Publications

It is highly desired but still challenging to develop active nonprecious metal hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts operating under all pH conditions. Herein, the development of three-dimensional N-doped carbon-coated tungsten oxynitride nanowire arrays on carbon cloth as a highly efficient and durable HER cathode was explored. The material delivers current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm(-2) at overpotentials of 106 and 172 mV, respectively, in acidic medium, and it also performs well in neutral and basic electrolytes.

Breath analysis for non-invasive clinical diagnostics and treatment progression has penetrated the research community owing to the technological developments in novel sensing nanomaterials. The trace level selective detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath facilitates the study of physiological disorder and real-time health monitoring. This review focuses on advancements in chemiresistive gas sensor technology for biomarker detection associated with different diseases. Emphasis is placed on selective biomarker detection by semiconducting metal oxide (SMO) nanostructures, 2-dimensional nanomaterials (2DMs) and nanocomposites through various optimization strategies and sensing mechanisms. Their synergistic properties for incorporation in a portable breathalyzer have been elucidated. Furthermore, the socio-economic demands of a breathalyzer in terms of recent establishment of startups globally and challenges of a breathalyzer are critically reviewed. This initiative is aimed at highlighting the challenges and scope for improvement to realize a high performance chemiresistive gas sensor for non-invasive disease diagnosis.

Copper(I) halide complexes having thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) and phosphorescence have attracted much attention. Here, a series of four-coordinate dinuclear copper(I) halide complexes, [CuX(bpbp)]2 (bpbp = 2,2′-bis(diphenylphosphino)biphenyl, X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. The structural analysis reveals that two copper(I) centers are bridged by two halogen ligands to form a dinuclear structure with a four-membered Cu2X2 ring. These complexes exhibit yellow to blue emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 575–487 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 6.2–19.8 μs) and low emission quantum yields (<0.01%). The emissions of 1–3 originate from MLCT, XLCT, and IL (intraligand) transitions. Three complexes displayed good thermal stability.

A hierarchical CuO@NiCo LDH core–shell nanoarray on copper foil (CuO@NiCo LDH/CF) acts as an efficient and durable oxygen-evolving electrocatalyst, capable of driving 20 mA cm⁻² at an overpotential of only 256 mV in 1.0 M KOH.

Industrially, artifical N₂ fixation to NH₃ mainly relies on the Haber-Bosch process which is operated in a harsh environment with large energy consumption and heavy serious greenhouse gas emission. Electrochemical N₂ reduction offers a carbon-neutral and energy-saving method for NH₃ synthesis under ambient conditions. Herein, we demonstrate the first use of ZrO₂ nanoparticles as an earth-abundant electrocatalyst for NH₃ synthesis from N₂ and water under ambient conditions. In 0.1 M HCl, the electrocatalyst presents a large NH₃ yield rate of 24.74 μg h^-1 mg_cat.^-1 with a faradaic efficiency of 5.0% at -0.45 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. It also demonstrates high electrochemical stability and excellent selectivity for NH₃ generation.

Abstract The role of different carbonate salts on the interaction of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with employed quinolone antibiotic drug (ciprofloxacin hydrochloride [CFH]) was explosively inspected through measuring specific conductivity ( κ ) of the investigated system. The drug, CFH, is an excellent antibiotic for the treatment of different bacterial infections like skin, urinary tract, and respiratory infections. The estimated critical micelle concentrations ( cmc ) of SDS were observed to be dwindled in the attendance of electrolytes and cmc reduction continues with the escalation of the electrolyte's concentration. The magnitudes of cmc for the SDS + CFH mixture were reduced with the elevation of temperature in K 2 CO 3 and CaCO 3 medium while increased with the rise of the temperature in the Na 2 CO 3 medium. The magnitudes of counterion binding to micelles ( β ) were increased with the increase of the concentration of Na 2 CO 3 and K 2 CO 3 up to definite value and then reduced with the increase of successive rise of concentration of both salts at all temperatures while decreased monotonically with the rise of electrolyte concentration in CaCO 3 medium. The values of standard free energy ( ) were achieved to be negative in each case suggesting spontaneous self‐assembly formation. The standard entropy change ( ) along with enthalpy change ( ) was also assessed and discussed elaborately.

Heavy metal especially nickel (Ni(II)) is the most pernicious kind of pollution since it is both poisonous and difficult to break down in nature and can cause many human disorders and diseases. The monitoring and removal of Ni(II) ions optically is required to enhance the quality of the water and make it appropriate for drinking as well as other uses around the residence. Therefore, the goal of the current work was to synthesize ligand imprinted composite adsorbent (MCA) and utilize it as an adsorbent to monitor and remove Ni(II) ions from the water. Based on the findings gathered, the MCA that was synthesized had a large particle size with a high surface area even after the ligand impregnation. The MCA was enhanced significantly in color with the contact of Ni(II) ion with limit detection at 0.35 µg/L. The maximum level of Ni(II) ions was eliminated (99%) when the pH was adjusted to 5.50. The Langmuir model was also used to study the adsorption equilibrium data and the maximum adsorption capacity was 167.55 mg/g. Additionally, the method can selectively detect and remove Ni(II) even in the presence of diverse metal ions. Overall, the MCA offers an ideal platform for the on-site monitoring and removal of heavy metal ions, especially in resource-limited areas.