Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ziqi Zhu, Xinghui Li, Min Luo, Minzhi Chen, Weimin Chen, Pei Yang, Xiaoyan Zhou
Summary: Carbon-based materials with heteroatoms-doping strategy were synthesized to degrade organic pollutants, showing differences in photocatalytic performance between xylose-derived carbon dots (X-CDs) and chitosan-derived CDs (C-CDs). X-CDs exhibited superior catalytic performance due to better separation of electron-hole pairs, while C-CDs coupled with PMS also showed high photocatalytic reactivity.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pengfei Zhou, Jikun Xu, Xinyan Hou, Lin Dai, Jiaming Zhang, Xiao Xiao, Kaifu Huo
Summary: This study presents a scalable acid-reagent strategy for the fabrication of multicolor heteroatom-doped lignin carbon dots. These carbon dots exhibit excellent fluorescent properties for the detection of metal ions and glutathione, with a broad response range and high sensitivity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jayeeta Chattopadhyay, Tara Sankar Pathak, Daewon Pak
Summary: This review focuses on the synthesis strategies of heteroatom-doped and co-doped metal-free carbon nanomaterials, such as chemical vapor deposition, pyrolysis, and solvothermal process, and discusses their extensive applications as potential electrocatalysts. Heteroatom-incorporated nanomaterials, including nitrogen-, sulphur-, boron-, phosphorous-, etc., have shown comparative enhancement of electrocatalytic performance in water splitting, supercapacitors, and dye-sensitized solar cells.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Zhirou Zhai, Jiali Xu, Tianyu Gong, Bingqiang Cao, Kai Cui, Linrui Hou, Changzhou Yuan
Summary: In this study, highly fluorescent N-doped carbon quantum dots were synthesized using garlic skins as a carbon source. These quantum dots demonstrated remarkable fluorescence stability and potential use in the field of anticounterfeit. Additionally, they were applied as a functional sensor for detecting Fe3+ and incorporated into a PVA matrix to create a composite film with unique optical properties.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Vinay Sharma, Pranav Tiwari, Navpreet Kaur, Shaikh M. Mobin
Summary: The increasing contamination of environmental media poses a serious health issue that requires advanced methods for detecting pollutants. Carbon dot sensors show unique advantages in detecting contaminants in water samples, with high sensitivity and wide applicability.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Tingting Zhou, Tong Zhang
Summary: With the advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology, nanomaterials with unique properties have gained more attention in the field of electronic sensors, especially in gas sensing devices. Recent achievements have led to a new wave of research in designing advanced sensing materials with different dimensional structures. The sensitivity and performance of these materials are closely related to their structure, electronic properties, and surface chemistry, influencing various gas sensing applications such as environmental monitoring and flexible wearable electronics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kailin Xu, Qiuya Zhang, Chuqiao Wang, Jinmei Xu, Yiming Bu, Bin Liang, Yushuai Liu, Liping Wang
Summary: In this study, a series of 0D boron carbon nitride quantum dots (BCNQDs) modified 2D Bi4O5I2 (0D/2D Bi4O5I2/BCNQDs) composites were synthesized and applied to photodegradation of tetracyclines (TCs), including tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC). The optimal composite Bi4O5I2/BCNQDs (1 mL BCNQDs) exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance, with degradation rate constants for TC and OTC being 4.95 and 2.17 times higher than that of Bi4O5I2, respectively. This can be attributed to the narrow bandgap property of Bi4O5I2 as an electron acceptor, and the oxygen-containing functional group with negative charge on BCNQDs promoting the formation of photoexcited holes for effective carrier separation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiwei Wang, Yuanhang Zhu, Yuchen Wu, Weiyuan Ding, Xiuting Li
Summary: In this study, Ti3C2Tx quantum dots with tunable emission properties were synthesized using a reflux approach. These surface-functionalized Ti3C2Tx quantum dots exhibited ultra-sensitive and selective detection capability for Fe3+, demonstrating their potential as a nanoprobe for environmental monitoring.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fan Guo, Rui-Xia Li, Sizhuo Yang, Xiao-Yu Zhang, Hongjian Yu, Jeffrey J. Urban, Wei-Yin Sun
