Single source molecular precursors （SSPs） provide an opportunity to get control over the microstructure of nanomaterials at atomic level. A SSP was designed and developed for the synthesis of ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite ...Single source molecular precursors （SSPs） provide an opportunity to get control over the microstructure of nanomaterials at atomic level. A SSP was designed and developed for the synthesis of ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite by sol gel method. In a typical synthe-sis process, a bimetallic molecular compound with chemical formula [Cl2TiZn（dmae）4] （dmae=dimethylaminoethanol） was synthesized and its chemical composition was deter-mined by elemental analysis. The obtained compound has shown excellent solubility in common organic solvents, a prerequisite for its use in sol gel method as SSP. The SSP ob-tained was controllably hydrolyzed by adding equimolar amount of water using ethanol as solvent to get ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite gel. The resulting gel was precipitated at pH=9 and sintered at 200 ℃ （T200）, 400℃ （T400）, and 600℃ （T600）. The XRD analyses have shown that the as synthesized （non-sintered, T00） powder was amorphous. However, the crystallinity improved upon sintering, and the XRD analyses revealed that the resulting nanomaterials were composed of mixed oxides i.e., ZnO and TiO2. The ZnO was in wurtzite （hexagonal） while the TiO2 was in brookite （orthorhombic） phase. The increase in particlesize was further confirmed from BET analysis and SEM micrographs. The IR spectra ob-tained for the resulting powder have shown the peculiar vibrational bands for Zn-O and Ti-O. Furthermore, the IR spectra revealed that the non-sintered ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite had significant number of OH group which was removed upon sintering. The photocatalytic activities of the ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites were tested. All the samples have shown good photocatalytic activities. However, the T400 has shown higher activity than the T00, T200, and T600. The higher photocatalytic activity of T400 than T00, T200, and T600 may be due to improved crystallinity which ensures efficient grain boundary interfaces.展开更多
In this investigation, polymeric nanocomposite membranes（PNMs） were prepared via incorporating zinc oxide（ZnO） into poly（ether-block-amide）(PEBAX-1074) polymer matrix with different loadings. The neat membrane a...In this investigation, polymeric nanocomposite membranes（PNMs） were prepared via incorporating zinc oxide（ZnO） into poly（ether-block-amide）(PEBAX-1074) polymer matrix with different loadings. The neat membrane and nanocomposite membranes were prepared via solution casting and solution blending methods, respectively. The fabricated membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM） to survey cross-sectional morphologies and thermal gravimetric analysis（TGA）to study thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared（FT-IR） and X-ray diffraction（XRD） analyses were also employed to identify variations of the chemical bonds and crystal structure of the membranes, respectively. Permeation of pure gases, CO, CHand Nthrough the prepared neat and nanocomposite membranes was studied at pressures of 3–18 bar and temperature of 25 °C. The obtained results showed that the fabricated nanocomposite membranes exhibit better separation performance compared to the neat PEBAX membrane in terms of both permeability and selectivity. As an example, at temperature of 25 °C and pressure of 3 bar, COpermeability, ideal CO/CHand CO/Nselectivity values for the neat PEBAX membrane are 110.67 Barrer, 11.09 and 50.08, respectively, while those values are 152.27 Barrer,13.52 and 62.15 for PEBAX/ZnO nanocomposite membrane containing 8 wt% ZnO.展开更多
Zinc oxide/low-density polyethylene （LDPE） nanocomposites were prepared for intrauterine devices. The change of Zn^2＋ release rates of nanocomposites （ doped with various mass fractions of zinc oxide nanoparticles...Zinc oxide/low-density polyethylene （LDPE） nanocomposites were prepared for intrauterine devices. The change of Zn^2＋ release rates of nanocomposites （ doped with various mass fractions of zinc oxide nanoparticles between 5wt% and 65 wt% ） for 264 days in a simulated uterine solution were investigated. The resuits show that initial burst phases are followed by near zero-order release phases. SEM technique was employed to observe the surface morphology of the 45wt% ZnO/ LDPE composite. Elements and phases on the surface of the nanocomposite after incubation were also analyzed by EDX and XRD respectively. The experimental results show that incrustation formation does not occur after incubation.展开更多
TiO_(2)-ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by varying Ti:Zn molar ratio from 1:0.1(TZ-1:0.1)to 1:1(TZ-1:1).With increase in Zn content,from TZ-1:0.1 to TZ-1:0.2,anatase transformed to rutile phase.TZ-1:0.3,which cont...TiO_(2)-ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by varying Ti:Zn molar ratio from 1:0.1(TZ-1:0.1)to 1:1(TZ-1:1).With increase in Zn content,from TZ-1:0.1 to TZ-1:0.2,anatase transformed to rutile phase.TZ-1:0.3,which contained a blend of phases,including rutile and anatase TiO_(2),ZnO,and zinc titanates,exhibited the narrowest bandgap(2.5±0.1 e V),and showed the highest photocatalytic activity.TZ-1:1 was predominated by zinc titanates.All the nanocomposites exhibited narrower bandgaps compared to pure TiO_(2)nanoparticles,facilitating visible light activity.This study was designed to explore whether a method targeting the removal of a specific crystalline phase(anatase)influenced the properties and photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite.Selective dissolution not only removed anatase phase,but also led to significant loss of crystallinity,widened the bandgap,and adversely affected photocatalytic performance,in nanocomposites that contained>80%anatase phase(TZ-1:0.1 and TZ-1:0.2).However,in nanocomposites that contained less of anatase phase(TZ-1:0.3and TZ-1:1),the morphology,bandgap,crystallinity,and the extent of photocatalytic activity at the end of 240 min remained largely unaffected.Photocatalytic activity in TZ-1:0.3 and TZ-1:1 originated from a blend of phases comprising of less photocatalytically active phases,such as rutile TiO_(2),Zn TiO3,and Zn2TiO4,rather than from the anatase phase.The Ti:Zn molar ratio controlled the phases present in TiO_(2)-ZnO nanocomposites,which,in turn,controlled the physicochemical properties and visible light activity.Thus,in nanocomposites that contained a mix of several phases,the properties and photocatalytic activity were not dependent on anatase phase.展开更多
