Jingzhou Yin

Fabrication of novel comb-like Cu2O nanorod-based structures through an interface etching method and their application as ethanol sensors

Novel comb-like cuprous oxide nanorod-based structures were synthesized through an interface etching method with salicylaldehyde as ligand and reducing agent in a water-toluene system and were demonstrated to have great application potentials as ethanol sensors.

Controlled Growth and Applications of Complex Metal Oxide ZnSn(OH)6 Polyhedra

We successfully controlled the crystallographic surface of ZnSn(OH)(6) crystals and systematically obtained ZnSn(OH)(6) crystals in different shapes including cubes, truncated cubes, cuboctahedrons, truncated octahedrons, and octahedrons using a simple solvothermal method in a methylcellulose (MC) ethanol/water solution. By simply adjusting the amount of the NaOH solution added to the reaction system, we observed the shape evolution of ZnSn(OH)(6) particles from cube to octahedron, with the sizes gradually increasing from about 200 nm to 1-2 μm. These results not only provide ZnSn(OH)(6) polyhedra bound by different lattice planes, but also make it possible to investigate the morphology-property relationship of ZnSn(OH)(6) particles with different morphologies obtained under similar conditions. The antibacterial activities of the as-prepared ZnSn(OH)(6) polyhedral particles were studied. It was found that the antibacterial activities of ZnSn(OH)(6) particles against Escherichia coli depend on the shape of the ZnSn(OH)(6) particles, demonstrating that the surface structure of nanocrystals affects the antibacterial activity. Additionally, the obtained ZnSn(OH)(6) polyhedra can be applied as precursors for Zn(2)SnO(4)/SnO(2) composites with different morphologies by calcining at 600 °C.

Synthesis of Mn3O4 octahedrons and other manganese-based nanostructures through a simple and green route

Several manganese-based nanostructures, including novel Mn3O4 octahedrons, MnOOH nanorods, MnO2 nanowires and aggregated MnCO3 nanoparticles in the form of spindles, have been prepared through the redox reactions between KMnO4 and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

Controlled fabrication and property studies of nickel hydroxide and nickel oxide nanostructures

In this article, different Ni(OH)2 nanostructures have been synthesized through a facile template- and surfactant-free approach. By adding additives, changing the nickel source or choosing different solvents, nickel hydroxide can be controllably synthesized from β-Ni(OH)2 nanodisks to hierarchical β-Ni(OH)2 superstructures assembled by nanoplate building blocks. This approach is very easy and only 2–3 chemicals and no template or surfactant are used. The growth rate has the most influence on the formation of β-Ni(OH)2 nanostructures with different assembling modes. The obtained β-Ni(OH)2 samples show different electrochemical behaviors with different superstructures. Furthermore, cubic nickel oxide (NiO) crystals with nanopores have also been successfully obtained by thermal decomposition of the as-synthesized β-Ni(OH)2 in air. The magnetic parameters of these NiO nanostructures are different and related to the change of the superstructures.

Biomolecule‐Assisted Construction of Cadmium Sulfide Hollow Spheres with Structure‐Dependent Photocatalytic Activity

In this study, we report the synthesis of monodispersive solid and hollow CdS spheres with structure-dependent photocatalytic abilities for dye photodegradation. The monodispersive CdS nanospheres were constructed with the assistance of the soulcarboxymthyi chitosan biopolymer under hydrothermal conditions. The solid CdS spheres were corroded by ammonia to form hollow CdS nanospheres through a dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism. Their visible-light photocatalytic activities were investigated, and the results show that both the solid and the hollow CdS spheres have visible-light photocatalytic abilities for the photodegradation of dyes. The photocatalytic properties of the CdS spheres were demonstrated to be structure dependent. Although the nanoparticles comprising the hollow spheres have larger sizes than those comprising the solid spheres, the hollow CdS spheres have better photocatalytic performances than the solid CdS spheres, which can be attributed to the special hollow structure.