Project description:Titanium based materials have been widely applied in bone-tissue engineering. However, inefficient bone repair remains to be solved due to the lack of neural network reconstruction at the bone-implant interface. Herein, we propose a functional surface modification approach to promote neurogenesis. Using an electrochemical technique and a hydrothermal approach, a potassium titanate nanorod-decorated titanium oxide (K2Ti6O13-TiO2) nanotube array is constructed on the surface of titanium implants. The K2Ti6O13-TiO2 hybrid nanotube array on titanium implants can enhance the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells due to the special nanostructures of titanium oxide nanorods. Meanwhile, the release of potassium ions is able to accelerate the neural differentiation of neural stem cells. This study provides a new approach to promote neuralization on the surface of implants, which is promising for future applications in constructing a fully functional interface in bone repair.
Project description:Electrocatalytic nitrate (NO3-) reduction to ammonia (NRA) has emerged as an alternative strategy for effluent treatment and ammonia production. Despite significant advancements that have been achieved in this field, the efficient conversion of low-concentration nitrate to ammonia at low overpotential remains a formidable challenge. This challenge stems from the sluggish reaction kinetics caused by the limited distribution of negatively charged NO3- in the vicinity of the working electrode and the competing side reactions. Here, a pulsed potential approach is introduced to overcome these issues. A good NRA performance (Faradaic efficiency: 97.6%, yield rate: 2.7 mmol-1 h-1 mgRu-1, conversion rate: 96.4%) is achieved for low-concentration (≤10 mM) nitrate reduction, obviously exceeding the potentiostatic test (Faradaic efficiency: 65.8%, yield rate: 1.1 mmol-1 h-1 mgRu-1, conversion rate: 54.1%). The combined results of in situ characterizations and finite element analysis unveil the performance enhancement mechanism that the periodic appearance of anodic potential can significantly optimize the adsorption configuration of the key *NO intermediate and increase the local NO3- concentration. Furthermore, our research implies an effective approach for the rational design and precise manipulation of reaction processes, potentially extending its applicability to a broader range of catalytic applications.
Project description:The increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere may dissolve into the ocean and affect the marine ecosystem. It is crucial to determine the level of dissolved CO2 in the ocean to enable suitable mitigation actions to be carried out. The conventional electrode materials are expensive and susceptible to chloride ion attack. Therefore, there is a need to find suitable alternative materials. This novel study investigates the electrochemical behaviour of dissolved CO2 on roughened molybdenum (Mo) microdisk electrodes, which were mechanically polished using silicon carbide paper. Pits and dents can be seen on the electrode surface as observed using scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction spectra confirm the absence of abrasive materials and the presence of defects on the electrode surface. The electrochemical surface for the roughened electrodes is higher than that for the smoothened electrodes. Our findings show that the roughened electrodes exhibit a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity than the smoothened electrodes for the reduction of dissolved CO2. Our results reveal a linear relationship between the current and square root of scan rate. Furthermore, we demonstrate that saturating the electrolyte solution with CO2 using a bubbling time of just 20 minutes at a flow rate of 5 L min-1 for a 50 mL solution is sufficient. This study provides new insights into the electrochemical behaviour of dissolved CO2 on roughened Mo microdisk electrodes and highlights their potential as a promising material for CO2 reduction and other electrochemical applications. Ultimately, our work contributes to the ongoing efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and move towards a sustainable future.
Project description:Metal oxide nanotubes have become a widely investigated material, more specifically, self-organized titania nanotube arrays synthesized by electrochemical anodization. As a highly investigated material with a wide gamut of applications, the majority of published literature focuses on the solar-based applications of this material. The scope of this review summarizes some of the recent advances made using metal oxide nanotube arrays formed via anodization in solar-based applications. A general methodology for theoretical modeling of titania surfaces in solar applications is also presented.
Project description:Large-sized titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotube arrays with an outer diameter of approximately 500 nm have been successfully synthesized by potentiostatic anodization at 180 V in a used electrolyte with the addition of 1.5 M lactic acid. It is found that the synthesized large-diameter TiO2 nanotube array shows a superior light scattering ability, which can be used as a light scattering layer to significantly enhance the efficiency of TiO2 nanoparticle-based dye-sensitized solar cells from 5.18% to 6.15%. The remarkable light scattering ability makes the large-diameter TiO2 nanotube array a promising candidate for light management in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
Project description:Resistive-based gas sensors have been considered as the most favorable gas sensors for detection of toxic gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) because of their simple structure, low cost, high sensitivity, ease of use, and high stability. Unfortunately, wide application of resistive-based gas sensors is limited by their low selectivity. In this article, we present the fabrication of ultrahigh selective NH3 gas sensor based on tin-titanium dioxide/reduced graphene/carbon nanotube (Sn-TiO2@rGO/CNT) nanocomposites. The Sn-TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposites with different molar ratios of Sn/Ti (1:10, 3:10, and 5:10) were synthesized via the solvothermal method. Characterizations by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the decoration of Sn-TiO2 nanoparticles on rGO/CNT nanocomposite surfaces. The Sn-TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposite gas sensor exhibited high response and ultrahigh selectivity to NH3 against toluene, dimethylformamide, acetone, ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, formaldehyde, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, acetylene, and VOCs in paint thinners at room temperature. The Sn-TiO2@rGO/CNT nanocomposite gas sensor with molar ratio of Sn/Ti = 1:10 showed the highest response to NH3 over other molar ratios of Sn/Ti as well as pure rGO/CNT and Sn-TiO2 gas sensors. The ammonia-sensing mechanisms of the Sn-TiO2@rGO/CNT gas sensor were proposed based on the formation of p-n heterojunctions of p-type rGO/CNT and n-type Sn-TiO2 nanoparticles via a low-temperature oxidizing reaction process.
