Photocatalytic H2O2 generation assisted photoelectrochemical water oxidation for enhanced BiVO4 photoanode performance

Au nanoparticles decorated ZnO/ZnFe2O4 composite SERS-active substrate for melamine detection

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based on plasmonic metal nanoparticles and semiconductors has been used as performance-enhancing structures for sensing trace chemicals. We have selected a case of oxide functional oxide organic nanostructure between ZnFe₂O₄ and ZnO, denoted as ZZF. By decorating such nanostructure with AuNPs, to identify R6G in varying concentrations (10^-6 M - 10^-12 M), an enhancement factor of 1.6 × 10⁸ was observed. The material was used for the identification of melamine in the concentration range of 0.39 μM-7.92 μM. This high-performance nanocomposite provides improved melamine sensitivity towards SERS and the limit of detection as low as 0.39 μM. The Au-ZZF SERS substrate can yield a SERS enhancement factor of 1.37 × 10⁷. The experimental performance demonstrates that excellent SERS enhancement is due to electrons movement within ZZF and Au nanoparticles. Owing to its easy and effective synthesis methodology, this sensitive and specific SERS substrate is a promising technique to detect trace chemicals. We further study the best energetically favorable orientation of melamine molecules over the substrate leading to the SERS activity using density functional theoretical study.

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural paired with photoelectrochemical oxidation of water and furfural in batch and flow cells

The simultaneous formation of furfuryl alcohol and furoic acid was achieved from electrocatalytic hydrogenation and photoelectrochemical oxidation of furfural, respectively.