Article
Environmental Sciences
Devagi Kanakaraju, Muhamad Akif Aizuddin Jasni, Andrea Pace, Muhamad Hazim Ya
Summary: The Cu/TiO2/FA composite was optimized for the removal of the model dye pollutant methyl orange under visible light irradiation using response surface methodology and Box-Behnken experimental design. The study considered three independent variables and achieved a 99.91% removal rate under the optimal operating conditions. The results support the hypothesis of a combined and synergic adsorption-photocatalytic degradation process for pollutant removal.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chaehun Lim, Ha-Rim An, Seongmin Ha, Seongjae Myeong, Chung Gi Min, Hea-Jong Chung, Byoungchul Son, Chang-Yeon Kim, Ji-In Park, Hyeran Kim, Hyun Uk Lee, Young-Seak Lee
Summary: We propose an underwater plasma method to produce nanoporous N-doped TiO2 (N-TiO2) photocatalysts with high reactivity in the visible light range. The unique energy input of this technology enables the synthesis, crystallization, doping, and porosity of TiO2 within minutes. The resulting N-TiO2 demonstrates a nanoporous structure with doped N atoms, which leads to narrow bandgap, effective charge-carrier separation, and enhanced light absorbing ability. The N-TiO2 photocatalysts exhibit efficient photocatalytic activities and excellent antibacterial ability, making them suitable for environmental and biomedical applications.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xin Yu, Chao Zhou, Zhanhua Huang, Changhui Xin, Yanjing Lin, Fengdan Fu, Shijie Li, Weiping Zhang
Summary: High-efficiency charge separation and strong oxidizing capacity are achieved by fabricating self-doped Zr3+-ZrO2 nanoclusters and AgCl@Zr3+-ZrO2 heterostructures with high surface areas, which is of great significance for photodegradation of organic pollutants.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Qianqian Hu, Yifan Liu, Weian Li, Yanqi Wang, Wenhua Liao, Hanxun Zou, Jianrong Li, Xiaoying Huang
Summary: This study presents a facile and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing C, N co-doped mesoporous TiO2 nanocrystals, using IL-assisted microwave synthesis, resulting in small-sized TiO2 with well-developed mesoporous structure and abundant C, N dopants. The material exhibits high specific-surface area, excellent hydrophilicity, elevated valence-band edges, abundant defect levels, and narrowed band-gap, leading to improved visible-light absorption, reduced photogenerated electron-hole recombination, and rapid charge transfer and surface-catalyzed reactions.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhengyang Chen, Shui Yu, Jianping Liu, Yamei Zhang, Yuchen Wang, Jiangyi Yu, Ming Yuan, Pengchao Zhang, Wen Liu, Jiaoxia Zhang
Summary: The continuous presence of organic pollutants in industrial wastewater poses a significant threat to human health, necessitating urgent and effective treatment. Photocatalytic degradation technology, specifically the use of TiO2 photocatalysts, provides a viable solution for the removal of organic pollutants. However, the limited absorption of visible light by TiO2 hinders its full utilization. To address this issue, the study developed an environmentally friendly synthesis of Ag-coated on micro-wrinkled TiO2-based catalysts, enabling extended absorption of visible light. The synthesized C/F-Ag-TiO2 composite exhibited a significantly lower band gap energy and achieved a remarkable degradation rate under visible light, making it a promising candidate for highly efficient environmental remediation.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Martha Pylarinou, Alexia Toumazatou, Elias Sakellis, Evangelia Xenogiannopoulou, Spiros Gardelis, Nikos Boukos, Athanasios Dimoulas, Vlassis Likodimos
Summary: Surface deposition of FeOx nanoclusters on TiO2 photonic crystals was investigated to explore the interplay of slow-photon amplification, visible light absorption, and charge separation in FeOx-TiO2 photocatalytic films. The study found that low amounts of FeOx nanoclusters improved photocatalytic performance under visible light, but higher loading resulted in performance deterioration, particularly under UV-Vis light.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andrew J. Gayle, Julia D. Lenef, Park A. Huff, Jing Wang, Fenghe Fu, Gayatri Dadheech, Neil P. Dasgupta
Summary: Highly transparent self-cleaning surfaces capable of harvesting near-visible light were synthesized and characterized. The use of Pt-TiO2 nanoparticles embedded in a SiO2 matrix allowed for water adsorption and formation of reactive oxide species upon illumination, resulting in the removal of surface contaminants. The ability to adjust the self-cleaning rate and transparency by varying the film morphology offers potential applications in touchscreen displays.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rida Tehreem, Muhammad Awais, Sanya Khursheed, Fahad Rehman, Dilshad Hussain, Young Sun Mok, Ghayas Uddin Siddiqui
