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Enhancing Conversion Kinetics through Electron Density Dual-Regulation of Catalysts and Sulfur toward Room-/Subzero-Temperature Na-S Batteries. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2308180. [PMID: 38594907 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202308180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na/S) batteries have received increasing attention for the next generation of large-scale energy storage, yet they are hindered by the severe dissolution of polysulfides, sluggish redox kinetic, and incomplete conversion of sodium polysulfides (NaPSs). Herein, the study proposes a dual-modulating strategy of the electronic structure of electrocatalyst and sulfur to accelerate the conversion of NaPSs. The selenium-modulated ZnS nanocrystals with electron rearrangement in hierarchical structured spherical carbon (Se-ZnS/HSC) facilitate Na+ transport and catalyze the conversion between short-chain sulfur and Na2S. And the in situ introduced Se within S can enhance conductivity and form an S─Se bond, suppressing the "polysulfides shuttle". Accordingly, the S@Se-ZnS/HSC cathode exhibits a specific capacity of as high as 1302.5 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and ultrahigh-rate capability (676.9 mAh g-1 at 5.0 A g-1). Even at -10 °C, this cathode still delivers a high reversible capacity of 401.2 mAh g-1 at 0.05 A g-1 and 94% of the original capacitance after 50 cycles. This work provides a novel design idea for high-performance Na/S batteries.
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Excellent Charge Separation of NCQDs/ ZnS Nanocomposites for the Promotion of Photocatalytic H 2 Evolution. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:16601-16611. [PMID: 38502203 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c15957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Carbon Quantum dots (CQDs) are widely studied because of their good optical and electronic characteristics and because they can easily generate photocarriers. Nitrogen-doped CQDs (NCQDs) may exhibit improved hydrophilic, optical, and electron-transfer properties, which are conducive to photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In this paper, NCQD-modified ZnS catalysts were successfully prepared. Under the irradiation of the full spectrum, the H2 evolution rate of the optimal catalyst 0.25 wt % NCQDs/ZnS achieves 5.70 mmol g-1 h-1, which is 11.88, 43.84, and 5.14 times the values of ZnS (0.48 mmol g-1 h-1), NCQDs (0.13 mmol g-1 h-1), and CQDs/ZnS (1.11 mmol g-1 h-1), respectively. Furthermore, it shows good stability, indicating that the modification of NCQDs prevents the photocorrosion and oxidation of ZnS. The enhanced performance is due to NCQD loading, which promotes the separation of photogenerated carriers, optimizes the structures, and increases the specific surface area. This work highlights the fact that NCQD-modified ZnS may afford a new strategy to synthesize ZnS-based photocatalysts with enhanced H2 production performance.
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UV light assisted degradation of acid orange azo dye by ZVI- ZnS and effluent toxicity effects. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 343:123226. [PMID: 38159638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Azo dyes, the most common synthetic dyes used in the textile industry, are known xenobiotic compounds and recalcitrant to conventional degradation treatments. As consequence, such contaminants are often discharged into the effluents, treating aquatic ecosystems. Among several processes, the use of zero valent iron (ZVI) represents a suitable alternative to degrade organic molecules containing azo bonds. However, its applications are limited by corrosion and loss of reactivity over the time. To overcome these constraints, ZVI has been coupled to a suitable semiconductor (ZnS) to get a catalytic composite (ZVI-ZnS) active under UV light. The present work deals with the degradation of acid orange (AO7), used as model azo dye, by UV/ZVI-ZnS, as one step treatment and in combination with an adsorption process by biochar. The influence of ZVI-ZnS concentration (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 g/L) and reaction time (0-160 min) on degradation of AO7 were investigated. Intermediates formation was monitored by ESI-FT-ICR-MS analysis and the effluent toxicity was assessed by using Artemia franciscana. The experimental results showed that the UV/ZVI-ZnS process at 1 g/L of catalyst allowed to achieve a removal of AO7 up to 97% after 10 min. An increase of the dye relative concentrations as well as the toxicity related to intermediates formations has been observed for treatment time higher than 10 min. The total removal of AO7 together with effluent toxicity reduction was obtained only after the combined treatment (UV/ZVI-ZnS + biochar).
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One-Pot Facile Synthesis of a Cluster of ZnS Low-Dimensional Nanoparticles for High-Performance Supercapacitor Electrodes. MICROMACHINES 2024; 15:251. [PMID: 38398979 PMCID: PMC10892814 DOI: 10.3390/mi15020251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
To maximize the use of ZnS low-dimensional nanoparticles as high-performance supercapacitor electrodes, this work describes a simple one-pot synthesis method for producing a cluster of these particles. The ZnS nanoparticles fabricated in this work exhibit a cluster with unique low-dimensional (0D, 1D, and 2D) characteristics. Structural, morphological, and electrochemical investigations are all part of the thorough characterization of the produced materials. An X-ray diffraction pattern of clustered ZnS nanoparticles reflects the phase formation with highly stable cubic blende sphalerite polymorph. The confirmation of nanoparticle cluster formation featuring multiple low-dimensional nanostructures was achieved through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), while the internal structure was assessed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Systematically assessing the ZnS nanoparticles' electrochemical performance reveals their prospective qualities as supercapacitor electrode materials. The electrode assembled with this material on Ni foam demonstrates elevated specific capacitance (areal capacitance) values, reaching 716.8 F.g⁻1 (2150.4 mF.cm-2) at a current density of 3 mA.cm⁻2. Moreover, it reflects 69.1% capacitance retention with a four times increase in current density, i.e., 495.5 F.g-1 (1486.56 mF.cm-2) capacitance was archived at 12 mA.cm-2 with 100% Coulombic efficiency. Furthermore, the electrode exhibits prolonged cycling capability with 77.7% capacitance retention, as evidenced by its charge-discharge measurements sustained over 15,000 cycles at a current density of 25 mA cm⁻2.
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Synthesis, Structure, Morphology, Element composition, Electrochemical, and Optical studies of Zn 0.98-XMn 0.02Ce X Quantum dots. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 303:123140. [PMID: 37463553 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.123140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductors whose size falls in a range between 1 and 10 nm; they are generally known as zero-dimension materials. It finds various applications in optical industries including light-emitting diodes, display technology, imaging, and labelling. ZnS is one of the excellent QDs in its class of II-VI semiconductors. In this paper, It is reported that the preparation of Mn-doped ZnS and Mn, Ce co-doped ZnS QDs using facile co-precipitation technique. XRD and HR-TEM results confirmed the cubic structure, particle size, and phase of the synthesized particles, and the crystallite is measured as ∼ 2 nm. The surface morphology, elemental analysis, and FT-IR spectra revealed the purity of the samples and confirmed the presence of dopants as expected. Cyclic voltammetry studies expressed the electrochemical behaviour of the samples, which increased as a function of Ce3+ doping concentration. UV-visible absorbance and transmittance spectra disclosed the optical characteristics of the samples. A wide band gap (4.02 eV) was received for 2% Ce-doped Zn: MnS QDs. Week Blue and strong yellow emissions were received for 4% Ce-doped Zn:MnS QDs. Whereas, high intensity red-emission was received for 2% Ce-doped Zn:MnS QDs. The different colour emissions are discussed in terms of defects produced.
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Rational Engineering of p-n Heterogeneous ZnS/SnO 2 Quantum Dots with Fast Ion Kinetics for Superior Li/Na-Ion Battery. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2300534. [PMID: 37357154 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Constructing heterogeneous nanostructures is an efficient strategy to improve the electrical and ionic conductivity of metal chalcogenide-based anodes. Herein, ZnS/SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) as p-n heterojunctions that are uniformly anchored to reduced graphene oxides (ZnS-SnO2 @rGO) are designed and engineered. Combining the merits of fast electron transport via the internal electric field and a greatly shortened Li/Na ion diffusion pathway in the ZnS/SnO2 QDs (3-5 nm), along with the excellent electrical conductivity and good structural stability provided by the rGO matrix, the ZnS-SnO2 @rGO anode exhibits enhanced electronic and ionic conductivity, which can be proved by both experiments and theoretical calculations. Consequently, the ZnS-SnO2 @rGO anode shows a significantly improved rate performance that simple counterpart composite anodes cannot achieve. Specifically, high reversible specific capacities are achieved for both lithium-ion battery (551 mA h g-1 at 5.0 A g-1 , 670 mA h g-1 at 3.0 A g-1 after 1400 cycles) and sodium-ion battery (334 mA h g-1 at 5.0 A g-1 , 313 mA h g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 after 400 cycles). Thus, this strategy to build semiconductor metal sulfides/metal oxide heterostructures at the atomic scale may inspire the rational design of metal compounds for high-performance battery applications.
