Submit to Molecules Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 17144

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Caiyun Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia
Interests: 2D materials; energy storage devices; nanostructured catalysts; conducting polymer; asymmetric membranes

Dr. Long Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of Quantum and Sustainable Technology (IQST), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: interface chemistry; functionalized nanomaterials; electrostatic catalysis; chemo/bio sensors; electrode materials; nanomedicine

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, increasing nanoscience applications have been experiencing impressive advances in the fields of catalysis, electronics, energy and health. Functionalized nanomaterials have shown growing and exciting opportunities in nanoscience due to their unique geometrical configuration, tunable optical/chemical property, high surface area, and friendly biocompatibility. In general, researchers need to address two scientific obstacles for building robust nanoplatforms in these fields: 1) developing sophisticated nanotechnology that refers to techniques capable of design, synthesis, and control of nanomaterials that offer desired material properties; 2) endowing the novel physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials which can be applied and engineered to meet applications’ requirements. This Special Issue aiming at toward a better understanding of the synthesis method, reaction mechanism, enhanced performance, and wide applications for different nanostructured systems.

We welcome researchers share their studies and findings in this promising theme, and invite the submission of original research papers, review articles, and perspectives on topics including, but not limited to:

Synthesis of functionalized nanomaterials with novel shape, size, components, active sites;
Engineering stable electrode materials and energy storage device with nanostructured materials;
Electro-, photo-, or thermos-catalytic processes, like pollutant degradation, water splitting, CO₂ conversion, N₂ electroreduction, H₂ evolution, using nanomaterials;
Fabricating smart nanoplatforms for electronics detectors, wearable/implantable sensors, and energy harvesting;
Disease diagnosis and therapy, biosafety assessment and biomarker detection in nanomedicine;
Theoretical analysis of reaction processes and mechanism occurred in nanostructural system.

Dr. Caiyun Wang
Dr. Long Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

functionalized nanomaterials
electrode materials
energy storage
electro- and photo-catalysis
electronics and sensing
nanomedicine for theranostic
theoretical calculation

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 3642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Biomass Biochar with Components of Similar Proportions and Its Methylene Blue Adsorption

by Min Hou, Yudan He, Xuewen Yang, Yuchun Yang, Xu Lin, Yongxing Feng, Huan Kan, Huirong Hu, Xiahong He and Can Liu

Molecules 2023, 28(17), 6261; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28176261 - 26 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1108

Abstract

Rapeseed straw, bagasse, and walnut peel have a large amount of resource reserves, but there are few technologies for high value-added utilization. In the research of biochar, walnut green husk is rarely used as raw material. In addition, the three main components of biomass (lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose) are present in similar proportions, and the differences between the physical and chemical properties of biochar prepared with similar amounts of biomass raw materials are not clear. Using three kinds of biomass of the same quality as raw materials, biochar was prepared via pyrolysis at 400 °C, and activated carbon was prepared via CO₂ activation at 800 °C. The results showed that the pore numbers of the three kinds of biochar increased after activation, resulting in the increase of the specific surface area. The resulting numbers were 352.99 m²/g for sugarcane bagasse biochar (SBB)-CO₂, 215.04 m²/g for rapeseed straw biochar (RSB)-CO₂, and 15.53 m²/g for walnut green husk biochar (WGB)-CO₂. Ash increased the amount of carbon formation, but a large amount of ash caused biochar to form a perforated structure and decreased the specific surface area (e.g., WGB), which affected adsorption ability. When the three main components were present in similar proportions, a high content of cellulose and lignin was beneficial to the preparation of biochar. The adsorption value of MB by biochar decreased with the increase of biomass ash content. After activation, the maximum adsorption value of MB for bagasse biochar was 178.17 mg/g, rapeseed straw biochar was 119.25 mg/g, and walnut peel biochar was 85.92 mg/g when the concentration of methene blue solution was 300 mg/L and the biochar input was 0.1 g/100 mL at room temperature. The adsorption of MB by biochar in solution occurs simultaneously with physical adsorption and chemical adsorption, with chemical adsorption being dominant. The optimal MB adsorption by SBB-CO₂ was dominated by multimolecular-layer adsorption. This experiment provides a theoretical basis for the preparation of biochar and research on its applications in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 3890 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing an Electrochemically Reversible Switch for Modulating the Optical Signal of Gold Nanoparticles

by Mengran Tang, Long Zhang, Xiaoxue Song and Long Zhao

Molecules 2023, 28(17), 6233; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28176233 - 24 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 979

