Elżbieta Kuśmierek

Catalysts • 2020

Industrial sources of environmental pollution generate huge amounts of industrial wastewater containing various recalcitrant organic and inorganic pollutants that are hazardous to the environment. On the other hand, industrial wastewater can be regarded as a prospective source of fresh water, energy, and valuable raw materials. Conventional sewage treatment systems are often not efficient enough for the complete degradation of pollutants and they are characterized by high energy consumption. Moreover, the chemical energy that is stored in the wastewater is wasted. A solution to these problems is an application of photoelectrocatalytic treatment methods, especially when they are coupled with energy generation. The paper presents a general overview of the semiconductor materials applied as photoelectrodes in the treatment of various pollutants. The fundamentals of photoelectrocatalytic reactions and the mechanism of pollutants treatment as well as parameters affecting the treatment process are presented. Examples of different semiconductor photoelectrodes that are applied in treatment processes are described in order to present the strengths and weaknesses of the photoelectrocatalytic treatment of industrial wastewater. This overview is an addition to the existing knowledge with a particular focus on the main experimental conditions employed in the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of various pollutants with the application of semiconductor photoelectrodes.

Dana A. Da’ana, Nabil Zouari, Mohammad Y. Ashfaq et al.

Current Pollution Reports • 2021

Abstract Purpose of Review This paper reviews various low-cost treatment techniques such as adsorption, permeable reactive barrier, and biological techniques for the simultaneous removal of chemical and microbial contaminants from groundwater and discusses treatment mechanisms of different treatment techniques. This paper also discusses the challenges of groundwater treatment, how to choose the appropriate treatment technique, and cost analysis of groundwater treatment. Recent Findings Various treatment technologies have been used for the treatment of groundwater: physical, chemical, and biological technologies with different success rates. In the literature, various adsorbents have been successfully synthesized from low-cost and environmentally friendly materials. Adsorption is considered an efficient treatment technique for the removal of both toxic elements and pathogens by utilizing different adsorbents. For example, the nanostructures of MgO with a BET surface area of up to 171 m 2 /g obtained a very high adsorption capacity of 29,131 mg/g for fluoride ions in water, while the incorporation of iron in activated carbon has improved its adsorption capacity to 51.3 mg/g for arsenic. Moreover, certain adsorbents have shown the capability to remove 99% of the rotavirus and adenovirus from groundwater. Summary Groundwater resources are contaminated with toxic metals and pathogens. Therefore, water treatment technologies should be evaluated for their efficiency to remove such contaminants. Determination of the most cost-effective and efficient treatment technique is not an easy task and requires the understanding of various aspects such as the contaminants present in water, the reuse options considered, and cost analysis of the treatment technique.

Carlo Santoro, Jonathan Winfield, Pavlina Theodosiou et al.

Bioresource Technology Reports • 2019

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with paper separators and liquid containing elements were investigated in supercapacitive mode. MFCs (15 mL) in a supercapacitive configuration, consisted of plain wrapped carbon veil anode (negative) and conductive latex cathode (positive). The internal supercapacitor is discharged galvanostatically and is self-recharged as red-ox reactions occur on both electrodes. MFCs were discharged at different current pulses varying from 1 mA to 7 mA. The MFCs had an equivalent series resistance of 41.2 ± 3.5 Ω caused mainly by the cathode. A maximum power of 1.380 ± 0.083 mW (0.092 ± 0.006 mW mL -1 ) was measured. Durability tests were conducted over 24 h collecting 1000 discharge cycles (0.5 s) and self-recharges (85 s) at a current of 1 mA. Over time the anode potential dropped causing a decline in performance perhaps due to evaporation of liquid from the pyramidal structure. Resistance and apparent capacitance measured during the durability test remained approximately constant during the cycles.

Úrsula Fillat, Bernd Wicklein, Raquel Martín‐Sampedro et al.

