Synthesis of NiFe 2 O 4 @AC/UiO‐66(Zr) for Enhancement of the Photocatalytic Performance of Alizarin Yellow R Under Visible‐light

Functionalized UiO-66 induces shallow electron traps in heterojunctions with InN for enhanced photocathodic water splitting

Indium nitride (InN) exhibited significant potential as a photoelectrode material for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, attributed to its superior light absorption, high electron mobility, and direct bandgap. However, its practical application was constrained by rapid carrier recombination occurring within the bulk and at the surface. To address these limitations, researchers developed InN/UiO-66 heterojunction photoelectrodes, which markedly enhanced PEC water splitting for hydrogen production. Functionalization of the UiO-66 metal-organic framework (MOF) with hydroxyl (-OH) groups optimized the bandgap and improved light absorption, facilitating efficient charge separation and transfer processes. The functionalization also mitigated surface defect states in the InN nanorods (NRs), which were a major source of photogenerated carrier recombination, thereby enhancing overall photocatalytic activity. Compared to pristine InN NRs, the optimized InN/UiO-66-(OH)2 electrode achieved a photocurrent density of -0.42 mA cm-2 and an applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of 0.47 % at -0.5 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Furthermore, the InN/Ag/UiO-66-(OH)2 system demonstrated a hydrogen production rate of 1.82 μmol min-1 under AM 1.5G illumination, with excellent long-term stability. This study provided critical insights into the design of efficient and durable PEC photoelectrodes, achieved the highest hydrogen yield reported for indium-based photocathodes to date, and underscored the promise of InN-based materials for solar-driven hydrogen production in the context of clean energy applications.

Advantages of CoS2 nano-particles on the corrosion resistance and adhesiveness of epoxy coatings

Researchers face significant challenges because of the inadequate corrosion resistance and weak adherence of epoxy (EP) coatings. We deal with these issues here by means of a novel nano-composite coating (EP/nano-CoS2). In order to create a composite coating (EP/nano-CoS2), CoS2 nanoparticles (nano-CoS2) were prepared and incorporated to an epoxy (EP) resin. The synthesized CoS2 was characterized using XRD and FT-IR spectroscopic techniques. The mean particle size was determined using Scherer equation and found to be 19.38 nm. The zeta potential was also determined (- 9.78 mV). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopies (EIS) as well as pull-off assessments were used to quantify the EP/nano-CoS2 coating's anti-corrosion capabilities and adhesive power. The findings demonstrate that the EIS variables of the EP/nano-CoS2 composite coating are markedly improved when compared to raw EP coating. The corrosion resistance or even adhesion of EP protective layer can be markedly increased by using the synthesized nanoparticles as nano-fillers.

Preparation of thiourea derivative incorporated Ag3PO4 core shell for enhancement of photocatalytic degradation performance of organic dye under visible radiation light

Photocatalysis is a promising technique to reduce hazardous organic pollutants using semiconductors under visible light. However, previous studies have been concerned with the behavior of silver phosphate (Ag3PO4) as n-type semiconductors, and the problem of their instability is still under investigation. Herein, 4,4'-(((oxalylbis(azanediyl)) bis(carbonothioyl)) bis(azanediyl)) dibenzoic acid is synthesized by green method and used to enhance the photocatalytic behavior for Ag3PO4. The incorporated Ag3PO4 core-shell is prepared and characterized via XRD, FT-IR, Raman, TEM and BET. Besides, the thermal stability of the prepared core shell was investigated via TGA and DSC measurements. The optical properties and the energy band gap are determined using photoluminescence and DRS measurements. The photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of the synthesized Ag3PO4 core-shell under visible light is examined using UV/Vis measurements. The effect of initial dye concentration and contact time are studied. In addition, the kinetic behavior of the selected dye during the photodegradation process shows a pseudo-first order reaction with rate constant of 0.015 min-1 for ZAg. The reusability of the Ag3PO4 core shell is evaluated, and the efficiency changed from 96.76 to 94.02% after three cycles, indicating efficient photocatalytic behavior with excellent stability.

Impact of Co3O4 nanoparticles on epoxy's mechanical and corrosion-resistance properties for carbon steel in seawater

Co3O4 nanoparticles (Co3O4-NPs) are synthesized using the facile solvothermal method. FT-IR and XRD spectroscopic analyses verify the creation of cobalt oxide nanoparticles with an average size of 13.20 nm. Furthermore, Zeta potential assessments were carried out to identify the electrical charge of the surface of the produced Co3O4-NPs, which was found to be -20.5 mV.  In addition, the average pore size of Co3O4-NPs is 19.8 nm, and their BET surface area is 92.4 m/g. The study also concerned the effect of Co3O4-NPs on epoxy's improvement of mechanical and corrosion protection for carbon steel in salt solution. By including Co3O4-NPs in an epoxy (EP) coating, corrosion is effectively prevented by non-permeable protective coatings that effectively reduce the transfer of corrosion ions and oxygen.

Strategies for CO2 capture: positive and negative feature

Carbon dioxide is one of the primary greenhouse gases affecting climate change and global warming. Thus, capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) has always been a significant issue in the environmental industry. Numerous procedures have been used to remove acid and natural gas from the flue. This review aims to illustrate and discuss the primary CO2 capture technologies, such as adsorption, absorption, and membrane separation. Moreover, the development of every technology.

Serratula coronata L. Mediated Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Application for the Removal of Alizarin Yellow R by Photocatalytic Degradation and Adsorption

In this study, the potential of biogenic zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in the removal of alizarin yellow R (AY) from aqueous solutions by photocatalytic degradation, as well as adsorption, was investigated. The synthesized ZnO NPs were prepared by the simple wet-combustion method using the plant extract of Serratula coronata L. as a reducing and stabilizing agent and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Photocatalytic degradation of AY was monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy and the effects of parameters, such as light source type (UV-, visible- and sunlight), incubation time, pH, catalyst dosage and temperature on degradation were investigated. It was demonstrated that the source of light plays an important role in the efficiency of the reaction and the UV-assisted degradation of AY was the most effective, compared to the others. The degradation reaction of AY was found to follow the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism and a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The degradation kinetics of AY accelerated with increasing temperature, and the lowest activation energy (E_a) was calculated as 3.4 kJ/mol for the UV-light irradiation system, while the E_a values were 4.18 and 7.37 kJ/mol for visible light and sunlight, respectively. The dye removal by the adsorption process was also affected by several parameters, such as pH, sorbent amount and contact time. The data obtained in the kinetics study fit the pseudo-second-order equation best model and the rate constant was calculated as 0.001 g/mg·min. The isotherm analysis indicated that the equilibrium data fit well with the Freundlich isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of AY on biogenic ZnO NPs was 5.34 mg/g.