Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenqing Cheng, Huixue Ren, Yanxue Chen, Daoji Wu, Xuemei Li, Chunfeng Yu, Fangjun Li
Summary: Multifunctional coated glass with antireflective, hydrophilic, and photocatalytic properties was successfully prepared by magnetron sputtering. By changing the annealing temperature, the density and reflectivity of the films were decreased. The composite film annealed at 774K exhibited the highest transmittance and hydrophilic properties. Moreover, the photocatalytic efficiency of the films was greatly improved by loading Cu and its oxides with WO3.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Muhammad Hasanuzzaman, Mohammad Johirul Islam, Mohammad Arif Mokammel
Summary: This study aimed to enhance the visible light photosensitivity of TiO2 nanoparticles for self-cleaning applications by doping with Fe3+. The Fe-doped TiO2 nanoparticles demonstrated visible light sensitivity and self-cleaning properties.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingyan Zhang, Lei Li, Hui Li
Summary: In this study, the relationship between TiO2 surface wettability and the adsorption of water and carboxylic acid molecules was comprehensively investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The research found that the increase in surface hydroxyl groups enhances the hydrophilicity of TiO2, supporting the previously proposed mechanism of photo-induced hydrophilicity. Additionally, the wettability of the TiO2 surface can be tuned by adjusting the length of the adsorbed carboxylic acids, where shorter alkyl-chain acids promote hydrophilicity and longer alkyl-chain acids induce hydrophobicity. This study not only elucidates the mechanism of wettability caused by molecular adsorption but also provides a promising approach for creating materials with controllable wettability and high self-cleaning efficiency.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lan Zhang, Jinpeng Guo, Baofei Hao, Huizhong Ma
Summary: Photocatalysis reaction has been considered as an environmentally friendly plan for solving water pollution issue and counteracting environmental degradation. In this study, WO3/TiO2 membranes were fabricated and their surface morphology, structure, and photoelectric performance were investigated. The presence of oxygen defects was found to increase the carrier density. The heterojunctions exhibited superior photocatalytic performance under light illumination.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Leticya Lais Coelho, Matthieu Grao, Thomas Pomone, Marina Ratova, Peter Kelly, Michaela Wilhelm, Regina de Fatima Peralta Muniz Moreira
Summary: In this study, asymmetric alumina flat membranes were coated with TiO(2) thin films of varying thickness for wastewater treatment. The coating showed the ability to degrade pollutants and restore membrane flux under UV irradiation, but it was ineffective in preventing membrane fouling under oily conditions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wenqing Cheng, Huixue Ren, Yanxue Chen, Daoji Wu, Shuai Zhang, Chunfeng Yu, Fangjun Li
Summary: Different membrane compositions were designed to improve the self-cleaning and low emissivity of the membrane. The WO3/Mo/CrNi/TiO2 composite film prepared by magnetron sputtering technology showed complementary effect with different argon/oxygen ratios of TiO2 layer and film thicknesses. The microstructure characterization proved that the self-cleaning function of the composite film was determined by the photocatalytic properties and superhydrophilic properties of the TiO2.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
P. Bamola, S. Rawat, D. K. Pathak, M. Sharma, C. Dwivedi, S. Farsinezhad, R. Kumar, H. Sharma
Summary: Hybrids based on one dimensional nanostructures have shown promising results for photocatalytic applications. By modifying the interface, hybrids with electronic interaction can enhance photocatalytic activity. Switching between Ohmic and Schottky barriers using different hybrids can lead to improved charge transport and ultimately enhance photocatalytic activity. Metal and bimetallic nanoparticles were used to modify interface and studying their effect on charge carriers, with the analysis showing enhanced photocatalytic activity in hybrids with improved charge separation.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Julian Heuer, Thomas Kuckhoff, Rong Li, Katharina Landfester, Calum T. J. Ferguson
Summary: The production of photocatalytic self-assembled amphiphilic polymers enables selective control over reactions based on the substrate's physical properties. By polymerizing benzothiadiazole-based photocatalysts into hydrophilic or hydrophobic compartments, we achieved stark differences in reactivity for polar substrates but similar performance for hydrophobic substrates. Additionally, the use of secondary swelling solvents led to a significant increase in conversion for a radical carbon-carbon coupling reaction.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Sangbin Park, Younghwa Yoon, Sehyun Lee, Taejun Park, Kyunghwan Kim, Jeongsoo Hong
Summary: In this research, hydrophilic surfaces of TiO2 thin film were successfully obtained through thermoinduced and photoinduced methods to reduce the water contact angle, and it was found that crystallinity influences the hydrophilicity and sustainability of the films under sunlight.