Carbohydrate Polymers • 2017

Seth B. Darling

Journal of Applied Physics • 2018

Energy and water are deeply interconnected, and each sector is both central to society and under increasing stress. Innovations in materials will be a powerful tool in efforts to overcome these challenges by providing sustainable solutions to treating water and rendering it fit-for-purpose with minimal expenditure of energy and other resources. Interfaces between components of water systems and the water-based fluids themselves govern the performance of the vast majority of water treatment and conveyance processes. This perspective examines many of these interfaces, ranging from those in sorbents and sensors to membranes and catalysts, and surveys opportunities for scientists and engineers to reveal new insights into their function and, thereby, to design novel technologies for next-generation solutions to our collective energy-water challenges.

M. Abd Elkodous, Hesham Hamad, M. I. A. Abdel Maksoud et al.

Nanotechnology Reviews • 2022

Abstract Agriculture and industrial wastes (AIWs) have attracted much attention because of their huge environmental, economic, and social impacts. AIWs have been considered a crucial link of a closed-loop for the fabrication of nanomaterials and composites wherein they replace traditional resources with sustainable waste in waste management. In this context, the proper disposal of AIWs is required. This review aims to investigate the technical feasibility of using innovative AIW resources and various strategies for the fabrication of nanomaterials for improving energy applications. First, the utilization of AIWs is classified comprehensively. Second, key technologies to produce nanomaterials are summarized. In addition, this review discusses the potential applications of the fabricated nanomaterials in energy storage and energy conversion.

S.D. Pasini Cabello, Nelio Ariel Ochoa, Eduardo A. Takara et al.

Carbohydrate Polymers • 2016

Benjamin Erable, Manon Oliot, Rémy Lacroix et al.

Electrochimica Acta • 2018

In this work, a platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalyst based on iron as transitional metal and Nicarbazin (NCB) as low cost organic precursor was synthesized using Sacrificial Support Method (SSM). The catalyst was then incorporated into a large area air-breathing cathode fabricated by pressing with a large diameter pellet die. The electrochemical tests in abiotic conditions revealed that after a couple of weeks of successful operation, the electrode experienced drop in performances in reason of electrolyte leakage, which was not an issue with the smaller electrodes. A decrease in the hydrophobic properties over time and a consequent cathode flooding was suspected to be the cause. On the other side, in the present work, for the first time, it was demonstrated the proof of principle and provided initial guidance for manufacturing MFC electrodes with large geometric areas. The tests in MFCs showed a maximum power density of 1.85 W m -2 . The MFCs performances due to the addition of Fe-NCB were much higher compared to the iron-free material. A numerical model using Nernst-Monod and Butler-Volmer equations were used to predict the effect of electrolyte solution conductivity and distance anode-cathode on the overall MFC power output. Considering the existing conditions, the higher overall power predicted was 3.6 mW at 22.2 S m -1 and at inter-electrode distance of 1 cm.

Hala S. Hussein

Bulletin of the National Research Centre/Bulletin of the National Research Center • 2023

Abstract Background Nanomaterials have emerged as a fascinating class of materials in high demand for a variety of practical applications. They are classified based on their composition, dimensions, or morphology. For the synthesis of nanomaterials, two approaches are used: top-down approaches and bottom-up approaches. Main body of the abstract Nanoscale materials and structures have the potential to be used in the production of newly developed devices with high efficiency, low cost, and low energy demand in a variety of applications. There are several contributions in renewable energy conversion and storage in the energy sector, such as solar photovoltaic systems, fuel cells, solar thermal systems, lithium-ion batteries, and lighting. Furthermore, nanofluid-based solar collectors are a new generation of solar collectors based on the use of nanotechnology. It has the potential to increase collector efficiency by up to 30%. Short conclusion Graphene and graphene derivatives are known as more efficient energy-saving materials, with the ability to maximize heat transfer efficiency and save up to 30% of energy in water desalination. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are a powerful antibacterial material that can kill a wide variety of microorganisms. They are commonly used in water treatment and are incorporated into polyethersulfone (PES) microfiltration membranes. The use of an Ag-PES membrane improved the antibiofouling performance of PES membranes. From the industrial application of nanotechnology, applications of TiO 2 -based nanocoatings that can be used as dust-repellent coatings for solar panels improve their efficiency and reduce the amount of required maintenance. Furthermore, the nanoscale dimension of these particles facilitates their movement in various body parts, resulting in serious diseases such as cancer and organ damage. As a result, it is suggested to focus in our incoming research on the disposal of nanomaterial waste and their safe application.

