Effects of Carbon Allotrope Interface on the Photoactivity of Rutile One-Dimensional (1D) TiO2 Coated with Anatase TiO2 and Sensitized with CdS Nanocrystals

TiO2-Graphene Quantum Dots Nanocomposites for Photocatalysis in Energy and Biomedical Applications

The focus of current research in material science has shifted from “less efficient” single-component nanomaterials to the superior-performance, next-generation, multifunctional nanocomposites. TiO2 is a widely used benchmark photocatalyst with unique physicochemical properties. However, the large bandgap and massive recombination of photogenerated charge carriers limit its overall photocatalytic efficiency. When TiO2 nanoparticles are modified with graphene quantum dots (GQDs), some significant improvements can be achieved in terms of (i) broadening the light absorption wavelengths, (ii) design of active reaction sites, and (iii) control of the electron-hole (e−-h+) recombination. Accordingly, TiO2-GQDs nanocomposites exhibit promising multifunctionalities in a wide range of fields including, but not limited to, energy, biomedical aids, electronics, and flexible wearable sensors. This review presents some important aspects of TiO2-GQDs nanocomposites as photocatalysts in energy and biomedical applications. These include: (1) structural formulations and synthesis methods of TiO2-GQDs nanocomposites; (2) discourse about the mechanism behind the overall higher photoactivities of these nanocomposites; (3) various characterization techniques which can be used to judge the photocatalytic performance of these nanocomposites, and (4) the application of these nanocomposites in biomedical and energy conversion devices. Although some objectives have been achieved, new challenges still exist and hinder the widespread application of these nanocomposites. These challenges are briefly discussed in the Future Scope section of this review.

A Carbon Nanotube-Metal Oxide Hybrid Material for Visible-Blind Flexible UV-Sensor

Flexible sensors with low fabrication cost, high sensitivity, and good stability are essential for the development of smart devices for wearable electronics, soft robotics, and electronic skins. Herein, we report a nanocomposite material based on carbon nanotube and metal oxide semiconductor for ultraviolet (UV) sensing applications, and its sensing behavior. The sensors were prepared by a screen-printing process under a low-temperature curing condition. The formation of a conducting string node and a sensing node could enhance a UV sensing response, which could be attributed to the uniform mixing of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and zinc oxide nanoparticles. A fabricated device has shown a fast response time of 1.2 s and a high recovery time of 0.8 s with good mechanical stability.

Ordered RTiO2@ATiO2 architecture for dye-sensitized solar cell applications

R_TiO2@A_TiO2 architectures are constructed, in which 1D rutile TiO₂ (R_TiO2) arrays allow a fast electron transport and branched anatase TiO₂ (A_TiO2) particles benefit the dye harvesting.