Article
Thermodynamics
Mengdi Yang, Guangyan Liu, Wei Zhao, Fanbin Meng, Youliang Lao, Yi Liang
Summary: In this study, TiO2 composite coating with self-cleaning properties was prepared by spraying method on building exterior glass. The increase of TiO2 concentration enhanced photocatalytic efficiency and reduced contact angle, showing excellent recyclability and durability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LOW-CARBON TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dana Toloman, Maria Stefan, Sergiu Macavei, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran, Adriana Popa
Summary: PVDF membranes blended with different amounts of MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposites were prepared, and their structural and morphological properties were investigated. The hydrophilicity of the membrane increased with the increase of nanocomposite content, as shown by the reduced contact angle. Blending 0.5% of MWCNT-ZnO in a PVDF membrane achieved 85% removal rate of RbB under UV light irradiation. The pollutant removal occurred through the processes of adsorption and photocatalysis, improving the membrane's self-cleaning property and lifetime.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Christopher O'Rourke, Andrew Mills
Summary: Photoinduced absorption spectroscopy (PIAS) is used to investigate the kinetics of P25 TiO2 in mesoporous film form during the photocatalysed oxidation of 4-chlorophenol (4CP). The results reveal valuable information on the direct kinetics and mechanism of photogenerated holes in powdered photocatalysts.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maria Maevskaya, Aida Rudakova, Alexei Emeline, Detlef W. Bahnemann
Summary: The study found that the effect of a Cu2O substrate on the photoinduced alteration of the hydrophilicity of TiO2 and ZnO surfaces depends on the formation of heterostructures, which changes the direction of surface hydrophilicity. By analyzing the photoinduced changes in surface free energy and its polar and dispersive components, the impact of Cu2O/TiO2 and Cu2O/ZnO heterostructures on the surface hydrophilicity was explained.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Monica Luna, Mariam Barawi, Sacha Gomez-Monivas, Jaime Colchero, Micaela Rodriguez-Pena, Shanshan Yang, Xiao Zhao, Yi-Hsien Lu, Ravi Chintala, Patricia Renones, Virginia Altoe, Lidia Martinez, Yves Huttel, Seiji Kawasaki, Alexander Weber-Bargioni, Victor A. de la Pena OShea, Peidong Yang, Paul D. Ashby, Miquel Salmeron
Summary: The study explores the impact of gold nanoparticles on TiO2 during illumination with photons of energy larger than the substrate band gap. It is found that photoinduced electron transfer from TiO2 to the Au NPs increases logarithmically with light intensity due to electron trapping, hindering electron-hole recombination and enhancing photo(electro)catalytic activity.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Makoto Hirota, Yoshihiko Sugita, Manabu Ishijima, Takayuki Ikeda, Juri Saruta, Hatsuhiko Maeda, Takahiro Ogawa
Summary: The study demonstrates that UV treatment significantly restores osteoconductivity compromised by bacterial biofilm contamination on titanium surfaces, leading to increased bone-implant integration and bone formation, providing new possibilities for clinical applications.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michael Korning Sorensen, Anders Skovbo Gertsen, Rocco Peter Fornari, Binbin Zhou, Xiaotong Zhang, Peter Uhd Jepsen, Edoardo Stanzani, Shinhee Yun, Marcial Fernandez Castro, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Alexandros Koutsioubas, Piotr de Silva, Moises Espindola-Rodriguez, Luise Theil Kuhn, Jens Wenzel Andreasen
Summary: A method is proposed to control the final morphology of roll-to-roll slot-die coated poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) by optically exciting the p-type polymer during coating. This study demonstrates the relationship between the morphology and physical properties of the thin film by combining density functional theory, molecular dynamics simulations, X-ray experiments, absorption spectroscopy, and THz spectroscopy. It is observed that P3HT films excited with light during deposition exhibit higher crystallinity, texture with more face-on orientation, and increased out-of-plane charge mobility.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Paul Leidinger, Mirco Panighel, Virginia Perez Dieste, Ignacio J. Villar-Garcia, Pablo Vezzoni, Felix Haag, Johannes V. Barth, Francesco Allegretti, Sebastian Guenther, Laerte L. Patera