Xiaoshuai Wu, Yan Qiao, Chunxian Guo et al.

Communications Chemistry • 2020

Direct electron transfer at microbial anodes offers high energy conversion efficiency but relies on low concentrations of redox centers on bacterium membranes resulting in low power density. Here a heat-treatment is used to delicately tune nitrogen-doping for atomic matching with Flavin (a diffusive mediator) reaction sites resulting in strong adsorption and conversion of diffusive mediators to anchored redox centers. This impregnates highly concentrated fixed redox centers in the microbes-loaded biofilm electrode. This atomic matching enables short electron transfer pathways resulting in fast, direct electrochemistry as shown in Shewanella putrefaciens (S. putrefaciens) based microbial fuel cells (MFCs), showing a maximum power output higher than the conventional non-matched nitrogen-doped anode based MFCs by 21 times. This work sheds a light on diffusion mediation for fast direct electrochemistry, while holding promise for efficient and high power MFCs.

Salamat Ali, Awais Ahmad, Iftikhar Hussain et al.

Journal of Chemistry and Environment • 2023

Transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides (MXenes) have become an appealing framework for developing various energy applications. MXenes with van der Waals (vdW) interactions are facile, highly efficient, affordable, and self-assembled features that improve energy density. MXenes exhibit large surface area, high electric conductivity, and excellent electrochemical characteristics for various energy applications. This review summarizes and emphasizes the current developments in MXene with improved performance for energy storage or conversion devices, including supercapacitors (SCs), various types of rechargeable batteries (RBs), solar cells, and fuel cells. We discuss the crystal structures of MXenes properties of MXenes and briefly discuss them for different types of energy applications. Finally, the critical outlook and perspective for the MXene progress for applications in energy applications are also described.

Changmin Kim, Jeongwon Kim, Sangwook Joo et al.

iScience • 2018

Carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration technologies have been extensively studied to utilize carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a greenhouse gas, as a resource. So far, however, effective technologies have not been proposed owing to the low efficiency conversion rate and high energy requirements. Here, we present a hybrid Na-CO 2 cell that can continuously produce electrical energy and hydrogen through efficient CO 2 conversion with stable operation for over 1,000 hr from spontaneous CO 2 dissolution in aqueous solution. In addition, this system has the advantage of not regenerating CO 2 during charging process, unlike aprotic metal-CO 2 cells. This system could serve as a novel CO 2 utilization technology and high-value-added electrical energy and hydrogen production device.

Yan Song, Shiqi Fang, Ning Xu et al.

Nature Reviews Clean Technology • 2025

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technologies use solar energy to heat materials that drive water evaporation. These technologies are versatile and do not require electricity, which enables their potential application across the food, energy and water nexus. In this Review, we assess the potential of solar-driven interfacial evaporation technologies in food, energy and clean-water production, in wastewater treatment, and in resource recovery. Interfacial evaporation technologies can produce up to 5.3 l m–2 h−1 of drinking water using sunlight as the energy source. Systems designed for food production in coastal regions desalinate water to irrigate crops or wash contaminated soils. Technologies are being developed to simultaneously produce both clean energy and water through interfacial evaporation and have reached up to 204 W m–2 for electricity and 2.5 l m–2 h–1 for water in separate systems. Other solar evaporation approaches or combinations of approaches could potentially use the full solar spectrum to generate multiple products (such as water, food, electricity, heating or cooling, and/or fuels). In the future, solar evaporation technologies could aid in food, energy and water provision in low-resource or rural settings that lack reliable access to these essentials, but the systems must first undergo rigorous, scaled-up field testing to understand their performance, stability and competitiveness. Interfacial solar evaporation technologies use solar energy to drive water evaporation. This Review discusses the use of these technologies to manage wastewater, to recover resources and to produce clean water, food and energy.

Shancheng Wang, Kwadwo Asare Owusu, Liqiang Mai et al.

Applied Energy • 2017

Mounika Kodali, Carlo Santoro, Sergio Herrera et al.

