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Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials
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Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2019) | Viewed by 37052

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Muralidharan Paramsothy

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Guest Editor
Consultant, NanoWorld Innovations (NWI), 1 Jalan Mawar, Singapore 368931, Singapore
Interests: nanomaterials & nanotechnology; nanoscience for renewable energy; synthesis and applications of nanomaterials; nanoparticle- and/or nanofiber-based materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanoparticles can be utilized to extract carbon from air, dyes from water and sludge from waste, and are gradually emerging as useful for tackling threats to our planet’s health. Nanomaterials that can efficiently use carbon dioxide from the air, capture toxic pollutants from water and degrade solid waste into useful products, are being developed:

  • Researchers have developed nanoCO2 harvesters that can suck atmospheric carbon dioxide and deploy it for industrial purposes, to help slow the climate-changing rise in atmospheric CO2levels.
  • Most toxic dyes used in textile and leather industries can be captured with nanoparticles. Adsorption processes using materials containing magnetic nanoparticles are highly effective and can be easily performed because such nanoparticles have a large number of sites on their surface that can capture pollutants and don’t readily degrade in water.
  • Nanomaterials are also being explored for managing organic waste, which can pollute land and water if not handled properly. Relevantly, nanoparticles can accelerate the anaerobic digestion of the sludge, thus making it more efficient in terms of duration and enhanced production of biogas.

Contributions are solicited in, but not limited to, top-down or bottom-up development of relevant nanomaterials, and the methods to characterize, manipulate, and assemble them, which enable the development of relevantly potent nanotechnologies.

Dr. Muralidharan Paramsothy
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Nanoparticle
  • Climate
  • Environment
  • Pollution
  • Remediation
  • Nanoscience
  • Nanotechnology
  • Catalysis

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 141 KiB  
Editorial
Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials
by Muralidharan Paramsothy
Nanomaterials 2020, 10(2), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10020358 - 19 Feb 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2043
Abstract
Nanoparticles can be utilized to extract carbon from air, dyes from water and sludge from waste, and are gradually emerging as useful for tackling threats to our planet’s health [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

