Synthesis of graphene/tourmaline/TiO_2 composites with enhanced activity for photocatalytic degradation of 2-propanol

We report the construction of a graphene/tourmaline/TiO2(G/T/TiO2)composite system with enhanced charge‐carrier separation,and therefore enhanced photocatalytic properties,based on tailoring the surface‐charged state of graphene and/or by introducing an external electric field arising from tourmaline.A simple two‐step hydrothermal method was used to synthesize G/T/TiO2composites and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)‐G/T/TiO2composites.In the photocatalytic degradation of2‐propanol(IPA),the catalytic activity of the composite containing negatively charged graphene was higher than of the composite containing positively charged graphene.The highest acetone evolution rate(223?mol/h)was achieved using the ternary composite with the optimum composition,i.e.,G0.5/T5/TiO2(0.5wt%graphene and5wt%tourmaline).The involvement of tourmaline and graphene in the composite is believed to facilitate the separation and transportation of electrons and holes photogenerated in TiO2.This synergetic effect could account for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the G/T/TiO2composite.A mechanistic study indicated that O2??radicals and holes were the main reactive oxygen species in photocatalytic degradation of IPA.

Microstructures and interfacial interactions of Al_(2)O_(3)whiskers and graphene nano-platelets co-reinforced copper matrix composites

The mechanical properties and microstructures of Al_(2)O_(3)whiskers and graphene nano-platelets(GNPs)co-reinforced Cu-matrix composites were studied.Cu-matrix composites with a variation of GNPs amount were fabricated by mechanical alloying followed by vacuum hot-pressing sintering and hot isostatic pressing.The Cu-matrix composite with 0.5 wt.%GNPs(GNPs-0.5)suggests a good interfacial bonding of both Cu/C and Cu/Al_(2)O_(3)interfaces.Both the hardness and compressive strength of Cu-matrix composites show a consistent tendency that firstly increases to a critical value and then decreases with increasing GNPs amount.It is suggested that the most possible strengthening mechanisms of both GNPs and Al_(2)O_(3)whisker working in the Cu-matrix composites involve energy dissipating and load transfer,as well as grain refinements for GNPs.The synergetic effect of GNPs and Al_(2)O_(3)whiskers is highlighted that the embedded GNPs would hinder the crack path generated at the Al_(2)O_(3)/Cu interface and enhance the already outstanding strengthening effect that Al_(2)O_(3)whiskers provide.

Preparation of TiO2 Nanocrystals/Graphene Composite and Its Photocatalytic Performance

TiO2 nanocrystals/graphene （TiO2/GR） composite are prepared by combining flocculation and hydrothermal reduction technology using graphite oxide and TiO2 colloid as precursors. The obtained materials are examined by scanning electron microscopy, transition electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption desorption, and ultraviolet-visible diffuse spectroscopy. The results suggest that the presence of TiO2 nanocrystals with diameter of about 15 nm prevents GR nanosheets from agglomeration. Owing to the uniform distribution of TiO2 nanocrystals on the GR nanosheets, TiO2/GR composite exhibits stronger light absorption in the visible region, higher adsorption capacity to methylene blue and higher efficiency of charge separation and transportation compared with pure TiO2. Moreover, the TiO2/GR composite with a GR content of 30% shows higher photocatalytic removal efficiency of MB from water than that of pure TiO2 and commercial P25 under both UV and sunlight irradiation.

TiO_2/graphene nanocomposites as anode materials for high rate lithium-ion batteries

A simple strategy to prepare a hybrid of nanocomposites of anatase TiO2/graphene nanosheets （GNS） as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries was reported.The morphology and crystal structure were studied by X-ray diffraction （XRD）,field emission scanning electron microscopy （FE-SEM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）.The electrochemical performance was evaluated by galvanostatic charge-lischarge tests and alternating current （AC） impedance spectroscopy.The results show that the TiO2/GNS electrode exhibit higher electrochemical performance than that of TiO2 electrode regardless of the rate.Even at 500 mA/g,the capacity of TiO2/GNS is 120.3 mAh/g,which is higher than that of TiO2 61.6 mAh/g.The high performance is attributed to the addition of graphene to improve electrical conductivity and reduce polarization.