Summary: Dynamic covalent chemistry is used for designing covalent organic frameworks with high crystallinity achieved through reversible bond formation. In this study, near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is employed to investigate the reversible formation of a two-dimensional boroxine framework. By mapping the pressure-temperature parameter space, the regions where the rates of condensation and hydrolysis reactions dominate are identified, which enable the thermodynamically controlled growth of crystalline frameworks.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Elena Alfonso-Gonzalez, Marta Liras, Mengjiao Wang, Ignacio J. Villar-Garcia, Luca de Trizio, Mariam Barawi, Victor A. de la Pena O'Shea
Summary: In this work, a tandem photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell based on two different crystallographic phases of sub-stoichiometric copper telluride nanocrystals (NCs) was designed, assembled, and characterized. The PEC cell exhibits efficient photoconversion by utilizing the distinct optoelectronic properties of the two Cu2-xTe structures.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Veer Shah, David Medina-Cruz, Ada Vernet-Crua, Linh B. Truong, Eduardo Sotelo, Ebrahim Mostafavi, Maria Ujue Gonzalez, Jose Miguel Garcia-Martin, Jorge L. Cholula-Diaz, Thomas J. Webster
Summary: The conventional physicochemical approaches for producing nanoparticles for biomedical applications have limitations in terms of biocompatibility, requiring additional functionalization. In contrast, green nanotechnology and environmentally friendly nanomaterial synthesis using natural sources have gained attention. This study synthesized selenium and tellurium nanoparticles using extracts from jalapeno and habanero peppers and evaluated their antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The nanoparticles showed different antimicrobial profiles, with tellurium nanoparticles exhibiting a significant antibacterial effect. The nanoparticles also demonstrated cytocompatibility and dose-dependent anticancer effects, with tellurium nanoparticles being biocompatible but having a powerful anti-cancer effect.
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL BIOMATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabel del Castillo-Velilla, Ahmad Sousaraei, Ignacio Romero-Muniz, Celia Castillo-Blas, S. J. Alba Mendez, Freddy E. Oropeza, Victor A. de la Pena O'Shea, Juan Cabanillas-Gonzalez, Andreas Mavrandonakis, Ana E. Platero-Prats
Summary: Luminescent metal-organic frameworks are a new type of optical sensor capable of capturing and detecting toxic gases. In this study, synergistic binding sites were incorporated into MOF-808 through post-synthetic modification with copper for optical sensing of NO2 at remarkably low concentrations. Computational modelling and advanced synchrotron characterization tools were used to understand the atomic structure of the copper sites.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Luis Gutierrez, Vlad Martin-Diaconescu, Carla Casadevall, Freddy Oropeza, Victor A. de la Pena O'Shea, JingJing Meng, Manuel A. Ortuno, Julio Lloret-Fillol
Summary: Site isolation of unstable catalytic species within a reticular material is achieved using a covalent organic framework (COF) based on single cobalt sites coordinated to 2,2'-bipyridine (COFbpyCo). This framework stabilizes low-valent single sites and catalyzes the hydroboration of olefins. The catalytic activity of COFbpyCo is maintained even after six cycles of recycling.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Roser Fernandez-Climent, Jesus Redondo, Miguel Garcia-Tecedor, Maria Chiara Spadaro, Junnan Li, Daniel Chartrand, Frederik Schiller, Jhon Pazos, Mikel F. Hurtado, Victor de la Pena O'shea, Nikolay Kornienko, Jordi Arbiol, Sara Barja, Camilo A. Mesa, Sixto Gimenez
