Green synthesis of SrO bridged LaFeO3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites for CO2 conversion and bisphenol A degradation with new insights into mechanism.

Very recently the green synthesis routes of nanomaterials have attracted massive attention as it overcome the sustainability concerns of conventional synthesis approaches. With this heed, in this novel research work we have synthesized the g-C3N4 nanosheets based nanocomposites by utilizing Eriobotrya japonica as mediator and stabilizer agent. Our designed bio-caped and green g-C3N4 nanosheets based nanocomposites have abundant organic functional groups, activated surface and strong adsorption capability which are very favorable for conversion CO2 into useful products and bisphenol A degradation. Beneficial to further upgrade the performances of g-C3N4 nanosheets, the resulting pristine g-C3N4 nanosheets are coupled with LaFeO3 nanosheets via SrO bridge. Based on our experimental results such as TEM, XRD, DRS, TPD, TGA, PL, PEC and FS spectra linked with OH amount it is confirmed that the biologically mediated green g-C3N4 nanosheets are eco-friendly, highly efficient and stable. Furthermore, the coupling of LaFeO3 nanosheets enlarged the surface area, enhanced the charge separation, while the insertion of SrO bridge worked as facilitator for electron transportation and photo-electron modulation. In contrast to pristine green g-C3N4 nanosheets (GCN), the activities of final resulting sample 6LFOS-(4SrO)-GCN are improved by 8.0 times for CO2 conversion (CH4 = 4.2, CO = 9.2 µmol g-1 h-1) and 2.5-fold for bisphenol A degradation (88%) respectively. More specifically, our current research work will open a new gateway to design cost effective, eco-friendly and biological inspired green nanomaterials for CO2 conversion and organic pollutants degradation which will further support the net zero carbon emission manifesto and the optimization of carbon neutrality level.

Co-Al nanosheets derived from LDHs and their catalytic performance for syngas conversion.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were innovatively employed in this study as catalyst for synthesis gas conversion to chemicals, such as oxygenates. Cobalt-aluminium layered double hydroxides (Co-Al LDHs) was prepared at different temperatures. and lactate was successfully intercalated into the LDHs by ion-exchange method and then the material was further delaminated in water at ambient temperature. The samples were characterized by SEM, TEM and AFM, and separately dispersed nanosheets can be clearly observed. The prepared lamellas were applied in aqueous-phase synthesis gas conversion reaction. The catalysts generated a superior activity of 0.055-0.675 molCO·molCo-1·h-1 and greater oxygenated product (acetaldehyde) selectivity (SOxy = 75-88%) than conventional cobalt Fisher-Tropsch (FT) synthesis catalysts. Ammonium ion showed some effect of the selectivity of the acetaldehyde. The original research results suggested a promising application of the mono-dispersed ultrathin cobalt-bearing LDHs nanosheets in the aqueous phase syngas conversion to valuable oxygenate products.

High Rate and Stable Li-Ion Insertion in Oxygen-Deficient LiV3O8 Nanosheets as a Cathode Material for Lithium-Ion Battery.

Low performance of cathode materials has become one of the major obstacles to the application of lithium-ion battery (LIB) in advanced portable electronic devices, hybrid electric vehicles, and electric vehicles. The present work reports a versatile oxygen-deficient LiV3O8 (D-LVO) nanosheet that was synthesized successfully via a facile oxygen-deficient hydrothermal reaction followed by thermal annealing in Ar. When used as a cathode material for LIB, the prepared D-LVO nanosheets display remarkable capacity properties at various current densities (a capacity of 335, 317, 278, 246, 209, 167, and 133 mA h g-1 at 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mA g-1, respectively) and excellent lithium-ion storage stability, maintaining more than 88% of the initial reversible capacity after 200 cycles at 1000 mA g-1. The outstanding electrochemical properties are believed to arise largely from the introduction of tetravalent V (∼15% V4+) and the attendant oxygen vacancies into LiV3O8 nanosheets, leading to intrinsic electrical conductivity more than 1 order of magnitude higher and lithium-ion diffusion coefficient nearly 2 orders of magnitude higher than those of LiV3O8 without detectable V4+ (N-LVO) and thus contributing to the easy lithium-ion diffusion, rapid phase transition, and the excellent electrochemical reversibility. Furthermore, the more uniform nanostructure, as well as the larger specific surface area of D-LVO than N-LVO nanosheets may also improve the electrolyte penetration and provide more reaction sites for fast lithium-ion diffusion during the discharge/charge processes.