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One-Pot Synthesis of CdTe/ ZnS Quantum Dots and their Physico-Chemical Characterization. J Fluoresc 2023:10.1007/s10895-023-03406-w. [PMID: 37624469 DOI: 10.1007/s10895-023-03406-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
A known property of quantum dots (QDs) is their characteristic luminescence, which would make it possible to detect different types of cancers after being functionalized with some type of biological molecule. For this reason, in the present investigation a methodological analysis of the physicochemical characteristics of the CdTe/ZnS core/shell QDs was carried out, using techniques such as Optical Absorbance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Molecular Fluorescence, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Zeta Potential that allowed to verify the photoluminescent effectiveness of these semiconductor nanocrystals as an alternative to conventional techniques currently used for the detection of specific cancers smaller than 1 cm. The study consisted of theoretically determining the bandgap energy, the size of the nanocrystals and the molar absorptivity from the wavelength value for the maximum intensity of the excitonic peak. It was also possible to verify the maximum intensity for each sample and thus evaluate its photoluminescent response, as well as it was possible to determine the charge distribution, the hydrodynamic size and the surface composition of each quantum dot. The results obtained correspond to what has been reported in the literature, which makes them good candidates for the detection of cancer in precancerous stages.
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Examining the Effect of Cu and Mn Dopants on the Structure of Zinc Blende ZnS Nanopowders. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:5825. [PMID: 37687518 PMCID: PMC10488788 DOI: 10.3390/ma16175825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
It is known that doping zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles with Mn or Cu ions significantly affects their luminescent properties. Herein, we investigated how dopant atoms are incorporated into the structure of ZnS using X-ray diffraction and multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The observed broadening of the X-ray diffraction patterns indicates an average crystallite size of about 6 nm. By analyzing the Zn, Mn, and Cu K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra using the reverse Monte Carlo method, we were able to determine the relaxations of the local environments around the dopants. Our findings suggested that upon the substitution of Zn by Mn or Cu ions, there is a shortening of the Cu-S bonds by 0.08 Å, whereas the Mn-S bonds exhibited lengthening by 0.07 Å. These experimental results were further confirmed by first-principles density functional theory calculations, which explained the increase in the Mn-S bond lengths due to the high-spin state of Mn2+ ions.
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Photocatalytic H 2 Production by Visible Light on Cd 0.5Zn 0.5S Photocatalysts Modified with Ni(OH) 2 by Impregnation Method. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9802. [PMID: 37372950 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, the study of environmentally friendly ways of producing hydrogen as a green energy source is an increasingly important challenge. One of these potential processes is the heterogeneous photocatalytic splitting of water or other hydrogen sources such as H2S or its alkaline solution. The most common catalysts used for H2 production from Na2S solution are the CdS-ZnS type catalysts, whose efficiency can be further enhanced by Ni-modification. In this work, the surface of Cd0.5Zn0.5S composite was modified with Ni(II) compound for photocatalytic H2 generation. Besides two conventional methods, impregnation was also applied, which is a simple but unconventional modification technique for the CdS-type catalysts. Among the catalysts modified with 1% Ni(II), the impregnation method resulted in the highest activity, for which a quantum efficiency of 15.8% was achieved by using a 415 nm LED and Na2S-Na2SO3 sacrificial solution. This corresponded to an outstanding rate of 170 mmol H2/h/g under the given experimental conditions. The catalysts were characterized by DRS, XRD, TEM, STEM-EDS, and XPS analyses, which confirmed that Ni(II) is mainly present as Ni(OH)2 on the surface of the CdS-ZnS composite. The observations from the illumination experiments indicated that Ni(OH)2 was oxidized during the reaction, and that it therefore played a hole-trapping role.
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The rapid and sensitive detection of trace copper ions by L-cysteine capped ZnS nanoparticle fluorescent probe and the insight into micro-mechanism: Experiments and DFT study. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 294:122570. [PMID: 36889137 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
L-cysteine (L-Cys) capped ZnS fluorescent probe (L-ZnS) were synthesized by binding ZnS nanoparticles in situ with L-Cys, the fluorescence intensity of L-ZnS increased more than 3.5 times than that of ZnS due to the cleavage of S-H bonds and the formation of Zn-S bonds between the thiol group of L-Cys and ZnS. The addition of copper ions (Cu2+) can effectively quench the fluorescence of L-ZnS to realize the rapid detection of trace Cu2+. The L-ZnS showed high sensitivity and selectivity to Cu2+. The LOD (limit of detection) of Cu2+ was as low as 7.28 nM and linearity in the concentration range of 3.5-25.5 μM. Meanwhile, for the first time, electron localization function (ELF), bond order density (BOD), and natural adaptive orbital (NAdO) analysis in the Multiwfn wavefunction program based on density functional theory were carried out to probe the binding sites and binding mode of L-Cys with Cu2+, it indicated that the deprotonated carboxyl oxygen atoms of L-Cys had the lowest electrostatic potential (ESP) and provided lone pair electrons to coordinate with Cu2+ to form non-luminescent ground state complexes, which led to fluorescence quenching of L-ZnS. From the microscopic point of view of atoms, the mechanism of fluorescence enhancement of L-Cys capped ZnS and the mechanism of fluorescence quenching after adding Cu2+ were revealed in depth, the theoretical analysis results were accordance with the experiments.
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Highly efficient and selective Hg(II) adsorbent: ZnS grown on the surface of 4A zeolite and supported on starch aerogels. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:67059-67070. [PMID: 37103700 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-27107-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
In this study, ZnS nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of zeolite NaA and embedded in a carbon aerogel to prepare C@zeolite-ZnS, where zeolite NaA was used in order to adsorb Zn2+ ions released during ion exchange, and the carbon aerogel had good dispersion as a carrier for ZnS to solve the ZnS agglomeration problem. The morphology and structure of C@zeolite-ZnS were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, SEM, BET, and XPS. C@zeolite-ZnS showed excellent selectivity and high removal rate for Hg(II) ions with a maximum adsorption capacity of 795.83 mg/g. When the pH, adsorption time, and Hg(II) ion concentration were 6, 30 min, and 25 mg/L at 298 K, the corresponding adsorption and removal rates reached 99.90% and 124.88 mg/g, respectively. Thermodynamic studies have shown that the adsorption process is a spontaneous heat absorption process. Furthermore, after up to 10 cycles of adsorption, the adsorbent still exhibited outstanding stability and high adsorption capacity with removal rates exceeding 99%. In conclusion, C@zeolite-ZnS, which is stable and reusable and has the ability to meet industrial emission standards after adsorption of Hg(II) ions, is very promising for industrial applications.
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ZnS:Eu @ZIF-8: Selective formation of ZnS:Eu QDs within a zinc methylimidazole framework for chemical sensing applications. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16081. [PMID: 37223711 PMCID: PMC10200851 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Light harvesting based on a microporous zeolite imidazole backbone (MOF) has attracted considerable interest as a fluorescent sensor for the detection of analytes. In this work, we have prepared a novel complex containing quantum dots of doped rare earth elements by a one-pot method. to be applied to the fluorescence detection of pollution hazards. Because of the solid framework, the prepared ZnS:Eu@ZIF-8 composite shows desirable fluorescence properties. The selectivity and sensitivity of ZnS:Eu@ZIF -8 to TNP, which has a detection limit of 0.19 μmol/L, is further investigated and its sensing mechanism is discussed by means of fluorescence lifetime measurements in combination with emission and UV spectra. It should also be noted that this is the first doped quantum dot to be encapsulated in a MOF to be used for the potential detection of phenolic compounds in the aqueous environment, while the framework remains in place and no structural changes have occurred.