Summary: In this study, a facile, cost-effective, and scalable synthetic route to produce Cu2-x S electrocatalysts is reported. The Cu2-x S electrodes exhibit continuously increasing hydrogen evolution rates for over a month of operation. Under mild conditions (pH 8.6), these electrodes achieve a state-of-the-art performance with a current density of about 400 mA cm(-2) at -1 V vs RHE and nearly 100% Faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution. The improved performance of the Cu2-x S electrodes is correlated with a decrease in the Tafel slope, and analysis techniques reveal the Cu-centered nature of the catalytically active species.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Javier Corpas, Miguel Gomez-Mendoza, Enrique M. Arpa, Victor A. de la Pena O'Shea, Bo Durbeej, Juan C. Carretero, Pablo Mauleon, Ramon Gomez Arrayas
Summary: This article demonstrates the synthesis of stereodivergent tetrasubstituted beta-boryl acrylates through iterative dual-metal and energy transfer catalysis. The reluctance of electron-deficient internal alkynes to undergo catalytic carboboration has been overcome through cooperative Cu/Pd-catalysis, while an Ir complex acts as a versatile sensitizer for photoisomerization of the resulting sterically crowded alkenes.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Carmen G. Lopez-Calixto, Miguel Gomez-Mendoza, Mariam Barawi, Laura Collado, Marta Liras, Victor A. de la Pena O'shea
Summary: This study describes the design and synthesis of CPPs based on thienoacene units and their electronic alignment and photo(thermal) stability with TiO2. The simultaneous UV-vis irradiation of these materials leads to higher H2 production compared to solely irradiating the CPPs with visible light, due to charge-transfer mechanisms. Additionally, in gas phase CO2 photoreduction tests, the IEP-15@T-10 hybrid shows a significant increase in CH4 evolution and selectivity compared to TiO2.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Karim Kaci, Estefania Enebral-Romero, Emiliano Martinez-Perinan, Marina Garrido, Emilio M. Perez, David Lopez-Diego, Monica Luna, Guillermo Gonzalez-de-Rivera, Tania Garcia-Mendiola, Encarnacion Lorenzo
Summary: An advanced, cost-effective, and portable DNA biosensor capable of detecting multiple bacteria simultaneously has been developed. The device is compact, lightweight, and manufactured at a low cost. The results of this study confirm its reliability and superior performance.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Mariam Barawi, Miguel Garcia-Tecedor, Miguel Gomez-Mendoza, Giulio Gorni, Marta Liras, Victor A. de la Pena O'shea, Laura Collado
Summary: Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation to ammonia and nitrates is a promising sustainable route. This study modified the TiO2 framework via aliovalent molybdenum doping to enhance the photocatalytic performance. Aqueous-dispersed colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with precise morphological control and better carrier mobility were used. The Mo-TiO2 NCs functionalized with charged hydroxyl groups showed simultaneous production of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in water. Mo-doping and nanostructuration significantly improved the overall N-2 fixation performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tania Mazuelo, Teresa Naranjo, Miguel Gomez-Mendoza, Alejandro Herrero Pizarro, Laura Collado, Mariam Barawi, Felipe Gandara, Marta Liras, Victor A. de la Pena O'shea
Summary: The conversion of sunlight into chemical energy for solar hydrogen production is a promising solution for sustainable energy alternatives. The successful synthesis of a COF based on BOPHY dye (IEC-2) with excellent chemical stability for light-driven applications is described. A hybrid photocatalyst based on IEC-2 and TiO2 was studied for solar hydrogen evolution, and IEC-2@T-10 exhibited higher hydrogen production and photonic efficiency compared to benchmark TiO2.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2023)