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess remarkable optical properties and electrical conductivity, making them highly relevant in various fields such as medical diagnoses, biological imaging, and electronic sensors. However, the existing methods for modulating the optical properties of AuNPs are often under limitations such as a high cost, the complexity of detection, a narrow range of application settings, and irreversibility. In this study, we propose a novel approach to address these challenges by constructing a reversible electrochemical switch. The switch (ITO-OMAD) involves covalently linking nitroxide radicals and AuNPs (AuNPs-NO•), followed by tethering this nanocomposite to a siloxane-derived indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. By simply electrochemically oxidizing/reducing the nitroxide units, one is able to reversibly modulate the optical properties of AuNPs at will. The surface morphology and structure of the as-prepared ITO-OMAD electrode were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). SEM imaging confirmed the successful anchoring of AuNPs on the ITO electrode. Electrochemical tests performed in the three-electrode system demonstrated that the local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of AuNPs can be reversibly regulated by alternatively imposing ± 0.5V (vs. Ag/AgCl) to the modified electrode. The development of this electrochemical switch presents a novel approach to effectively control the optical properties of AuNPs. The further exploration and utilization of this reversible electrochemical switch could significantly enhance the versatility and practicality of AuNPs in numerous applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

16 pages, 7951 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Melamine-Assisted Thermal Activation Method for Vacancy-Rich ZnO: Calcination Effects on Microstructure and Photocatalytic Properties

by Weiwei Wang, Lin Lv, Changfeng Wang and Jiao Li

Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5329; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145329 - 11 Jul 2023

Viewed by 882

Abstract

Defect engineering is considered an effective method to adjust the photocatalytic properties of materials. In this work, we synthesized the vacancy-rich ZnO rods with (100) planes via the melamine-assisted thermal activation method. A high concentration of oxygen vacancies was successfully introduced into non-polar oriented ZnO rods by calcination. The effect of oxygen vacancy on the photocatalytic properties of non-polar-oriented ZnO rods was investigated. Raman and XPS spectra revealed the formation of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO. The results showed that the growth habit and defects in ZnO can be controlled by changing the ratio of ZnO to melamine. The higher ratio of ZnO to melamine led to more amounts of (100) planes and oxygen vacancies in ZnO, and it reached the highest when the ratio was 1.2:1. When the ratio was 1.2:1, ZnO exhibited a high methyl orange degradation rate (95.8%). The differences in oxygen vacancy concentration and non-polar planes were responsible for the improvement in photocatalytic performance. ZnO exhibited good stability and regeneration capacity. After recycling four times, the degradation rate was still at 92%. Using the same method, vacancy-rich α-Fe₂O₃ was obtained. This work could offer a new and simple strategy for designing a photocatalyst with oxygen vacancies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 7808 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ZIF-67-Derived NiCo-Layered Double Hydroxide@Carbon Nanotube Architectures with Hollow Nanocage Structures as Enhanced Electrocatalysts for Ethanol Oxidation Reaction

by Yixuan Li, Yanqi Xu, Cunjun Li, Wenfeng Zhu, Wei Chen, Yufei Zhao, Ruping Liu and Linjiang Wang

Molecules 2023, 28(3), 1173; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031173 - 25 Jan 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1897

Abstract

The rational design of efficient Earth-abundant electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is the key to developing direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs). Among these, the smart structure is highly demanded for highly efficient and stable non-precious electrocatalysts based on transition metals (such as Ni, Co, and Fe). In this work, high-performance NiCo-layered double hydroxide@carbon nanotube (NiCo-LDH@CNT) architectures with hollow nanocage structures as electrocatalysts for EOR were prepared via sacrificial ZIF-67 templates on CNTs. Comprehensive structural characterizations revealed that the as-synthesized NiCo-LDH@CNTs architecture displayed 3D hollow nanocages of NiCo-LDH and abundant interfacial structure between NiCo-LDH and CNTs, which could not only completely expose active sites by increasing the surface area but also facilitate the electron transfer during the electrocatalytic process, thus, improving EOR activity. Benefiting from the 3D hollow nanocages and interfacial structure fabricated by the sacrificial ZIF-67-templated method, the NiCo-LDH@CNTs-2.5% architecture exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation compared to single-component NiCo-LDH, where the peak current density was 11.5 mA·cm⁻², and the j_f/j_b value representing the resistance to catalyst poisoning was 1.72 in an alkaline environment. These results provide a new perspective on the fabrication of non-precious metal electrocatalysts for EOR in DEFCs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2051 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetically Driven Muco-Inert Janus Nanovehicles for Enhanced Mucus Penetration and Cellular Uptake

