Review of one-dimensional and two-dimensional nanostructured materials for hydrogen generation.

Hydrogen is an attractive alternative to fossil fuels in terms of environmental and other advantages. Of the various production methods for H2, photocatalysis requires further development so that it can be applied economically on an industrial scale. One- and two-dimensional nanostructures in both pristine and modified forms have shown great potential as catalysts in the generation of H2. We review here recent developments in these nanostructure catalysts and their efficiency in the generation of H2 under UV/visible/simulated solar light. Despite much research effort, many photocatalysts do not yet meet the practical requirements for the generation of H2, such as visible light activity. H2 production is dependent on a variety of parameters and factors. To meet future energy demands, several challenges in H2 production still need to be solved. We address here the factors that influence the efficiency of H2 production and suggest alternatives. The nanostructures are classified based on their morphology and their efficiency is considered with respect to the influencing parameters. We suggest effective ways of engineering catalyst combinations to overcome the current performance barriers.

Intelligent Nanomaterials for Wearable and Stretchable Strain Sensor Applications: The Science behind Diverse Mechanisms, Fabrication Methods, and Real-Time Healthcare.

It has become a scientific obligation to unveil the underlying mechanisms and the fabrication methods behind wearable/stretchable strain sensors based on intelligent nanomaterials in order to explore their possible potential in the field of biomedical and healthcare applications. This report is based on an extensive literature survey of fabrication of stretchable strain sensors (SSS) based on nanomaterials in the fields of healthcare, sports, and entertainment. Although the evolution of wearable strain sensors (WSS) is rapidly progressing, it is still at a prototype phase and various challenges need to be addressed in the future in special regard to their fabrication protocols. The biocalamity of COVID-19 has brought a drastic change in humans' lifestyles and has negatively affected nations in all capacities. Social distancing has become a mandatory rule to practice in common places where humans interact with each other as a basic need. As social distancing cannot be ruled out as a measure to stop the spread of COVID-19 virus, wearable sensors could play a significant role in technologically impacting people's consciousness. This review article meticulously describes the role of wearable and strain sensors in achieving such objectives.

Application of poly(3-hexylthiophene) functionalized with an anchoring group in dye-sensitized solar cells.

A series of three poly(3-hexylthiophene) functionalized either with a cyanoacetic acid (CA) or a rhodanine-3-acetic acid anchoring groups were synthesized and characterized. The TiO(2) based dye-sensitized solar cells have been fabricated and performances were tested. We show that shorter chain length (15 thiophene units) linked to CA binding group gives good performances as J(sc) , V(oc) , FF and η(%) were 6.93(mA · cm(-2) ), 0.65(V), 0.67 and 3.02%, respectively. A maximum IPCE of ≈50% at 500 nm was recorded with a liquid electrolyte, under AM 1.5 simulated solar irradiance.

A review on additive manufacturing and its way into the oil and gas industry.

In the near future, the oil and gas industry is poised to become one of the greatest sources of revenue generation across the world. The adaptation of scalable manufacturing technology, commonly known as additive manufacturing (AM) in the oil and gas industry, offers huge potential to transfigure the way high quality 3D objects are designed, manufactured and distributed. The adoption of AM technologies in this sector also allows a high degree of freedom of design and could exponentially reduce the time taken for the product to reach the market. In this arena, AM can be a method of producing lower volume and highly efficient intricate products with various materials like polymers, metals, ceramics and their composites. Although AM has been around for several years, its adoption in this sector has been slow and limited. As it is in the initial stages, rigorous research needs to be done to standardize the materials and manufacturing process. In addition, there is a particular need to end the requirement of a finishing procedure. Continuous and significant growth has been seen since the beginning and the successful outcomes until now allow for optimism that AM has a significant role in the future of manufacturing. This review will mainly focus on ongoing efforts to bring widespread adoption of AM into highly regulated industry i.e. oil and gas, and will also identify future perspectives in this area.