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Ashfaq J, Channa IA, Memon AG, Chandio IA, Chandio AD, Shar MA, Alsalhi MS, Devanesan S. Enhancement of Thermal and Gas Barrier Properties of Graphene-Based Nanocomposite Films. ACS Omega 2023; 8:41054-41063. [PMID: 37970029 PMCID: PMC10633891 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c02885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), a naturally occurring and rapidly decomposing polymer, has gained significant attention in recent studies for its potential use in pollution preventive materials. Its cost-effectiveness and ease of availability as well as simple processing make it a suitable material for various applications. However, the only concern about PVA's applicability to various applications is its hydrophilic nature. To address this limitation, PVA-based nanocomposites can be created by incorporating inorganic fillers such as graphene (G). Graphene is a two-dimensional carbon crystal with a single atom-layer structure and has become a popular choice as a nanomaterial due to its outstanding properties. In this study, we present a simple and environmentally friendly solution processing technique to fabricate PVA and graphene-based nanocomposite films. The resulting composite films showed noticeable improvement in barrier properties against moisture, oxygen, heat, and mechanical failures. The improvement of the characteristic properties is attributed to the uniform dispersion of graphene in the PVA matrix as shown in the SEM image. The addition of graphene leads to a decrease in water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) by 79% and around 90% for the oxygen transmission rate (OTR) as compared to pristine PVA films. Notably, incorporating just 0.5 vol % of graphene results in an OTR value of as low as 0.7 cm m-2 day-1 bar-1, making it highly suitable packaging applications. The films also exhibit remarkable flexibility and retained almost the same WVTR values even after going through tough bending cycles of more than 2000 at a bending radius of 2.5 cm. Overall, PVA/G nanocomposite films offer promising potential for PVA/G composite films for various attractive pollution prevention (such as corrosion resistant coatings) and packaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaweria Ashfaq
- Thin
Film Lab as Part of Materials and Surface Engineering Group, Department
of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University
of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Thin
Film Lab as Part of Materials and Surface Engineering Group, Department
of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University
of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Ghaffar Memon
- State
Key Joint Laboratory of ESPC, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Department
of Environmental Engineering, NED University
of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270 , Pakistan
| | - Irfan Ali Chandio
- Department
of Telecommunication Engineering, Dawood
University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Thin
Film Lab as Part of Materials and Surface Engineering Group, Department
of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University
of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Shar
- Departments
of Mechanical & Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering
and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, U.K.
| | - Mohamad S. Alsalhi
- Departments
of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sandhanasamy Devanesan
- Departments
of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Shahid H, Shah AA, Shah Bukhari SNU, Naqvi AZ, Arooj I, Javeed M, Aslam M, Chandio AD, Farooq M, Gilani SJ, Bin Jumah MN. Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Properties of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from Apis mellifera Honey. Molecules 2023; 28:6504. [PMID: 37764280 PMCID: PMC10534332 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28186504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Green approaches for nanoparticle synthesis have emerged as biocompatible, economical, and environment-friendly alternatives to counteract the menace of microbial drug resistance. Recently, the utilization of honey as a green source to synthesize Fe2O3-NPs has been introduced, but its antibacterial activity against one of the opportunistic MDR pathogens, Klebsiella pneumoniae, has not been explored. Therefore, this study employed Apis mellifera honey as a reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3-NPs). Subsequent to the characterization of nanoparticles, their antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties were appraised. In UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis, the absorption band ascribed to the SPR peak was observed at 350 nm. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of Fe2O3-NPs, and the crystal size was deduced to be 36.2 nm. Elemental analysis by EDX validated the presence of iron coupled with oxygen in the nanoparticle composition. In ICP-MS, the highest concentration was of iron (87.15 ppm), followed by sodium (1.49 ppm) and other trace elements (<1 ppm). VSM analysis revealed weak magnetic properties of Fe2O3-NPs. Morphological properties of Fe2O3-NPs revealed by SEM demonstrated that their average size range was 100-150 nm with a non-uniform spherical shape. The antibacterial activity of Fe2O3-NPs was ascertained against 30 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae, with the largest inhibition zone recorded being 10 mm. The MIC value for Fe2O3-NPs was 30 µg/mL. However, when mingled with three selected antibiotics, Fe2O3-NPs did not affect any antibacterial activity. Momentous antioxidant (IC50 = 22 µg/mL) and anti-inflammatory (IC50 = 70 µg/mL) activities of Fe2O3-NPs were discerned in comparison with the standard at various concentrations. Consequently, honey-mediated Fe2O3-NP synthesis may serve as a substitute for orthodox antimicrobial drugs and may be explored for prospective biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamna Shahid
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, The Women University, Multan 66000, Pakistan; (H.S.); (M.J.)