TiO2-PES Fibrous Composite Material for Ammonia Removal Using UV-A Photocatalyst

This study focused on the development and characterization of TiO2-PES composite fibers with varying TiO2 loading amounts using a phase inversion process. The resulting composite fibers exhibited a sponge-like structure with embedded TiO2 nanoparticles within a polymer matrix. Their photocatalytic performance for ammonia removal from aqueous solutions under UV-A light exposure was thoroughly investigated. The findings revealed that PeTi8 composite fibers displayed superior adsorption capacity compared to other samples. Moreover, the study explored the impact of pH, light intensity, and catalyst dosage on the photocatalytic degradation of ammonia. Adsorption equilibrium isotherms closely followed the Langmuir model, with the results indicating a correlation between qm values of 2.49 mg/g and the porous structure of the adsorbents. The research underscored the efficacy of TiO2 composite fibers in the photocatalytic removal of aqueous under UV-A light. Notably, increasing the distance between the photocatalyst and the light source resulted in de-creased hydroxyl radical concentration, influencing photocatalytic efficiency. These findings contribute to our understanding of TiO2 composite fibers as promising photocatalysts for ammonia removal in water treatment applications.

Preparation and characterization of ZrO_2/TiO_2 composite photocatalytic film by micro-arc oxidation

ZrO2/TiO2 composite photocatalytic film was produced on the pure titanium substrate using in-situ Zr（OH）4 colloidal particle by the micro-arc oxidation technique and characterized by scanning electron microscope （SEM）, energy dispersive X-ray （EDX）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and ultraviolet-visible （UV-Vis） spectrophotometer. The composite film shows a lamellar and porous structure which consists of anatase, futile and ZrO2 phases. The optical absorption edge of film is shifted to longer wavelength when ZrO2 is introduced to TiO2. Furthermore, the photocatalytic reaction rate constants of degradation of rhodamine B solution with ZrO2/TiO2 composite film and pure TiO2 film under ultraviolet irradiation are measured as 0.0442 and 0.0186 h 1, respectively.

Photocatalytic activity and kinetics for acid yellow degradation over surface composites of TiO_2-coated activated carbon under different photocatalytic conditions

TiO2-coated activated carbon surface （TAs） composites were prepared by a sol-gel method with supercritical pretreatment. The photocatalytic degradation of acid yellow （AY） was investigated under UV radiation to estimate activity of catalysts and determine the kinetics. And the effects of parameters including the initial concentration of AY, light intensity and TiO2 content in catalysts were examined. The results indicate that TAs has a higher efficiency in decomposition of AY than P25, pure TiO2 particles as well as the mixture of TiO2 powder and active carbon. The photocatalytic degradation rate is found to follow the pseudo-first order kinetics with respect to the AY concentration. The new kinetic model fairly resembles the classic Langmuir-Hinshelwood equation, and the rate constant is proportional to the square root of the light intensity in a wide range. However, its absorption performance depends on the surface areas of catalysts. The model fits quite well with the experimental data and elucidates phenomena about the effects of the TiO2 content in TAs on the degradation rate.