The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）...The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）.The resulting poly（ε-caprolactone）-grafted TiO2（g-TiO2） was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA） and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The g-TiO2can be uniformly dispersed in chloroform and the g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites were successfully fabricated through solvent-casting method.The effects of the content of g-TiO2nanoparticles on tensile properties and shape memory properties were investigated.A significant improvement in the tensile properties of the 5% g-TiO2/PLCL mass fraction nanocomposite is obtained：an increase of 113% in the tensile strength and an increase of 11% in the elongation at break over pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites with a certain amount of g-TiO2content have better shape memory properties than pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2nanoparticles play an additional physical crosslinks which are contributed to improvement of the shape memory properties.展开更多
An innovative photocatalyst, Carbon nanotube （CNT） supported Ce-TiO2 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via modi-fied sol gel method and investigated in a batch reactor for abolition of phenol under UV light...An innovative photocatalyst, Carbon nanotube （CNT） supported Ce-TiO2 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via modi-fied sol gel method and investigated in a batch reactor for abolition of phenol under UV light spectrum. Characterization of catalyst micro-structure and internal properties were done by means of X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller （BET）, scanning electron micros-copy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra （DRS）. Ce doping can inhibit phase transfor-mation from anatase to rutile and eliminate the recombination of electron-hole pairs in the catalyst. The presence of CNT in TiO2 composite can both increase the photoactivity under UV and change surface properties to achieve sensitivity to visible light. The optimum mass ratio of CNT support and cerium （Ce） dopant in TiO2 was the prominent factor to harvest CNT/Ce-TiO2 photocatalyst nanocomposite. The results demonstrated that optimum mass ratio of CNT：TiO2：Ce was 0.02：1.0：0.06, which resulted in the great performance of the photocatalyst to de-grade about 94% of phenol in a 50 mg/L solution in only 3 h. In this paper, dissimilar role of CNT support and Ce dopant in the TiO2 photo-catalysis of phenol was also discussed.展开更多
Surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. Polyaniline modified TiO2 nanoparticles （PANI-TiO2） were characterized with the FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM techn...Surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. Polyaniline modified TiO2 nanoparticles （PANI-TiO2） were characterized with the FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. Results confirmed that PANI was grafted successfully on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles, therefore agglomeration of nanoparticles decreased dramatically. Polyvinyl chloride nanocomposites filled with 1 wt%-5 wt% of PANI-TiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared via the solution blending method. PVC nanocomposites were analyzed with FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TG/DTA, DSC and tensile test techniques. Effect of PANI as surface modifier of nanoparticles was discussed according to the final properties of PVC nanocomposites. Results demonstrated that deposition of PANI on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the interfacial adhesion between the constituents of nanocomposites, which resulted in better dispersion of nanoparticles in the PVC matrix. Also PVC/PANI-TiO2 nanocomposites showed higher thennal resistance, tensile strength and Young＇s modulus compared to those of unfilled PVC and PVC/TiO2 nanocomposites.展开更多
In order to achieve effective, economic, and easily achievable photocatalyst for the degradation of dye methyl orange（MeO）, ZnO, ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposites were prepared by simple chemical synthetic...In order to achieve effective, economic, and easily achievable photocatalyst for the degradation of dye methyl orange（MeO）, ZnO, ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposites were prepared by simple chemical synthetic route in the aqueous medium. Phase, crystallinity, surface structure and surface behavior of the synthesized materials were determined by X-ray diffraction（XRD） and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis（BET） techniques. XRD study established formation of good crystalline ZnO, ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 nanomaterials. By using intensity of constituent peaks in the XRD pattern, the compositions of nanocomposites were determined. From the BET analysis, the prepared materials show mesoporous behavior, type Ⅳ curves along with H4 hysteresis. The ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 composite shows the largest surface area among three materials. From the UV-visible spectra, the band gap energy of the materials was determined. Photoluminescence spectra（PL） were used to determine the emission behavior and surface defects in the materials. In PL spectra, the intensity of UV peak of ZnO/ZnS is lowered than that of ZnO while in case of ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3, the intensity further decreased. The visible emission spectra of ZnO/ZnS increased compared with ZnO while in ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 it is further increased compared with ZnO/ZnS. The as-synthesized materials were used as photocatalysts for the degradation of dye MeO. The photo-degradation data revealed that the ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 is the best photocatalyst among three specimens for the degradation of dye MeO. The decrease of intensity of UV emission peak and the increase of intensity of visible emission cause the decrease of recombination of electrons and holes which are ultimately responsible for the highest photocatalytic activity of ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3.展开更多
