Single-atom Pd clusters anchored on t-BaTiO3 material was synthesized using hydrothermal and ultrasonic methods for the effective piezoelectric catalytic degradation of pollutants using vibration energy. XRD patterns of BaTiO3 loaded with monoatomic Pd were obtained before and after calcining, and showed typical cubic-phase BTO. TEM and HAADF-STEM images indicated single-atom Pd clusters were successfully introduced into the BaTiO3. The piezoelectric current density of the prepared Pd-BaTiO3 binary composite was significantly higher than that of the pristine BaTiO3. Under mechanical vibration, the nanomaterial exhibited a tetracycline decomposition rate of ~95 % within 7 h, which is much higher than the degradation rate of 56.7 % observed with pure BaTiO3. Many of the piezo-induced electrons escaped to the Pd-doped BaTiO3 interface because of Pd’s excellent conductivity. Single-atom Pd clusters help promote the separation of the piezo-induced electrons, thereby achieving synergistic catalysis. This work demonstrates the feasibility of combining ultrasonic technology with the piezoelectric effect and provides a promising strategy for the development of ultrasonic and piezoelectric materials.

In this study, the synthesis of nitrobenzene was carried out using sulfated silica catalyst. The study delved into H2SO4/SiO2 as a solid acid catalyst and the effect of its weight variation, as well as the use of a microwave batch reactor in the synthesis of nitrobenzene. SiO2 was prepared using the sol-gel method from TEOS precursor. The formed gel was then refluxed with methanol and calcined at a temperature of 600 °C. SiO2 with a 200-mesh size was impregnated with 98 % H2SO4 by mixing for 1 h. The resulting 33 % (w/w) H2SO4/SiO2 catalyst was separated by centrifugation, dried, and calcined at 600 °C. The catalyst was then used as a solid acid catalyst in the synthesis of nitrobenzene. The weights of catalyst used were 0.5; 1; and 1.5 grams. The synthesis of nitrobenzene was carried out with a 1:3 ratio of benzene to nitric acid in a microwave batch reactor at 60 °C for 5 h. The resulting nitrobenzene liquid was analyzed using GC-MS to determine the selectivity of the catalyst. Likewise, the use of a microwave batch reactor was found to be appropriate and successful for the synthesis of nitrobenzene. The thermal energy produced by the microwave batch reactor was efficient enough to be used for the nitration reaction. Reactivity and selectivity tests demonstrated that 1 g of H2SO4/SiO2 could generate an average benzene conversion of 40.33 %.

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light is often associated with skin damage, sometimes very serious, and in recent times has received particular attention as a health risk. As a result, the proper use of sunscreen has long been recommended to protect against skin damage. The continued increase in the use of sunscreen may be linked to increased information about the risk of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays. Natural and harmless materials that block and prevent UV light have emerged as essential household items in the field of skin beauty. New materials need to be considered and evaluated in relation to ultraviolet rays and their harmful effects. This study aims to explain the effect of UV exposure on human skin, the classification of sunscreens, the application of zeolite, nano clay, and LDH in sunscreen formulations, as well as the regulation of this service in various countries around the world.

Interest in the use of semiconductor-based photocatalyst materials for the degradation of organic pollutants in a liquid phase has grown, due to their excellent performance and response to the light source. Herein, we fabricated a NiO-SiCTiO2 ternary structured photocatalyst which had reduced bandgap energy, with strong activation under UV-light irradiation. The synthesized samples were examined using XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, DRS, EIS techniques and photocurrent measurement. The results confirmed that the two types of metal oxides were well bonded to the SiC fiber surface. The junction of the new photocatalyst exhibited a large number of photoexcited electrons and holes. The holes tended to oxidize the water and form a hydroxyl radical, which promoted the decomposition of methylene blue. The close contact between the 2D SiC fiber and metal oxide semiconductors expanded the scope of absorption wavelength, and enhanced the usability of the ternary photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue. Among three synthesized samples, the NiO-SiC-TiO2 showed the best photocatalytic effect, and was considered to have excellent photoelectron transfer due to the synergy effect between the metal oxide and SiC.

