Advances in Titanium Carbide (Ti3C2T x ) MXenes and Their Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)-Based Nanotextures for Solar Energy Applications: A Review

Introducing new materials with low cost and superior solar harvesting efficiency requires urgent attention to solve energy and environmental challenges. Titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T _x ) MXene, a 2D layered material, is a promising solution to solve the issues of existing materials due to their promising conductivity with low cost to function as a cocatalyst/support. On the other hand, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are emerging materials due to their high surface area and semiconducting characteristics. Therefore, coupling them would be promising to form composites with higher solar harvesting efficiency. Thus, the main objective of this work to disclose recent development in Ti₃C₂T _x -based MOF nanocomposites for energy conversion applications to produce renewable fuels. MOFs can generate photoinduced electron/hole pairs, followed by transfer of electrons to MXenes through Schottky junctions for photoredox reactions. Currently, the principles, fundamentals, and mechanism of photocatalytic systems with construction of Schottky junctions are critically discussed. Then the basics of MOFs are discussed thoroughly in terms of their physical properties, morphologies, optical properties, and derivatives. The synthesis of Ti₃C₂T _x MXenes and their composites with the formation of surface functionals is systematically illustrated. Next, critical discussions are conducted on design considerations and strategies to engineer the morphology of Ti₃C₂T _x MXenes and MOFs. The interfacial/heterojunction modification strategies of Ti₃C₂T _x MXenes and MOFs are then deeply discussed to understand the roles of both materials. Following that, the applications of MXene-mediated MOF nanotextures in view of CO₂ reduction and water splitting for solar fuel production are critically analyzed. Finally, the challenges and a perspective toward the future research of MXene-based MOF composites are disclosed.

A state of the art review on electrochemical technique for the remediation of pharmaceuticals containing wastewater

Pharmaceutical wastewater is a frequent kind of wastewater with high quantities of organic pollutants, although little research has been done in the area. Pharmaceutical wastewaters containing antibiotics and high salinity may impair traditional biological treatment, resulting in the propagation of antibiotic resistance genes. The potential for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to break down hazardous substances instead of present techniques that essentially transfer contaminants from wastewater to sludge, a membrane filter, or an adsorbent has attracted interest. Among a variety of AOPs, electrochemical systems are a feasible choice for treating pharmaceutical wastewater. Many electrochemical approaches exist now to remediate rivers polluted by refractory organic contaminants, like pharmaceutical micro-pollutants, which have become a severe environmental problem. The first part of this investigation provides the bibliometric analysis of the title search from 1970 to 2021 for keywords such as wastewater and electrochemical. We have provided information on relations between keywords, countries, and journals based on three fields plot, inter-country co-authorship network analysis, and co-occurrence network visualization. The second part introduces electrochemical water treatment approaches customized to these very distinct discarded flows, containing how processes, electrode materials, and operating conditions influence the results (with selective highlighting cathode reduction and anodic oxidation). This section looks at how electrochemistry may be utilized with typical treatment approaches to improve the integrated system's overall efficiency. We discuss how electrochemical cells might be beneficial and what compromises to consider when putting them into practice. We wrap up our analysis with a discussion of known technical obstacles and suggestions for further research.