Here, for the first time, we present data on proton conductivity of high-entropy, single-phase perovskites. The BaZr0.2Sn0.2­Ti0.2Hf0.2Ce0.2O3−δ, BaZr0.2Sn0.2­Ti0.2Hf0.2­Y0.2O3−δ, BaZr1/7Sn1/7­Ti1/7Hf1/7­Ce1/7Nb1/7Y1/7O3−δ, and BaZr0.15Sn0.15­Ti0.15Hf0.15­Ce0.15Nb0.15­Y0.10O3−δ single-phase perovskites were synthesized. Before electrical measurements, materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The following experimental results demonstrated that studied high-entropy perovskites are proton conductors: (1) The observed mass increase upon the switch from dry to wet atmosphere confirmed the water incorporation into materials structure. (2) The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the total conductivity increased while its activation energy decreased in the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere. (3) The conductivity in atmosphere humidified with H2O and D2O differed one from another, showing typical of proton conductors isotope effect in high-entropy oxides.

The combination of TiO2 photocatalyst and magnetic oxide nanoparticles enhances the separation and recoverable properties of nanosized TiO2 photocatalyst. Metal-modified (Me = Pd, Au, Pt, Cu) TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposites were prepared by an ultrasonic-assisted sol-gel method. All prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Mott-Schottky analysis and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Phenol oxidation pathways of magnetic photocatalysts modified with Pt, Pd, Cu and Au nanoparticles proceeded by generation of reactive oxygen species, which oxidized phenol to benzoquinone, hydroquinone and catechol. Benzoquinone and maleic acid were products, which were determined in the hydroquinone oxidation pathway. The highest mineralization rate was observed for Pd-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 and Cu-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 photocatalysts, which produced the highest concentration of catechol during photocatalytic reaction. For Pt-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4 nanocomposite, a lack of catechol after 60 min of irradiation resulted in low mineralization rate (CO2 formation). It is proposed that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of palladium and copper-modified photocatalysts is related to an increase in the amount of adsorption sites and efficient charge carrier separation, whereas the keto-enol tautomeric equilibrium retards the rate of phenol photomineralization on Au-TiO2/SiO2@Fe3O4. The magnetization hysteresis loop indicated that the obtained hybrid photocatalyst showed magnetic properties and therefore could be easily separated after treatment process.

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We present the crystallographic analysis, superconducting and spectroscopic characterization, and theoretical modeling of CeIr3. Lattice parameters a = 5.2945(1) Å and c = 26.219(1) Å are found for the R-3m symmetry crystal structure, which are close to the literature values. CeIr3 is a moderate type-II superconductor (κGL = 17, λe–p = 0.65) below 2.5 K. Ce ions exhibit a strongly intermediate valence character as evidenced by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The normal state magnetic susceptibility is weakly temperature dependent and follows the inter-configuration fluctuation model with a singlet Ce−4 f 0 ground state. Theoretical calculations support a non-magnetic ground state of the system and reveal that Ir−5d states are dominant at the Fermi level.