by Yue Hao, Shu Bai, Linling Yu and Yan Sun

Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7291; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27217291 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2608

Abstract

One of the main challenges of transmucosal drug delivery is that of enabling particles and molecules to move across the mucosal barrier of the mucosal epithelial surface. Inspired by nanovehicles and mucus-penetrating nanoparticles, a magnetically driven, mucus-inert Janus-type nanovehicle (Janus-MMSN-pCB) was fabricated by coating the zwitterionic polymer poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (pCB) on the mesoporous silica nanorod, which was grown on one side of superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle using the sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and Fourier infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the nanovehicles, proving the success of each synthesis step. The in vitro cell viability assessment of these composites using Calu-3 cell lines indicates that the nanovehicles are biocompatible in nature. Furthermore, the multiparticle tracking, Transwell^® system, and cell imaging experimental results demonstrate that both the modification of pCB and the application of a magnetic field effectively accelerated the diffusion of the nanovehicles in the mucus and improved the endocytosis through Calu-3. The favorable cell uptake performance of Janus-MMSN-pCB in mucus systems with/without magnetic driving proves its potential role in the diagnosis, treatment, and imaging of mucosal-related diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 3457 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tuning Structural Colors of TiO₂ Thin Films Using an Electrochemical Process

by Shumin Yang, Ao Wang, Xin Li, Guochao Shi, Yunkai Qi and Jianjun Gu

Molecules 2022, 27(15), 4932; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27154932 - 3 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1404

Abstract

TiO₂ films exhibiting structural colors were successfully prepared using one-step electrochemical oxidation. Results of theoretical analyses and digital simulations revealed that the structural color of a TiO₂ thin film could be regulated by adjusting oxidation voltage and oxidation time with different oxidation voltages leading to changes in structural color annulus number. At a low oxidation voltage, each thin film exhibited a single structural color, while thin films with different structural colors were obtained by varying the oxidation time. By contrast, at a higher oxidation voltage, each film exhibited iridescent and circular structural color patterns associated with symmetrical decreases in surface oxidation current density along radial lines emanating from the film center to its outer edges. TiO₂ films exhibiting iridescent structural colorations have broad application prospects in industrial fields related to photocatalysis and photovoltaic cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 4974 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CeO₂ Nanoparticle-Loaded MnO₂ Nanoflowers for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO_x with NH₃ at Low Temperatures

by Shun Li, Zuquan Zheng, Zhicheng Zhao, Youling Wang, Yao Yao, Yong Liu, Jianming Zhang and Zuotai Zhang

Molecules 2022, 27(15), 4863; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27154863 - 29 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1778

Abstract

CeO₂ nanoparticle-loaded MnO₂ nanoflowers, prepared by a hydrothermal method followed by an adsorption-calcination technique, were utilized for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x with NH₃ at low temperatures. The effects of Ce/Mn ratio and thermal calcination temperature on the NH₃–SCR activity of the CeO₂-MnO₂ nanocomposites were studied comprehensively. The as-prepared CeO₂-MnO₂ catalysts show high NO_x reduction efficiency in the temperature range of 150–300 °C, with a complete NO_x conversion at 200 °C for the optimal sample. The excellent NH₃–SCR performance could be ascribed to high surface area, intimate contact, and strong synergistic interaction between CeO₂ nanoparticles and MnO₂ nanoflowers of the well-designed composite catalyst. The in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTs) characterizations evidence that the SCR reaction on the surface of the CeO₂-MnO₂ nanocomposites mainly follows the Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L-H) mechanism. Our work provides useful guidance for the development of composite oxide-based low temperature NH₃–SCR catalysts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