Porous basalt aggregate is commonly used in roadbed engineering, but its application in concrete has rarely been studied. This paper studies the application of porous basalt in concrete. Porous basalt aggregate is assessed for its effects on mechanical strength and durability of prepared C50 concrete; because it has a hole structure, porous basalt aggregate is known for its porosity, and porous basalt aggregates can be made full of water through changing the content of saturated basalt; after full-water condition is achieved in porous basalt aggregate mixture of C50 concrete, we discuss its mechanical properties and durability. The effects of C50 concrete prepared with basalt aggregate on the compressive strength, water absorption, and electric flux of concrete specimens of different ages were studied through experiments, and the effects of different replacement rates of saturated porous basalt aggregate on the properties of concrete were also studied. The results show that porous basalt aggregate can be prepared as C50 concrete. For early saturated porous basalt aggregate concrete, its compressive strength decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate; this occurs up to concrete curing at 28 d, when the replacement rate of saturated basalt aggregate is greater than or equal to 40 %. The compressive strength of concrete increases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate. The 28 d electric flux decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate, indicating that saturated porous basalt aggregate can improve the chloride ion permeability resistance of concrete in later stages.

Herein a rich, Se-nanoparticle modified Mo-W18O49 nanocomposite as efficient hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst is reported via hydrothermal synthesized process. In this work, Na2SeSO3 solution and selenium powder are used as Se precursor material. The structure and composition of the nanocomposites are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), EDX spectrum analysis and the corresponding element mapping. The improved electrochemical properties are studied by current density, and EIS analysis. The as-prepared Se modified Mo-W18O49 synthesized via Na2SeSO3 is investigated by FE-SEM analysis and found to exhibit spherical particles combined with nanosheets. This special morphology effectively improves the charge separation and transfer efficiency, resulting in enhanced photoelectric behavior compared with that of pure Mo-W18O49. The nanomaterial obtained via Na2SeSO3 solution demonstrates a high HER activity and low overpotential of -0.34 V, allowing it to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm2.

In this investigation, Bi2MoO6 deposited graphene nanocomposite (BMG) was synthesized using a simple microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis method. The synthesized BMG nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and photocurrent analysis. The study revealed that the catalysts prepared have high crystalline nature, enhanced light responsive property, high catalytic activity, and good stability. XRD results of BMG composite exhibit a koechlinite phase of Bi2MoO6. The surface property is shown by SEM and TEM, which confirmed a homogenous composition in the bulk particles of Bi2MoO6 and nanosheets of graphene. The catalytic behavior was investigated by the decomposition of Rhodamine B as a standard dye. The results exhibit excellent yields of product derivatives at mild conditions under ultrasonic/visible light-medium. Approximately 1.6-times-enhanced sono-photocatalytic activity was observed by introduction of Bi2MoO6 on graphene nanosheet compared with control sample P25 during 50 min test.

To build a highly active photocatalytic system with high efficiency and low cast of TiO2, we report a facile hydrothermal technique to synthesize Ag2Se-nanoparticle-modified TiO2 composites. The physical characteristics of these samples are analyzed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy and BET analysis. The XRD and TEM results show us that TiO2 is coupled with small sized Ag2Se nanoplate, which has an average grain size of about 30 nm in diameter. The agglomeration of Ag2Se nanoparticles is improved by the hydrothermal process, with dispersion improvement of the Ag2Se@TiO2 nanocomposite. Texbrite BA-L is selected as a simulated dye to study the photodegradation behavior of as-prepared samples under visible light radiation. A significant enhancement of about two times the photodegradation rate is observed for the Ag2Se@TiO2 nanocomposite compared with the control sample P25 and as-prepared TiO2. Long-term stability of Ag2Se@TiO2 is observed via ten iterations of recycling experiments under visible light irradiation.

