Template-free synthesis of Mn2+ doped hierarchical CuS yolk-shell microspheres for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

Yolk-shell structures have been widely used in catalysis and energy storage in recent years because they improve the efficiency of charge utilization by enhancing light scattering and creating more active...

Ultrasonication-Assisted Synthesis of ZnxCd1−xS for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity

ZnxCd1−xS as a solid solution photocatalyst has attracted widespread attention for its unique adjustable band gap structure and good and stable performance. A novel synthesis approach for ZnxCd1−xS is still required to further improve its performance. In this study, we synthesized a series of ZnxCd1−xS (x = 0−1) solid solutions via an ultrasonication-assisted hydrothermal route. In comparison with conventional methods of preparation, the sample prepared by our innovative method showed enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of a methyl orange (MO) solution under visible light due to its high crystallinity and small crystallite size. Furthermore, the composition and bandgap of ZnxCd1−xS can be tuned by adjusting the mole ratio of Zn2+/Cd2+. Zn0.3Cd0.7S shows the highest level of activity and stability for the degradation of MO with k = 0.85 h−1, which is 2.2 times higher than that of CdS. The balance between band gap structure-directed redox capacity and light absorption of Zn0.3Cd0.7S accounts for its high photocatalytic performance, both of which are determined by the composition of the solid solution. Also, a degradation mechanism of MO over the sample is tentatively proposed. This study demonstrates a new strategy to synthesize highly efficient sulfide photocatalysts.

ImageDataExtractor: A Tool To Extract and Quantify Data from Microscopy Images

The rise of data science is leading to new paradigms in data-driven materials discovery. This carries an essential notion that large data sources containing chemical structure and property information can be mined in a fashion that detects and exploits structure-property relationships, such that chemicals can be predicted to suit a given material application. The success of material predictions is predicated on these large data sources of chemical structure and property information being suited to a target application. Microscopy is commonly used to characterize chemical structure, especially in fields such as nanotechnology where material properties are highly dependent on the size and shape of nanoparticles. Large data sources of nanoparticle information stemming from microscopy images would thus be highly beneficial. Millions of microscopy images exist, but they lie fragmented across the literature, typically presented individually within a paper article and usually in a qualitative fashion therein, even though they harbor a wealth of numeric information. We present the ImageDataExtractor toolkit that autoidentifies and autoextracts microscopy images from scientific documents, whereupon it autonomously analyzes each image to produce quantitative particle size and shape information about its subject material. Each image is quantified by decoding its scale bar information using optical character recognition, with help from super-resolution convolutional neural networks where required. Individual particles are detected and profiled using various thresholding, segmentation, polygon fitting, and edge correction routines. The high-throughput operational capability of ImageDataExtractor means that it can be used to generate large-data sources of particle information for data-driven materials discovery. Evaluation metrics, precision and recall, are greater than 80% for the majority of the image processing steps, and precision is above 80% for all critical steps. The ImageDataExtractor tool is released under the MIT license and is available to download from http://www.imagedataextractor.org.

A facile coordination precipitation route to prepare porous CuO microspheres with excellent photo-Fenton catalytic activity and electrochemical performance

Porous CuO microspheres were prepared via a coordination precipitation route and exhibited superior photocatalytic activity and electrochemical performance.

Rational design of yolk–shell nanostructures for photocatalysis

Yolk–shell structures provide an ideal platform for the rational regulation and effective utilization of charge carriers because of their void space and large surface areas. Furthermore, the efficiency of charge behavior in every step can be further improved by many strategies. This review describes the synthesis of yolk–shell structures and their effect for the enhancement of heterogeneous photocatalysis.

Facile synthesis of yolk–shell structured ZnFe2O4 microspheres for enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction

Yolk–shell structured ZnFe₂O₄ microspheres with excellent OER performance are synthesized via a facile solvothermal method and annealing treatment.

A simple chemical solution synthesis of nanowire-assembled hierarchical CuO microspheres with enhanced photochemical properties

Hierarchical micro/nanostructures manifest attractive prospects for photocatalytic application. Nevertheless, large-scale hierarchical micro/nanostructures for industrial application with facile, low-cost and eco-friendly routes remain difficult. Herein, nanowire-assembled hierarchical CuO microspheres (HCMAW) are synthesized for the first time by CO32- ions induced synthesis route. The time-dependent SEM images reveal that the growth mechanism for HCMAW is the well-known Ostwald ripening with self-assembly. The specific surface area of the HCMAW is 7.265 m2 g-1, which is higher than that of hierarchical CuO microspheres assembled with nanosheets (HCMAS) (4.952 m2 g-1) prepared by direct self-assembly scheme without the introduction of CO32- ions. Meanwhile, the HCMAW possess strong light absorption around a broadband wavelength from 300 nm to 800 nm. As a result, the photodegradation activity test demonstrates that the HCMAW shows the degradation efficiency of 98.8% for rhodamine B (RhB) under white light irradiation for 30 min in the presence of H2O2 higher than those of HCMAS (66.3%) and commercial CuO (48.3%) under the same condition, which is one of the highest reported till date related to CuO nanomaterials for the degradation of RhB. The novel HCMAW synthesized by the ion-induced protocol is worth being generalized to more assembled hierarchical micro/nanostructures for versatile applications.

Facile synthesis of monodispersed yolk-shelled molybdenum disulfide microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic properties

Monodispersed yolk-shelled MoS₂ microspheres with outstanding photocatalytic properties have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method with the assistance of P123.

One-step solvothermal synthesis of interlaced nanoflake-assembled flower-like hierarchical Ag/Cu2O composite microspheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic properties

The interlaced nanoflake-assembled flower-like hierarchical Ag/Cu₂O composite microspheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic properties have been prepared via a one-step, environmentally friendly solvothermal method.