% for S. typhi, which can be ascribed to the created active oxygen species that decompose the tested microbial cells upon illumination. Thus the fabricated Co-doped TiO2 mesocrystals exhibit sufficient antimicrobial features under visible light, qualifying them for use as antimicrobial agents against pathogenic bacteria and fungi and subsequently inhibit their hazardous effects.

Recent Developments in the Use of Heterogeneous Semiconductor Photocatalyst Based Materials for a Visible-Light-Induced Water-Splitting System—A Brief Review

Visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photocatalytic water splitting systems featuring heterogeneous semiconductor photocatalysts (oxynitrides, oxysulfides, organophotocatalysts) signify an environmentally friendly and promising approach for the manufacturing of renewable hydrogen fuel. Semiconducting electrode materials as the main constituents in the PEC water splitting system have substantial effects on the device’s solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion efficiency. Given the complication of the photocatalysis and photoelectrolysis methods, it is indispensable to include the different electrocatalytic materials for advancing visible-light-driven water splitting, considered a difficult challenge. Heterogeneous semiconductor-based materials with narrower bandgaps (2.5 to 1.9 eV), equivalent to the theoretical STH efficiencies ranging from 9.3% to 20.9%, are recognized as new types of photoabsorbents to engage as photoelectrodes for PEC water oxidation and have fascinated much consideration. Herein, we spotlight mainly on heterogenous semiconductor-based photoanode materials for PEC water splitting. Different heterogeneous photocatalysts based materials are emphasized in different groups, such as oxynitrides, oxysulfides, and organic solids. Lastly, the design approach and future developments regarding heterogeneous photocatalysts oxide electrodes for PEC applications and photocatalytic applications are also discussed.