Summary: In this study, a N,S-doped Fe-based MIL-88B catalyst with a well-defined hexagonal prism morphology was designed and synthesized. The catalyst showed a high yield of C2H4 evolution under simulated solar irradiation, which was due to the synergistic effect of Fe-N coordinated sites and reasonable defects in the N,S-doped photocatalyst, facilitating the formation and dimerization of C-C coupling intermediates.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liang Shi, Jiangning Yin, Yanru Liu, Hanqiong Liu, Hao Zhang, Hua Tang
Summary: The development of highly efficient photocatalysts is crucial for solving environmental pollution. This study fabricated a novel S-scheme heterojunction by integrating Cu3P quantum dots with BiOCl nanosheets, which exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for antibiotic degradation. Cu3P QDs acted as an effective cocatalyst and provided inspiration for future design of green recycling photocatalysts.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Feng Bi, Yuetan Su, Yili Zhang, Meiling Chen, Jawwad A. Darr, Xiaole Weng, Zhongbiao Wu
Summary: Designing heterojunctions using the step-scheme (S-scheme) strategy can enhance charge transfer and improve the redox ability of photocatalysts. In this study, a hierarchical heterojunction involving vacancy-defect TiO2 quantum dots and 2D g-C3N4 nanosheets was constructed, showing over 10-fold increase in hydrogen evolution reaction for photocatalytic water splitting.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Qing Zhong, Wei-De Zhang, Qingshan Shi, Yu-Xiang Yu
Summary: The study successfully synthesized a composite catalyst for water disinfection by growing CQDs on Bi7O9I3 microsheets for the first time. The synergistic effect of the catalysts enhanced antibacterial and degradation activity by improving light absorption and promoting the separation of photogenerated charge carriers, ultimately leading to bacterial inactivation.
JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Zhen Jia, Pifu Gong, Mingxing Chen, Zhigang Wang, Xinhui Li, Yan Song, Shengnan Zhang, Ning Zhang, Mingjun Xia
Summary: The doping of Sb3+ ions in Rb3BiCl60.5H(2)O crystals leads to bright orange emission with high photoluminescence quantum yield. The Sb3+ doping optimizes the electronic energy band structure and improves the PL properties.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shuaiqi Gong, Xue Teng, Yanli Niu, Xuan Liu, Mingze Xu, Chen Xu, Lvlv Ji, Zuofeng Chen
Summary: The study describes the fabrication of a step-scheme (S-scheme) 0D/2D hetero-structure with InVO4 QDs and g-C3N4 (CN) ultrathin nanosheets for photocatalytic CO2 reduction, achieving a highly selective reduction of CO2 to CO with good photocatalytic performance. The formation of this heterostructure facilitates the separation of electron-hole pairs and reduces the recombination of charge carriers, contributing to efficient photocatalysis.
APPLIED CATALYSIS B-ENVIRONMENTAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Faying Li, Daniele Benetti, Min Zhang, Jinhui Feng, Qin Wei, Federico Rosei
Summary: Photoelectrochemical solar-driven hydrogen production using semiconductors as active materials shows promising potential, but faces challenges like limited absorption range and rapid charge recombination. This study constructs a photoelectrode based on a 0D/2D heterojunction using metal chalcogenide quantum dots and hierarchical Zn-MoS2 nanosheets. By analyzing the effects of different quantum dot materials on the nanosheets, the researchers found that the 0D/2D heterostructure based on the composite Zn-MoS2/PbS@CdS significantly enhances the photocurrent due to synergistic effects and improved light harvesting capabilities.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Soorya S. Raj, Deljo Davis, Pramila Viswanathan, Arunkumar Chandrasekhar, T. P. Vinod
Summary: This article presents a simple, inexpensive and scalable strategy for creating soft surface wrinkles on PDMS using buckling instability. The method is expected to have broad applicability and exhibits high efficiency in water collection and triboelectric charge generation.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Gopika Ayiloor Rajesh, Varsha Lisa John, Aiswarya Pookunnath Santhosh, Athira Krishnan Nair Ambika, Vinod Thavarool Puthiyedath
Summary: This review summarizes the synthesis, properties, and applications of biomass-derived carbon dots in the field of biomedicine. It covers a wide range of properties that enable diverse biomedical applications, such as bioimaging, sensing, and drug delivery.