In this work, a series of Cu2O-Ag/ZnO, Cu2O/ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanocomposites with various compositions were prepared via a hydrothermal method followed by chemical modification, and their antibacterial performance was in...In this work, a series of Cu2O-Ag/ZnO, Cu2O/ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanocomposites with various compositions were prepared via a hydrothermal method followed by chemical modification, and their antibacterial performance was investigated in detail. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results confirmed that 31 nm Cu20 and 30 nm Ag nanoparticles are well-dispersed on 202 nm ZnO grains to form a Cu2O/ZnO and Ag/ZnO heterojunction, respectively. The bi-heterojuction structure in the Cu20-Ag/ZnO provided a synergistic effect on antibacterial activity, and the(Cu2O)0.04Ag0.06ZnO0.9nanocomposites showed the highest antimicrobial activity of all samples with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as low to 31.25 μg/mL, 250μg/mL, 125μg/mL and 500μg/mL, respectively. This is the first report of the antibacterial activities of Cu2O and Ag co-modified ZnO nanocomposites.展开更多
Given the nonuse of TiO2 nanoparticles as the reinforcement of AA2024 alloy in fabricating composites by ex-situ casting methods,it was decided to process the AA2024−xTiO2(np)(x=0,0.5 and 1 vol.%)nanocomposites by emp...Given the nonuse of TiO2 nanoparticles as the reinforcement of AA2024 alloy in fabricating composites by ex-situ casting methods,it was decided to process the AA2024−xTiO2(np)(x=0,0.5 and 1 vol.%)nanocomposites by employing the stir casting method.The structural properties of the produced samples were then investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy;their mechanical properties were also addressed by hardness and tensile tests.The results showed that adding 1 vol.%TiO2 nanoparticles reduced the grain size and dendrite arm spacing by about 66%and 31%,respectively.Also,hardness,ultimate tensile strength,yield strength,and elongation of AA2024−1vol.%TiO2(np)composite were increased by about 25%,28%,4%and 163%,respectively,as compared to those of the monolithic component.The agglomerations of nanoparticles in the structure of nanocomposites were found to be a factor weakening the strength against the strengthening mechanisms.Some agglomerations of nanoparticles in the matrix were detected on the fractured surfaces of the tension test specimens.展开更多
An efficient visible-light-responsive BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction nanocomposite was fabricated successfully using in-situ depositing technique at room temperature by introducing BiOBr onto the surface of TiO2 nano- belt...An efficient visible-light-responsive BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction nanocomposite was fabricated successfully using in-situ depositing technique at room temperature by introducing BiOBr onto the surface of TiO2 nano- belts pre-prepared by hydrothermal reaction and etched with H2SO4. The obtained particles were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-Vis DRS and PL techniques. BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction nanocomposites with different mass ratios of m （BiOBr）/m （TiO2） were discussed in order to get the best photocatalytie activity, and BiOBr/TiO2-1.0 was proved to be the optimal mass ratio. BiOBr/TiO2-1.0 exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of RhB compared with TiO2 nanobelts, pure BiOBr and the mechanical mixture of TiO2 nanobelts and BiOBr. At last, a possible mechanism ofphotocatalytic enhancement was proposed.展开更多
Titanium dioxide/ kaolinite nanocomposite was prepared by the sol-gel method, with layered kaolinite as a substrate and Ti （ OC4H9 ）4 as a precursor. The effects of hydrolysis, drying and calcination on the producti...Titanium dioxide/ kaolinite nanocomposite was prepared by the sol-gel method, with layered kaolinite as a substrate and Ti （ OC4H9 ）4 as a precursor. The effects of hydrolysis, drying and calcination on the production of nanometric titanium dioxide were discussed. The optimal conditions for preparation were＂ bbtained through experiments. The 1- 10 nrn thick monolayer anatase nano TiO2 crystal was produced under the conditions as follows： hydrolyzed at 37-42 ℃ for 4 h, dried at 70-80 ℃ for 1 h, and calcined at 550-650℃ for 3 h. The rate of degradation of 40 mg/ L azo dye and 20 mg/ L acid red dye can reuch 96% and 81.45%, respectively.展开更多
A resistive humidity sensor was prepared based on sodium polystyrenesulfonate (NaPSS)/TiO2 nanocomposites, and its electrical response to humidity was examined. The sensor exhibits better linearity, smaller hysteresis...A resistive humidity sensor was prepared based on sodium polystyrenesulfonate (NaPSS)/TiO2 nanocomposites, and its electrical response to humidity was examined. The sensor exhibits better linearity, smaller hysteresis (< 4% RH) and quicker response (absorption: less than 2 s; desorption: less than 20 s) in comparison with sensor composed of NaPSS. The effect of concentration of NaPSS and TiO2 on humidity response of sensors was discussed.展开更多
One of the most general methods to enhance the separation of photogenerated carriers for g‐C3N4is to construct a suitable heterojunctional composite,according to the principle of matching energy levels.The interface ...One of the most general methods to enhance the separation of photogenerated carriers for g‐C3N4is to construct a suitable heterojunctional composite,according to the principle of matching energy levels.The interface contact in the fabricated nanocomposite greatly influences the charge transfer and separation so as to determine the final photocatalytic activities.However,the role of interface contact is often neglected,and is rarely reported to date.Hence,it is possible to further enhance the photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4‐based nanocomposite by improving the interfacial connection.Herein,phosphate-oxygen(P-O)bridged TiO2/g‐C3N4nanocomposites were successfully synthesized using a simple wet chemical method,and the effects of the P-O functional bridges on the photogenerated charge separation and photocatalytic activity for pollutant degradation and CO2reduction were investigated.The photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4was greatly improved upon coupling with an appropriate amount of nanocrystalline TiO2,especially with P-O bridged TiO2.Atmosphere‐controlled steady‐state surface photovoltage spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy analyses revealed clearly the enhancement of photogenerated charge separation of g‐C3N4upon coupling with the P-O bridged TiO2,resulting from the built P-O bridges between TiO2and g‐C3N4so as to promote effective transfer of excited electrons from g‐C3N4to TiO2.This enhancement was responsible for the improved photoactivity of the P-O bridged TiO2/g‐C3N4nanocomposite,which exhibited three‐time photocatalytic activity enhancement for2,4‐dichlorophenol degradation and CO2reduction compared with bare g‐C3N4.Furthermore,radical‐trapping experiments revealed that the·OH species formed as hole‐modulated direct intermediates dominated the photocatalytic degradation of2,4‐dichlorophenol.This work provides a feasible strategy for the design and synthesis of high‐performance g‐C3N4‐based nanocomposite photocatalysts for pollutant degradation and CO2reduction.展开更多
