Interfacial Engineering of CdO-CdSe 3D Microarchitectures within situPhotopolymerized PEDOT for an Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance

Enhanced photocatalytic and photodynamic activity of chitosan and garlic loaded CdO-TiO2 hybrid bionanomaterials

Herein, the work addresses the synthesis of biomaterials (chitosan and garlic) loaded CdO-TiO₂ hybrid nanocomposites for photocatalytic water treatment and photodynamic cancer therapeutic applications that were reported the first time. CdO-TiO₂ (CT) nanocomposites were synthesized and loaded with the biomaterials such as chitosan and garlic by simple sol-gel method. The nanomaterials were characterized and the photodegradation of three model pollutants, Methylene blue (MB), Methyl orange (MO) and Rhodamine B (Rh-B) was opted to investigate the efficiency of the synthesized photocatalyst under the solar light. From the results, the garlic-loaded CdO-TiO₂ (AS-CT) hybrid nanocomposites exhibit a superior photocatalytic activity than the chitosan-loaded CdO-TiO₂ (CS-CT) and CdO-TiO₂ (CT) nanocomposites under the irradiation of solar light. Additionally, the cell viability of the synthesized nanocomposites was carried out in HeLa cell lines under different concentrations, light doses and incubation periods using an LED light source. Compared to the CS-CT and CT nanocomposites, an efficient photodynamic activity was achieved in the case of AS-CT hybrid nanocomposites. Actually, the end-use properties required for both processes in AS-CT nanocomposites appear similar due to the presence of organo sulphurus compounds.

Formation of Semimetallic Cobalt Telluride Nanotube Film via Anion Exchange Tellurization Strategy in Aqueous Solution for Electrocatalytic Applications

Metal telluride nanostructures have demonstrated several potential applications particularly in harvesting and storing green energy. Metal tellurides are synthesized by tellurization process performed basically at high temperature in reducing gas atmosphere, which makes the process expensive and complicated. The development of a facile and economical process for desirable metal telluride nanostructures without complicated manipulation is still a challenge. In an effort to develop an alternative strategy of tellurization, herein we report a thin film formation of self-standing cobalt telluride nanotubes on various conducting and nonconducting substrates using a simple binder-free synthetic strategy based on anion exchange transformation from a thin film of cobalt hydroxycarbonate nanostructures in aqueous solution at room temperature. The nanostructured films before and after ion exchange transformation reaction are characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray analyzer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thin film X-ray diffraction technique, high resolution transmission electron microscope, and selected area electron diffraction analysis technique. After the ion exchange transformation of nanostructures, the film shows conversion from insulator to highly electrical conductive semimetallic characteristic. When used as a counter electrode in I3(-)/I(-) redox electrolyte based dye-sensitized solar cells, the telluride film exhibits an electrocatalytic reduction activity for I3(-) with a demonstration of solar-light to electrical power conversion efficiency of 8.10%, which is highly competitive to the efficiency of 8.20% exhibited by a benchmarked Pt-film counter electrode. On the other hand, the telluride film electrode also demonstrates electrocatalytic activity for oxygen evolution reaction from oxidation of water.