Summary: In this study, chromium and nitrogen co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized and used for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes under visible light. The nanoparticles showed remarkable results in the degradation of organic pollutants, with high efficiency and reusability. The study has important implications for solving the problem of water pollution.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rudzani Ratshiedana, Olayemi Jola Fakayode, Ajay Kumar Mishra, Alex Tawanda Kuvarega
Summary: The study focuses on the impact of silver ion doping on the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide for the degradation of tartrazine. Results show that optimal degradation of tartrazine can be achieved with a certain amount of doping, suggesting potential applications for removing similar organic pollutants from water.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Swaraz Mollick, Md. Reazuddin Repon, Aminoddin Haji, Mohammad Abdul Jalil, Tarikul Islam, Mahbub Morshed Khan
Summary: With the growing concerns about environmental conservation and water conservation, self-cleaning textile materials are becoming increasingly popular. The use of nanoparticles is an effective method for producing self-cleaning surfaces. Super-hydrophobic surfaces and photocatalytic surfaces are two common approaches for achieving self-cleaning properties. Nanoparticles coated self-cleaning textile materials have a wide range of applications.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Myrthe Van Hal, Silvia Lenaerts, Sammy W. Verbruggen
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of a visible light-active photocatalyst, WO3, compared to TiO2 under both UV and visible light. It also demonstrates an improved digital image-based analysis method for accurate detection and quantification of soot degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Esfandiar Pakdel, Walid A. Daoud, Russell J. Varley, Xungai Wang
Summary: This study developed wool fabrics with antibacterial and photocatalytic self-cleaning functionalities. The effects of light source type and wavelength range on the self-cleaning property were investigated. The results showed that filtered simulated sunlight was the most effective light source for inducing self-cleaning in wool, while silver and platinum coatings exhibited bactericidal effects.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiawei Zhao, Bin Wang, Yaru Zhao, Mingming Hou, Changhui Xin, Qian Li, Xin Yu
Summary: This study aims to fabricate self-doped Ti3+-TiO2 microspheres and dye sensitized self-doped Ti3+-TiO2 composites with high surface areas and visible-light absorption for highly enhanced photocatalytic tetracycline degradation under visible-light irradiation. The experimental results showed that the obtained Ti3+-TiO2 microspheres showed enhanced visible-light capture capacity and a larger surface area. Besides, the obtained Eosin Y/Ti3+-TiO2 composites showed efficient visible-light absorption and highly boosted photocatalytic performance towards tetracycline degradation. The highest rate constant for Eosin Y/Ti3+-TiO2-9% composite reached as high as 0.06657 min-1, approximately 8.09 times that of commercial TiO2, strongly demonstrating the significant roles of dye sensitization. Finally, a reasonable dye sensitization visible-light photocatalytic mechanism was suggested.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF SOLIDS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Montserrat Filella, Johanna Brazard, Takuji B. M. Adachi, Andrew Turner
Summary: This study analyzed the presence of chemical elements in cleaning cloth products purchased in Europe. Titanium was the most frequently detected element, while lead was found to be a contaminant. Other chemical elements were also detected, possibly due to the presence of various additives.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yeganeh Kosar Hashemi, Mohammad Tavakkoli Yaraki, Sina Ghanbari, Leily Heidarpoor Saremi, Mohammad Hadi Givianrad
Summary: Visible-light driven photocatalysts play a significant role in wastewater treatment. A fluorine and nitrogen co-doped titanium dioxide/silica nanocomposite with high surface area and narrow band gap was successfully synthesized as a potential candidate for photocatalytic applications under visible light. Systematic density functional theory calculations were conducted to understand the effect of dopant atoms on the band gap of TiO2 nanoparticles. The study demonstrated the successful removal of organic water pollutants by carefully controlling operational parameters and using highly efficient photocatalytic nanomaterials.