This work is focused on the combination of two building-blocks, nanocrystalline TiO2 particles and polyaniline conductive films （PAni）. The preparation of new nanostructured composite materials, displaying electron-...This work is focused on the combination of two building-blocks, nanocrystalline TiO2 particles and polyaniline conductive films （PAni）. The preparation of new nanostructured composite materials, displaying electron- and proton-conductive properties, to be used for the fabrication of new and superior energy storage devices was envisaged. The semiconducting TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained by means of a hydrothermal route. The PAni films were prepared on glassy carbon electrodes by electrochemical polymerization, under potential dynamic conditions. After characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy or scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques, the nanocrystalline particles were immobilized in the polymer matrix. The incorporation of the TiO2 was achieved using two distinct approaches： during the polymer growth or by deposition over previously prepared PAni films. The results demonstrate that the PAni morphology depends on the experimental conditions used during the polymer growth. After TiO2 immobilization, the best electrochemical response was obtained for the nanocomposite structure produced through the TiO2 incorporation after the PAni film synthesis. The modified electrodes were structurally and morphologically characterized and their electro-catalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction was analyzed. A new electrochemical performance related with the oxidation of molecular hydrogen entrapped in the PAni-TiO2 matrix was observed for the modified electrode after TiO2 incorporation. This behavior can be directly associated with the synergetic combination of the TiO2 and PAni, and is dependent on the amount of the semiconductor.展开更多
Co−TiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared via magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures.The films comprise Co particles dispersed in an amorphous TiO2 matrix and exhibit coexisting ferromagnetic and super...Co−TiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared via magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures.The films comprise Co particles dispersed in an amorphous TiO2 matrix and exhibit coexisting ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic properties.When the substrate temperature increases from room temperature to 400℃,Co particles gradually grow,and the degree of Co oxidation significantly decreases.Consequently,the saturation magnetization increases from 0.13 to 0.43 T at the same Co content by increasing the substrate temperature from room temperature to 400℃.At a high substrate temperature,conductive pathways form among some of the clustered Co particles.Thus,resistivity rapidly declines from 1600 to 76μΩ·m.The magnetoresistive characteristic of Co−TiO2 films is achieved even at resistivity of as low as 76μΩ·m.These results reveal that the obtained nanocomposite films have low Co oxidation,high magnetization and magnetoresistance at room temperature.展开更多
Hexagonal NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ (β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+) nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanobelts were prepared using two-step pro- cedures of ion-exchangeable process and hydrothermal treatment: layered titanate nanobelts wer...Hexagonal NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ (β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+) nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanobelts were prepared using two-step pro- cedures of ion-exchangeable process and hydrothermal treatment: layered titanate nanobelts were first ion-exchanged with Y3+, Yb3+ and Er3+ cations to produce titanate nanobelts with these cations, and then, the product nanobelts in NaY solution were treated under hydrothermal con- dition to transform into anatase TiO2 nanobelts supported with β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles. The final p...展开更多
Europium doped ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite phosphors were synthesized via room temperature co-precipitation method. In this work structural changes, optical properties and the associated photoluminescence response were inv...Europium doped ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite phosphors were synthesized via room temperature co-precipitation method. In this work structural changes, optical properties and the associated photoluminescence response were investigated for different compositions of ZnO and SnO2 activated with Eu3＋ ions. The prepared samples were systematically characterized by means of X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, field emission scanning electron microscopy for obtaining the structural information about the prepared materials. Diffuse reflectance （DR） UV-Vis spectrometer and photoluminescence （PL） spectroscopy technique were employed for studying the optical properties of prepared materials. XRD results confirmed the presence of both phases, hexagonal ZnO as well as tetragonal SnO2 simultaneously and further using Debye Scherrer＇s and Hall-Williamson relations, crystallite size were estimated and it was found to be in the range of 8-14 nm. The FTIR studies revealed the presence of different stretching and bending modes of Zn-O and Sn-O with an additional stretching and bending vibration of absorbed water （O-H） molecules. FESEM images suggested that the particle size lied in the range of 50 to 70 nm, which were almost spherical in shapes. A long range multi colour emission from blue to red region was observed for the 320 nm excitation wavelength. The observed emission involved sharp emission due to 5D0→7F1 transition that corresponded to the magnetic dipole transition. The study showed that the Eu3＋ doped nanocomposite was more suitable material than singly Eu3＋ doped ZnO and Eu3＋ doped SnO2 with enhanced opto-eleetronic and luminescence properties and potential applications in display devices.展开更多