8 pages, 3279 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-Quality Conjugated Polymers Achieving Ultra-Trace Detection of Cr₂O₇²⁻ in Agricultural Products

by Hui Li, Fei Li, Fang Liu, Xiao Chen, Wenyuan Xu, Liang Shen, Jingkun Xu, Rui Yang and Ge Zhang

Molecules 2022, 27(13), 4294; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134294 - 4 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1292

Abstract

In view of that conjugated polymers (CPs) are an attractive option for constructing high-sensitive Cr₂O₇²⁻ sensors but suffer from lacking a general design strategy, we first proposed a rational structure design of CPs to tailor their sensing properties while validating the structure-to-performance correlation. Short side chains decorated with N and O atoms as recognition groups were instructed into fluorene to obtain monomers Fmoc-Ala-OH and Fmoc-Thr-OH. Additionally, their polymers P(Fmoc-Ala-OH) and P(Fmoc-Thr-OH) were obtained through electrochemical polymerization. P(Fmoc-Ala-OH) and P(Fmoc-Thr-OH) with high polymerization degrees have an excellent selectivity towards Cr₂O₇²⁻ in comparison to other cations and anions. Additionally, their limit of detection could achieve 1.98 fM and 3.72 fM, respectively. Especially, they could realize the trace detection of Cr₂O₇²⁻ in agricultural products (red bean, black bean, and millet). All these results indicate that short side chains decorated with N and O atoms functionalizing polyfluorene enables the ultra-trace detection of Cr₂O₇²⁻. Additionally, the design strategy will spark new ideas for the construction of highly selective and sensitive Cr₂O₇²⁻ sensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Review

Jump to: Research

17 pages, 8736 KiB

Open AccessReview

Oxide Materials for Thermoelectric Conversion

by Yucen Liu, Jun Zhi, Wannuo Li, Qian Yang, Long Zhang and Yuqiao Zhang

Molecules 2023, 28(15), 5894; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28155894 - 5 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2087

Abstract

Thermoelectric technology has emerged as a prominent area of research in the past few decades for harnessing waste heat and improving the efficiency of next-generation renewable energy technologies. There has been rapid progress in the development of high-performance thermoelectric materials, as measured by the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT = S² · σ · κ⁻¹). Several heavy-metal-based thermoelectric materials with commercial-level performance (ZT = 1) have so far been proposed. However, the extensive application of these materials still faces challenges due to their low thermal/chemical stability, high toxicity, and limited abundance in the Earth’s crust. In contrast, oxide-based thermoelectric materials, such as ZnO, SrTiO₃, layered cobalt oxides, etc., have attracted growing interest as they can overcome the limitations of their heavy-metal-based counterparts. In this review, we summarize the recent research progress and introduce improvement strategies in oxide-based thermoelectric materials. This will provide an overview of their development history and design schemes, ultimately aiding in enhancing the overall performance of oxide-based thermoelectric materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 1317 KiB

Open AccessReview

Influence of Nanomaterials and Other Factors on Biohydrogen Production Rates in Microbial Electrolysis Cells—A Review

by Nabil. K. Abd-Elrahman, Nuha Al-Harbi, Yas Al-Hadeethi, Adel Bandar Alruqi, Hiba Mohammed, Ahmad Umar and Sheikh Akbar

Molecules 2022, 27(23), 8594; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27238594 - 6 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1546

Abstract

Microbial Electrolysis Cells (MECs) are one of the bioreactors that have been used to produce bio-hydrogen by biological methods. The objective of this comprehensive review is to study the effects of MEC configuration (single-chamber and double-chamber), electrode materials (anode and cathode), substrates (sodium acetate, glucose, glycerol, domestic wastewater and industrial wastewater), pH, temperature, applied voltage and nanomaterials at maximum bio-hydrogen production rates (Bio-HPR). The obtained results were summarized based on the use of nanomaterials as electrodes, substrates, pH, temperature, applied voltage, Bio-HPR, columbic efficiency (CE) and cathode bio-hydrogen recovery (C Bio-HR). At the end of this review, future challenges for improving bio-hydrogen production in the MEC are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Catalysis, Electronics, Energy and Health at Nanoscale Domain

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (10 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI