A GaON/ZnO photoelectrode involving a nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material deposited onto a surface of a conducting substrate, and the nanoarchitectured photocatalytic material containing gallium oxynitride nanoparticles interspersed in zinc oxide nanoparticles, as well as methods of preparing the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode. A method of using the GaON/ZnO photoelectrode for solar water electrolysis is also provided.

Photonic pigments are disclosed, which include a plurality of magnetic nanorods assembled into tetragonal colloidal crystals.

A method of manufacturing a mixed metal oxide powder is provided. The method includes steps of mixing two or more metal precursors in a solvent to form a dispersion of the metal precursors in the solvent; drying the dispersion to obtain a dried mixed metal precursor powder; jet milling the dried mixed metal precursor powder to obtain particles having a size distribution in a range of 0.2-20 micrometers; and exposing the particles to a hydrocarbon flame or oxygen plasma to provide the mixed metal oxide powder. Mixed metal oxide powders produced by the disclosed methods are also provided.

A CoVO.sub.x composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 μm thick layer of CoVO.sub.x having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVO.sub.x composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

A method of preparing iron oxide nanoparticles using an herbal mixture comprising Capparis spinosa, Cichorium intybus, Solanum nigrum, Cassia occidentalis, Terminalia arjuna, Achillea millefolium, and Tamarix gallica. The method produces crystalline γ-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanoparticles which are superparamagnetic. The iron oxide nanoparticles are used in a method of killing or inhibiting the growth of a bacteria and/or fungus, particularly in the form of a biofilm. The nanoparticles are also used in a method of treating colon cancer.

A method of preparing iron oxide nanoparticles using an herbal mixture comprising Capparis spinosa, Cichorium intybus, Solanum nigrum, Cassia occidentalis, Terminalia arjuna, Achillea millefolium, and Tamarix gallica. The method produces crystalline γ-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanoparticles which are superparamagnetic. The iron oxide nanoparticles are used in a method of killing or inhibiting the growth of a bacteria and/or fungus, particularly in the form of a biofilm. The nanoparticles are also used in a method of treating colon cancer.

A process for the preparation of a material comprising at least silicon particles and silicon nanowires, said process comprising: (1) introducing, into a chamber of a reactor, at least: silicon particles, and a catalyst, (2) introducing, into the chamber, a precursor composition comprising at least a silane compound or a mixture of silane compounds as precursor compound of the silicon nanowires, (3) decreasing the content of molecular oxygen in the chamber, (4) applying a heat treatment to the chamber at a temperature ranging from 270° C. to 600° C., and (5) recovering the material comprising at least silicon particles and silicon nanowires. A material based on silicon particles and on silicon nanowires and its use for manufacturing electrodes, notably anodes, which can be used in an energy storage device.

A one dimensional (1D) nanoarray of SnO nanostructures on a substrate is disclosed. The nanostructures of SnO have diameters of 200 nm-1 μm and lengths of 500 nm-3 μm, and are attached to and substantially perpendicular to the substrate. The one-dimensional nanoarray may have a nanostructure density of 220-300 nanostructures per 100 μm.sup.2 substrate and a band gap energy of 2.36-2.46 eV. The one-dimensional nanoarray may be formed by anodization of Sn foil in an electrochemical cell subjected to a voltage of 15-25 V for 1-3 hours at room temperature. The formed one-dimensional nanoarray may be used for the photo-electrochemical decomposition of water into O.sub.2 and H.sub.2.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of wave absorbing materials, and discloses a one-dimensional coralloid NiS/Ni.sub.3S.sub.4@PPy@MoS.sub.2-based wave absorber, and a preparation method and use thereof. A preparation method of a one-dimensional coralloid NiS/Ni.sub.3S.sub.4@PPy@MoS.sub.2-based wave absorber includes the following steps. Preparing one-dimensional Ni nanowires by a reduction method. Coating a layer of polypyrrole (PPy) on the Ni nanowires by an in-situ polymerization method using pyrrole as a monomer, to obtain Ni@PPy nanowires. Coating MoS.sub.2 nanorods on the Ni@PPy nanowires by a hydrothermal synthesis method. Meanwhile, Ni as a sacrificial template is vulcanized into NiS/Ni.sub.3S.sub.4 to prepare the one-dimensional coralloid NiS/Ni.sub.3S.sub.4@PPy@MoS.sub.2-based wave absorber. The wave absorber has a novel surface morphology and simple preparation process.

A catalyst-free synthesis method for the formation of a metalorganic compound comprising a desired (first) metal may include, for example, selecting another (second) metal and an organic solvent, with the second metal being selected to (i) be more reactive with respect to the organic solvent than the first metal and (ii) form, upon exposure of the second metal to the organic solvent, a reaction by-product that is more soluble in the organic solvent than the metalorganic compound. An alloy comprising the first metal and the second metal may be first produced (e.g., formed or otherwise obtained) and then treated with the organic solvent in a liquid phase or a vapor phase to form a mixture comprising (i) the reaction by-product comprising the second metal and (ii) the metalorganic compound comprising the first metal. The metalorganic compound may then be separated from the mixture in the form of a solid.