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Fe 3O 4@MIL-100(Fe) modified ZnS nanoparticles with enhanced sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotic in water. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 95:106409. [PMID: 37099855 PMCID: PMC10149504 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sonocatalysis has attracted excellent research attention to eradicate hazardous pollutants from the environment effectively. This work synthesised an organic/inorganic hybrid composite catalyst by coupling Fe3O4@MIL-100(Fe) (FM) with ZnS nanoparticles using the solvothermal evaporation method. Remarkably, the composite material delivered significantly enhanced sonocatalytic efficiency for removing tetracycline (TC) antibiotics in the presence of H2O2 compared to bare ZnS nanoparticles. By adjusting different parameters such as TC concentration, catalyst dosage and H2O2 amount, the optimized composite (20 %Fe3O4@MIL-100(Fe)/ZnS) removed 78.25% antibiotic in 20 min at the cost of 1 mL of H2O2. These much superior activities are attributed to the efficient interface contact, effective charge transfer, accelerated transport capabilities and strong redox potential for the superior acoustic catalytic performance of FM/ZnS composite systems. Based on various characterization, free radical capture experiments and energy band structures, we proposed a mechanism for the sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline based on S-scheme heterojunctions and Fenton like reactions. This work will provide an important reference for developing ZnS-based nanomaterials to study sonodegradation of pollutants.
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Tuning the optical properties of high quantum-yield g-C 3N 4 with the inclusion of ZnS via FRET for high electron-hole recombination. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 289:122162. [PMID: 36516514 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.122162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Luminescent polymeric graphitic composites have the potential to be efficient energy converters for sophisticated displays and light sources. Thermal condensation is used to synthesize g-C3N4-ZnS composites. The XRD, and FTIR analyses confirmed the synthesis of the pure host, filler, and composites. FESEM, and TEM images revealed that the ZnS nanosheets were evenly distributed over the g-C3N4 sheets. As a result of ZnS incorporation, the melting point of g-C3N4 has been raised to 748.5 °C, and the thermal stability of gZ has been increased by 27 %. The optimized gZ15 band gap is determined to be 2.98 eV with a crystallite size of 4.2 nm and a micro stain of 35.42 × 10-3. With a purity of 63.4 %, gZ15 demonstrated a significant rate of recombination in the blue region. gZ15 has a high PLQY of 98 % and a FRET efficiency of 92%. All of the improved properties demonstrated that polymeric g-C3N4-ZnS was the optimum materials for usage in the active or emissive layer of optoelectronic devices.
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One-step preparation of MoO x/ ZnS/ZnO composite and its excellent performance in piezocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B under ultrasonic vibration. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 125:1-13. [PMID: 36375896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This paper synthesized a new type of ternary piezoelectric catalyst MoOx/ZnS/ZnO (MZZ) by a one-step method. The catalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) solution (10 µg/g, pH = 7.0) shows that the composite catalyst has excellent piezoelectric catalytic activity under ultrasonic vibration (40 kHz). The piezoelectric degradation rate of the optimal sample reached 0.054 min-1, which was about 2.5 times that of pure ZnO. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technologies were used to analyze the structure, morphology, and interface charge transfer properties of the MZZ piezocatalysts. The results showed that the composite catalyst may have a core-shell structure. ZnS is coated on the surface of ZnO, while MoOx adheres to the surface of ZnS. This structure endowed MZZ larger specific surface area than ZnO, which benefits the RhB adsorption. More importantly, the formed heterojunction structure between ZnS and ZnO promotes the separation of positive and negative charges induced by the piezoelectric effect. MoOx species may act as a charge trap to further promote more carriers to participate in the reaction. In addition, MoOx may also be beneficial in adsorbing dyes. Active species capture experiments show that superoxide radicals and holes are the main active species in piezoelectric catalytic reactions on MZZ catalysts.
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Carbonization of MOF-5/Polyaniline Composites to N,O-Doped Carbon/ZnO/ ZnS and N,O-Doped Carbon/ZnO Composites with High Specific Capacitance, Specific Surface Area and Electrical Conductivity. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:1018. [PMID: 36770026 PMCID: PMC9919207 DOI: 10.3390/ma16031018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Composites of carbons with metal oxides and metal sulfides have attracted a lot of interest as materials for energy conversion and storage applications. Herein, we report on novel N,O-doped carbon/ZnO/ZnS and N,O-doped carbon/ZnO composites (generally named C-(MOF-5/PANI)), synthesized by the carbonization of metal-organic framework MOF-5/polyaniline (PANI) composites. The produced C-(MOF-5/PANI)s are comprehensively characterized in terms of composition, molecular and crystalline structure, morphology, electrical conductivity, surface area, and electrochemical behavior. The composition and properties of C-(MOF-5/PANI) composites are dictated by the composition of MOF-5/PANI precursors and the form of PANI (conducting emeraldine salt (ES) or nonconducting emeraldine base). The ZnS phase is formed only with the PANI-ES form due to S-containing counter-ions. XRPD revealed that ZnO and ZnS existed as pure wurtzite crystalline phases. PANI and MOF-5 acted synergistically to produce C-(MOF-5/PANI)s with high SBET (up to 609 m2 g-1), electrical conductivity (up to 0.24 S cm-1), and specific capacitance, Cspec, (up to 238.2 F g-1 at 10 mV s-1). Values of Cspec commensurated with N content in C-(MOF-5/PANI) composites (1-10 wt.%) and overcame Cspec of carbonized individual components PANI and MOF-5. By acid etching treatment of C-(MOF-5/PANI), SBET and Cspec increased to 1148 m2 g-1 and 341 F g-1, respectively. The developed composites represent promising electrode materials for supercapacitors.
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Size and Strain of Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles Altered by Interaction with Organic Molecules. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16831-16837. [PMID: 36394535 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nanosized zinc sulfides (nano-ZnS) have size-dependent and tunable physical and chemical properties that make them useful for a variety of technological applications. For example, structural changes, especially caused by strain, are pronounced in nano-ZnS < 5 nm in size, the size range typical of incidental nano-ZnS that form in the environment. Previous research has shown how natural organic matter impacts the physical properties of nano-ZnS but was mostly focused on their aggregation state. However, the specific organic molecules and the type of functional groups that are most important for controlling the nano-ZnS size and strain remain unclear. This study examined the size-dependent strain of nano-ZnS synthesized in the presence of serine, cysteine, glutathione, histidine, and acetate. Synchrotron total scattering pair distribution function analysis was used to determine the average crystallite size and strain. Among the different organic molecules tested, those containing a thiol group were shown to affect the particle size and size-induced strain most strongly when added during synthesis but significantly reduced the particle strain when added to as-formed nano-ZnS. The same effects are useful to understand the properties and behavior of natural nano-ZnS formed as products of microbial activity, for example, in reducing environments, or of incidental nano-ZnS formed in organic wastes.
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Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan-Containing ZnS/ZrO 2/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites and Their Application in Wound Dressing. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14235195. [PMID: 36501590 PMCID: PMC9738290 DOI: 10.3390/polym14235195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of scaffold-based nanofilms for the acceleration of wound healing and for maintaining the high level of the healthcare system is still a challenge. The use of naturally sourced polymers as binders to deliver nanoparticles to sites of injury has been highly suggested. To this end, chitosan (CS) was embedded with different nanoparticles and examined for its potential usage in wound dressing. In detail, chitosan (CS)-containing zinc sulfide (ZnS)/zirconium dioxide (ZrO2)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite films were successfully fabricated with the aim of achieving promising biological behavior in the wound healing process. Morphological examination by SEM showed the formation of porous films with a good scattering of ZnS and ZrO2 nanograins, especially amongst ZnS/ZrO2/GO@CS film. In addition, ZnS/ZrO2/GO@CS displayed the lowest contact angle of 67.1 ± 0.9°. Optically, the absorption edge records 2.35 eV for pure chitosan, while it declines to 1.8:1.9 scope with the addition of ZnS, ZrO2, and GO. Normal lung cell (WI-38) proliferation inspection demonstrated that the usage of 2.4 µg/mL ZnS/ZrO2/GO@CS led to a cell viability % of 142.79%, while the usage of 5000 µg/ mL led to a viability of 113.82%. However, the fibroblast malignant cell line exposed to 2.4 µg/mL ZnS/ZrO2/GO@CS showed a viability % of 92.81%, while this percentage showed a steep decline with the usage of 5000 µg/ mL and 2500 µg/mL, reaching 23.28% and 27.81%, respectively. Further biological assessment should be executed with a three-dimensional film scaffold by choosing surrounding media characteristics (normal/malignant) that enhance the selectivity potential. The fabricated scaffolds show promising selective performance, biologically.