The synthesis and characterization of a new nanocomposite material that was prepared from recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) is reported here. The EPS was obtained from chemical reagent bo...The synthesis and characterization of a new nanocomposite material that was prepared from recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) is reported here. The EPS was obtained from chemical reagent box insulation. To obtain the nanocomposite, these materials were dispersed in a solvent, mixed with TiCl4 and heated. The resulting new material was characterized with SEM, TEM, TGA, BET, Raman and IR techniques. The Raman and IR spectra provided complementary information regarding the structure of the nanocomposite. The Raman spectra were used to identify the crystalline structure of TiO2 in the nanocomposite. In contrast, the IR spectra were used to identify the organic portion of the nanocomposite. The TEM images indicated that the nanocomposites had an average particle size of 6 - 12 nm. In addition, the adsorption and photocatalytic properties of the new material were evaluated. The EPS/TiO2 nanocomposite was efficient at degrading methylene blue (MB) dye solutions under UV irradiation. Furthermore, according to thermal analysis, this material had greater polymer stability due to the incorporation of TiO2.展开更多
文摘Single source molecular precursors （SSPs） provide an opportunity to get control over the microstructure of nanomaterials at atomic level. A SSP was designed and developed for the synthesis of ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite by sol gel method. In a typical synthe-sis process, a bimetallic molecular compound with chemical formula [Cl2TiZn（dmae）4] （dmae=dimethylaminoethanol） was synthesized and its chemical composition was deter-mined by elemental analysis. The obtained compound has shown excellent solubility in common organic solvents, a prerequisite for its use in sol gel method as SSP. The SSP ob-tained was controllably hydrolyzed by adding equimolar amount of water using ethanol as solvent to get ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite gel. The resulting gel was precipitated at pH=9 and sintered at 200 ℃ （T200）, 400℃ （T400）, and 600℃ （T600）. The XRD analyses have shown that the as synthesized （non-sintered, T00） powder was amorphous. However, the crystallinity improved upon sintering, and the XRD analyses revealed that the resulting nanomaterials were composed of mixed oxides i.e., ZnO and TiO2. The ZnO was in wurtzite （hexagonal） while the TiO2 was in brookite （orthorhombic） phase. The increase in particlesize was further confirmed from BET analysis and SEM micrographs. The IR spectra ob-tained for the resulting powder have shown the peculiar vibrational bands for Zn-O and Ti-O. Furthermore, the IR spectra revealed that the non-sintered ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposite had significant number of OH group which was removed upon sintering. The photocatalytic activities of the ZnO/TiO2 nanocomposites were tested. All the samples have shown good photocatalytic activities. However, the T400 has shown higher activity than the T00, T200, and T600. The higher photocatalytic activity of T400 than T00, T200, and T600 may be due to improved crystallinity which ensures efficient grain boundary interfaces.
文摘In this investigation, polymeric nanocomposite membranes（PNMs） were prepared via incorporating zinc oxide（ZnO） into poly（ether-block-amide）(PEBAX-1074) polymer matrix with different loadings. The neat membrane and nanocomposite membranes were prepared via solution casting and solution blending methods, respectively. The fabricated membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy（FESEM） to survey cross-sectional morphologies and thermal gravimetric analysis（TGA）to study thermal stability. Fourier transform infrared（FT-IR） and X-ray diffraction（XRD） analyses were also employed to identify variations of the chemical bonds and crystal structure of the membranes, respectively. Permeation of pure gases, CO, CHand Nthrough the prepared neat and nanocomposite membranes was studied at pressures of 3–18 bar and temperature of 25 °C. The obtained results showed that the fabricated nanocomposite membranes exhibit better separation performance compared to the neat PEBAX membrane in terms of both permeability and selectivity. As an example, at temperature of 25 °C and pressure of 3 bar, COpermeability, ideal CO/CHand CO/Nselectivity values for the neat PEBAX membrane are 110.67 Barrer, 11.09 and 50.08, respectively, while those values are 152.27 Barrer,13.52 and 62.15 for PEBAX/ZnO nanocomposite membrane containing 8 wt% ZnO.
文摘Zinc oxide/low-density polyethylene （LDPE） nanocomposites were prepared for intrauterine devices. The change of Zn^2＋ release rates of nanocomposites （ doped with various mass fractions of zinc oxide nanoparticles between 5wt% and 65 wt% ） for 264 days in a simulated uterine solution were investigated. The resuits show that initial burst phases are followed by near zero-order release phases. SEM technique was employed to observe the surface morphology of the 45wt% ZnO/ LDPE composite. Elements and phases on the surface of the nanocomposite after incubation were also analyzed by EDX and XRD respectively. The experimental results show that incrustation formation does not occur after incubation.
基金provided by Department of Science and Technology,New Delhi,India,under the Water Technology Initiative(WTI)scheme(Project code:DST/TM/WTI/2K15/101(G)).
文摘TiO_(2)-ZnO nanocomposites were synthesized by varying Ti:Zn molar ratio from 1:0.1(TZ-1:0.1)to 1:1(TZ-1:1).With increase in Zn content,from TZ-1:0.1 to TZ-1:0.2,anatase transformed to rutile phase.TZ-1:0.3,which contained a blend of phases,including rutile and anatase TiO_(2),ZnO,and zinc titanates,exhibited the narrowest bandgap(2.5±0.1 e V),and showed the highest photocatalytic activity.TZ-1:1 was predominated by zinc titanates.All the nanocomposites exhibited narrower bandgaps compared to pure TiO_(2)nanoparticles,facilitating visible light activity.This study was designed to explore whether a method targeting the removal of a specific crystalline phase(anatase)influenced the properties and photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite.Selective dissolution not only removed anatase phase,but also led to significant loss of crystallinity,widened the bandgap,and adversely affected photocatalytic performance,in nanocomposites that contained>80%anatase phase(TZ-1:0.1 and TZ-1:0.2).However,in nanocomposites that contained less of anatase phase(TZ-1:0.3and TZ-1:1),the morphology,bandgap,crystallinity,and the extent of photocatalytic activity at the end of 240 min remained largely unaffected.Photocatalytic activity in TZ-1:0.3 and TZ-1:1 originated from a blend of phases comprising of less photocatalytically active phases,such as rutile TiO_(2),Zn TiO3,and Zn2TiO4,rather than from the anatase phase.The Ti:Zn molar ratio controlled the phases present in TiO_(2)-ZnO nanocomposites,which,in turn,controlled the physicochemical properties and visible light activity.Thus,in nanocomposites that contained a mix of several phases,the properties and photocatalytic activity were not dependent on anatase phase.