PARTICLE & PARTICLE SYSTEMS CHARACTERIZATION
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Soorya S. Raj, Romina Marie Mathew, Yamuna Nair, S. T. Aruna, T. P. Vinod
Summary: The morphology of soft materials, including natural systems, significantly influences their surface functionalities and responses to external stimuli. Surface features of natural soft systems are produced through controlled cell growth and tissue growth. Artificial systems that can mimic the morphology-dependent physicochemical responses of natural soft substrates can be prepared through various methods such as surface oxidation, thermal stress, and compressive stress. Wrinkling, an important morphological irregularity on soft substrates, can be achieved in artificial soft systems through experimental strategies like compressive stress, thermal stress, and surface oxidation. Wrinkled soft substrates, with their tunable, reversible, and responsive nature, have potential applications in electronics, optics, adhesives, etc.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Varsha Lisa John, Francis Joy, Amy Jose Kollannoor, Kuruvilla Joseph, Yamuna Nair, T. P. Vinod
Summary: This study reports a novel synthesis route for preparing carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with customized surface functionality. By chemically modifying paper precursors and tethering amine groups on the paper substrates, CQDs with amine functional groups on the surface can be synthesized. The amine functionalization on the surface of CQDs enables their applications in DNA binding, suggesting their potential as efficient biological probes.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Varsha Lisa John, P. M. Fasila, K. P. Chaithra, T. P. Vinod
Summary: In this study, a simple one-pot hydrothermal synthesis method was used to prepare carbon dots from frankincense soot. The resulting carbon dots exhibited narrow size distribution and intense blue fluorescence. The study also investigated the characteristics of the surface functional groups of the carbon dots and their application in the detection of lead ions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Varsha Lisa John, N. Gomathi, K. Joseph, Dona Mathew, Satheesh M. Chandran, S. Neogi
Summary: AP plasma treatment is an effective method to functionalize the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNT) without affecting their crystallinity. This treatment improved the dispersion and mechanical properties of CNT, making them suitable for aerospace structural applications.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Varsha Lisa John, A. R. Nayana, T. R. Keerthi, Athira K. A. Krishnan, B. C. P. Sasidharan, T. P. Vinod
Summary: This study reports the preparation of functional silk fibers (SF) embedded with carbon dots (CD) through direct feeding of a CD-modified diet to silkworms. The CD synthesized from mulberry leaves is introduced to silkworms and exhibited blue fluorescence, and it can be used as an efficient fluorophore to detect dopamine. The SF infused with CD demonstrate unchanged nanostructures and physical characteristics, and a novel dopamine sensing application based on fluorescence is demonstrated.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
M. Roopesh, Deljo Davis, M. S. Jyothi, M. Vandana, B. S. Thippeswamy, Gurumurthy Hegde, T. P. Vinod, Rangappa S. Keri
Summary: The study evaluated the wound healing efficacy of sandalwood bark-derived carbon nanospheres loaded with curcumin-embedded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber membranes. Carbon nanospheres (CNS) were prepared by pyrolyzing sandal wood bark powder, with field emission scanning electron micrographs and energy dispersive X-ray technique confirming the morphology and carbon content. Curcumin was loaded onto synthesized CNS and anchored in a PVA matrix via electrospun nanofiber fabrication. The prepared PVA/CNS-curcumin nanofiber membranes showed efficient wound closure and better antimicrobial activity than control membranes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Soorya S. Raj, Romina Marie Mathew, Deljo Davis, Subramanyan Namboodiri Varanakkottu, Asha Srinivasan, T. P. Vinod
Summary: We have developed a simple and effective method to prepare stable wettability gradients on an elastomeric soft substrate, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This method allows us to design and fabricate wettability gradients with rationally controlled directionality and shapes. The stability of the wettability gradients was studied and a chemical treatment method was developed to enhance the stability at room temperature. Stable wettability gradients prepared through this method can find applications as reliable platforms and scaffolds offering controlled or directional wetting and adhesion.
