Marigold flower-like Sn3O4 nanostructures as efficient battery-type electrode material for high-performing asymmetric supercapacitors

CZTS (Cu2ZnSnS4)-based Nanomaterials in Photocatalytic and Hydrogen Production Applications: A Recent Progress towards Sustainable Environment

A variety of unique compounds have been examined to accommodate the current demand for useful multi-functional nanomaterials, copper-based quaternary CZTS semiconductors are one of them. Due to their special characteristic features like non-toxicity, cheap, and abundance, they have been recommended in recent literature for various applications. Apart from individual CZTS, different hetero-structures have also been prepared with different compounds which is well discussed and elaborated in this article. Additionally, their preparation methods, properties, and application viability have also been discussed comprehensively. The application of CZTS such as photocatalytic dye degradation and hydrogen evolution reaction has been elaborated on in this article identifying their benefits and challenges to give readers a thorough visualization. Apart from that, challenges reported in studies, a few approaches are also mentioned to possibly counter them.

Construction of functionalized carbon nanotube@metal oxide nanocomposite for high-performance electrochemical measurement of antipyretic drug in water samples

Acetaminophen (AP) acts as supportive clinical therapy for fever and dysmenorrhea. An overdose of AP may result in severe adverse diseases, such as liver dysfunction. In addition, AP is a key-listed environmental pollutant, which is difficult to degrade in the environment and has serious effects on living bodies. Therefore, the simple and quantitative determination of AP is highly relevant today. In this work, tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles with functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (f-MWCNT) as a hybrid composite were prepared by hydrothermal-assisted synthesis. The composite material was characterized by various spectral, morphological, and electrochemical tests. Electrochemical investigations were conducted using a SnO2@f-MWCNT-reinforced electrode for the detection of AP. The composite electrode exhibited better functional properties, which facilitated electron transfer and enhanced electrical conductivity. The calculated low detection limit (LOD) of 0.36 nM is with a wide linear range of concentration from 0.001 to 673 µM. Additionally, the SnO2@f-MWCNT-modified electrode exhibited good anti-interference capability, repeatability, reproducibility, storage, and operational stability. The developed SnO2@f-MWCNT-modified electrode was applied to practical analysis in diverse water matrices (river, drinking, and pond) with acceptable recovery percentages. A synthesized nanoscale metal oxide electrocatalyst is of great interest and an active research area that serves as a foundation for the development of new, cost-effective electrochemical antibiotic drug sensors.

Advance Technologies in Biodegradable Flexible Solid-State Supercapacitors: A Mini Review on Clean and Sustainable Energy

In the recent times research towards solid state supercapacitors (SSS) have increased drastically due to the promising performance in futuristic technologies particularly in portable and flexible electronics like smart watches, smart fabrics, foldable smartphones and tablets. Also, when compared to supercapacitors using liquid electrolyte, solid electrolyte has several advantages like high energy density, safety, high cycle life, flexible form factor, and less environmental impact. The crucial factor determining the sustainability of a technology is the eco-friendliness since the natural resources are being exploited in a wide scale. Numerous studies have focused on biodegradable materials for supercapacitor electrodes, electrolytes, and other inactive components. Making use of these biodegradable materials to design a SSS enables the technology to sustain for a very long time since biodegradable materials are not only environment friendly but also, they show relatively high performance. This review focuses on recent progress of different biodegradable electrodes, and electrolytes along with their properties, electrochemical performance and biodegradable capabilities for SSS have been analyzed and provides a concise summary enabling readers to understand the importance of biodegradable materials and to narrow down the research in a more rational way.