Three-dimensional melamine sponge loaded with Au/ceria nanowires for continuous reduction of p -nitrophenol in a consecutive flow system

Facile Synthesis and Environmental Applications of Noble Metal-Based Catalytic Membrane Reactors

Noble metal nanoparticle-loaded catalytic membrane reactors (CMRs) have emerged as a promising method for water decontamination. In this study, we proposed a convenient and green strategy to prepare gold nanoparticle (Au NPs)-loaded CMRs. First, the redox-active substrate membrane (CNT-MoS2) composed of carbon nanotube (CNT) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) was prepared by an impregnation method. Water-diluted Au(III) precursor (HAuCl4) was then spontaneously adsorbed on the CNT-MoS2 membrane only through filtration and reduced into Au(0) nanoparticles in situ, which involved a “adsorption–reduction” process between Au(III) and MoS2. The constructed CNT-MoS2@Au membrane demonstrated excellent catalytic activity and stability, where a complete 4-nitrophenol transformation can be obtained within a hydraulic residence time of <3.0 s. In addition, thanks to the electroactivity of CNT networks, the as-designed CMR could also be applied to the electrocatalytic reduction of bromate (>90%) at an applied voltage of −1 V. More importantly, by changing the precursors, one could further obtain the other noble metal-based CMR (e.g., CNT-MoS2@Pd) with superior (electro)catalytic activity. This study provided new insights for the rational design of high-performance CMRs toward various environmental applications.

Simultaneous SERS detection of illegal food additives rhodamine B and basic orange II based on Au nanorod-incorporated melamine foam

In food safety assessment, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a novel detection method with the advantages of being fast, easy, and of high sensitivity. However, many SERS substrate synthesis methods are complex, and there are only a few studies on the simultaneous detection of multiple substances. In this study, a new, simple, low-cost SERS substrate was synthesised for the first time to simultaneously detect illegal food additives rhodamine B and basic orange II in chilli products. A lightweight, porous, and low-cost material of melamine foam (MF) was employed as the SERS synthesis template. The substrate's SERS effect on, and sensitivity to, rhodamine B and basic orange II were demonstrated. The molecular vibration and SERS enhancement mechanisms of the two target molecules were analysed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results reveal that this fabricated substrate has great application potential for the supervision and testing industry.

Synergistic effect of gold supported on redox active cerium oxide nanoparticles for the catalytic hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol

Gold-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles enhance the catalytic activity towards nitrophenol degradation.

New organic–inorganic hybrid compounds based on [SiNb12V2O42]12− with high catalytic activity for styrene epoxidation

A series of new organic–inorganic hybrid compounds based on [SiNb₁₂V₂O₄₂]¹²⁻ have been obtained under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by IR, XRD, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Size-controlled synthesis of Au nanorings on Pd ultrathin nanoplates as efficient catalysts for hydrogenation

Small Au nanorings were synthesized by a seed-mediated growth on Pd nanoplates in the presence of Ag⁺ ions and exhibited substantially enhanced catalytic activities for hydrogenation.