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Jie Zhang, Pengpeng Yao, Hochung Wu, John H. Xin
Summary: This paper presents a grid-based algorithm called GDPC for automatically recognizing patterns and extracting colors of multispectral images of printed fabrics. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves higher accuracy in recognizing intricate patterns and colors, and requires less computational time.
JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT MANUFACTURING
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Wenwen Guo, Fuwei Liang, Shun Chen, Diantang Zhang, Wenbing Li, Kun Qian, Yang Xu, Bin Fei
Summary: In this study, a magnolol-derived bisphosphate (MBDPP) was successfully synthesized and applied for the fabrication of flame-retardant bismaleimide (BMI) thermosets. The addition of MBDPP increased the reaction activation energy and improved the anti-flammability and smoke suppression performances of the BMI thermosets by forming an intact char layer.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Xin Hu, Yingbo Zhang, Jing Zhang, Hongyu Yang, Faming Wang, Bin Fei, Nuruzzaman Noor
Summary: Improving the energy efficiency of buildings through the use of enhanced passive radiative cooling materials, such as the zinc oxide-coated transparent wood (CTW) composite, can effectively mitigate the global energy and climate crises. CTW has a high infrared emissivity and reasonable luminous transmittance, with improved mechanical and thermal insulation properties, making it a potential replacement for existing glazing materials. Energy-saving simulations for cities like Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chongqing have shown that CTW can save up to approximately 17% more energy compared to conventional commercial window materials.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yintung Lam, Suju Fan, Liang He, Yanki Ho, Bin Fei, John H. Xin
Summary: Magnetic polydopamine (PDA) nanocomposites with tunable surface charges were synthesized and demonstrated efficient adsorption and desorption behaviors for the removal of textile dyes in wastewater treatment. The nanoadsorbents showed high potential for selective separation and recovery of ionic dyes.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Wenwen Guo, Fuwei Liang, Shun Chen, Kejing Yu, Jie Sun, Zengyuan Pang, Bin Fei
Summary: A phosphorus-containing bio-based monomer was synthesized and photo-cured with tri-thiol or tetra-thiol monomers to form membranes with excellent flame resistance, transparency, and flexibility, making them suitable as intumescent flame retardant coating materials.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shuang Qiu, Jun Sun, Yuchun Li, Tao Zhu, Hongfei Li, Xiaoyu Gu, Bin Fei, Sheng Zhang
Summary: In this study, a multifunctional bioderived additive (PA@TA-CS) was prepared to improve the properties of PLA. The addition of PA@TA-CS enhanced the flame retardancy and UV resistance of PLA, and intensified the hydrolysis and microbial degradation of PLA chains. This work provides an effective strategy for extending the service life of bioplastics.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Shuo Shi, Chuanwei Zhi, Shuai Zhang, Jieqiong Yang, Yifan Si, Yuanzhang Jiang, Yang Ming, Kin-talc Lau, Bin Fei, Jinlian Hu
Summary: Inspired by the micro/nanostructures of lotus leaves, this study constructed a structured electrospun membrane with excellent comprehensive properties. The performance of the membrane was systematically evaluated through experiments and simulations. The structured membrane demonstrated high water vapor transmission rate, good air permeability, and high hydrostatic pressure, showing potential applications in advanced fibrous membranes and intelligent protection.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pengpeng Yao, Hochung Wu, John H. H. Xin
Summary: Spectral reflectance reconstruction for multispectral images may be sub-optimal when the object's texture is not in the training set. Our proposed improved method based on L1-norm penalization provides better results by achieving sparse property in the transformation matrix when dealing with unseen samples. Experimental results demonstrate consistent accuracy across four types of materials and show superior performance compared to existing methods using colorimetric measure.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Huige Chen, Huashan Wang, Jiashuai Li, Bin Fei, Ziqi Wang