基金Project(50903023) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(HEUCF201210005) supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,ChinaProject(2010RFQXG037) supported by Harbin Special Fund for Innovation Talents of Science and Technology,China
文摘The preparation of TiO2/poly（L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone）（PLCL） nanocomposites and their properties were reported.TiO2nanoparticles were surface modified by ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone（ε-CL）.The resulting poly（ε-caprolactone）-grafted TiO2（g-TiO2） was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）,thermogravimetric analysis（TGA） and transmission electron microscopy（TEM）.The g-TiO2can be uniformly dispersed in chloroform and the g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites were successfully fabricated through solvent-casting method.The effects of the content of g-TiO2nanoparticles on tensile properties and shape memory properties were investigated.A significant improvement in the tensile properties of the 5% g-TiO2/PLCL mass fraction nanocomposite is obtained：an increase of 113% in the tensile strength and an increase of 11% in the elongation at break over pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2/PLCL nanocomposites with a certain amount of g-TiO2content have better shape memory properties than pure PLCL polymer.The g-TiO2nanoparticles play an additional physical crosslinks which are contributed to improvement of the shape memory properties.
基金Project supported by Research University Grant Scheme (Project A/C No.814004)the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC) under the Commercialization of Research and Development Fund (CRDF) (MBF065-USM/05)
文摘An innovative photocatalyst, Carbon nanotube （CNT） supported Ce-TiO2 nanocomposite was successfully synthesized via modi-fied sol gel method and investigated in a batch reactor for abolition of phenol under UV light spectrum. Characterization of catalyst micro-structure and internal properties were done by means of X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller （BET）, scanning electron micros-copy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM） and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra （DRS）. Ce doping can inhibit phase transfor-mation from anatase to rutile and eliminate the recombination of electron-hole pairs in the catalyst. The presence of CNT in TiO2 composite can both increase the photoactivity under UV and change surface properties to achieve sensitivity to visible light. The optimum mass ratio of CNT support and cerium （Ce） dopant in TiO2 was the prominent factor to harvest CNT/Ce-TiO2 photocatalyst nanocomposite. The results demonstrated that optimum mass ratio of CNT：TiO2：Ce was 0.02：1.0：0.06, which resulted in the great performance of the photocatalyst to de-grade about 94% of phenol in a 50 mg/L solution in only 3 h. In this paper, dissimilar role of CNT support and Ce dopant in the TiO2 photo-catalysis of phenol was also discussed.
基金financially supported by the University of Tabriz
文摘Surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified with the in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. Polyaniline modified TiO2 nanoparticles （PANI-TiO2） were characterized with the FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. Results confirmed that PANI was grafted successfully on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles, therefore agglomeration of nanoparticles decreased dramatically. Polyvinyl chloride nanocomposites filled with 1 wt%-5 wt% of PANI-TiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared via the solution blending method. PVC nanocomposites were analyzed with FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TG/DTA, DSC and tensile test techniques. Effect of PANI as surface modifier of nanoparticles was discussed according to the final properties of PVC nanocomposites. Results demonstrated that deposition of PANI on the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles improved the interfacial adhesion between the constituents of nanocomposites, which resulted in better dispersion of nanoparticles in the PVC matrix. Also PVC/PANI-TiO2 nanocomposites showed higher thennal resistance, tensile strength and Young＇s modulus compared to those of unfilled PVC and PVC/TiO2 nanocomposites.
文摘In order to achieve effective, economic, and easily achievable photocatalyst for the degradation of dye methyl orange（MeO）, ZnO, ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposites were prepared by simple chemical synthetic route in the aqueous medium. Phase, crystallinity, surface structure and surface behavior of the synthesized materials were determined by X-ray diffraction（XRD） and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis（BET） techniques. XRD study established formation of good crystalline ZnO, ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 nanomaterials. By using intensity of constituent peaks in the XRD pattern, the compositions of nanocomposites were determined. From the BET analysis, the prepared materials show mesoporous behavior, type Ⅳ curves along with H4 hysteresis. The ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 composite shows the largest surface area among three materials. From the UV-visible spectra, the band gap energy of the materials was determined. Photoluminescence spectra（PL） were used to determine the emission behavior and surface defects in the materials. In PL spectra, the intensity of UV peak of ZnO/ZnS is lowered than that of ZnO while in case of ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3, the intensity further decreased. The visible emission spectra of ZnO/ZnS increased compared with ZnO while in ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 it is further increased compared with ZnO/ZnS. The as-synthesized materials were used as photocatalysts for the degradation of dye MeO. The photo-degradation data revealed that the ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3 is the best photocatalyst among three specimens for the degradation of dye MeO. The decrease of intensity of UV emission peak and the increase of intensity of visible emission cause the decrease of recombination of electrons and holes which are ultimately responsible for the highest photocatalytic activity of ZnO/ZnS/α-Fe2O3.