Herein, a series of g-C3N4 modified Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites using Bi2MoO6 and melamine as original materials are fabricated via sintering process. For presynthesis of Bi2MoO6 an ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal technique is researched. The structure and composition of the nanocomposites are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The improved photoelectrochemical properties are studied by photocurrent density, EIS, and amperometric i-t curve analysis. It is found that the structure of Bi2MoO6 nanoparticles remains intact, with good dispersion status. The as-prepared g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 nanocomposites (BMC 5-9) are selected and investigated by SEM analysis, which inhibits special morphology consisting of Bi2MoO6 nanoparticles and some g-C3N4 nanosheets. The introduction of small sized g-C3N4 nanosheets in sample BMC 9 is effective to improve the charge separation and transfer efficiency, resulting in enhancing of the photoelectric behavior of Bi2MoO6. The improved photoelectronic behavior of g-C3N4/Bi2MoO6 may be attributed to enhanced charge separation efficiency, photocurrent stability, and fast electron transport pathways for some energy applications.

This paper presents the characteristics of gentamicin-loaded into cetyl trimethyl ammonium intercalated montmorillonite (GtM/CTMA/Mt) as a hybrid composite for a slow-released antibacterial delivery systems. The work describes the successful immobilization of gentamicin into the interlayers of surfactant-modified montmorillonite. Physicochemical characterization of the material is carried out by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The kinetics of the gentamicin release is investigated by in vitro study and analyzed based on UV–Vis spectrometry. In addition, antibacterial study is performed towards Klebsiella pneumoniae Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus pyogenes. The results show that the gentamicin loading into CTMA/ Mt increases the effectiveness of the antibacterial activity, as shown by the higher inhibition zone for all tested bacteria, compared to gentamicin as a positive control. The kinetics study suggests that the gentamicin release obeys the modified Korsmeyer–Peppas model. The physicochemical study and activity test demonstrate the feasibility of the GtM/CTMA/Mt for practical applications.

In this study, photocatalytic degradation of ammonia in petrochemical wastewater is investigated by solar light photocatalysis. Two-dimensional ultra-thin atomic layer structured MoS2 are synthesized via a simple hydrothermal method. We examine all prepared samples by means of physical techniques, such as SEM-EDX, HRTEM, FT-IR, BET, XRD, XPS, DRS and PL. And, we use fullerene modified MoS2 nanosheets to enhance the activity of photochemically generated oxygen (PGO) species. Surface area and pore volumes of the MoS2-fullerene samples significantly increase due to the existence of MoS2. And, PGO oxidation of MB, TBA and TMST, causing its concentration in aqueous solution to decrease, is confirmed by the results of PL. The generation of reactive oxygen species is detected through the oxidation reaction from 1,5-diphenyl carbazide (DPCI) to 1,5-diphenyl carbazone (DPCO). It is found that the photocurrent density and the PGO effect increase in the case with modified fullerene. The experimental results show that this heterogeneous catalyst has a degradation of 88.43% achieved through visible light irradiation. The product for the degradation of NH3 is identified as N2, but not NO2−or NO3−.

In this study, Ni nanoparticle supported by graphene oxide (GO) (Ni-GO) is successfully synthesized through hydrothermal synthesis and calcination, and Cr(VI) is extracted from aqueous solution. The morphology and structure of Ni- GO composites are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), trans mission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and XRD confirms the high dispersion of Ni nanoparticle after support by GO. Loading Ni on GO can obviously enhance the stability of Ni-GO composites. It can be calculated from TGA that the mass percentage of Ni is about 60.67%. The effects of initial pH and reaction time on Cr(VI) removal ability of Ni-GO are investigated. The results indicate that the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) is greater than that of bared GO. Ni-GO shows fast removal capacity for Cr(VI) (<25 min) with high removal efficiency. Dynamic experiments show that the removal process conforms to the quasi-second order model of adsorption, which indicates that the rate control step of the removal process is chemical adsorption. The removal capacity increases with the increase of temperature, indicating that the reaction of Cr(VI) on Ni-GO composites is endothermic and spontaneous. Combined with tests and characterization, the mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by rapidly adsorption on the surface of Ni-GO and reduction by Ni nanoparticle is investigated. The above results show that Ni-GO can be used as a potential remediation agent for Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater.