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Syed Nizam Uddin Shah Bukhari
- Department of Basic Science and Humanities, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan;
| | - Anjum Zehra Naqvi
- Department of Microbiology, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan;
| | - Iqra Arooj
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, The Women University, Multan 66000, Pakistan; (H.S.); (M.J.)
| | - Mehvish Javeed
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Life Sciences, The Women University, Multan 66000, Pakistan; (H.S.); (M.J.)
| | - Muhammad Aslam
- Institute of Physics and Technology, Ural Federal University, Mira Str. 19, 620002 Yekaterinburg, Russia;
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Muhammad Farooq
- Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), PCSIR Head Office, 01-Constitution Avenue, Sector G-5/2, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan;
| | - Sadaf Jamal Gilani
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Foundation Year, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
| | - May Nasser Bin Jumah
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
- Environment and Biomaterial Unit, Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Society for Applied Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
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Ambreen J, Haleem A, Shah AA, Mushtaq F, Siddiq M, Bhatti MA, Shah Bukhari SNU, Chandio AD, Mahdi WA, Alshehri S. Facile Synthesis and Fabrication of NIPAM-Based Cryogels for Environmental Remediation. Gels 2023; 9:gels9010064. [PMID: 36661830 PMCID: PMC9857948 DOI: 10.3390/gels9010064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Herein, polymeric cryogels containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) were synthesized by cryo-polymerization at subzero temperature. The synthesized cryogels were loaded with silver and palladium nanoparticles by the chemical reduction method at room temperature using the reducing agent NaBH4. Moreover, for comparison with cryogels, pure poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel and its silver hybrid were also prepared by the conventional method at room temperature. The chemical structure and functional group analysis of the pure cryogels was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The synthesis of hybrid cryogels was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction technique and energy dispersive X-ray. The pore size and surface morphology of the pure cryogels, their respective hybrid cryogels and of conventional hydrogels were studied by using the scanning electron microscopy technique. The hybrid cryogels were successfully used as a catalyst for the degradation of methyl orange dye. The degradation performance of the hybrid cryogels was much better than its counterpart hybrid hydrogel for methyl orange dye. The effect of temperature and amount of catalyst on catalytic performance was studied by UV-visible spectroscopy. The reduction follows pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. In addition, the antibacterial activities of these cryogels were evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, ATCC: 2593) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, ATCC: 25922). Both hybrid cryogels have shown much better antibacterial activity for these two strains of bacteria compared to pure cryogels. The results indicate that these cryogels are potential candidates for water purification systems as well as biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaweria Ambreen
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Abdul Haleem
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75720, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (J.A.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Fozia Mushtaq
- Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University Islamabad, Park Road, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Siddiq
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Bhatti
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
| | - Syed Nizam Uddin Shah Bukhari
- Department of Basic Science and Humanities, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75720, Pakistan
| | - Wael A. Mahdi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Shah AK, Shah GT, Shah AA, Park YH, Shah AA, Choi M, Ahmed S, Shah Bukhari SN, Chandio AD, Mahar MA, Shar MA, Alhazaa A. Design of Nickel Supported Hierarchical ZSM-5/USY Zeolite Bifunctional Catalysts for One-Pot Menthol Synthesis via Liquid-Phase Citral Hydrogenation. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28020743. [PMID: 36677801 PMCID: PMC9865359 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Nickel-supported hierarchical zeolite catalysts were prepared through a desilication reassembly process under optimized conditions and applied in one-pot menthol synthesis. In this work, the hierarchical zeolite-supported metal bifunctional catalysts were prepared with the help of desilication re-assembly and wetness impregnation techniques and applied in menthol synthesis via citral hydrogenation. The prepared catalysts were characterized using PXRD, BET, FE-TEM, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, pyridine adsorption, and ICP-OES techniques. As a result, the physicochemical and acidic properties, such as mesopore surface area, metal dispersion, acidity, catalytic activity, and strong Lewis acid sites of pure microporous ZSM-5/USY zeolites, were significantly improved. Consequently, with the occurrence of superior physicochemical and acidic properties, the Ni/HZ-0.5 M catalyst exhibited outstanding catalytic activity (100% conversion, TOF 7.12 h-1) and menthol selectivity (83%, 4 h) with uniform stability at 100 °C, 1.0 MPa hydrogen. Similarly, the cracking rate decreased with the decrease in Bronsted acid sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Karim Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
- Fine Chemical Process Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Sangnok-su, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: or
| | - Ghulam Taswar Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75720, Pakistan
| | - Yeung Ho Park
- Fine Chemical Process Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Sangnok-su, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Ayaz Ali Shah
- Department of Energy and Environment Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Mooseok Choi
- Fine Chemical Process Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Sangnok-su, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Shoaib Ahmed
- Fine Chemical Process Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, Sangnok-su, Ansan 15588, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75720, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Atta Mahar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Shar
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Abdulaziz Alhazaa