Summary: An abietic acid (ABA) layer fabricated on the surface of Zn anodes (ABA@Zn) can effectively solve the issues of dendrite propagation and side reactions in aqueous zinc batteries. The ABA layer protects the Zn anode from corrosion and hydrogen evolution, while promoting fast interfacial charge transfer and horizontal growth of the deposited Zn. This work demonstrates stable cycling performance and excellent long-term cycling stability in aqueous zinc batteries.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xin Hu, Rujun Yu, Faming Wang, Zunfeng Liu, Hongyu Yang, Chaoji Chen, Yangling Li, Nuruzzaman Noor, Bin Fei
Summary: Transparent wood (TW)-based materials have attracted worldwide attention due to their superior physico-chemical-optical properties and sustainable nature, making them potential substitutes for glass and plastics. This article comprehensively summarizes the recent advancements in TW composites and coatings, focusing on seven specific functionalities: solar control, chromically-responsive, electrically conductive, shape-memory active, flame-retardant, electromagnetic interference shielding, and aesthetics. Additionally, potential applications of TW with these functionalities are discussed, along with the current challenges and future developments required for real-world applications.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Feng Chen, Peng Qi, Jian Liu, Gang Xia, Bin Fei, Jun Sun, John H. Xin, Sheng Zhang
Summary: In this study, a durable flame retardant cotton fabric (Cotton-APA/LNT) was successfully fabricated by covalently bonding ammonium phytate (APA) and lentinan (LNT). The Cotton-APA/LNT fabric exhibited high limiting oxygen index (LOI) value and self-extinguishing ability. After laundering cycles, the fabric still showed good flame retardancy and improved durability and breaking force.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jing Yang, Yi Pu, Hui Yu, Dong-dong Ye, Xi Liu, John H. Xin
Summary: Stretchable wearable thermoelectric generators (WTEGs) with biaxial stretchability have been developed. These generators consist of flexible inorganic Ag/Ag2Se strips sewn into a soft purl-knit fabric, allowing for efficient energy harvesting from body heat. The prepared WTEGs exhibit a stable temperature gradient and high power density, making them suitable for powering low power consumption wearable electronics.
Article
Electrochemistry
Yang Ming, Yidi Wang, Jiachuan Hua, Chang Liu, Jiashen Li, Bin Fei
Summary: The enhancement of electrocatalytic water splitting by modulating the intrinsic electronic environment of active sites has attracted significant interest. In this study, cobalt-cobalt oxide (CoOx) supported on carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks (Zn-0.2@ZIF-67) was modified through post-phosphine (P-CoOx/NCs), acid leaching (Co/NCs), and oxidation (O-CoOx/NCs) treatments. The resulting carbon materials exhibited a high surface area and a micro-/mesoporous system, leading to improved catalytic performance and efficient charge transfer. A water splitting cell fabricated with 900P-CoOx/NCs showed low overpotential, low cell voltage, and high stability, indicating its potential for practical applications.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Huige Chen, Huashan Wang, Jiashuai Li, Bin Fei, Ziqi Wang
Summary: By fabricating an abietic acid (ABA) layer on the surface of zinc anodes, the critical issues of uncontrolled dendrite propagation and side reactions can be effectively addressed in aqueous zinc batteries. The ABA layer protects the zinc anode from corrosion and hydrogen evolution reaction, while facilitating fast interfacial charge transfer and horizontal growth. This enables improved redox kinetics, reversibility, and long-term cycling stability in the batteries.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
Liang Jin, Tao Qian, Yujun Cheng, Dongming Qi, John H. Xin, Gang Xia, Zhihua Cui
Summary: Dye wastewater is highly polluting and toxic, posing a threat to the environment. The introduction of carboxylic ester groups effectively addresses the issue of effluent discharge during the dye clearing process.
TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL
(2023)