Journal of Power Sources • 2017

M1-M2-N-C bimetallic catalysts with M1 as Fe and Co and M2 as Fe, Co, Ni and Mn were synthesized and investigated as cathode catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The catalysts were prepared by Sacrificial Support Method in which silica was the template and aminoantipyrine (AAPyr) was the organic precursor. The electro-catalytic properties of these catalysts were investigated by using rotating ring disk (RRDE) electrode setup in neutral electrolyte. Fe-Mn-AAPyr outperformed Fe-AAPyr that showed higher performances compared to Fe-Co-AAPyr and Fe-Ni-AAPyr in terms of half-wave potential. In parallel, Fe-Co-AAPyr, Co-Mn-AAPyr and Co-Ni-AAPyr outperformed Co-AAPyr. The presence of Co within the catalyst contributed to high peroxide production not desired for efficient ORR. The catalytic capability of the catalysts integrated in air-breathing cathode was also verified. It was found that Co-based catalysts showed an improvement in performance by the addition of second metal compared to simple Co- AAPyr. Fe-based bimetallic materials didn't show improvement compared to Fe-AAPyr with the exception of Fe-Mn-AAPyr catalyst that had the highest performance recorded in this study with maximum power density of 221.8 ± 6.6 μWcm -2 . Activated carbon (AC) was used as control and had the lowest performances in RRDE and achieved only 95.6 ± 5.8 μWcm -2 when tested in MFC.

Debasis Maity, Preetam Guha Ray, P. Buchmann et al.

Advanced Materials • 2023

Currently available bioelectronic devices consume too much power to be continuously operated on rechargeable batteries, and are often powered wirelessly, with attendant issues regarding reliability, convenience, and mobility. Thus, the availability of a robust, self-sufficient, implantable electrical power generator that works under physiological conditions would be transformative for many applications, from driving bioelectronic implants and prostheses to programing cellular behavior and patients' metabolism. Here, capitalizing on a new copper-containing, conductively tuned 3D carbon nanotube composite, an implantable blood-glucose-powered metabolic fuel cell is designed that continuously monitors blood-glucose levels, converts excess glucose into electrical power during hyperglycemia, and produces sufficient energy (0.7 mW cm -2 , 0.9 V, 50 mm glucose) to drive opto- and electro-genetic regulation of vesicular insulin release from engineered beta cells. It is shown that this integration of blood-glucose monitoring with elimination of excessive blood glucose by combined electro-metabolic conversion and insulin-release-mediated cellular consumption enables the metabolic fuel cell to restore blood-glucose homeostasis in an automatic, self-sufficient, and closed-loop manner in an experimental model of type-1 diabetes.

Sanjit Manohar Majhi, Ashraf Ali, Yaser E. Greish et al.

Scientific Reports • 2023

High-performance, room temperature-based novel sensing materials are one of the frontier research topics in the gas sensing field, and MXenes, a family of emerging 2D layered materials, has gained widespread attention due to their distinctive properties. In this work, we propose a chemiresistive gas sensor made from V 2 CT x MXene-derived, urchin-like V 2 O 5 hybrid materials (V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene) for gas sensing applications at room temperature. The as-prepared sensor exhibited high performance when used as the sensing material for acetone detection at room temperature. Furthermore, the V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene-based sensor exhibited a higher response (S% = 11.9%) toward 15 ppm acetone than pristine multilayer V 2 CT x MXenes (S% = 4.6%). Additionally, the composite sensor demonstrated a low detection level at ppb levels (250 ppb) at room temperature, as well as high selectivity among different interfering gases, fast response-recovery time, good repeatability with minimal amplitude fluctuation, and excellent long-term stability. These improved sensing properties can be attributed to the possible formation of H-bonds in multilayer V 2 C MXenes, the synergistic effect of the newly formed composite of urchin-like V 2 C/V 2 O 5 MXene sensor, and high charge carrier transport at the interface of V 2 O 5 and V 2 C MXene.

