A template-assisted method for the synthesis of 2D nanosheets comprises growing a 2D material on the surface of a nanoparticle substrate that acts as a template for nanosheet growth. The 2D nanosheets may then be released from the template surface, e.g. via chemical intercalation and exfoliation, purified, and the templates may be reused.

Provided is a facilitated CO.sub.2 transport membrane having an improved CO.sub.2 permeance and an improved CO.sub.2/H.sub.2 selectivity. The facilitated CO.sub.2 transport membrane includes a separation-functional membrane that includes a hydrophilic polymer gel membrane containing a CO.sub.2 carrier and a CO.sub.2 hydration catalyst. Further preferably, the CO.sub.2 hydration catalyst at least has catalytic activity at a temperature of 100? C. or higher, has a melting point of 200? C. or higher, or is soluble in water.

Provided are a photocatalyst having higher activity for hydrogen production through water splitting and a photoelectrode comprising the photocatalyst. The photocatalyst for water splitting of the present invention comprises a Ga selenide, an AgGa selenide, or both thereof.

Photocatalysts for reduction of carbon dioxide and water are provided that can be tuned to produce certain reaction products, including hydrogen, alcohol, aldehyde, and/or hydrocarbon products. These photocatalysts can form artificial photosystems and can be incorporated into devices that reduce carbon dioxide and water for production of various fuels. Doped wide-bandgap semiconductor nanotubes are provided along with synthesis methods. A variety of optical, electronic and magnetic dopants (substitutional and interstitial, energetically shallow and deep) are incorporated into hollow nanotubes, ranging from a few dopants to heavily-doped semiconductors. The resulting wide-bandgap nanotubes, with desired electronic (p- or n-doped), optical (ultraviolet bandgap to infrared absorption in co-doped nanotubes), and magnetic (from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic) properties, can be used in photovoltaics, display technologies, photocatalysis, and spintronic applications.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing aromatic polycarbonates, comprising the step of reacting bisphenols with dithiocarbonates or selenium analogues thereof in the presence of a catalyst. It further relates to the use of dithiocarbonates or selenium analogues thereof as transesterifying reagents for the preparation of polycarbonates.

Photocatalysts for reduction of carbon dioxide and water are provided that can be tuned to produce certain reaction products, including hydrogen, alcohol, aldehyde, and/or hydrocarbon products. These photocatalysts can form artificial photosystems and can be incorporated into devices that reduce carbon dioxide and water for production of various fuels. Doped wide-bandgap semiconductor nanotubes are provided along with synthesis methods. A variety of optical, electronic and magnetic dopants (substitutional and interstitial, energetically shallow and deep) are incorporated into hollow nanotubes, ranging from a few dopants to heavily-doped semiconductors. The resulting wide-bandgap nanotubes, with desired electronic (p- or n-doped), optical (ultraviolet bandgap to infrared absorption in co-doped nanotubes), and magnetic (from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic) properties, can be used in photovoltaics, display technologies, photocatalysis, and spintronic applications.

A method of producing a Se/Biochar-AuBi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 catalyst includes acid treatment of a palm waste with phosphoric acid to form an acid-treated palm waste, carbonizing the acid-treated palm waste to form an acid-treated biochar, and chlorinating acyl groups present on the acid-treated biochar with oxalyl chloride to form a chlorinated biochar. The method may include reacting the chlorinated biochar with an organoselenium compound to form an organoselenium-functionalized biochar and mixing the organoselenium-functionalized biochar with Au-doped Bi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 particles to form the Se/Biochar-AuBi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 catalyst.

A method of producing a Se/Biochar-AuBi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 catalyst includes acid treatment of a palm waste with phosphoric acid to form an acid-treated palm waste, carbonizing the acid-treated palm waste to form an acid-treated biochar, and chlorinating acyl groups present on the acid-treated biochar with oxalyl chloride to form a chlorinated biochar. The method may include reacting the chlorinated biochar with an organoselenium compound to form an organoselenium-functionalized biochar and mixing the organoselenium-functionalized biochar with Au-doped Bi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 particles to form the Se/Biochar-AuBi.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 catalyst.

A process of growth in the thickness of at least one facet of a colloidal inorganic sheet. By sheet is meant a structure having at least one dimension, the thickness, of nanometric size and lateral dimensions great compared to the thickness, typically more than 5 times the thickness. By homostructured is meant a material of homogeneous composition in the thickness and by heterostructured is meant a material of heterogeneous composition in the thickness. The process allows the deposition of at least one monolayer of atoms on at least one inorganic colloidal sheet, this monolayer being constituted of atoms of the type of those contained or not in the sheet. Homostructured and heterostructured materials resulting from such process as well as the applications of the materials are also described.

A method for controllably producing a hematite-containing Fischer-Tropsch catalyst by combining an iron nitrate solution with a precipitating agent solution at a precipitating temperature and over a precipitation time to form a precipitate comprising iron phases; holding the precipitate from at a hold temperature for a hold time to provide a hematite containing precipitate; and washing the hematite containing precipitate via contact with a wash solution and filtering, to provide a washed hematite containing catalyst. The method may further comprise promoting the washed hematite containing catalyst with a chemical promoter; spray drying the promoted hematite containing catalyst; and calcining the spray dried hematite containing catalyst to provide a calcined hematite-containing Fischer-Tropsch catalyst.