Ru-dye grafted CdS and reduced graphene oxide Ru/CdS/rGO composite: An efficient and photo tuneable electrode material for solid state dye sensitized polymer solar cells

Photocatalytic Activation of Saturated C-H Bond Over the CdS Mixed-Phase Under Visible Light Irradiation

Selective activation of saturated C–H bond in hydrocarbons to produce high-value-added chemicals is of great significance for chemical synthesis and transformation. Herein, we present a facile procedure to achieve Ni-doped CdS nanoparticles with mixed (cubic and hexagonal) phases, as well as its application to the photocatalytic activation of saturated primary C–H bond of toluene and its derivatives. The photocatalytic oxidation rate of toluene into benzaldehyde of formation reached up to 216.7 μmolh⁻¹g⁻¹ under visible light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic performance of Ni(II)-doped CdS [Ni(II)/CdS] can be attributed to its unique structural assembly with cubic and hexagonal phases and also the addition of Ni ions, together taking effect in promoting the separation of photogenerated charge carriers. The possible reaction mechanism for the photocatalytic selective oxidation is illustrated in this work. The band width of the as-prepared mixed phase CdS is reduced, which can effectively expand the response range and improve photocatalytic performance.

Effectiveness of Sensors Contact Metallization (Ti, Au, and Ru) and Biofunctionalization for Escherichia coli Detection

In designing a bacteria biosensor, various issues must be addressed: the specificity of bacteria recognition, the immobilization of biomolecules that act as the bacteria receptor, and the selectivity of sensor surface. The aim of this paper was to examine how the biofunctionalized surface of Ti, Au, and Ru metals reacts in contact with strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli). The focus on metal surfaces results from their future use as electrodes in high frequency biosensors, e.g., resonant circuits or transmission-line sections. First, the surfaces of different metals were chemically functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and glutaraldehyde or with 3-glycidylooxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) followed by N-(5-amino-1-carboxypentyl) iminodiacetic acid (AB-NTA) and NiCl₂. Secondly, the lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), polyclonal anti-Escherichia coli antibody and bacteriophage protein gp37 were tested as bacteria receptors. The selectivity and specificity have been confirmed by the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and visualized by scanning electron microscopy at low landing energies. We noticed that LBP, polyclonal antibody, and gp37 were successfully immobilized on all studied metals and recognized the E. coli bacteria selectively. However, for the antibody, the highest reactivity was observed when Ti surface was modified, whereas the bacteria binding was comparable between LBP and gp37 on the functionalized Ru surfaces, independent from modification. Thus, all surfaces were biocompatible within the scope of biosensor functionality, with titanium functionalization showing the best performance.