To solve the common problems of concrete preparation in low-temperature environments, calcium formate (C2H2O4Ca), anhydrous sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), triethanolamine (C6H15O3N), calcium bromide (CaBr2), and triisopropanolamine (C9H21NO3) are selected as early strength agents and mixed with C40 concrete in different dosages under low-temperature environments of 5 oC and 10 oC to develop a high-efficiency low-temperature compound early strength agent based on the effect of single-doped early strength agents. The effects of the compound early strength agent on the early strength of the concrete, the cement paste setting time, and cement fluidity at 5 oC and 10 oC are investigated, and the corresponding reaction mechanism is discussed from the perspective of micro-products. The best compound early strength agent ratio is found to be 2% of calcium formate + 0.08 % of TEA (C6H15O3N). The compound early strength agent effectively promotes the formation of hydration products, such as Ca(OH)2 and C-S-H gel. In comparison with the control group, the strength of the concrete cured for 18 h, 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d under simulated natural conditions at 5 oC increases by 700%, 540%, 11.4 % and 10 %, respectively, whereas at 10 oC, the corresponding values are 991%, 400%, 19.6 % and 11 %, respectively. The strength of the concrete at each age is close to the normal temperature standard of the curing strength. The addition of the compound early strength agent causes a reduction in cement fluidity and initial and final setting times, and also yields a good effect on the porosity of the early concrete.

A facile microwave assisted solvothermal process is designed for fabricating SnS nanoparticles decorated on graphene nanosheet, which used as visible light driven photocatalyst. Some typical characterization techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, SEM with EDX analysis, and TEM and BET analysis are used to analyse the physical characteristics of as-prepared samples. Spherical SnS nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed on the surface of graphene nanosheet due to ammonia, which can prevent the aggregation of graphene oxide. Meanwhile, microwave radiation provides fast energy that promotes the formation of spherical SnS nanoparticles within a short time. The visible light photocatalytic activity of as-prepared SnS-GR nanocomposites is analysed through photodegradation efficiency of methylene blue with high concentration. According to the higher photocatalytic property, the as-prepared SnS-GR nanocomposites can be expected to be an efficient visible light driven photocatalyst. After five cycles for decolorization, the rate decreases from 87 % to 78 % (about 9 %). It is obvious that the photocatalytic activity of SnS-GR nanocomposite has good repeatability.

In this work, Ag3PO4/In2S3 nanocomposites with low loading of In2S3 (5-15 wt %) are fabricated by two step chemical precipitation approach. The microstructure, composition and improved photoelectrochemical properties of the asprepared composites are studied by X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photocurrent density, EIS and amperometric i-t curve analysis. It is found that most of In2S3 nanoparticles are deposited on the surfaces of Ag3PO4. The as-prepared Ag3PO4/ In2S3 composite (10 wt%) is selected and investigated by SEM and TEM, which exhibits special morphology consisting of lager size substrate (Ag3PO4), particles and some nanosheets (In2S3). The introduction of In2S3 is effective at improving the charge separation and transfer efficiency of Ag3PO4/In2S3, resulting in an enhancement of photoelectric behavior. The origin of the enhanced photoelectrochemical activity of the In2S3-modified Ag3PO4 may be due to the improved charge separation, photocurrent stability and oriented electrons transport pathways in environment and energy applications.