14 pages, 4160 KiB  
Article
A Novel Flower-Like Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH Ternary Heterojunction Photocatalyst: Facile Construction and Its Superior Photocatalytic Performance for the Removal of Toxic Pollutants
by Shijie Li, Bing Xue, Genying Wu, Yanping Liu, Huiqiu Zhang, Deyun Ma and Juncheng Zuo
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(11), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9111562 - 4 Nov 2019
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2948
Abstract
Novel 3D flower-like Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH ternary heterojunction photocatalysts were fabricated by the solvothermal and in-situ precipitation methods, followed by light reduction treatment. The Ag/AgCl nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed on 3D BiOCOOH microspheres. These obtained catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, diffuse reflectance spectra [...] Read more.
Novel 3D flower-like Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH ternary heterojunction photocatalysts were fabricated by the solvothermal and in-situ precipitation methods, followed by light reduction treatment. The Ag/AgCl nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed on 3D BiOCOOH microspheres. These obtained catalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL). As expected, they exhibited extraordinary photocatalytic capabilities for the elimination of rhodamine B (RhB) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under simulated sunlight, the results revealed that the Ag/AgCl/BiOCH-3 with 20 wt.% of Ag/AgCl possessed the maximum activity, and the rate constant for the RhB degradation reached up to 0.1353 min−1, which was about 16.5 or 12.2 times that of bare BiOCOOH or Ag/AgCl. The PL characterization further verified that Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH heterojunctions were endowed with the effective separation of photogenerated carriers. The excellent photocatalytic ability of Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH could be credited to the synergistic interactions between Ag/AgCl and BiOCOOH, which not only substantially widened the light absorption, but also evidently hindered the charge recombination. The trapping experiments revealed that the dominant reactive species in RhB removal were h+, •OH, and •O2− species. In addition, Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH was quite stable and easily recyclable after multiple cycles. The above results imply that the 3D flower-like Ag/AgCl/BiOCOOH ternary heterojunction photocatalyst holds promising prospects in treating industrial wastewater. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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21 pages, 9384 KiB  
Article
Facile Synthesis of Polypyrrole-Functionalized CoFe2O4@SiO2 for Removal for Hg(II)
by Yuhao Zhao, Kai Xia, Zhenzong Zhang, Ziming Zhu, Yongfu Guo and Zan Qu
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(3), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9030455 - 19 Mar 2019
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 4244
Abstract
In order to avoid using toxic or harmful operational conditions, shorten synthesis time, enhance adsorption capacity, and reduce operational cost, a novel magnetic nano-adsorbent of CoFe2O4@SiO2 with core–shell structure was successfully functionalized with polypyrrole (Ppy). The physical and [...] Read more.
In order to avoid using toxic or harmful operational conditions, shorten synthesis time, enhance adsorption capacity, and reduce operational cost, a novel magnetic nano-adsorbent of CoFe2O4@SiO2 with core–shell structure was successfully functionalized with polypyrrole (Ppy). The physical and chemical properties of CoFe2O4@SiO2-Ppy are examined by various means. The as-prepared CoFe2O4@SiO2-Ppy nanomaterial was used to adsorb Hg2+ from water. During the process, some key effect factors were studied. The adsorption process of Hg2+ onto CoFe2O4@SiO2-Ppy was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir models. The Langmuir capacity reached 680.2 mg/g, exceeding those of many adsorbents. The as-prepared material had excellent regeneration ability, dispersibility, and stability. The fitting of kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics indicated the removal was endothermic and spontaneous, and involved some chemical reactions. The application evaluation of electroplating wastewater also shows that CoFe2O4@SiO2-Ppy is an excellent adsorbent for Hg2+ ions from water. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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16 pages, 2816 KiB  
Article
Facile and Ultrasensitive Determination of 4-Nitrophenol Based on Acetylene Black Paste and Graphene Hybrid Electrode
by Quanguo He, Yaling Tian, Yiyong Wu, Jun Liu, Guangli Li, Peihong Deng and Dongchu Chen
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(3), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9030429 - 13 Mar 2019
Cited by 125 | Viewed by 5369
Abstract
4-nitrophenol (4-NP) is a hazardous waste and a priority toxic pollutant identified by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hence, in this paper, a voltammetric sensor was proposed for the direct and sensitive detection of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) at nanomolar level in complex matrices by [...] Read more.
4-nitrophenol (4-NP) is a hazardous waste and a priority toxic pollutant identified by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hence, in this paper, a voltammetric sensor was proposed for the direct and sensitive detection of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) at nanomolar level in complex matrices by using graphene and acetylene black paste hybridized electrode (GR/ABPE). Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve demonstrates a linear relationship for 4-NP in the range from 20 nM to 8.0 μM and 8.0 μM to 0.1 mM separately with the detection limit of 8.0 nM. In addition to it, the performance of the GR/ABPE in practical applications was evaluated by detecting 4-NP in various water samples, and satisfactory recoveries were realized. Therefore, GR/ABPE may have a great potential application for facile and sensitive detection of 4-NP in complex matrices at nanomolar level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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12 pages, 3976 KiB  
Article
Ag2CO3 Decorating BiOCOOH Microspheres with Enhanced Full-Spectrum Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Toxic Pollutants
by Shijie Li, Liuye Mo, Yanping Liu, Huiqiu Zhang, Yaming Ge and Yingtang Zhou
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(11), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8110914 - 7 Nov 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3459
Abstract
The development of excellent full-spectrum photocatalysts is of vital significance to its practical application in environmental remediation. Herein, flower-like Ag2CO3/BiOCOOH type I heterostructures were prepared via a facile method and exhibited powerful photocatalytic activity by removing various toxic pollutants [...] Read more.