Djamel Ghernaout, Noureddine Elboughdiri, Saad Ghareba

OALib • 2020

Fenton reaction remains an efficient technique for decomposing recalcitrant organic contaminants. Nevertheless, traditional Fenton response has many limitations like the necessity of acidic pH circumstance, the formation of iron sludge and the need for elevated chemical introductions. Procedures like heterogeneous Fenton, fluidized-bed Fenton, employment of chelating products and in situ formations of Fenton's reagent have been examined as likely solutions to such drawbacks. Bello et al. The heterogeneous Fenton method stays the most largely examined thanks to the expansion achieved in catalysis. The fluidized-bed Fenton method has the capacity to diminish sludge formation and ameliorate technology efficiency. Chelating chemicals are employed to performing homogeneous Fenton at circumneutral pH, even if the potentially decisive impact of many chelating products remains a source of worry. In situ formation of Fenton's reagent via bio-electrochemical technique (bio-electro-Fenton) seems to be a likely manner to diminish the price related to Fenton's reagent. Despite the progress registered in the Fenton technologies, the classical process, and its ameliorated versions, membranes processes remain fundamental for secure wastewater treatment. As sure barriers towards pollution dispersal, processes such as nanofiltration should be coupled to Fenton techniques.

Ya-Yu Li, Bin Wang, Ming‐Guo Ma et al.

International Journal of Polymer Science • 2018

Cellulose is the most abundant biomass resource in the world. It can be transferred to various water soluble derivatives, biochemicals, and materials. In the second half of the 20th century, nanocellulose was extracted with unique properties such as optical transparency, high strength, and high surface area. These new forms of cellulose can be combined with other materials, mainly biopolymers, to form multifarious composites, which are used in all applications of human life. For convenience, to introduce the recent development of these cellulose-based functional composites, we divided them to seven categories, including biological applications, water treatment, sensor, reinforcing agent, energy storage materials, Pickering emulsion stabilizer, and other versatile applications. The preparation, properties, and applications of these functional composites were depicted.

Qinghuiqiang Xiao, Jin‐Lin Yang, Xiaodong Wang et al.

Carbon Energy • 2021

Abstract The flexible self‐supporting electrode can maintain good mechanical and electrical properties while retaining high specific capacity, which meets the requirements of flexible batteries. Lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs), as a new generation of energy storage system, hold much higher theoretical energy density than traditional batteries, and they have attracted extensive attention from both the academic and industrial communities. Selection of a proper substrate material is important for the flexible self‐supporting electrode. Carbon materials, with the advantages of light weight, high conductivity, strong structural plasticity, and low cost, provide the electrode with a large loading space for the active material and a conductive network. This makes the carbon materials meet the mechanical and electrochemical requirements of flexible electrodes. In this paper, the commonly used fabrication methods and recent research progresses of the flexible self‐supporting cathode with a carbon material as the substrate are introduced. Various sulfur loading methods are summarized, which provides useful information for the structural design of the cathode. As the first review article of the carbon‐based flexible self‐supporting LSB cathodes, it provides valuable guidance for the researchers working in the field of LSB.

Dylan Lasrado, Sandeep S. Ahankari, Kamal K. Kar

Journal of Applied Polymer Science • 2020

ABSTRACT With rapid fossil fuel consumption and ecological concerns, alternative options of green energy development and its efficient storage technology is an emergent area of research. Nanocellulose is observed to be a very‐promising sustainable and environmentally friendly nanomaterial for green and renewable electronics for advanced electrochemical energy conversion/conservation devices. This review begins with a basic introduction on the sources and properties of nanocellulose. It provides an overview of the recent advancements made by researchers in integrating nanocellulose with active materials to form a flexible film/aerogel/3D structures as a substrate for powering portable electronics, electric vehicles, etc. The review highlights the use of nanocellulose‐based composites in energy conversion devices such as solar cells, piezoelectric materials, and lithium ion batteries. Recent research shows that the power conversion efficiency of solar cells and the piezoelectric performance of piezoelectric materials can be increased when the matrix is reinforced with nanocellulose. The review also focuses on the updates of nanocellulose‐based composites in separators, binders, and electrodes of energy conservation devices such as supercapacitors, and energy capture devices such as CO 2 separators. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137 , 48959.

G.C. Miranda de la Lama, Jéssica Meijide, M.Á. Sanromán et al.

