Morphology-controllable fabrication of Ag@MoS2 composites with improved antioxidant activities at low Ag loading

Rice husk valorisation by in situ grown MoS2 nanoflowers: a dual-action catalyst for pollutant dye remediation and microbial decontamination

Rice husk (RH) is a common agricultural waste generated during the rice milling process; however, a major portion is either burned or disposed of in landfills, posing significant environmental risks. In this study, RH waste was transformed into bio-based catalysts via delignification cum in situ growth of MoS2 (DRH-MoS2) for efficient pollutant dye removal and microbial decontamination. The developed DRH-MoS2 exhibits nanoflower-like structures with a 2H-MoS2 phase and a narrow band gap of 1.37 eV, which showed strong evidence of photocatalytic activity. With the presence of abundant hydroxyl functionality, delignified rice husk (DRH) exhibits a malachite green (MG) dye adsorption capacity of 88 mg g-1. However, in situ growth of MoS2 nanosheets on DRH enhances MG degradation to 181 mg g-1 under dark conditions and 550 mg g-1 in the presence of light. Mechanistic insights reveal a synergistic adsorption-cum-degradation phenomenon, amplified by generation of reactive oxygen species during photodegradation which was confirmed from radical scavenging activity. Interestingly, DRH-MoS2 demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) with sustained photodegradation efficiency (>80%) over three cycles. The present work reports a cost-effective and scalable strategy for environmental remediation of real wastewater which usually contains both dye pollutants as well as microbes using abundantly available renewable resources such as sunlight and agricultural biomass wastes.

Biomolecule Protective and Photocatalytic Potential of Cellulose Supported MoS2/GO Nanocomposite

In the current study, cellulose/MoS2/GO nanocomposite has been synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Reports published regarding efficiency of Mo and graphene oxide-based nanocomposites for environmental remediation motivated to synthesize cellulose supported MoS2/GO nanocomposite. Formation of nanocomposite was initially confirmed by UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Particle size and morphology of the nanocomposite were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and it was found having particle size ranging from 50 to 80 nm and heterogeneous structure. The XRD analysis also confirmed the structure of the nanocomposite having cellulose, MoS2, and GO. The synthesized nanocomposite was further tested for biomolecule protective potential employing different radical scavenging assays. Results of radical DPPH● (50%) and ABTS ●+ (51%) scavenging studies indicate that nanocomposites can be used as a biomolecule protective agent. In addition, nanocomposite was also evaluated for photocatalytic potential, and the results showed excellent photocatalytic properties for the degradation of 4-nitrophenol up to 75% and methylene blue and methyl orange up to 85% and 70%, respectively. So, this study confirmed that cellulose supported/stabilized MoS2/GO nanocomposite can be synthesized by an ecofriendly, cost-effective, and easy hydrothermal method having promising biomolecule protective and photocatalytic potential.

Molybdenum Disulfide-Based Nanomaterials for Visible-Light-Induced Photocatalysis

Visible-light-responsive photocatalytic materials have a multitude of important applications, ranging from energy conversion and storage to industrial waste treatment. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) and its variants exhibit high photocatalytic activity under irradiation by visible light as well as good stability and recyclability, which are desirable for all photocatalytic applications. MoS₂-based materials have been widely applied in various fields such as wastewater treatment, environmental remediation, and organic transformation reactions because of their excellent physicochemical properties. The present review focuses on the fundamental properties of MoS₂, recent developments and remaining challenges, and key strategies for tackling issues related to the utilization of MoS₂ in photocatalysis. The application of MoS₂-based materials in visible-light-induced catalytic reactions for the treatment of diverse kinds of pollutants including industrial, environmental, pharmaceutical, and agricultural waste are also critically discussed. The review concludes by highlighting the prospects of MoS₂ for use in various established and emerging areas of photocatalysis.

Improved antioxidative performance of a water-soluble copper nanoparticle@fullerenol composite formed via photochemical reduction

We synthesized a water-soluble nanocomposite consisting of ultrasmall copper nanoparticles and fullerenol, which showed excellent radical scavenging ability (IC50 = 14.5 μg mL−1).

MoS2 encapsulated in three-dimensional hollow carbon frameworks for stable anode of sodium ion batteries

MoS₂ wrapped in nitrogen-doped three-dimensional hollow carbon frameworks is designed for improved sodium ion battery anode performance.