Forging Inspired Processing of Sodium-Fluorinated Graphene Composite as Dendrite-Free Anode for Long-Life Na–CO_(2) Cells

Na–CO_(2) batteries recently are emerging as promising energy-storage devices due to the abundance of Na in the earth’s crust and the clean utilization of greenhouse gas CO_(2) .However,similar to metallic Li,metallic Na also suffers from a serious issue of dendrite growth upon repeated cycling,while a facile method to solve this issue is still lacking.In this work,we report an effective,environmentally friendly method to inhibit Na dendrite growth by in situ constructing a stable,NaF-rich solid electrolyte interface(SEI)layer on metallic Na via adding a small amount(~3 wt%)of fluorinated graphene(FG)in bulk Na.Inspired by the forging processing,a uniform Na/FG composite was obtained by melting and repetitive FG-adsorbing/hammering processes.The Na/FG–Na/FG half cell exhibits a low voltage hysteresis of 110–140 mV over 700 h at a current density up to 5 mA cm^(-2) with an areal capacity as high as 5 mAh cm^(-2).Na–CO_(2) full cell with the Na/FG anode is able to sustain a stable cycling of 391 cycles at a limited capacity of 1000 mAh g^(-1).Long cycle life of the cell can be attributed to the protecting effect of the in situ fabricated NaF-rich SEI layer on metallic Na.Both experiments and density functional theory(DFT)calculations confirm the formation of the NaF-rich SEI layer.The inhibition effect of the NaF-rich SEI layer for Na dendrites is verified by in situ optical microscopy observations.

Hydrogen storage properties of Mg-TiO_2 composite powder prepared by arc plasma method

Mg-based Mg-TiO2 composite powder was prepared by arc plasma evaporation of the Mg＋5%TiO2 mixture followed by passivation in air. ICP, XRD and SEM techniques were used to characterize the composition, phase components and microstructure of the composite powder. The hydrogen sorption properties of the composite powder were investigated by DSC and PCT techniques. According to the data from PCT measurements, the hydrogenation enthalpy and entropy changes of the composite powder are calculated to be-71.5 kJ/mol and-130.1 J/（K·mol）, respectively. Besides, the hydrogenation activation energy is determined to be 77.2 kJ/ mol. The results indicate that TiO2 added into Mg by arc plasma method can act as a catalyst to improve the hydrogen sorption kinetic properties of Mg.

TiO_2/polyaniline composites:An efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue under natural light

Polyaniline （PAn） sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 composites （TiO2/PAn） were successfully prepared and used as an efficient photocatalyst for the degradation of dye methylene blue （MB）. The results showed that PAn was able to sensitize TiO2 efficiently and the composite photocatalyst could be activated by absorbing both the ultraviolet and visible light （λ： 190 ～ 800 nm）, whereas pure TiO2 absorbed ultraviolet light only （λ 〈 380 nm）. Under the irradiation of natural light, MB could be degraded more efficiently on the TiO2/PAn composites than on the TiO2 Furthermore, it could be easily separated from the solution by simple sedimentation.

Grain Size and Wettability of TiO_2/SiO_2 Photocatalytic Composite Thin Filing

The uniform transparent TiO2/SiO2 photocatalytic composite thin films are prepared by sol-gel method on the soda lime glass substrates, and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET surface area, FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the addition of SiO2 to TiO2 thin films can suppress the grain growth of TiO2 crystal, increase the hydroxyl content on the surface of TiO2 films, lower the contact angle for water on TiO, films and enhance the hydrophilic property of TiO2 films. The super-hydrophilic TiO2/SiO2 photocatalytic composite thin films with the contact angle of 0((o) under bar) are obtained by the addition of 10%-20% SiO2 in mole fraction.

Non‑Magnetic Bimetallic MOF‑Derived Porous Carbon‑Wrapped TiO2/ ZrTiO4 Composites for Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Modern communication technologies put forward higher requirements for electromagnetic wave(EMW)absorption materials.Metal-organic framework(MOF)derivatives have been widely concerned with its diverse advantages.To break the mindset of magneticderivative design,and make up the shortage of monometallic non-magnetic derivatives,we first try non-magnetic bimetallic MOFs derivatives to achieve efficient EMW absorption.The porous carbon-wrapped TiO2/ZrTiO4 composites derived from PCN-415(TiZr-MOFs)are qualified with a minimum reflection loss of−67.8 dB(2.16 mm,13.0 GHz),and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 5.9 GHz(2.70 mm).Through in-depth discussions,the synergy of enhanced interfacial polarization and other attenuation mechanisms in the composites is revealed.Therefore,this work confirms the huge potentials of nonmagnetic bimetallic MOFs derivatives in EMW absorption applications.