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Masood S, Gulnar L, Chandio AD, Arshad H, Rehman W, Atique A. Preparation and optical characterization of poly (vinyl alcohol) and starch (native and modified) blend films. J Polym Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-022-03332-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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6
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Khan M, Nowsherwan GA, Shah AA, Riaz S, Riaz M, Chandio AD, Shah AK, Channa IA, Hussain SS, Ali R, Naseem S, Shar MA, Alhazaa A. A Study of the Structural and Surface Morphology and Photoluminescence of Ni-Doped AlN Thin Films Grown by Co-Sputtering. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:3919. [PMID: 36364695 PMCID: PMC9653990 DOI: 10.3390/nano12213919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a semiconductor material possessing a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with a large band gap of 6.2 eV. AlN thin films have several potential applications and areas for study, particularly in optoelectronics. This research study focused on the preparation of Ni-doped AlN thin films by using DC and RF magnetron sputtering for optoelectronic applications. Additionally, a comparative analysis was also carried out on the as-deposited and annealed thin films. Several spectroscopy and microscopy techniques were considered for the characterization of structural (X-ray diffraction), morphological (SEM), chemical bonding (FTIR), and emission (PL spectroscopy) properties. The XRD results show that the thin films have an oriented c-axis hexagonal structure. SEM analysis validated the granular-like morphology of the deposited sample, and FTIR results confirm the presence of chemical bonding in deposited thin films. The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra exhibit different peaks in the visible region when excited at different wavelengths. A sharp and intense photoluminescence peak was observed at 426 nm in the violet-blue region, which can be attributed to inter-band transitions due to the incorporation of Ni in AlN. Most of the peaks in the PL spectra occurred due to direct-band recombination and indirect impurity-band recombination. After annealing, the intensity of all observed peaks increases drastically due to the development of new phases, resulting in a decrease in defects and a corresponding increase in the crystallinity of the thin film. The observed structural, morphological, and photoluminescence results suggest that Ni: AlN is a promising candidate to be used in optoelectronics applications, specifically in photovoltaic devices and lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsin Khan
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Ghazi Aman Nowsherwan
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Saira Riaz
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Riaz
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Karim Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sajjad Hussain
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Rashid Ali
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Pakistan
| | - Shahzad Naseem
- Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Shar
- Department of Mechanical & Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Abdulaziz Alhazaa
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Bukhari SNUS, Shah AA, Bhatti MA, Tahira A, Channa IA, Shah AK, Chandio AD, Mahdi WA, Alshehri S, Ibhupoto ZH, Liu W. Psyllium-Husk-Assisted Synthesis of ZnO Microstructures with Improved Photocatalytic Properties for the Degradation of Methylene Blue (MB). Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:nano12203568. [PMID: 36296761 PMCID: PMC9609820 DOI: 10.3390/nano12203568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater from the textile industry is chronic and hazardous for the human body due to the presence of a variety of organic dyes; therefore, its complete treatment requires efficient, simple, and low cost technology. For this purpose, we grew ZnO microstructures in the presence of psyllium husk, and the role of psyllium husk was to modify the surface of the ZnO microstructures, create defects in the semiconducting crystal structures, and to alter the morphology of the nanostructured material. The growth process involved a hydrothermal method followed by calcination in air. Additionally, the psyllium husk, after thermal combustion, added a certain value of carbon into the ZnO nanomaterial, consequently enhancing the photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of methylene blue. We also investigated the effect of varying doses of photocatalyst on the photocatalytic properties towards the photodegradation of methylene blue in aqueous solution under the illumination of ultraviolet light. The structure and morphology of the prepared ZnO microstructures were explored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The degradation of methylene blue was monitored under the irradiation of ultraviolet light and in the dark. Also, the degradation of methylene blue was measured with and without photocatalyst. The photodegradation of methylene blue is highly increased using the ZnO sample prepared with psyllium husk. The photodegradation efficiency is found to be approximately 99.35% for this sample. The outperforming functionality of psyllium-husk-assisted ZnO sample is attributed to large surface area of carbon material from the psyllium husk and the synergetic effect between the incorporated carbon and ZnO itself. Based on the performance of the hybrid material, it is safe to say that psyllium husk has high potential for use where surface roughness, morphology alteration, and defects in the crystal structure are vital for the enhancing the functionality of a nanostructured material. The observed performance of ZnO in the presence of psyllium husk provides evidence for the fabrication of a low cost and efficient photocatalyst for the wastewater treatment problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Nizam Uddin Shah Bukhari
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Process and Technology for Materials, School of Material Science, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Department of Basic Science and Humanities, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Wet Chemistry and Thin Film Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Bhatti
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh Jamshoro, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
| | - Aneela Tahira
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76090, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Wet Chemistry and Thin Film Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Karim Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Wet Chemistry and Thin Film Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Wael A. Mahdi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zaffar Hussain Ibhupoto
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76090, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (Z.H.I.); (W.L.)
| | - Wen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Correspondence: (Z.H.I.); (W.L.)
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Bhatti MA, Gilani SJ, Shah AA, Channa IA, Almani KF, Chandio AD, Halepoto IA, Tahira A, Bin Jumah MN, Ibupoto ZH. Effective Removal of Methylene Blue by Surface Alteration of TiO 2 with Ficus Carica Leaf Extract under Visible Light. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2022; 12:nano12162766. [PMID: 36014631 PMCID: PMC9416792 DOI: 10.3390/nano12162766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The present study describes the use of a leaf extract from Ficus carica as a source of natural antioxidants for the surface alteration of bulk titanium dioxide (TiO2) in two steps. First, the hydro-thermal treatment of the bulk TiO2 material was carried out and followed by thermal annealing at 300 °C for 3 h in air. The role of the leaf extract of Ficus carica on the performance of the bulk TiO2 material for the removal of methylene blue (MB) was also studied. Various analytical techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to explore the crystalline structure, morphology, and composition. The bulk TiO2 material after the leaf-extract treatment exhibited mixed anatase and rutile phases, a flower-like morphology, and Ti, O, and C were its main elements. The average crystallite size was also calculated, and the obtained values for the bulk TiO2 material, 18.11 nm, and the treated bulk TiO2 material with various amounts, 5, 10, and 15 mL, of leaf extract were 16.4, 13.16, and 10.29 nm respectively. Moreover, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy validated the typical metal-oxygen bonds and strengthened the XRD results. The bulk TiO2 material chemically treated with Ficus carica has shown outstanding activity towards the degradation of MB under sunlight. The 15 mL of Ficus carica extract significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the bulk TiO2 material towards the degradation of MB. The dye degradation efficiency was found to be 98.8%, which was experimentally proven by the Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopoyy (FTIR) analysis. The obtained performance of the bulk TiO2 material with Ficus carica revealed excellent surface modifying properties for poorly-performing photocatalysts towards the degradation of synthetic dyes when used in their pristine form. The presented approach suggests that Ficus carica could be of great interest for tuning the surface properties of materials, either in the form of nano-size or bulk-phase in a particular application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali Bhatti
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh Jamshoro, Jamshoro 76080, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Sadaf Jamal Gilani
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Preparatory Year, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Thin Film and Wet Chemistry Lab, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Thin Film and Wet Chemistry Lab, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Khalida Faryal Almani
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Sindh Jamshoro, Jamshoro 76080, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Thin Film and Wet Chemistry Lab, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ali Halepoto
- Institute of Physics, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Aneela Tahira
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - May Nasser Bin Jumah
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Environment and Biomaterial Unit, Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Society for Applied Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zafar Hussain Ibupoto
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Sindh, Pakistan
- Correspondence:
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Channa IA, Ashfaq J, Gilani SJ, Chandio AD, Yousuf S, Makhdoom MA, Jumah MNB. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Packaging Films Based on Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) and Glass Flakes. Membranes (Basel) 2022; 12:membranes12070701. [PMID: 35877904 PMCID: PMC9315560 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12070701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The majority of food packaging materials are petroleum-based polymers, which are neither easily recyclable nor ecologically friendly. Packaging films should preferably be transparent, light in weight, and easy to process, as well as mechanically flexible, and they should meet the criteria for food encapsulation. In this study, poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based films were developed by incorporating glass flakes into the films. The selection of PVA was based on its well-known biodegradability, whereas the selection of glass flakes was based on their natural impermeability to oxygen and moisture. The films were processed using the blade coating method and were characterized in terms of transparency, oxygen transmission rate, mechanical strength, and flexibility. We observed that the incorporation of glass flakes into the PVA matrix did not significantly change the transparency of the PVA films, and they exhibited a total transmittance of around 87% (at 550 nm). When the glass flakes were added to the PVA, a significant reduction in moisture permeation was observed. This reduction was also supported and proven by Bhardwaj’s permeability model. In addition, even after the addition of glass flakes to the PVA, the films remained flexible and showed no degradation in terms of the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), even after bending cycles of 23,000. The PVA film with glass flakes had decent tensile characteristics, i.e., around >50 MPa. Increasing the concentration of glass flakes also increased the hardness of the films. Finally, a piece of bread was packaged in a well-characterized composite film. We observed that the bread packaged in the PVA film with glass flakes did not show any degradation at all, even after 10 days, whereas the bread piece packaged in a commercial polyethylene bag degraded completely. Based on these results, the developed packaging films are the perfect solution to replace commercial non-biodegradable films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Thin Film Lab, Department of Metallurgical and Material Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan;