基金supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51677120 and 51207093)the Shenzhen Government Fund(Grant Nos.JCYJ20160422102919963)the Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials(Grant Nos.T201502)
文摘In this work, a series of Cu2O-Ag/ZnO, Cu2O/ZnO and Ag/ZnO nanocomposites with various compositions were prepared via a hydrothermal method followed by chemical modification, and their antibacterial performance was investigated in detail. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy results confirmed that 31 nm Cu20 and 30 nm Ag nanoparticles are well-dispersed on 202 nm ZnO grains to form a Cu2O/ZnO and Ag/ZnO heterojunction, respectively. The bi-heterojuction structure in the Cu20-Ag/ZnO provided a synergistic effect on antibacterial activity, and the(Cu2O)0.04Ag0.06ZnO0.9nanocomposites showed the highest antimicrobial activity of all samples with minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as low to 31.25 μg/mL, 250μg/mL, 125μg/mL and 500μg/mL, respectively. This is the first report of the antibacterial activities of Cu2O and Ag co-modified ZnO nanocomposites.
文摘Given the nonuse of TiO2 nanoparticles as the reinforcement of AA2024 alloy in fabricating composites by ex-situ casting methods,it was decided to process the AA2024−xTiO2(np)(x=0,0.5 and 1 vol.%)nanocomposites by employing the stir casting method.The structural properties of the produced samples were then investigated by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy;their mechanical properties were also addressed by hardness and tensile tests.The results showed that adding 1 vol.%TiO2 nanoparticles reduced the grain size and dendrite arm spacing by about 66%and 31%,respectively.Also,hardness,ultimate tensile strength,yield strength,and elongation of AA2024−1vol.%TiO2(np)composite were increased by about 25%,28%,4%and 163%,respectively,as compared to those of the monolithic component.The agglomerations of nanoparticles in the structure of nanocomposites were found to be a factor weakening the strength against the strengthening mechanisms.Some agglomerations of nanoparticles in the matrix were detected on the fractured surfaces of the tension test specimens.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China("973"Program,No.2014CB239300,No.2012CB720100)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21406164,No.21466035)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(No.20110032110037,No.20130032120019)
文摘An efficient visible-light-responsive BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction nanocomposite was fabricated successfully using in-situ depositing technique at room temperature by introducing BiOBr onto the surface of TiO2 nano- belts pre-prepared by hydrothermal reaction and etched with H2SO4. The obtained particles were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-Vis DRS and PL techniques. BiOBr/TiO2 heterojunction nanocomposites with different mass ratios of m （BiOBr）/m （TiO2） were discussed in order to get the best photocatalytie activity, and BiOBr/TiO2-1.0 was proved to be the optimal mass ratio. BiOBr/TiO2-1.0 exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity in the degradation of RhB compared with TiO2 nanobelts, pure BiOBr and the mechanical mixture of TiO2 nanobelts and BiOBr. At last, a possible mechanism ofphotocatalytic enhancement was proposed.
基金Funded by National "973" Plan Research Project ( No.2004CB619204) and Educational Ministry Scientific and Technologi-cal Research Key Project (No.02052)
文摘Titanium dioxide/ kaolinite nanocomposite was prepared by the sol-gel method, with layered kaolinite as a substrate and Ti （ OC4H9 ）4 as a precursor. The effects of hydrolysis, drying and calcination on the production of nanometric titanium dioxide were discussed. The optimal conditions for preparation were＂ bbtained through experiments. The 1- 10 nrn thick monolayer anatase nano TiO2 crystal was produced under the conditions as follows： hydrolyzed at 37-42 ℃ for 4 h, dried at 70-80 ℃ for 1 h, and calcined at 550-650℃ for 3 h. The rate of degradation of 40 mg/ L azo dye and 20 mg/ L acid red dye can reuch 96% and 81.45%, respectively.
基金This work was supported by the National and Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 59773012).
文摘A resistive humidity sensor was prepared based on sodium polystyrenesulfonate (NaPSS)/TiO2 nanocomposites, and its electrical response to humidity was examined. The sensor exhibits better linearity, smaller hysteresis (< 4% RH) and quicker response (absorption: less than 2 s; desorption: less than 20 s) in comparison with sensor composed of NaPSS. The effect of concentration of NaPSS and TiO2 on humidity response of sensors was discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1401245,91622119)the Program for Innovative Research Team in Chinese Universities(IRT1237)+1 种基金the Research Project of Chinese Ministry of Education(213011A)the Science Foundation for Excellent Youth of Harbin City of China(2014RFYXJ002)~~
文摘One of the most general methods to enhance the separation of photogenerated carriers for g‐C3N4is to construct a suitable heterojunctional composite,according to the principle of matching energy levels.The interface contact in the fabricated nanocomposite greatly influences the charge transfer and separation so as to determine the final photocatalytic activities.However,the role of interface contact is often neglected,and is rarely reported to date.Hence,it is possible to further enhance the photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4‐based nanocomposite by improving the interfacial connection.Herein,phosphate-oxygen(P-O)bridged TiO2/g‐C3N4nanocomposites were successfully synthesized using a simple wet chemical method,and the effects of the P-O functional bridges on the photogenerated charge separation and photocatalytic activity for pollutant degradation and CO2reduction were investigated.The photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4was greatly improved upon coupling with an appropriate amount of nanocrystalline TiO2,especially with P-O bridged TiO2.Atmosphere‐controlled steady‐state surface photovoltage spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy analyses revealed clearly the enhancement of photogenerated charge separation of g‐C3N4upon coupling with the P-O bridged TiO2,resulting from the built P-O bridges between TiO2and g‐C3N4so as to promote effective transfer of excited electrons from g‐C3N4to TiO2.This enhancement was responsible for the improved photoactivity of the P-O bridged TiO2/g‐C3N4nanocomposite,which exhibited three‐time photocatalytic activity enhancement for2,4‐dichlorophenol degradation and CO2reduction compared with bare g‐C3N4.Furthermore,radical‐trapping experiments revealed that the·OH species formed as hole‐modulated direct intermediates dominated the photocatalytic degradation of2,4‐dichlorophenol.This work provides a feasible strategy for the design and synthesis of high‐performance g‐C3N4‐based nanocomposite photocatalysts for pollutant degradation and CO2reduction.