Catalysts • 2022

Nowadays, water pollution is one of the most dangerous environmental problems in the world. The presence of the so-called emerging pollutants in the different water bodies, impossible to eliminate through conventional biological and physical treatments used in wastewater treatment plants due to their persistent and recalcitrant nature, means that pollution continues growing throughout the world. The presence of these emerging pollutants involves serious risks to human and animal health for aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Therefore, in recent years, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been postulated as a viable, innovative and efficient technology for the elimination of these types of compounds from water bodies. The oxidation/reduction reactions triggered in most of these processes require a suitable catalyst. The most recent research focuses on the use and development of different types of heterogeneous catalysts, which are capable of overcoming some of the operational limitations of homogeneous processes such as the generation of metallic sludge, difficult separation of treated water and narrow working pH. This review details the current advances in the field of heterogeneous AOPs, Fenton processes and photocatalysts for the removal of different types of emerging pollutants.

Tianyu Zhang, Weitao Li, Kai Huang et al.

Nature Communications • 2021

A catalyst system with dedicated selectivity toward a single hydrocarbon or oxygenate product is essential to enable the industrial application of electrochemical conversion of CO 2 to high-value chemicals. Cu is the only known metal catalyst that can convert CO 2 to high-order hydrocarbons and oxygenates. However, the Cu-based catalysts suffer from diverse selectivity. Here, we report that the functionalized graphene quantum dots can direct CO 2 to CH 4 conversion with simultaneous high selectivity and production rate. The electron-donating groups facilitate the yield of CH 4 from CO 2 electro-reduction while electron-withdrawing groups suppress CO 2 electro-reduction. The yield of CH 4 on electron-donating group functionalized graphene quantum dots is positively correlated to the electron-donating ability and content of electron-donating group. The graphene quantum dots functionalized by either -OH or -NH 2 functional group could achieve Faradaic efficiency of 70.0% for CH 4 at -200 mA cm -2 partial current density of CH 4 . The superior yield of CH 4 on electron-donating group- over the electron-withdrawing group-functionalized graphene quantum dots possibly originates from the maintenance of higher charge density of potential active sites (neighboring C or N) and the interaction between the electron-donating group and key intermediates. This work provides insight into the design of active carbon catalysts at the molecular scale for the CO 2 electro-reduction.

Raj Kumar, Daeho Lee, Ümit Ağbulut et al.

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry • 2024

Abstract In order to fulfill consumer demand, energy storage may provide flexible electricity generation and delivery. By 2030, the amount of energy storage needed will quadruple what it is today, necessitating the use of very specialized equipment and systems. Energy storage is a technology that stores energy for use in power generation, heating, and cooling applications at a later time using various methods and storage mediums. Through the storage of excess energy and subsequent usage when needed, energy storage technologies can assist in maintaining a balance between generation and demand. Energy storage technologies are anticipated to play a significant role in electricity generation in future grids, working in conjunction with distributed generation resources. The use of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, marine, geothermal, and biomass, is expanding quickly across the globe. The primary methods of storing energy include hydro, mechanical, electrochemical, and magnetic systems. Thermal energy storage, electric energy storage, pumped hydroelectric storage, biological energy storage, compressed air system, super electrical magnetic energy storage, and photonic energy conversion systems are the main topics of this study, which also examines various energy storage materials and their methodologies. In the present work, the concepts of various energy storage techniques and the computation of storage capacities are discussed. Energy storage materials are essential for the utilization of renewable energy sources and play a major part in the economical, clean, and adaptable usage of energy. As a result, a broad variety of materials are used in energy storage, and they have been the focus of intense research and development as well as industrialization. This review article discusses the recent developments in energy storage techniques such as thermal, mechanical, electrical, biological, and chemical energy storage in terms of their utilization. The focus of the study has an emphasis on the solar-energy storage system, which is future of the energy technology. It has been found that with the current storage technology, the efficiency of the various solar collectors was found to be increased by 37% compared with conventional solar thermal collectors. This work will guide the researchers in making their decisions while considering the qualities, benefits, restrictions, costs, and environmental factors. As a result, the findings of this review study may be very beneficial to many different energy sector stakeholders.