Photocatalytic remediation ofγ-hexachlorocyclohexane contaminated soils using TiO_2 and montmorillonite composite photocatalyst

TiO2 and montmorillonite composite photocatalysts were prepared and applied in degrading γ-hexachlorocyclohexane （γ-HCH） in soils. After being spiked with γ-HCH, soil samples loaded with the composite photocatalysts were exposed to UV-light irradiation. The results indicated that the photocatalytic activities of the composite photocatalysts varied with the content of TiO2 in the order of 10%〈70%〈50% 〈30%, Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of the composite photocatalysts with TiO2 content 30% was higher than that of the pure P25 with the same mass of TiO2. The strong adsorption capacity of the composite photocatalysts and quantum size effect may contribute to its increased photocatalytic activities. In addition, effect of dosage of composite photocatalysts and soil pH on γ-HCH photodegradation was investigated. Pentachlorocyclohexene, trichlorocyclohexene, and dichlorobenzene were detected as photodegradation intermediates, which were gradually degraded with the photodegradation evolution.

Confining TiO_2 Nanotubes in PECVD-Enabled Graphene Capsules Toward Ultrafast K-Ion Storage: In Situ TEM/XRD Study and DFT Analysis

Titanium dioxide(TiO2) has gained burgeoning attention for potassium-ion storage because of its large theoretical capacity,wide availability,and environmental benignity.Nevertheless,the inherently poor conductivity gives rise to its sluggish reaction kinetics and inferior rate capability.Here,we report the direct graphene growth over TiO2 nanotubes by virtue of chemical vapor deposition.Such conformal graphene coatings effectively enhance the conductive environment and well accommodate the volume change of TiO2 upon potassiation/depotassiation.When paired with an activated carbon cathode,the graphene-armored TiO2 nanotubes allow the potassium-ion hybrid capacitor full cells to harvest an energy/power density of 81.2 Wh kg-1/3746.6 W kg-1.We further employ in situ transmis sion electron microscopy and ope rando X-ray diffraction to probe the potassium-ion storage behavior.This work offers a viable and versatile solution to the anode design and in situ probing of potassium storage technologies that is readily promising for practical applications.

Characterization of Calcined Kaolin/TiO_2 Composite Particle Material Prepared by Mechano-Chemical Method

Calcined kaolin/TiO2 composite particle material （CK/TCPM） was prepared with TiO2 coating on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by the mechano-chemical method. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscope （SEM） were used to investigate the microstructures and morphologies, respectively. The mechanism of the mechano-chemical reaction between calcined kaolin and TiO2 was studied by infrared spectra （IR）. The results show that TiO2 coats evenly on the surfaces of calcined kaolin particles by Si-O-Ti and Al-O-Ti bonds on their interfaces. The hiding power and whiteness of CK/TCPM are 17.12 g/m^2 and 95.7%, respectively, presenting its similarity to TiO2 in pigment properties.

Fabrication of biomaterial/TiO2 composite photocatalysts for the selective removal of trace environmental pollutants

Trace environmental pollutants have become a serious problem with special attention on the hazardous heavy metals, refractory organics, and pathogenic microorganisms. With coupling biosorption and photocatalysis to develop biomaterial/TiO2 composite photocatalysts is a promising method to remove these trace pollutants because of the synergistic effect. Biomaterials provide multiple function groups which can selectively and efficiently enrich trace pollutants onto the surface of the photocatalysts, thus facilitating the following transformation mediated by TiO2 photocatalysis. Biomaterials can also help the dispersion and recovery of TiO2, or even modify the band structure of TiO2. The fabrication of chitosan/TiO2, cellulose/TiO2, as well as other biomaterial/TiO2 composite photocatalysts is discussed in detail in this review. The application significance of these composite photocatalysts for the selective removal of trace pollutants is also addressed. Several problems should be solved before the realistic applications can be achieved as discussed in the final section.