Reducing CO2 into high value fuels and chemicals is considered a great challenge in the 21st century. Efficiently activating CO2 will lead to an important way to utilize it as a resource. This article reviews the latest progress of g-C3N4 based catalysts for CO2 reduction. The different synthetic methods of g-C3N4 are briefly discussed. Article mainly introduces methods of g-C3N4 shape control, element doping, and use of oxide compounds to modify g-C3N4. Modified g-C3N4 has more reactive sites, which can significantly reduce the probability of photogenerated electron hole recombination and improve the performance of photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Considering the literature, the hydrothermal method is widely used because of its simple equipment and process and easy control of reaction conditions. It is foreseeable that hydrothermal technology will continue to innovate and usher in a new period of development. Finally, the prospect of a future reduction of CO2 by g-C3N4-based catalysts is predicted.

In this paper, AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite photocatalyst is successfully synthesized by microemulsion method and anion in situ substitution method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) are used to study the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite composite. Using rhodamine B (RhB) as a simulated pollutant, the photocatalytic activity and stability of the AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite composite under visible light are evaluated. In the AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite visible light system, RhB is nearly 100 % degraded within 15 minutes. And, after five cycles of operation, the photocatalytic activity of AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite remains at 95 % of the original level, much higher than that of pure Ag3PO4 (40 %). In addition, the mechanism of enhanced catalytic performance is discussed. The high photocatalytic performance of AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite composites can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Ag3PO4, diatomite and AgCl nanoparticles. Free radical trapping experiments are used to show that holes and oxygen are the main active species. This material can quickly react with dye molecules adsorbed on the surface of diatomite to degrade RhB dye to CO2 and H2O. Even more remarkably, AgCl/Ag3PO4/diatomite can maintain above 95 % photo-degradation activity after five cycles.

In this work, a carbon-doped carbon nitride photocatalyst is successfully synthesized through a simple centrifugal spinning method after heat treatment. The morphology and properties of the prepared photo catalyst are characterized by Xray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–vis spectrophotometer (UV-vis), and specific surface area. The results show that the band gap of the prepared sample, g-CN-10 is 2.1 eV, is significantly lower than that of pure carbon nitride, 2.7 eV. As the amount of cotton candy increased, the absorption capacity of the prepared catalyst for visible light is significantly enhanced. In addition, the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) by sample g-CN-10 is 98.8 % over 2h, which is twice that value of pure carbon nitride. The enhancement of photocatalytic ability is attributed to the increase of specific surface area after the carbon doping modifies carbon nitride. A possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism of carbon-doped carbon nitride is also suggested.

In this paper, a water-based green polymer mud is synthesized by simple compounding method. Effects of different kinds of tackifiers, their molecular weight on the viscosity of polymer mud and the effects of different fluid loss additives on mud fluid loss are studied. The results show that when polystyrene and anionic polyacrylamide with molecular weight of 8 ~ 10 million are used as the main thickening ingredient, polymer mud with high viscosity and high stability can be obtained. When the prepared polymer mud is formulated as NPAM: PEO: Hydroxypropyl cellulose(HPC) :Water = 42:10:10:100000 (unit: kg), the viscosity can reach 20.6 s, the filtration loss in 7.5 min is 24 mL, and the sand content is only 0.1%. Compared with traditional bentonite mud, the green environment-friendly polymer mud has the advantages of small amount of waste, low environmental pollution, and low pulping cost, and can meet the construction needs for most topography and geomorphology drilling engineering

Al/expanded graphite was successfully synthesized through a facile method including ultrasonic and heat treatment. In the well-designed three dimensional structure, expanded graphite(EG) works as a conductive matrix to support coated Al particles. The effects of the fabrication parameters on the microstructures and thermal conductivities of these composites were investigated. As a result, it was found that composites with graphite volume fraction of 17.4-69.4% sintered at 600 oC/45 MPa exhibit in-plane thermal conductivities of 380-940 W/mK, over 90 % of the predictions by rule of mixture. According to the non-destructive analysis results, the synergistic enhancement was caused by the formation of efficient thermally conductive pathways due to the hybrid of the differently sized EG. The structure integrates the advantages of expanded graphite as a conductive support, preserving the electrode activity and integrity and improving the electrochemical performance.