基金supported by FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia under the project PTDC/CTM NAN/113021/2009O.C.Monteiro acknowledges PEst-OE/QUI/UI0612/2013 and Programme Ciencia 2007
文摘This work is focused on the combination of two building-blocks, nanocrystalline TiO2 particles and polyaniline conductive films （PAni）. The preparation of new nanostructured composite materials, displaying electron- and proton-conductive properties, to be used for the fabrication of new and superior energy storage devices was envisaged. The semiconducting TiO2 nanoparticles were obtained by means of a hydrothermal route. The PAni films were prepared on glassy carbon electrodes by electrochemical polymerization, under potential dynamic conditions. After characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy or scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques, the nanocrystalline particles were immobilized in the polymer matrix. The incorporation of the TiO2 was achieved using two distinct approaches： during the polymer growth or by deposition over previously prepared PAni films. The results demonstrate that the PAni morphology depends on the experimental conditions used during the polymer growth. After TiO2 immobilization, the best electrochemical response was obtained for the nanocomposite structure produced through the TiO2 incorporation after the PAni film synthesis. The modified electrodes were structurally and morphologically characterized and their electro-catalytic activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction was analyzed. A new electrochemical performance related with the oxidation of molecular hydrogen entrapped in the PAni-TiO2 matrix was observed for the modified electrode after TiO2 incorporation. This behavior can be directly associated with the synergetic combination of the TiO2 and PAni, and is dependent on the amount of the semiconductor.
基金Project(2016YFE0205700)supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of ChinaProject(18JCYBJC18000)supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City,China。
文摘Co−TiO2 nanocomposite films were prepared via magnetron sputtering at various substrate temperatures.The films comprise Co particles dispersed in an amorphous TiO2 matrix and exhibit coexisting ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic properties.When the substrate temperature increases from room temperature to 400℃,Co particles gradually grow,and the degree of Co oxidation significantly decreases.Consequently,the saturation magnetization increases from 0.13 to 0.43 T at the same Co content by increasing the substrate temperature from room temperature to 400℃.At a high substrate temperature,conductive pathways form among some of the clustered Co particles.Thus,resistivity rapidly declines from 1600 to 76μΩ·m.The magnetoresistive characteristic of Co−TiO2 films is achieved even at resistivity of as low as 76μΩ·m.These results reveal that the obtained nanocomposite films have low Co oxidation,high magnetization and magnetoresistance at room temperature.
基金Project supported by the "973" Basic Research Foundation of China (2006CB932605)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (20976002)
文摘Hexagonal NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ (β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+) nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanobelts were prepared using two-step pro- cedures of ion-exchangeable process and hydrothermal treatment: layered titanate nanobelts were first ion-exchanged with Y3+, Yb3+ and Er3+ cations to produce titanate nanobelts with these cations, and then, the product nanobelts in NaY solution were treated under hydrothermal con- dition to transform into anatase TiO2 nanobelts supported with β-NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+ nanoparticles. The final p...
基金supported by ISM research scholars funding by Government of India
文摘Europium doped ZnO/SnO2 nanocomposite phosphors were synthesized via room temperature co-precipitation method. In this work structural changes, optical properties and the associated photoluminescence response were investigated for different compositions of ZnO and SnO2 activated with Eu3＋ ions. The prepared samples were systematically characterized by means of X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR）, field emission scanning electron microscopy for obtaining the structural information about the prepared materials. Diffuse reflectance （DR） UV-Vis spectrometer and photoluminescence （PL） spectroscopy technique were employed for studying the optical properties of prepared materials. XRD results confirmed the presence of both phases, hexagonal ZnO as well as tetragonal SnO2 simultaneously and further using Debye Scherrer＇s and Hall-Williamson relations, crystallite size were estimated and it was found to be in the range of 8-14 nm. The FTIR studies revealed the presence of different stretching and bending modes of Zn-O and Sn-O with an additional stretching and bending vibration of absorbed water （O-H） molecules. FESEM images suggested that the particle size lied in the range of 50 to 70 nm, which were almost spherical in shapes. A long range multi colour emission from blue to red region was observed for the 320 nm excitation wavelength. The observed emission involved sharp emission due to 5D0→7F1 transition that corresponded to the magnetic dipole transition. The study showed that the Eu3＋ doped nanocomposite was more suitable material than singly Eu3＋ doped ZnO and Eu3＋ doped SnO2 with enhanced opto-eleetronic and luminescence properties and potential applications in display devices.
文摘The synthesis and characterization of a new nanocomposite material that was prepared from recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) is reported here. The EPS was obtained from chemical reagent box insulation. To obtain the nanocomposite, these materials were dispersed in a solvent, mixed with TiCl4 and heated. The resulting new material was characterized with SEM, TEM, TGA, BET, Raman and IR techniques. The Raman and IR spectra provided complementary information regarding the structure of the nanocomposite. The Raman spectra were used to identify the crystalline structure of TiO2 in the nanocomposite. In contrast, the IR spectra were used to identify the organic portion of the nanocomposite. The TEM images indicated that the nanocomposites had an average particle size of 6 - 12 nm. In addition, the adsorption and photocatalytic properties of the new material were evaluated. The EPS/TiO2 nanocomposite was efficient at degrading methylene blue (MB) dye solutions under UV irradiation. Furthermore, according to thermal analysis, this material had greater polymer stability due to the incorporation of TiO2.