The development of excellent full-spectrum photocatalysts is of vital significance to its practical application in environmental remediation. Herein, flower-like Ag2CO3/BiOCOOH type I heterostructures were prepared via a facile method and exhibited powerful photocatalytic activity by removing various toxic pollutants (rhodamine B, methyl blue, and tetracycline hydrochloride) under simulated sunlight irradiation. The boosted photocatalytic performance is attributed to the expanded range of the absorption spectrum and alleviated separation rate of the photo-induced electrons and holes. The photoluminescence spectra and trapping experiment were applied to clarify the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of Ag2CO3/BiOCOOH. The holes and •O2− were detected as the dominant reactive species involved in pollutant degradation. This work provides a novel full-spectrum-driven photocatalyst of Ag2CO3/BiOCOOH, which could effectively degrade toxic pollutants under simulated sunlight. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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18 pages, 5572 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol Driven by Fe3O4-Au Magnetic Nanocomposite Interface Engineering: From Facile Preparation to Recyclable Application
by Yue Chen, Yuanyuan Zhang, Qiangwei Kou, Yang Liu, Donglai Han, Dandan Wang, Yantao Sun, Yongjun Zhang, Yaxin Wang, Ziyang Lu, Lei Chen, Jinghai Yang and Scott Guozhong Xing
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(5), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8050353 - 22 May 2018
Cited by 65 | Viewed by 7360
Abstract
In this work, we report the enhanced catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol driven by Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposite interface engineering. A facile solvothermal method is employed for Fe3O4 hollow microspheres and Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposite [...] Read more.
In this work, we report the enhanced catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol driven by Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposite interface engineering. A facile solvothermal method is employed for Fe3O4 hollow microspheres and Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposite synthesis via a seed deposition process. Complementary structural, chemical composition and valence state studies validate that the as-obtained samples are formed in a pure magnetite phase. A series of characterizations including conventional scanning/transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetic testing and elemental mapping is conducted to unveil the structural and physical characteristics of the developed Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposites. By adjusting the quantity of Au seeds coating on the polyethyleneimine-dithiocarbamates (PEI-DTC)-modified surfaces of Fe3O4 hollow microspheres, the correlation between the amount of Au seeds and the catalytic ability of Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposites for 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) is investigated systematically. Importantly, bearing remarkable recyclable features, our developed Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposites can be readily separated with a magnet. Such Fe3O4-Au magnetic nanocomposites shine the light on highly efficient catalysts for 4-NP reduction at the mass production level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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16 pages, 23419 KiB  
Article
Highly Efficient, Low-Cost, and Magnetically Recoverable FePt–Ag Nanocatalysts: Towards Green Reduction of Organic Dyes
by Yang Liu, Yuanyuan Zhang, Qiangwei Kou, Yue Chen, Yantao Sun, Donglai Han, Dandan Wang, Ziyang Lu, Lei Chen, Jinghai Yang and Scott Guozhong Xing
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(5), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8050329 - 14 May 2018
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4219
Abstract
Nowadays, synthetic organic dyes and pigments discharged from numerous industries are causing unprecedentedly severe water environmental pollution, and conventional water treatment processes are hindered due to the corresponding sophisticated aromatic structures, hydrophilic nature, and high stability against light, temperature, etc. Herein, we report [...] Read more.
Nowadays, synthetic organic dyes and pigments discharged from numerous industries are causing unprecedentedly severe water environmental pollution, and conventional water treatment processes are hindered due to the corresponding sophisticated aromatic structures, hydrophilic nature, and high stability against light, temperature, etc. Herein, we report an efficient fabrication strategy to develop a new type of highly efficient, low-cost, and magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst, i.e., FePt–Ag nanocomposites, for the reduction of methyl orange (MO) and rhodamine B (RhB), by a facile seed deposition process. X-ray diffraction results elaborate that the as-synthesized FePt–Ag nanocomposites are pure disordered face-centered cubic phase. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrate that the amount of Ag seeds deposited onto the surfaces of FePt nanocrystals increases when increasing the additive amount of silver colloids. The linear correlation of the MO and RhB concentration versus reaction time catalyzed by FePt–Ag nanocatalysts is in line with pseudo-first-order kinetics. The reduction rate constants of MO and RhB increase with the increase of the amount of Ag seeds. FePt–Ag nanocomposites show good separation ability and reusability, and could be repeatedly applied for nearly complete reduction of MO and RhB for at least six successive cycles. Such cost-effective and recyclable nanocatalysts provide a new material family for use in environmental protection applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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16 pages, 6295 KiB  
Article
The Mechanism of Low-Temperature Oxidation of Carbon Monoxide by Oxygen over the PdCl2–CuCl2/γ-Al2O3 Nanocatalyst
by Lev Bruk, Denis Titov, Alexander Ustyugov, Yan Zubavichus, Valeriya Chernikova, Olga Tkachenko, Leonid Kustov, Vadim Murzin, Irina Oshanina and Oleg Temkin
Nanomaterials 2018, 8(4), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano8040217 - 3 Apr 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5646
Abstract
The state of palladium and copper on the surface of the PdCl2–CuCl2/γ-Al2O3 nanocatalyst for the low-temperature oxidation of CO by molecular oxygen was studied by various spectroscopic techniques. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), powder X-ray diffraction [...] Read more.
The state of palladium and copper on the surface of the PdCl2–CuCl2/γ-Al2O3 nanocatalyst for the low-temperature oxidation of CO by molecular oxygen was studied by various spectroscopic techniques. Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), freshly prepared samples of the catalyst were studied. The same samples were also evaluated after interaction with CO, O2, and H2O vapor in various combinations. It was shown that copper exists in the form of Cu2Cl(OH)3 (paratacamite) nanophase on the surface of the catalyst. No palladium-containing crystalline phases were identified. Palladium coordination initially is comprised of four chlorine atoms. It was shown by XAS that this catalyst is not capable of oxidizing CO at room temperature in the absence of H2O and O2 over 12 h. Copper(II) and palladium(II) are reduced to Cu(I) and Pd(I,0) species, respectively, in the presence of CO and H2O vapor (without O2). It was found by DRIFTS that both linear (2114 cm−1, 1990 cm−1) and bridging (1928 cm−1) forms of coordinated CO were formed upon adsorption onto the catalyst surface. Moreover, the formation of CO2 was detected upon the interaction of the coordinated CO with oxygen. The kinetics of CO oxidation was studied at 18–38 °C at an atmospheric pressure for CO, O2, N2, and H2O (gas) mixtures in a flow reactor (steady state conditions). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alleviating Climate Change and Pollution with Nanomaterials)
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