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Jaweria Ashfaq
- Thin Film Lab, Department of Metallurgical and Material Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan;
| | - Sadaf Jamal Gilani
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, Preparatory Year, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Thin Film Lab, Department of Metallurgical and Material Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan;
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Sumra Yousuf
- Department of Building and Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60000, Pakistan;
| | - Muhammad Atif Makhdoom
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
| | - May Nasser bin Jumah
- Biology Department, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia;
- Environment and Biomaterial Unit, Health Sciences Research Center, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Society for Applied Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
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Bhatti MA, Almaani KF, Shah AA, Tahira A, Chandio AD, Mugheri AQ, Bhatti AL, Waryani B, Medany SS, Nafady A, Ibupoto ZH. Low Temperature Aqueous Chemical Growth Method for the Doping of W into ZnO Nanostructures and Their Photocatalytic Role in the Degradration of Methylene Blue. J CLUST SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10876-021-02069-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Khan W, Tufail M, Chandio AD. Characterization of Microstructure, Phase Composition, and Mechanical Behavior of Ballistic Steels. Materials (Basel) 2022; 15:ma15062204. [PMID: 35329656 PMCID: PMC8953602 DOI: 10.3390/ma15062204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
For the protection of civil and military armored vehicles, advanced steels are used, due to their outstanding mechanical properties, high ballistic performance, ease of manufacturing and low cost. However, after retrofitting, weight is the prominent issue. In this regard, several strategies are being proposed, which include the surface engineering of either low-thickness ballistic steels or conventional steels, in addition to new alloys and composites. Therefore, to better understand the response of such materials under various stimuli, the existing state of the art ballistic steels was utilized in this study. The aim of this study was to better understand the existing materials and their corrosion behavior. Therefore, in this connection, two thicknesses were selected, i.e., thin (6.7–7.0 mm) and thick (13.0–15.0 mm), henceforth termed as low thickness (LT) and high thickness (HT), respectively. This was followed by characterization using tensile, Charpy, micro-Vickers, nanoindentation, XRD, SEM-EDS and corrosion tests. Microstructurally, the LT samples only exhibited ε-carbide precipitates, whereas the HT samples contained both ε-carbides and Mo2C (molybdenum carbides). However, both samples were found to be tempered martensite with a lath morphology. Moreover, higher hardness, and lower elastic modulus and stiffness were noticed in the HT samples compared with their LT counterparts. Fractured surfaces of both of these alloys were also examined, wherein a ductile mode of fracturing was observed. Further, a corrosion study was also carried out in brine solution. The results showed a higher corrosion rate in the HT samples than that of their LT counterparts. An extensive discussion is presented in light of the observed findings.
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Ashfaq J, Channa IA, Shaikh AA, Chandio AD, Shah AA, Bughio B, Birmahani A, Alshehri S, Ghoneim MM. Gelatin- and Papaya-Based Biodegradable and Edible Packaging Films to Counter Plastic Waste Generation. Materials 2022; 15:ma15031046. [PMID: 35160991 PMCID: PMC8840015 DOI: 10.3390/ma15031046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Most of the food packaging materials used in the market are petroleum-based plastics; such materials are neither biodegradable nor environmentally friendly and require years to decompose. To overcome these problems, biodegradable and edible materials are encouraged to be used because such materials degrade quickly due to the actions of bacteria, fungi, and other environmental effects. In this work, commonly available household materials such as gelatin, soy protein, corn starch, and papaya were used to prepare cost-effective lab-scale biodegradable and edible packaging film as an effective alternative to commercial plastics to reduce waste generation. Prepared films were characterized in terms of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), optical transparency, and tensile strength. FTIR confirmed the addition of papaya and soy protein to the gelatin backbone. WVTR of the gelatin-papaya films was recorded to be less than 50 g/m2/day. This water vapor barrier was five times better than films of pristine gelatin. The gelatin, papaya, and soy protein films exhibited transparencies of around 70% in the visible region. The tensile strength of the film was 2.44 MPa, which improved by a factor of 1.5 for the films containing papaya and soy protein. The barrier qualities of the gelatin and gelatin-papaya films maintained the properties even after going through 2000 bending cycles. From the results, it is inferred that the prepared films are ideally suitable for food encapsulation and their production on a larger scale can considerably cut down the plastic wastage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaweria Ashfaq
- Department of Metallurgical, Materials & Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (J.A.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Department of Metallurgical, Materials & Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (J.A.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Asif Ahmed Shaikh
- Department of Metallurgical, Materials & Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (J.A.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Department of Metallurgical, Materials & Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (J.A.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.S.)
