A photocatalyst according to the present invention has a structure in which the titanium dioxide doped with the transition metals is supported on the support such that a band gap thereof is low and a specific surface area thereof is high, thereby exhibiting an excellent photocatalytic activity even in a visible light region and providing an excellent effect of adsorbing an organic compound and removing the same even under a condition in which light is not emitted.

Provided herein are methods of CO.sub.2 reduction to methanol or CO using a Cu.sub.2O catalyst.

Present subject matter provides a semiconductor nanocrystal comprises a core and a shell. The core is fabricated from a first semiconductor. The shell is fabricated from a second semiconductor. The optical cross section of the semiconductor nanocrystal is in a range of 10.sup.17 cm.sup.2-10.sup.12 cm.sup.2 in a 2-3 eV region. The core is less than 2 nanometers from an outer surface of the shell in at least one region of the semiconductor nanocrystal. Present subject matter also provides method for preparation of the semiconductor nanocrystals and method for photosynthesis of organic compounds.

A self-cleaning film system includes a substrate and an anti-reflection film disposed on the substrate. The anti-reflection film includes a first sheet formed from titanium dioxide, a second sheet formed from silicon dioxide and disposed on the first sheet, and a third sheet formed from titanium dioxide and disposed on the second sheet. The system includes a self-cleaning film disposed on the anti-reflection film and including a monolayer disposed on the third sheet and formed from a fluorinated material selected from the group consisting of fluorinated organic compounds, fluorinated inorganic compounds, and combinations thereof. The self-cleaning film includes a first plurality of regions disposed within the monolayer such that each of the first plurality of regions abuts and is surrounded by the fluorinated material and includes a photocatalytic material.

The present application relates to a multifunctional filter medium and a method of manufacturing the same. The multifunctional filter medium of the present application is capable of significantly reducing fine dust, harmful microorganisms, and toxic gases and reducing a pressure decrease during filtration due to exclusion of high-density nanofiber, thereby minimizing energy required for filtration and exhibiting sufficient filtration performance as a single filter medium.

Disclosed herein are metal-organic frameworks and methods of making and use thereof.

A zinc-based metal organic framework and method of making is described. The zinc-based metal organic framework is in the form of an interpenetrating diamondoid framework where each Zn.sup.2+ ion center is linked with four other Zn.sup.2+ ion centers in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The linking occurs through diamine and dicarboxylic acid linkers. The zinc-based metal organic framework may be deposited on a transparent conducting film and used as a photoelectrode for photoelectrochemical water splitting.

This disclosure provides compositions and methods directed to thermally stable catalyst systems, which display stable physical properties and/or stable catalytic properties after thermal pretreatment at a temperature in the range of about 600 C. to about 1000 C. The catalyst systems include metal particles which contain a stable metal and a catalytic metal deposited on a porous support. Embodiments of the disclosure include catalyst systems that can be used in high temperature applications such as the hybrid sulfur cycle. The hybrid sulfur cyclic is an elevated temperature and high acid reaction that may be conducted using concentrated sulfuric acid heated to 800 C. Embodiments of the disclosure can provide thermally stable catalysts and methods to produce thermally stable catalysts that remain active for at least 80 hours' exposure to these harsh conditions.

The invention relates to a composition that contains a first semiconductor SC1, particles that comprise one or more element(s) M in the metal state selected from among an element of groups IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, IIB, IIIA, IVA and VA of the periodic table, and a second semiconductor SC2 that comprises cerium oxide, with said first semiconductor SC1 being in direct contact with said particles that comprise one or more element(s) M in the metal state, with said particles being in direct contact with said second semiconductor SC2 that comprises cerium oxide in such a way that the second semiconductor SC2 covers at least 50% of the surfaces of the particles that comprise one or more element(s) M in the metal state. The invention also relates to its preparation method as well as its application of photocatalysis.

Methods for embedding photocatalytic titanium dioxide in concrete surfaces to reduce pollutants via photocatalytic reactions are provided herein. One method includes applying an amount of concrete treatment compound to an upper surface of the concrete, the concrete treatment compound comprising a mixture of a liquid carrier compound with a titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2) photocatalyst.