Guisheng Zeng, Weiping Li, Suqin Ci et al.

Scientific Reports • 2016

Nickel oxide-decorated graphene nanosheet (NiO/GNS), as a novel non-enzymatic electrocatalyst for glucose oxidation reaction (GOR), was synthesized through a facile hydrothermal route followed by the heat treatment. The successful synthesis of NiO/GNS was characterized by a series of techniques including XRD, BET, SEM and TEM. Significantly, the NiO/GNS catalyst show excellent catalytic activity toward GOR, and was employed to develop a sensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor. The developed glucose sensor could response to glucose in a wide range from 5 μM-4.2 mM with a low detection limit (LOD) of 5.0 μM (S/N = 3). Importantly, compared with bare NiO, the catalytic activity of NiO/GNS was much higher. The reason might be that the 2D structure of graphene could prevent the aggregation of NiO and facilitate the electron transfer at electrode interface. Moreover, the outstanding catalytic activity of NiO/GNS was further demonstrated by applying it to construct a biofuel cell using glucose as fuel, which exhibited high stability and current density.

May Abdullah Abomuti, Ekram Y. Danish, Ahmad Firoz et al.

Biology • 2021

The facile bio-fabrication of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) is described in this study using an aqueous leaf extract of Salvia officinalis   L . as an efficient stabilizing/capping agent. Biosynthesis of nanomaterials using phytochemicals present in the plants has received great attention and is gaining significant importance as a possible alternative to the conventional chemical methods. The properties of the bio-fabricated ZnONPs were examined by different techniques, such as UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric/differential scanning calorimetry analysis (TGA/DTG). The photocatalytic activity of ZnONPs was investigated against methyl orange (MO) under UV light irradiation. Under optimum experimental conditions, ZnONPs exhibited 92.47% degradation of MO. Furthermore, the antifungal activity of bio-fabricated ZnONPs was determined against different clinical Candida albicans isolates following standard protocols of broth microdilution and disc diffusion assay. The susceptibility assay revealed that ZnONPs inhibit the growth of all the tested fungal isolates at varying levels with MIC values ranging from 7.81 to 1.95 µg/mL. Insight mechanisms of antifungal action appeared to be originated via inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis and the disruption of membrane integrity. Thus, it was postulated that bio-fabricated ZnONPs have sustainable applications in developing novel antifungal agents with multiple drug targets. In addition, ZnONPs show efficient photocatalytic efficiency without any significant catalytic loss after the catalyst was recycled and reused multiple times.

Yuxun Ren, Lin Zeng, Haoran Jiang et al.

Nature Communications • 2019

A rechargeable lithium anode requires a porous structure for a high capacity, and a stable electrode/electrolyte interface against dendrite formation and polysulfide crossover when used in a lithium-sulfur battery. Here, we design two simple steps of spontaneous reactions for protecting porous lithium electrodes. First, a reaction between molten lithium and sulfur-impregnated carbon nanofiber forms a fibrous network with a lithium shell and a carbon core. Second, we coat the surface of this porous lithium electrode with a composite of lithium bismuth alloys and lithium fluoride through another spontaneous reaction between lithium and bismuth trifluoride, solvated with phosphorous pentasulfide, which also polymerizes with lithium sulfide residual in the electrode to form a solid electrolyte layer. This protected porous lithium electrode enables stable operation of a lithium-sulfur battery with a sulfur loading of 10.2 mg cm -2 at 6.0 mA cm -2 for 200 cycles.

Yingshuo Liu, Charles C. L. McCrory

Nature Communications • 2019

The selective and efficient electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to single products is crucial for solar fuels development. Encapsulating molecular catalysts such as cobalt phthalocyanine within coordination polymers such as poly-4-vinylpyridine leads to dramatically increased activity and selectivity for CO 2 reduction. In this study, we use a combination of kinetic isotope effect and proton inventory studies to explain the observed increase in activity and selectivity upon polymer encapsulation. We provide evidence that axial-coordination from the pyridyl moieties in poly-4-vinylpyridine to the cobalt phthalocyanine complex changes the rate-determining step in the CO 2 reduction mechanism accounting for the increased activity in the catalyst-polymer composite. Moreover, we show that proton delivery to cobalt centers within the polymer is controlled by a proton relay mechanism that inhibits competitive hydrogen evolution. These mechanistic findings provide design strategies for selective CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts and serve as a model for understanding the catalytic mechanism of related heterogeneous systems.