Project description:Using Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) alloy as a substrate, double-walled alloy titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (DW-ATNTAs) with a special porous inner wall and visible light response are synthesized in situ by an improved anodization method. During the anodization, the V element in the TC4 alloy converts into V2O5 which dominates the visible light response of DW-ATNTAs. After 3 h of irradiation with visible light, there is a nearly 97% reduction of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) by DW-ATNTAs in which the degradation kinetic constant is 50 and 7 times higher than that of titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (TNTAs) and alloy titanium dioxide layers (A-TiO2(plate)), respectively. The richly porous inner wall structure of DW-ATNTAs can provide sufficient vacancies for adsorption and active sites for photocatalytic reaction. Furthermore, the differences in the morphology of the inner and outer walls are attributed to the thicker carbon and fluorine-rich oxide layer (C, F-rich oxide layer) resulting from a longer time that the inner wall spends in contact with the electrolyte during the anodization process. This special porous inner wall structure was formed due to the anti-corrosion properties of the alloy caused by appropriate amounts of V and Al as well as the removal of C and F elements during the calcination process.
Project description:The renewable energy driven electrochemical conversion of nitrates to ammonia is emerging as a viable route for the creation of this hydrogen carrier. However, the creation of highly efficient electrocatalysts that show prolonged stability is an ongoing challenge. Here we show that room temperature liquid metal Galinstan can be used as an efficient and stable electrocatalyst for nitrate conversion to ammonia achieving rates of up to 2335 μg h-1 cm-2 with a Faradaic efficiency of 100 %. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental observation indicated the activity is due to InSn alloy enrichment within the liquid metal that occurs during the electrocatalytic reaction. This high selectivity for NH3 is also due to additional suppression of the competing hydrogen evolution reaction at the identified In3 Sn active site. This work adds to the increasing applicability of liquid metals based on Ga for clean energy technologies.
Project description:This study aimed to address the issue of rapid electron-hole recombination in photocatalysis by exploiting multi-phase TiO2 decorated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to improve the photocatalytic degradation of dyes. A simple and eco-friendly one-pot method was utilized to create the TiO2/MWCNT nanostructure using glucose as both a structure-directing agent and a carbon source without requiring any prior covalent or non-covalent functionalization of the MWCNTs at 160 °C. Furthermore, it was found that the average width of the nanocomposites changed from 20 ± 1 and 42 ± 2 nm to 56 ± 3 nm, corresponding to MWCNT contents of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 (wt%), respectively. Specifically, TiO2/MWCNTs with a low content of MWCNTs demonstrated enhanced performance for the photocatalytic degradation of dyes, with the bandgap of the nanocomposites decreasing to 2.5 eV with 1.0% MWCNTs and 2.4 eV with 2.0% MWCNTs. The TiO2/MWCNT-1.0 catalyst demonstrated high photocatalytic efficiency for methylene blue (MB) degradation with a rate constant of 0.0051 min-1. TiO2/MWCNT-2.0 was more effective for rhodamine (RhB) degradation than pristine TiO2, with a rate constant of 0.0065 min-1 within 120 min of solar-light exposure. This novel modified approach can be used to synthesize nanocomposites simply and is potentially feasible for efficient dye degradation and beyond, offering a promising solution for water-pollution treatment.
Project description:The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate toward ammonia under mild conditions addresses many challenges of the Haber-Bosch reaction, providing a sustainable method for ammonia synthesis, yet it is limited by sluggish reduction kinetics and multiple competing reactions. Here, the titanium hydride electrocatalyst is synthesized by electrochemical hydrogenation reconstruction of titanium fiber paper, which achieves a large ammonia yield rate of 83.64 mg h-1 cm-2 and a high Faradaic efficiency of 99.11% with an ampere-level current density of 1.05 A cm-2 at -0.7 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Electrochemical evaluation and kinetic studies indicate that the lattice hydrogen transfer from titanium hydride promotes the electrocatalytic performance of nitrate reduction reaction and the reversible equilibrium reaction between lattice hydrogen and activate hydrogen not only improves the electrocatalytic activity of nitrate reduction reaction but also demonstrates notable catalytic stability. These finding offers a universal design principle for metal hydrides as catalysts for effectively electrochemical ammonia production, highlighting their potential for sustainable ammonia synthesis.