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BLOSM: Boron-based large-scale observation of soil moisture: First laboratory results of a cost-efficient neutron detector. HARDWAREX 2022; 12:e00342. [PMID: 35942180 PMCID: PMC9356203 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2022.e00342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A newly developed Boron-based Large-scale Observation of Soil Moisture (or BLOSM) system is currently being tested and implemented. The stationary system provides a cost-effective way to measure fast and thermalized neutrons by using low-cost, non-hazardous and accessible materials and equipment. BLOSM operates by measuring cosmic-ray induced neutrons and by comparing the amount of fast neutrons with the amount of thermal neutrons. Fast neutrons are moderated by hydrogen atoms in the air, organic materials, and especially and primarily by water in the soil, causing the ratio between fast and thermal to be a strong indicator of soil moisture content. The fast/thermal ratio is representative for soil moisture a scale of about 30 hectares, while standard soil moisture measurements are representative for less than a square meter. This is a well-established fact but present neutron detectors are very costly. Thanks to the low-cost of the probe, BLOSM can eventually be applied at a large scale and significantly increase the number of soil-water data points thereby enabling improvement of existing hydrology models as well as new applications such as monitoring fire hazards and agricultural droughts. Here, we present the build and first tests in the laboratory. We show that BLOSM can indeed measure fast and thermal neutrons, which opens the way to applications outside the laboratory.
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ZIF-8-derived photocatalyst membrane for water decontamination: From static adsorption-degradation to dynamic flow removal. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 824:153865. [PMID: 35176358 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Photocatalysis has been considered a promising method for environmental purification. However, powder nanomaterials are not suitable for large-scale application due to the limit of low recyclability and energy-intensive operation. Integrating and depositing powder photocatalysts on monolithic substrates may solve these issues. In this study, a ZIF-8 photocatalyst membrane and its derived product (ZnS photocatalyst membrane) was constructed by a facile in-situ treatment of cellulose-based substrate (take filter paper as an example). Both the two nanomaterials were confirmed to be tightly anchored to filter paper with the aid of chemical interaction. Under visible light irradiation, excellent dynamic-flow photocatalytic removal efficiencies of methylene blue (MB) degradation (97% within 80 min, k = 0.042 ± 0.002 min-1) and Cr(VI) reduction (100% within 60 min, k = 0.116 ± 0.007 min-1) were achieved by the prepared ZIF-8 photocatalyst membrane and its derived ZnS photocatalyst, respectively. Considering the high MB adsorption capacity and facile regeneration process of ZIF-8 photocatalyst membrane, the adsorption-degradation strategy was promising for its universal applications. The MB degradation pathway and photocatalytic mechanisms were also explored. Ultimately, a comprehensive discussion on the advantages and implications of prepared photocatalyst membranes for photocatalytic water treatment was rationally proposed. This study provided a promising method for water decontamination and demonstrated the significant superiority of monolithic membrane for photocatalytic water treatment.
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Different metal-doped ZnS quantum dots photocatalysts for enhancing the permeability and antifouling performances of polysulfone membranes with and without UV irradiation. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 294:133705. [PMID: 35065176 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the effect of three different transition metal ion dopants (Mn2+, Fe2+, and Co2+) on the characteristics of zinc sulfide (ZnS) quantum dots (QDs) was investigated and the obtained QDs photocatalysts were applied for the modification of polysulfone (PSf) mixed matrix membranes to reduce membrane fouling. The synthesized QDs and fabricated membranes were fully identified with SEM, TEM, AFM, FTIR analyses, and also underwent porosity and contact angle tests. Flux recovery ratios (FRR) significantly increased from 69.8% (bare) to 85.0% (1% Fe-doped ZnS QDs) after modification of membranes with metal-doped QDs. The contact angles of the prepared membranes decreased with doping of dissimilar metals, therefore hydrophilicity increased, and reversible/non-reversible blockages were improved. Besides, the use of UV irradiation during the washing of the membranes increased the FRR of the photocatalytic activated membranes to 91.2%. Compared to the bare PSf membrane in dye solution filtration, 1% Fe-doped ZnS QDs membrane yielded twice as much flux and 15% higher FRR results. Therefore, the results proved that metal-doped QDs can be used in the modification of PSf membranes with high efficiency.
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22
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Facile synthesis of hierarchical MoS 2/ ZnS @ porous hollow carbon nanofibers for a stable Li metal anode. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 622:347-356. [PMID: 35525138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.04.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Lithium metal is considered as an ideal anode candidate for next generation Li battery systems since its high capacity, low density, and low working potential. However, the uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites and infinite volume expansion impede the commercialized applications of Li-metal anodes. In this work, we rationally designed and constructed a hierarchical porous hollow carbon nanofiber decorated with diverse metal sulfides (MS-ZS@PHC). This composite scaffold has three advantages: First, the synergistic effect of multiple-size lithiophilic phases (nano ZnS and micro MoS2) can regulate Li ions nuclei and grow up homogenously on the scaffold. Second, the enlarged interplanar spacing of MoS2 microsphere on the fibers can provide abundant channels for Li ions transportation. Third, the porous scaffold can confine the volume expansion of Li metal anode during cycling. Therefore, in a symmetrical cell, the MS-ZS@PHC host presents a homogenous Li plating/stripping behavior and runs steadily for 1100 h at 5 mA cm-2 with a capacity of 5 mAh cm-2 and even for 700 h at 10 mA cm-2 with a capacity of 1 mAh cm-2. A full cell using MS-ZS@PHC /Li composite as anode and coupled with LiFePO4 as cathode delivers an excellent cyclic and rate performances.
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Prediction of electronic properties of novel ZnS-ZnO-recycled expanded polystyrene nanocomposites by DFT. Heliyon 2022; 8:e08903. [PMID: 35198770 PMCID: PMC8841380 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DFT calculations using Material Studio (2019) were used to ascertain the changes in electronic properties of recycled expanded polystyrene (rEPS) after modification with nanoparticles of ZnS and ZnO. The nanocomposites were obtained using rEPS and suitable metal salt precursors via a solvothermal method. The XRD analysis was conducted to obtain the crystallography data of the new rEPS-based nanocomposites. Using Material Studio simulation software, the potential photocatalytic properties of the new prepared material was predicted and information on the electronic band structure was extracted. The calculated band gap values for rEPS and ZnS–ZnO-rEPS nanocomposite were 4.217 eV and 2.698 eV, respectively. Furthermore, our results showed that the nanocomposite is a p-type semiconductor. From the electronic structure and the band gap narrowing, these nanocomposites obtained from a waste material may have some potential in photocatalytic applications.
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Photocatalytic Degradation of Single and Binary Mixture of Brilliant Green and Rhodamine B Dyes by Zinc Sulfide Quantum Dots. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247686. [PMID: 34946768 PMCID: PMC8704525 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We present the preparation of octadecylamine-capped ZnS quantum dots from bis(morpholinyldithiocarbamato)Zn(II) complex. The complex was thermolyzed at 130 °C in octadecylamine at different times, to study the effect of reaction time on the morphological and photocatalytic properties of the ZnS quantum dots. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed a hexagonal wurtzite crystalline phase of ZnS, while HRTEM images showed particle sizes of about 1–3 nm, and energy band gaps of 3.68 eV (ZnS–1), 3.87 eV (ZnS–2), and 4.16 eV (ZnS–3) were obtained from the Tauc plot for the ZnS nanoparticles. The as-prepared ZnS were used as photocatalysts for the degradation of brilliant green, rhodamine B, and binary dye consisting of a mixture of brilliant green-rhodamine B. The highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency of 94% was obtained from ZnS–3 with low photoluminescence intensity. The effect of catalytic dosage and pH of the dyes solution on the photocatalytic process shows that pH 8 is optimal for the degradation of brilliant green, while pH 6.5 is the best for photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. The degradation of the binary dyes followed the same trends. The effect of catalytic dosage shows that 1 mg mL−1 of the ZnS nano-photocatalyst is the optimum dosage for the degradation of organic dyes. Reusability studies show that the ZnS quantum dots can be reused five times without a significant reduction in degradation efficiency.
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One-Pot Synthesis of One-Dimensional Multijunction Semiconductor Nanochains from Cu 1.94S, CdS, and ZnS for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:58630-58639. [PMID: 34866382 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c18020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chains of alternating semiconductor nanocrystals are complex nanostructures that can offer control over photogenerated charge carriers dynamics and quantized electronic states. We develop a simple one-pot colloidal synthesis of complex Cu1.94S-CdS and Cu1.94S-ZnS nanochains exploiting an equilibrium driving ion exchange mechanism. The chain length of the heterostructures can be tuned using a concentration dependent cation exchange mechanism controlled by the precursor concentrations, which enables the synthesis of monodisperse and uniform Cu1.94S-CdS-Cu1.94S nanochains featuring three epitaxial junctions. These seamless junctions enable efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers, which can be harvested for photocatalytic applications. We demonstrate the superior photocatalytic activity of these noble metal free materials through solar hydrogen generation at a hydrogen evolution rate of 22.01 mmol g-1 h-1, which is 1.5-fold that of Pt/CdS heterostructure photocatalyst particles.
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ZnS anchored on porous N, S-codoped carbon as superior oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysts for Al-air batteries. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 609:868-877. [PMID: 34839920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.11.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The development of non-precious based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with outstanding catalytic performance is desirable but still a grand challenge for practical Al-air battery. Herein, we report a vulcanization-assisted pyrolysis strategy for creating zeolitic imidazolate framework-derived catalysts with a N, S co-doped carbon support and highly exposed ZnS and Zn-Nx sites. The trithiocyanuric acid (TCA) is found not only to introduce S into the carbon derived from ZIF-8 and ZnS to adjust the electronic structure of carbon matrix during the pyrolysis, but also result in a shrinkage of carbon framework with a hierarchical porous structure. Such an architecture boosts abundant active sites exposed and accelerates remote mass transportation. As a result, the optimized 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 delivers an impressive enhanced performance toward ORR in alkaline medium with a high half-wave potential of 0.905 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode), which is superior to most of non-precious metal-based catalysts. Density functional theory calculations unveil that the ZnS in 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 can effectively lower the Gibbs energy barrier of crucial steps and therefore promotes the reaction kinetics. Furthermore, 3.5ZnS/NSC-NaCl-900 also displays greater power density and specific capacity than Pt/C in Al-air batteries.
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Annealing Effect on the Structure and Optical Properties of CBD- ZnS Thin Films for Windscreen Coating. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14226748. [PMID: 34832149 PMCID: PMC8619960 DOI: 10.3390/ma14226748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films were prepared and synthesized by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique on microscopic glass substrates using stoichiometric amounts of the precursor materials (ZnSO4·7H2O, NH4OH, and CS(NH2)2). Structural, morphological, compositional, and optical characterization of the films were studied. The obtained thin films were found to exhibit polycrystalline possessions. The effect of annealing temperature on the crystallographic structure and optical bandgap of ZnS thin films were both examined. The grain size and unit cell volume were both found to be increased. In addition, the strain, dislocation density, and the number of crystallites were found to be decreased with annealing temperature at 300 °C. However, the annealed sample was perceived to have more Zn content than S. The optical characterization reveals that the transmittance was around 76% of the as-deposited thin film and had been decreased to ~50% with the increasing of the annealing temperature. At the same time, the bandgap energy of the as-deposited film was 3.98 eV and was found to be decreased to 3.93 eV after annealing.
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In situ controllable heterojunction conversion strategy driven by oriented paper-based fluid transfer for human immunoglobulin G detection. Mikrochim Acta 2021; 188:373. [PMID: 34626231 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-021-05017-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Mercury ions (Hg2+) mediating in situ heterojunction formation strategy based on spatially separated dual working areas was developed to achieve sensitive detection of human immunoglobulin G. To be specific, the complex of antibody, the silicon dioxide, and thymine-rich hairpin DNA were immobilized onto the antigen and antibody-modified electrodes, forming a special sandwich type where T-Hg2+-T structure could accommodate Hg2+. The zinc ions from zinc sulfide (ZnS) photoelectric materials were captured by Hg2+ to convert ZnS to zinc sulfide-mercuric sulfide nanocomposite. Such ion exchange approach with spatially separated working electrodes endowed the sensing platform with lower background interference and high selectivity, which also avoided damage of illumination on biomolecules. In addition, by regulating the ion recognition probe, the protocol could be extended to numerous other fields like clinical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and public safety.
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Photodegradation Process of Organic Dyes in the Presence of a Manganese-Doped Zinc Sulfide Nanowire Photocatalyst. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 14:5840. [PMID: 34640237 PMCID: PMC8510231 DOI: 10.3390/ma14195840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanowires represent a promising candidate in many fields, including optoelectronics and photocatalysis because of their advantages such as excellent optical properties, chemical stability and an easy-scalable simple synthesis method. In this study, an energy-friendly microwave radiation process was used to develop the single-step, solvothermal process for the growth of manganese-doped zinc sulfide (ZnS) and undoped nanocrystals (NCs) in the forms of nanowires using two short amines as a stabilizer, e.g. ethylenediamine and hydrazine, respectively. ZnS nanowires doped with Mn atoms show absorbance in UV and in the visible region of the spectrum. The photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B in the presence of Mn-doped and undoped ZnS nanocrystals illuminated with only a 6-W UV lamp has been comprehensively studied. The effect of Mn doping and the presence of a nanocrystal stabilizer on the degradation process was determined. It was found that the efficiency of a photocatalytic degradation process was strongly affected by both factors: the doping process of nanowires with Mn2+ atoms and the attachment of ligands to the nanocrystal surface.
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MOF-Derived ZnS Nanodots/Ti 3C 2T x MXene Hybrids Boosting Superior Lithium Storage Performance. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2021; 13:202. [PMID: 34568995 PMCID: PMC8473522 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-021-00728-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
ZnS has great potentials as an anode for lithium storage because of its high theoretical capacity and resource abundance; however, the large volume expansion accompanied with structural collapse and low conductivity of ZnS cause severe capacity fading and inferior rate capability during lithium storage. Herein, 0D-2D ZnS nanodots/Ti3C2Tx MXene hybrids are prepared by anchoring ZnS nanodots on Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets through coordination modulation between MXene and MOF precursor (ZIF-8) followed with sulfidation. The MXene substrate coupled with the ZnS nanodots can synergistically accommodate volume variation of ZnS over charge-discharge to realize stable cyclability. As revealed by XPS characterizations and DFT calculations, the strong interfacial interaction between ZnS nanodots and MXene nanosheets can boost fast electron/lithium-ion transfer to achieve excellent electrochemical activity and kinetics for lithium storage. Thereby, the as-prepared ZnS nanodots/MXene hybrid exhibits a high capacity of 726.8 mAh g-1 at 30 mA g-1, superior cyclic stability (462.8 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 0.5 A g-1), and excellent rate performance. The present results provide new insights into the understanding of the lithium storage mechanism of ZnS and the revealing of the effects of interfacial interaction on lithium storage performance enhancement.
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Gram-scale synthesis of ZnS/NiO core-shell hierarchical nanostructures and their enhanced H 2 production in crude glycerol and sulphide wastewater. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 199:111323. [PMID: 33989620 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Design and development of the efficient and durable photocatalyst that generates H2 fuel utilizing industrial wastewater under solar light irradiation is a sustainable process. Innumerable photocatalysts have been reported for efficient H2 production, but their large-scale production with the same efficiency of H2 production is a challenging task. In this study, a few gram-scale syntheses of ZnS wrapped with NiO hierarchical core-shell nanostructure via the surfactant-mediated process has been reported. Morphology and crystal structure analysis of ZnS/NiO showed spherical shaped hierarchical core-shell with cubic and face-centered cubic crystal structures. The surface examination confirmed the presence of Zn2+, S2-, Ni2+ and O2- ions in the nanocomposite. The photocurrent and photoluminescence studies of pristine and nanocomposites revealed that core-shell material is non-corrosive with a prolonged life-time of photo-excitons. Parametric studies on photocatalytic H2 generation in lab-scale photoreactor using crude glycerol in water recorded a high rate of H2 generation of 9.3 mmol h-1.g-1 of catalyst under the simulated solar light irradiation. Optimized reaction parameters are extended to a demonstrative photoreactor containing aqueous crude glycerol produced 18.5 mmol h-1 of H2 generation under the natural solar light irradiation. The same nanostructures were further tested with the simulated sulfide wastewater and the optimized catalyst showed H2 production of 350 mL h-1. The experimental results of time-on stream and catalytic stability demonstrated that ZnS/NiO hierarchical core-shell nanostructures can be recyclable and reusable for the continuous photocatalytic H2 generation.
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Fabrication of size-controlled hierarchical ZnS@ZnIn 2S 4 heterostructured cages for enhanced gas-phase CO 2 photoreduction. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 605:253-262. [PMID: 34329978 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Designing and constructing advanced heterojunction architectures are desirable for boosting CO2 photoreduction performance of semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, we have prepared hierarchical ZnS@ZnIn2S4 core-shell cages with controlled particle sizes using sequential synthesis of Zeolitic imidazolate (ZIF-8) polyhedrons, ZnS cages, and ZnIn2S4 nanosheets on the ZnS polyhedron cages. ZIF-8 polyhedrons are firstly synthesized by a liquid-phase approach. The subsequent sulfidation of the ZIF-8 polyhedrons results in the formation of ZnS polyhedron cages, which act as substrates for fabricating ZnS@ZnIn2S4 core-shell cages by growing ZnIn2S4 nanosheets. The size of ZnS cages can be tuned to optimize CO2 photoreduction performance of hierarchical ZnS@ZnIn2S4 core-shell cages. The synergy of the unique hierarchical core-shell cage-like structure and heterojunction composition endows the hybrid catalyst high incident light utilization, abundant active sites, and effective separation of photoexcited charge carriers. Benefiting from these advantages, the optimized hierarchical ZnS@ZnIn2S4 core-shell cages exhibit enhanced performance for CO2 photoreduction with the CO yield of 87.43 μmol h-1g-1 and 84.3% selectivity, which are much superior to those of single ZnIn2S4 or ZnS. Upon Au decoration, the CO2 photoreduction performance of ZnS@ZnIn2S4 core-shell cages is further enhanced because of the Schottky junctions and surface plasmon resonance effect.
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Fabrication of an Anti-Reflective Microstructure on ZnS by Femtosecond Laser Bessel Beams. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26144278. [PMID: 34299553 PMCID: PMC8307567 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As an important mid-infrared to far-infrared optical window, ZnS is extremely important to improve spectral transmission performance, especially in the military field. However, on account of the Fresnel reflection at the interface between the air and the high-strength substrate, surface optical loss occurs in the ZnS optical window. In this study, the concave antireflective sub-wavelength structures (ASS) on ZnS have been experimentally investigated to obtain high transmittance in the far-infrared spectral range from 6 μm to 10 μm. We proposed a simple method to fabricate microhole array ASS by femtosecond Bessel beam, which further increased the depth of the microholes and suppressed the thermal effects effectively, including the crack and recast layer of the microhole. The influence of different Gaussian and Bessel beam parameters on the microhole morphology were explored, and three ASS structures with different periods were prepared by the optimized Bessel parameters. Ultimately, the average transmittance of the sample with the ASS microhole array period of 2.6 μm increased by 4.1% in the 6 μm to 10 μm waveband, and the transmittance was increased by 5.7% at wavelength of 7.2 μm.
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Use of Hybrid PEDOT:PSS/Metal Sulfide Quantum Dots for a Hole Injection Layer in Highly Efficient Green Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes. Front Chem 2021; 9:657557. [PMID: 33996751 PMCID: PMC8117333 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.657557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we have synthesized the molybdenum sulfide quantum dots (MoS2 QDs) and zinc sulfide quantum dots (ZnS QDs) and demonstrated a highly efficient green phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with hybrid poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/QDs hole injection layer (HIL). The electroluminescent properties of PEDOT:PSS and hybrid HIL based devices were explored. An optimized OLED based on the PEDOT:PSS/MoS2 QDs HIL exhibited maximum current efficiency (CE) of 72.7 cd A-1, which shows a 28.2% enhancement as compared to counterpart with single PEDOT:PSS HIL. The higher device performance of OLED with hybrid HIL can be attributed to the enhanced hole injection capacity and balanced charge carrier transportation in the OLED devices. The above analysis illustrates an alternative way to fabricate the high efficiency OLEDs with sulfide quantum dots as a HIL.
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Correlation with surface defects and maiden observation of disorder activated phonon in cubic ZnS QDs. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2020; 243:118782. [PMID: 32799188 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2020.118782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Defects and deformation potential in quantum dots (QDs) were found to control the Raman modes however the disorder activated phonon (DAP) mode could not be seen in the cubic phase ZnS. With a maiden observation of a DAP mode the crucial role of surface defects, in particular, elemental 'S' is reported. The DAP mode was seen with significant intensity at 153 cm-1 along with the LO mode at 347 cm-1 for the cubic ZnS. ZnS nanoparticles (NPs) of 3 to 5 nm were synthesized to understand origin of the DAP mode and its correlation with defects. The strongest DAP mode was observed in ZnS QDs of 3 nm size which showed the highest surface defects, in particular, the elemental type sulfur as revealed by the photoluminescence study. With increase in crystal size, the bulk-like property set in with the appearance of a weak DAP mode. Further, the reason behind the unclear observation of the mode in a cubic ZnS crystal near room temperature and effects of unaltered surface defects were investigated by the chemical functionalization with oleic acid and the heat treatment studies. The results revealed existence of a strong correlation between surface defects and synthesis conditions for observation of a DAP peak in cubic ZnS NPs.
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Influence of Ag + and Mn 2+ ions on structural, optical and photoluminescence features of ZnS quantum dots. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2020; 241:118666. [PMID: 32650246 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2020.118666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The current study deals with the structural, morphological, elemental, optical and photoluminescence behaviors of Ag+, Mn2+ dual doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs). The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) studies confirmed the cubic structure and size of the crystallites (~2 nm). The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) photographs portrayed the surface and morphological structure of prepared samples. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR) ensured the presence of Zn, Ag, Mn and, S in the samples as per the anticipated stoichiometry ratio. The UV-visible spectra showed a red shift in optical absorption and band gap gets narrowed due to the incorporation of Ag+ ions. The size effect has overcome the quantum confinement effect in this case. Through photoluminescence (PL) studies, a weak UV emission and strong red wavelength emissions were received and discussed on the basis of sulfur vacancies. This red emission was dealt in terms of d-electrons transition between host and dopant ions.
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Microfluidic Crystallization of Surfactant-Free Doped Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles for Optical Bioimaging Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:44074-44087. [PMID: 32876432 PMCID: PMC8011799 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The room-temperature controlled crystallization of monodispersed ZnS nanoparticles (average size of 5 nm) doped with luminescent ions (such as Mn2+, Eu3+, Sm3+, Nd3+, and Yb3+) was achieved via a microfluidic approach. The preparation did not require any stabilizing ligands or surfactants, minimizing potential sources of impurities. The synthesized nanomaterials were characterized from a structural (XRD and XAS at lanthanide L3 edges), morphological (TEM), and compositional (XPS, ICP-MS) perspective, giving complementary information on the materials' features. In view of potential applications in the field of optical bioimaging, the optical emission properties of the doped nanoparticles were assessed, and samples showed strong luminescent properties while being less affected by self-quenching mechanisms. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxicity experiments were conducted, showing no negative effects and evidencing the appeal of the synthesized materials for potential applications in the field of optical bioimaging.
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Effective photocatalytic removal of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products by elsmoreite/tungsten oxide@ ZnS photocatalyst. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2020; 270:110870. [PMID: 32721314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In this study, elsmoreite/tungsten oxide is used to form a heterojunction with ZnS-containing industrial waste. The effect of the elsmoreite/tungsten oxide content on photocatalytic activity of ZnS using the different ratios of ZnS:Na2WO4 in the synthesis solution is estimated. The initial ZnS:Na2WO4 ratio leads to the formation of hexagonal WO3∙0.33H2O on the surface of ZnS. A further increase in the ZnS:Na2WO4 ratio results in the domination of cubic WO3∙0.5H2O over hexagonal WO3. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra of elsmoreite/tungsten oxide@ZnS composite photocatalysts show that the absorption onset shifts monotonously towards lower wavelengths from 450 nm to 400 nm. The microrods of hexagonal WO3 and {111}-truncated submicron-sized crystals of WO3∙0.5H2O are grown on the ZnS surface. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirm the formation of a heterojunction between elsmoreite/tungsten oxide and ZnS. The photocatalytic activities of elsmoreite/tungsten oxide@ZnS composite photocatalysts are evaluated for the degradation of selected pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs): metoprolol - Mt, triclosan - TCS, and caffeine - CAF both in single and in mixture solutions. The elsmoreite/tungsten oxide@ZnS photocatalysts degrade 50% of Mt, 70% TCS, and 60% CAF in single solution and 35% of Mt, 20% of CAF, and 20% of TCS in mixture solution. Hydrated Mt and TCS are preferably adsorbed on the surface of WO3∙0.5H2O (111), and CAF has better affinity to the surface of WO3. The elsmoreite/tungsten oxide@ZnS photocatalysts show a good reusability. Hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and photogenerated holes (h+) are involved in the photocatalytic removal of Mt, while only h+ is involved in the photocatalytic removal of TCS. Interestingly, none of the above-mentioned species is involved in the photocatalytic removal of CAF. Also, nontoxic CAF is mainly degraded into intermediates with higher toxicity. The toxicity of the photocatalytically treated model wastewater in the mixture solution, tested with Vibrio fischeri, is much lower than that in the single solution.
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Electrocatalyzing S Cathodes via Multisulfiphilic Sites for Superior Room-Temperature Sodium-Sulfur Batteries. ACS NANO 2020; 14:7259-7268. [PMID: 32433868 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c02488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT-Na/S) batteries hold great promise for sustainable and cost-effective applications. Nevertheless, it remains a great challenge to achieve high capacity and cycling stability due to the low activity of sulfur and the sluggish conversion kinetics between polysulfide intermediates and sodium sulfide. Herein, an electrocatalyzing S cathode is fabricated, which consists of porous core-shell structure and multisulfiphilic sites. The flexible carbon structure effectively buffers volume changes during cycling and provides enclosed spaces to store S8 with exceptional conductivity. Significantly, the multisulfiphilic sites (ZnS and CoS2) enhance catalysis toward multistep S conversion, which effectively suppresses long-chain polysulfides dissolution and improves the kinetics of short-chain polysulfides. Thus, the obtained S cathodes achieve an enhanced cycling performance (570 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 over 1000 cycles), decent rate capability (250 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 over 2000 cycles), and high energy density of 384 Wh kg-1 toward practical applications.
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Use of Chalcogenide-Semiconductor-Sensitized Titania to Directly Charge a Vanadium Redox Battery. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10061137. [PMID: 32526989 PMCID: PMC7353278 DOI: 10.3390/nano10061137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Unmediated charging of a battery using solar radiation is a very attractive project of solar energy conversion and storage. In the present work, solar energy was converted into electricity using a photocatalytic fuel cell operating with a chalcogenide-semiconductor-sensitized nanoparticulate titania photoanode and an air-cathode functioning by oxygen reduction. This cell produced sufficient energy to directly charge a vanadium redox battery functioning with a VOSO4 electrolyte and carbon paper electrodes. The whole system is characterized by ease of construction and simplicity of conception; therefore, it satisfies conditions for practical applications.
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Porous tube-like ZnS derived from rod-like ZIF-L for photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction and organic pollutants degradation. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113417. [PMID: 31662269 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A facile method was developed to fabricate porous tube-like ZnS by sulfurizing rod-like ZIF-L with thioacetamide (TAA) at different durations and the formation mechanism of the porous tube-like ZnS was discussed in detail. The series of sulfide products (ZS-X) were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SSNMR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS). The photocatalytic performances of ZS-X toward Cr(VI) reduction and organic pollutant degradation were explored. It was discovered that ZS-3 (porous tube-like ZnS) exhibited excellent activities under UV light and displayed good reusability and stability after several experimental cycles. In addition, Cr(VI) reduction and organic pollutant degradation were investigated under different pH values and existence of different foreign ions. The photocatalytic activities of ZS-3 were tested toward the matrix of Cr(VI) and reactive red X-3B. The mechanism was proposed and verified by both electrochemical analysis and electron spin resonance (ESR) measurement.
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Toxicity Evaluation of Quantum Dots ( ZnS and CdS) Singly and Combined in Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 17:E232. [PMID: 31905638 PMCID: PMC6981874 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of nanotechnology has led to the production of large quantities of nanomaterials for numerous industrial, technological, agricultural, environmental, food and many other applications. However, this huge production has raised growing concerns about the adverse effects that the release of these nanomaterials may have on the environment and on living organisms. Regarding the effects of QDs on aquatic organisms, existing data is scarce and often contradictory. Thus, more information is needed to understand the mechanisms associated with the potential toxicity of these nanomaterials in the aquatic environment. The toxicity of QDs (ZnS and CdS) was evaluated in the freshwater fish Danio rerio. The fishes were exposed for seven days to different concentrations of QDs (10, 100 and 1000 µg/L) individually and combined. Oxidative stress enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase), lipid peroxidation, HSP70 and total ubiquitin were assessed. In general, results suggest low to moderate toxicity as shown by the increase in catalase activity and lipid peroxidation levels. The QDs (ZnS and CdS) appear to cause more adverse effects singly than when tested combined. However, LPO results suggest that exposure to CdS singly caused more oxidative stress in zebrafish than ZnS or when the two QDs were tested combined. Levels of Zn and Cd measured in fish tissues indicate that both elements were bioaccumulated by fish and the concentrations increased in tissues according to the concentrations tested. The increase in HSP70 measured in fish exposed to 100 µg ZnS-QDs/L may be associated with high levels of Zn determined in fish tissues. No significant changes were detected for total ubiquitin. More experiments should be performed to fully understand the effects of QDs exposure to aquatic biota.
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Impact of ZnO and ZnS nanoparticles in sewage sludge-amended soil on bacteria, plant and invertebrates. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 237:124359. [PMID: 31394455 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) on the toxicity of sewage sludges in sewage sludge-amended soils was investigated with respect to plant- (Lepidium sativum) and soil- (Folsomia candida) species. The toxicity of porewater obtained from the tested soils towards Vibrio fischeri (Microtox®) was also investigated. Two sewage sludges (SSL1 and SSL2) with different organic matter content were amended with nanoparticles. Depending on the type of biotest and the type of sewage sludge, different effects of ZnO or ZnS NPs on the toxicity of sewage sludge-amended soil were observed. In general, ZnO and ZnS NPs stimulated root growth for SSL1 or reduced the harmful impact of SSL2 on the root growth of L. sativum roots. Greater stimulation or inhibition of root growth was observed for the ZnO than ZnS NPs. The unfavorable effect of ZnO/ZnS NPs on F. candida mortality and reproduction was observed at a concentration of ZnO/ZnS in sewage sludge ≥250 mg/kg. Generally, there were no significant differences between ZnO and ZnS NPs toxicity towards F. candida. Aging for 45 days of sewage sludge-amended soil containing NPs affected ZnO and ZnS NPs toxicity to all tested organisms. In the most cases, the toxicity decreased after 45 days of aging for plant (L. sativum) and invertebrates (F. candida). The toxicity of porewater to V. fischeri from sewage sludge-amended soil contains ZnO NPs did not change, while in the case of ZnS NPs, the toxicity increased after 45 days of aging.
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Efficient degradation of rhodamine B by magnetically separable ZnS-ZnFe 2O 4 composite with the synergistic effect from persulfate. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 237:124547. [PMID: 31549659 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.124547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Novel ZnS-ZnFe2O4 composites were successfully synthesized via a simple and green hydrothermal route. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the synthesized composite proved the presence of both ZnS and ZnFe2O4. The other characteristics of the composites were further characterized in detail using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The performance of ZnS-ZnFe2O4 in the presence of persulfate (PS, K2S2O8) as a co-catalyst was tested for degrading rhodamine B (RhB) under UV light illumination. ZnS-ZnFe2O4 composites could remove about 97.67% of RhB in 90 min, which was much higher removal than either ZnS or ZnFe2O4 alone. Moreover, the recovery of catalyst and its recycling performance were found to be good after testing three times. A feasible mechanism analysis of RhB degradation was validated by simple classical quenching experiments. The enhanced performance was attributed to the high-efficiency separation rate of photo induced electron-hole pairs and highly active free radicals of O2-, OH and SO4-.
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N-Doped Carbon-Coated ZnS with Sulfur-Vacancy Defect for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity in the Visible Light Region. NANOMATERIALS 2019; 9:nano9121657. [PMID: 31766440 PMCID: PMC6956101 DOI: 10.3390/nano9121657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In this work, N-doped carbon-coated ZnS with a sulfur-vacancy defect (ZnS@N-C) was performed for the visible-light-driven photodegradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The obtained ZnS@N-C exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity compared with ZnS for TCH removal. Among these ZnS@N-C composites, ZnS@N-C-3 with N-doped content of 3.01% (100 nm) presented the best visible-light photocatalytic activity and superior long-term photocatalytic stability after five cycle times for TCH removal in the visible light region. This may be ascribed to the interface between the N-doped carbon shell and ZnS with a sulfur-vacancy defect for efficient charge transfer and the restrained recombination of charge carriers. Electron spin resonance (ESR) results indicate that the ·O2‒ radical plays a crucial role in the enhanced photocatalytic activity of ZnS@N-C-3.
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Photocatalytic reforming of biomass for hydrogen production over ZnS nanoparticles modified carbon nitride nanosheets. J Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 555:22-30. [PMID: 31376766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.07.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Hydrogen generation from biomass reforming via solar energy utilisation has become a fascinating strategy toward future energy sustainability. In this study, ZnS nanoparticles with an average size around 10-15 nm were synthesised by a facile hydrothermal method, and then hybridised with g-C3N4 (MCN, DCN, and UCN) derived from melamine, dicyandiamide and urea, producing the heterojunctions denoted as ZMCN, ZDCN and ZUCN, respectively. Advanced characterisations were employed to investigate the physiochemical properties of the materials. ZMCN and ZDCN showed a slight red shift and better light absorbance ability. Their catalytic performances were evaluated by photocatalytic biomass reforming for hydrogen generation. The hydrogen generation rate on ZMCN, the best photocatalyst among MCN, DCN, UCN, ZDCN and ZUCN, was around 2.5 times higher than the pristine MCN. However, the photocatalytic efficiency of ZUCN experienced decrease of 36.6% compared to pure UCN. The mechanism of the photocatalytic reforming process was discussed. The photoluminescence spectra of ZMCN suggested that the introduction of ZnS for ZMCN would reduce the recombination of photoinduced carriers. It was also found that both microstructure and band structure would influence the photocatalytic reforming efficiency.
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Hydrophobization of Tobacco Mosaic Virus to Control the Mineralization of Organic Templates. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2019; 9:E800. [PMID: 31137720 PMCID: PMC6567237 DOI: 10.3390/nano9050800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The robust, anisotropic tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) provides a monodisperse particle size and defined surface chemistry. Owing to these properties, it became an excellent bio-template for the synthesis of diverse nanostructured organic/inorganic functional materials. For selective mineralization of the bio-template, specific functional groups were introduced by means of different genetically encoded amino acids or peptide sequences into the polar virus surface. An alternative approach for TMV surface functionalization is chemical coupling of organic molecules. To achieve mineralization control in this work, we developed a synthetic strategy to manipulate the surface hydrophilicity of the virus through covalent coupling of polymer molecules. Three different types of polymers, namely the perfluorinated (poly(pentafluorostyrene) (PFS)), the thermo-responsive poly(propylene glycol) acrylate (PPGA), and the block-copolymer polyethylene-block-poly(ethylene glycol) were examined. We have demonstrated that covalent attachment of hydrophobic polymer molecules with proper features retains the integrity of the virus structure. In addition, it was found that the degree of the virus hydrophobicity, examined via a ZnS mineralization test, could be tuned by the polymer properties.
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Stretchable Electroluminescent Display Enabled by Graphene-Based Hybrid Electrode. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:14222-14228. [PMID: 30912424 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b22135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Stretchable alternating-current electroluminescent (ACEL) devices are required due to their potential in wearable, biomedical, e-skin, robotic, lighting, and display applications; however, one of the main hurdles is to achieve uniform electroluminescence with an optimal combination of transparency, conductivity, and stretchability in electrodes. We therefore propose a fabrication scheme involving strategically combining two-dimensional graphene layers with a silver nanowire (Ag NW)-embedded PEDOT:PSS film. The developed hybrid electrode overcomes the limitations of commonly known metallic NWs and ionic conductor-based electrodes for ACEL applications. Furthermore, the potential of the hybrid electrode is realized in demonstrating large-area stretchable ACEL devices composed of an 8 × 8 passive array. The prototype ACEL passive array demonstrates efficient and uniform electroluminescence under high levels of mechanical deformation such as bending, rolling, twisting, and stretching.
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In situ decoration of ZnS nanoparticles with Ti 3C 2 MXene nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. J Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 545:63-70. [PMID: 30875508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Seeking highly-efficient and cost-effective photocatalyst remains key to boosting photocatalytic H2 evolution activity. Herein we have designed an innovative, non-heavy-metal-based hybrid photocatalyst via in-situ decoration of ZnS nanoparticles with Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets toward enhanced photocatalytic H2 production. The incorporation of Ti3C2 essentially promotes the charge transfer and extends the lifetime of photo-induced carriers, thereby resulting in an augmented H2 production yield of 502.6 μmol g-1 h-1 under optimal conditions, being almost 4-fold higher than pure ZnS (124.6 μmol g-1 h-1). Thus, this work has demonstrated ZnS/MXene photocatalytic as a promising candidate for hydrogen generation to boost the entire clean energy system and provided a new insight into further broadening the water splitting application of MXene-based materials.
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Single-Crystal Graphene-Directed van der Waals Epitaxial Resistive Switching. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2018; 10:6730-6736. [PMID: 29368515 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b18385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Graphene has been broadcasted as a promising choice of electrode and substrate for flexible electronics. To be truly useful in this regime, graphene has to prove its capability in ordering the growth of overlayers at an atomic scale, commonly known as epitaxy. Meanwhile, graphene as a diffusion barrier against atoms and ions has been shown in some metal-graphene-dielectric configurations for integrated circuits. Guided by these two points, this work explores a new direction of using graphene as a bifunctional material in an electrochemical metallization memory, where graphene is shown to (i) order the growth of a low-ionicity semiconductor ZnS single-crystalline film and (ii) regulate the ion migration in the resistive switching device made of Cu/ZnS/graphene/Cu structures. The ZnS film is confirmed to be van der Waals epitaxially grown on single-crystal graphene with X-ray structural analysis and Raman spectroscopy. Charge transport studies with controlled kinetic parameters reveal superior ion regulating characteristic of graphene in this ZnS-based resistive switching device. The demonstration of the first graphene-directed epitaxial wide band gap semiconductor resistive switching suggests a possible and promising route toward flexible memristors.
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