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Department of Metallurgical, Materials & Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (J.A.); (A.A.S.); (A.A.S.)
| | - Bushra Bughio
- Larkana Campus, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana 77150, Pakistan;
| | - Ashfaque Birmahani
- Ojha Campus, DOW University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi City 74200, Pakistan;
| | - Sultan Alshehri
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 1145, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Mohammed M. Ghoneim
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Ad Diriyah 13713, Saudi Arabia;
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Urooj A, Rani M, Shah AA, Aslam S, Siddiqui R, Siddiqa A, Neffati R, Chandio AD. Morphological and optical investigation of 2D material-based ternary nanocomposite: Bi 2O 3/MgO/GO synthesized by a co-precipitation technique. RSC Adv 2022; 12:32986-32993. [DOI: 10.1039/d2ra04760h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A ternary oxide nanocomposite based on Bi2O3/MgO/GO was prepared using a co-precipitation method taking into consideration of preparing the material for photoconductive device applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwa Urooj
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Malika Rani
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmad Shah
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, 75270, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Samina Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, The Women University Multan, 66000, Pakistan
| | - Rabia Siddiqui
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Aisha Siddiqa
- Wet Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - R. Neffati
- Department of Physics, King Khalid University, P. O. Box 9032, Abha 61413, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée, Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Campus Universitaire, 1060 Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, 75270, Karachi, Pakistan
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Channa IA, Shah AA, Rizwan M, Makhdoom MA, Chandio AD, Shar MA, Mahmood A. Process Parameter Optimization of a Polymer Derived Ceramic Coatings for Producing Ultra-High Gas Barrier. Materials (Basel) 2021; 14:ma14227000. [PMID: 34832401 PMCID: PMC8625640 DOI: 10.3390/ma14227000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Silica is one of the most efficient gas barrier materials, and hence is widely used as an encapsulating material for electronic devices. In general, the processing of silica is carried out at high temperatures, i.e., around 1000 °C. Recently, processing of silica has been carried out from a polymer called Perhydropolysilazane (PHPS). The PHPS reacts with environmental moisture or oxygen and yields pure silica. This material has attracted many researchers and has been widely used in many applications such as encapsulation of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) displays, semiconductor industries, and organic solar cells. In this paper, we have demonstrated the process optimization of the conversion of the PHPS into silica in terms of curing methods as well as curing the environment. Various curing methods including exposure to dry heat, damp heat, deep UV, and their combination under different environments were used to cure PHPS. FTIR analysis suggested that the quickest conversion method is the irradiation of PHPS with deep UV and simultaneous heating at 100 °C. Curing with this method yields a water permeation rate of 10−3 g/(m2⋅day) and oxygen permeation rate of less than 10−1 cm3/(m2·day·bar). Rapid curing at low-temperature processing along with barrier properties makes PHPS an ideal encapsulating material for organic solar cell devices and a variety of similar applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Off University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (M.R.); (A.D.C.)
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.M.)
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Off University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (M.R.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Muhammad Rizwan
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Off University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (M.R.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Muhammad Atif Makhdoom
- Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Department of Metallurgical Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Off University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.A.S.); (M.R.); (A.D.C.)
| | - Muhammad Ali Shar
- Department of Mechanical & Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK;
| | - Asif Mahmood
- Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University Riyadh, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (I.A.C.); (A.M.)