Shreya Srivastava, Anoop K. Gupta, Priyanka Gupta

Journal of Water Process Engineering • 2025

Jung Yoon Kim, Peng Zhu, Feng-Yang Chen et al.

Nature Catalysis • 2022

Akil Ahmad

Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery • 2024

Jing Fu, Xiangyang Li, Hao Chen et al.

Journal of Water Process Engineering • 2025

Getabalew Shifera Weldegrum, Demise Alebachew Zemedagegnehu, Aknachew Mebreku Demeku et al.

Scientific Reports • 2025

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is gaining popularity as a viable and sustainable method of energy and power generation, while simultaneously reducing environmental pollution levels. However, MFCs are not economically feasible due to their low energy productivity and the high cost of producing anode materials. In this study, an anode made of an enset corm biosynthetic graphene derivative (E-rGO) was installed in the dual chamber of an MFC. In addition, a composite anode of E-rGO/Fe 3 O 4 was developed to remove Cr (VI) and Pb (II) ions from wastewater while simultaneously generating energy. The synthesized materials were analyzed using UV-Vis, SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, RAMA, and TGA spectroscopy to investigate the materials' optical, morphological, and structural properties, molecular vibrational states, structural defects, and thermal stability. CV and EIS were also utilized to investigate the electrochemical characteristics of the synthesized materials. For Cr (VI), the anodes made using E-rGO, and E-rGO/Fe 3 O 4 NCs had remediation efficiencies of 70.6%, and 79.2%, while for Pb (II), they were 65.1%, and 73.8%. Furthermore, the composite anode (E-rGO/Fe 3 O 4 NCs) delivered a maximum power density of (39.77 mW/m 2 ) and a current density of (1171 mA/m 2 ), higher than E-rGO modified anode electrode power density (8.75 mW/m 2 ) and current density (609 mA/m 2 ), respectively. The final results of the produced anodes revealed that Enset corm biomass is a viable and affordable material for improving MFC anode performance. The outcome of the manufactured anodes suggests that enset corm biomass is a viable and economical material to improve MFC anode efficiency.

Yuyang Wang

Renewable Energy • 2024

Dawid Nosek, Tomasz Mikołajczyk, Agnieszka Cydzik‐Kwiatkowska

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy • 2024

Li Ding, Yanying Wei, Libo Li et al.

Nature Communications • 2018

Molecular sieving membranes with sufficient and uniform nanochannels that break the permeability-selectivity trade-off are desirable for energy-efficient gas separation, and the arising two-dimensional (2D) materials provide new routes for membrane development. However, for 2D lamellar membranes, disordered interlayer nanochannels for mass transport are usually formed between randomly stacked neighboring nanosheets, which is obstructive for highly efficient separation. Therefore, manufacturing lamellar membranes with highly ordered nanochannel structures for fast and precise molecular sieving is still challenging. Here, we report on lamellar stacked MXene membranes with aligned and regular subnanometer channels, taking advantage of the abundant surface-terminating groups on the MXene nanosheets, which exhibit excellent gas separation performance with H 2 permeability >2200 Barrer and H 2 /CO 2 selectivity >160, superior to the state-of-the-art membranes. The results of molecular dynamics simulations quantitatively support the experiments, confirming the subnanometer interlayer spacing between the neighboring MXene nanosheets as molecular sieving channels for gas separation.

Halima Alnaqbi, Enas Taha Sayed, Sameer Al‐Asheh et al.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy • 2022

Geetanjali Geetanjali, Radha Rani, Sanjay Kumar

Journal of environmental chemical engineering • 2020

Moustafa Zahran

Journal of Water Process Engineering • 2024

Jamile Mohammadi Moradian, Jianli Mi, Xinyan Dai et al.

Chemosphere • 2021