PREPARATION AND CORROSION RESISTANCE OF NiP/TiO_2 COMPOSITE FILM ON CARBON STEEL IN SULFURIC ACID SOLUTION

A NiP/TiO2 composite film on carbon steel was prepared by electroless plating and sol-gel composite process. An artificial neural network was applied to optimize the prepared condition of the composite film. Corrosion behavior of the NiP/TiO2 composite film was investigated by polarization resistance measurement, anode polarization, ESEM （environmental scanning electron microscopy） and EIS （electrochemical impedance spectroscopy） measurements. Results showed that the NiP/ TiO2 composite film has a good corrosion resistance in 0.5mol/L H2SO4 solution. The element valence of the composite film was characterized by XPS （X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy） spectrum, and an anticorrosion mechanism of the composite film was discussed.

Synthesis and Optimization of TiO_(2)/Graphene with Exposed {001} Facets Based on Response Surface Methodology and Evaluation of Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Response surface methodology(RSM)was employed to optimize the control parameters of TiO_(2)/graphene with exposed{001}facets during synthesis,and its enhanced photocatalytic activities were evaluated in the photodegradation of toluene.Experimental results were in good agreement with the predicted results obtained using RSM with a correlation coefficient(R^(2))of 0.9345.When 22.06 mg of graphite oxide(GO)and 2.09 mL of hydrofluoric acid(HF)were added and a hydrothermal time of 28 h was used,a maximum efficiency in the degradation of toluene was achieved.X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)were employed to characterize the obtained hybrid photocatalyst.The electron transferred between Ti and C retarded the combination of electron–hole pairs and hastened the transferring of electrons,which enhanced the photocatalytic activity.

Morphology and conductivity of in-situ PEO-LiClO_4-TiO_2 composite polymer electrolyte

PEO-LiClO4-TiO2 composite polymer electrolyte films were prepared. TiO2 was formed directly in matrix by hydrolysis and condensation reaction of tetrabutyl titanate. The crystallinity, morphology and ionic conductivity of composite polymer electrolyte films were examined by differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, atom force microscopy and alternating current impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The glass transition temperature and the crystallinity of composite polymer electrolytes are decreased compared with those of PEO-LiClO4 polymer electrolyte film. The results show that TiO2 particles are uniformly dispersed in PEO-LiClO4-5%TiO2 composite polymer electrolyte film. The maximal conductivity of 5.5×10、5 Scm at 20 ℃ of PEO-LiClO4-TiO2 film is obtained at 5% mass fraction of TiO2.

TiO2-incorporated polyelectrolyte composite membrane with transformable hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity for nanofiltration separation

The wettability of the membrane surface has shown obvious influent on the separation performance of the membrane.In this work,a hydrophilic PDA-[PDDA/TiO2]+Cl-membrane was prepared by a one-step codeposition of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)(PDDA)polyelectrolyte solution containing positively charged TiO2@PDDA nanoparticles with the assistance of dopamine(DA).Such positively charged membrane can be transformed into a hydrophobic membrane PDA-[PDDA/TiO2]+PFO-via the counterion exchange between Cl-and PFO-(perfluorooctanoate).The transformation between hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity is reversible.For both hydrophilic and hydrophobic membranes,the nanofiltration performances were respectively investigated by the aqueous solution and ethanol solution of dyes including methyl blue(MB),Congo red(CR)and Evans blue(EB),and as well metal salt aqueous solution.The consecutive running stability and anti-fouling performance of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic membranes were explored.The results revealed that both membranes showed high nanofiltration performances for retention of dyes in(non)aqueous solution.For the hydrophilic membrane,the rejection of salts in a sequence is MgSO4>Na2SO4>MgCl2>NaCl.Moreover,both of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic membranes showed high stability and antifouling property.