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Rehman W, Masood S, Begum S, Dad Chandio A, Razi Khan S, Gulnar L, Khattak R, Sufaid Khan M. Viscometric and FTIR studies of chloroquine phosphate, acefylline piperazine and gentamicin sulfate in aqueous-polyethylene glycol and aqueous-polyvinyl pyrrolidone at different temperatures. ARAB J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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Channa IA, Chandio AD, Rizwan M, Shah AA, Bhatti J, Shah AK, Hussain F, Shar MA, AlHazaa A. Solution Processed PVB/Mica Flake Coatings for the Encapsulation of Organic Solar Cells. Materials (Basel) 2021; 14:ma14102496. [PMID: 34065936 PMCID: PMC8151763 DOI: 10.3390/ma14102496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) die due to their interactions with environmental gases, i.e., moisture and oxygen, the latter being the most dangerous, especially under illumination, due to the fact that most of the active layers used in OPVs are extremely sensitive to oxygen. In this work we demonstrate solution-based effective barrier coatings based on composite of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and mica flakes for the protection of poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)-based organic solar cells (OSCs) against photobleaching under illumination conditions. In the first step we developed a protective layer with cost effective and environmentally friendly methods and optimized its properties in terms of transparency, barrier improvement factor, and bendability. The developed protective layer maintained a high transparency in the visible region and improved oxygen and moisture barrier quality by the factor of ~7. The resultant protective layers showed ultra-flexibility, as no significant degradation in protective characteristics were observed after 10 K bending cycles. In the second step, a PVB/mica composite layer was applied on top of the P3HT film and subjected to photo-degradation. The P3HT films coated with PVB/mica composite showed improved stability under constant light irradiation and exhibited a loss of <20% of the initial optical density over the period of 150 h. Finally, optimized barrier layers were used as encapsulation for organic solar cell (OSC) devices. The lifetime results confirmed that the stability of the OSCs was extended from few hours to over 240 h in a sun test (65 °C, ambient RH%) which corresponds to an enhanced lifetime by a factor of 9 compared to devices encapsulated with pristine PVB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iftikhar Ahmed Channa
- Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.D.C.); (M.R.); (A.A.S.); (J.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.D.C.); (M.R.); (A.A.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Muhammad Rizwan
- Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.D.C.); (M.R.); (A.A.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.D.C.); (M.R.); (A.A.S.); (J.B.)
| | - Jahanzeb Bhatti
- Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University Road, Karachi 75270, Pakistan; (A.D.C.); (M.R.); (A.A.S.); (J.B.)
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Karim Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi 74800, Pakistan;
| | - Fayaz Hussain
- Modeling Evolutionary Algorithms Simulation and Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam;
| | - Muhammad Ali Shar
- King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.S.); (A.A.)
- Department of Mechanical & Energy Systems, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK
| | - Abdulaziz AlHazaa
- King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.S.); (A.A.)
- Research Chair for Tribology, Surfaces and Interface Sciences, Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
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Shah AA, Chandio AD, Sheikh AA. Boron Doped ZnO Nanostructures for Photo Degradation of Methylene Blue, Methyl Orange and Rhodamine B. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2021; 21:2483-2494. [PMID: 33500066 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2021.19315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The design of sensitive and efficient photo catalyst for the energy and environmental applications with minimum charge recombination rate and excellent photo conversion efficiency is a challenging task. Herein we have developed a nonmetal doping methodology into ZnO crystal using simple solvothermal approach. The boron (B) is induced into ZnO. The doping of B did not make any significant change on the morphology of ZnO nano rods as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) without considerable change on periodic arrangement of nanostructures. The existence of B, Zn, and O is shown by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns are well matched to the hexagonal phase for both pristine ZnO and B-doped ZnO. The XRD has shown slight dislocation of 2theta degree. The UV-visible spectroscopy was used to measure the optical bandgap and photo catalytic activity for the degradation of organic dyes. The nonmetal doped ZnO has shown potential and outstanding photo catalytic activity for the photo degradation of methylene blue (MB), methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B in aqueous solution. The photo degradation efficiency of MB, MO and rhodamine B is found to be 96%, 86% and 80% respectively. The enhanced photo catalytic activity of B-doped ZnO is indexed to the inhibited charge recombination rate due to the reduction in the optical bandgap. Based on the obtained results, it can be said that nonmetal doping is excellent provision for the design of active materials for the extended range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Asif Ahmed Sheikh
- Department of Environmental Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
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Shah AA, Bhatti MA, Chandio AD, Almani KF, Abbasi MA, Bhatti AL, Mugheri AQ, Willander M, Nour O, Waryani B, Tahira A, Ibupoto ZH. Tin as an Effective Doping Agent into ZnO for the Improved Photodegradation of Rhodamine B. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2021; 21:2529-2537. [PMID: 33500071 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2021.19106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We have fabricated ZnO nano rods by hydrothermal method and successively doped them with tin (Sn) using different concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg of tin chloride. XRD of the fabricated structures showed that ZnO possess hexagonal wurtzite phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to explore the morphology and it shows nanorod like morphology for all samples and no considerable change in the structural features were found. The dimension of nanorod is 200 to 300 nm. The doped materials were then investigated for their photo catalytic degradation of environmental pollutant Rhodamine B. The performance of doped ZnO is compared with the pristine ZnO. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to explore the morphology and it shows nanorod like morphology for all samples and no considerable change in the structural features were found. The dimension of nanorod is 200 to 300 nm. XRD of the fabricated structures showed that ZnO possess hexagonal wurtzite phase. Photo catalytic activity of rhodamine B was investigated under UV light and a maximum degradation efficiency of 85% was obtained. The optical property reveals the reduction in band gap of upto 17.14% for 100 mg Sn doped ZnO. The degradation is followed by the pseudo order kinetics. The produced results are unique in terms of facile synthesis of Sn doped ZnO and excellent photo degradation efficiency, therefore these materials can be used for other environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- NED University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, Sindh 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Bhatti
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- NED University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, Sindh 75270, Pakistan
| | - Khalida Faryal Almani
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
| | - Mazhar Ali Abbasi
- Institute of Physics University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
| | | | - Abdul Qayoom Mugheri
- Dr. M. A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
| | - Magnus Willander
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Omer Nour
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Baradi Waryani
- Department of Fresh Water Biology and Fisheries University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
| | - Aneela Tahira
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Zafar Hussain Ibupoto
- Dr. M. A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh Jamshoro, Sindh 76080, Pakistan
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Khokhar SP, Abbasi MA, Aftab U, Abro MI, Shah AA, Chandio AD, Bhatti AL, Tahira A, Ibupoto ZH. An Efficient Nickel Sulfide@NiO Nanocomposite Catalyst with High Density of Active Sites for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2021; 21:2520-2528. [PMID: 33500070 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2021.19094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts based on the earth-abundant materials are highly vital to design practical and environmentally friendly water splitting devices. In this study, we present an optimized strategy for the development of active catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction HER. The composite catalysts are prepared with the nanosurface of NiO for the deposition of NiS by hydrothermal method. In alkaline electrolyte, the NiS/NiO nanocomposite has shown excellent catalytic HER properties at the low onset potential and small Tafel slope of 72 mVdec-1. A current density of 10 mA/cm² is achieved by the nanocomposite obtained with 0.4 gram of NiO as nanosurface for the deposition of NiS (sample 4) at the cost of 429 mV versus RHE. The sample 4 carries more active sites that allow it to act as excellent HER catalyst. Based on this study, we conclude that increasing the nickel oxide content into composite sample facilitates the HER process. Additionally, a long term HER stability for 10 hours and good durability is also demonstrated by the sample 4. Our findings reveal that the optimization of nickel oxide content in the preparation of catalyst leads to the excellent HER activity for the design of practical water splitting devices and other related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shams Parveen Khokhar
- Nanomaterials Laboratory Institute of Physics University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Mazhar Ali Abbasi
- Nanomaterials Laboratory Institute of Physics University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Umair Aftab
- Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, 76080 Jamshoro, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ishaq Abro
- Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, 76080 Jamshoro, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- NED University of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- NED University of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Adeel Liaquat Bhatti
- Nanomaterials Laboratory Institute of Physics University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Aneela Tahira
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Zafar Hussain Ibupoto
- Dr. M. A. Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
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Bhatti MA, Shah AA, Almaani KF, Tahira A, Chandio AD, Willander M, Nur O, Mugheri AQ, Bhatti AL, Waryani B, Nafady A, Ibupoto ZH. TiO₂/ZnO Nanocomposite Material for Efficient Degradation of Methylene Blue. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 2021; 21:2511-2519. [PMID: 33500069 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2021.19107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this research work, we have produced a composite material consisting titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures via precipitation method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study has shown the mixture of nanostructures consisting nanorods and nano flower. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) study has confirmed the presence of Ti, Zn and O as main elements in the composite. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study has revealed that the successful presence of TiO₂ and ZnO in the composite. The composite material exhibits small optical energy band gap which led to reduction of the charge recombination rate of electron-hole pairs. The band gap for the composite TiO₂/ZnO samples namely 1, 2, 3 and 4 is 3.18, 3.00, 2.97 and 2.83 eV respectively. Small optical bandgap gives less relaxation time for the recombination of electron and hole pairs, thus favorable photodegradation is found. The degradation efficiency for the TiO₂/ZnO samples for methylene blue in order of 55.03%, 75.7%, 85.14% and 90.08% is found for the samples 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The proposed study of titanium dioxide addition into ZnO is facile and inexpensive for the development of efficient photocatalysts. This can be capitalized at large scale for the energy and.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Ali Bhatti
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Aqeel Ahmed Shah
- Nadirshaw Eduljee Dinshaw (NED) University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Khalida Faryal Almaani
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Aneela Tahira
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Ali Dad Chandio
- Nadirshaw Eduljee Dinshaw (NED) University of Engineering and Technology Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Magnus Willander
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Omer Nur
- Department of Science and Technology, Campus Norrkoping, Linkoping University, SE-60174 Norrkoping, Sweden
| | - Abdul Qayoom Mugheri
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | | | - Baradi Waryani
- Department of Fresh Water Biology and Fisheries University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
| | - Ayman Nafady
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zafar Hussain Ibupoto
- Dr. M.A Kazi Institute of Chemistry University of Sindh Jamshoro, 76080, Sindh Pakistan
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