Development of cost effective and efficient electrocatalysts is crucial to generate H2 as an alternative source of energy. However, expensive noble metal based electrocatalysts show best electrocatalytic performances which acts as main bottle-neck for commercial application. Therefore, non-precious electrocatalysts have become important for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. Herein, we report the synthesis of high surface area (35 m2/g) sodium niobate nanoparticles by citrate precursor method. These nanoparticles were characterized by different techniques like X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrocatalytic properties of cost-effective sodium niobate nanoparticles were investigated for HER and OER in 0.5 M KOH electrolyte using Ag/AgCl as reference electrode. The sodium niobate electrode showed significant current density for both OER (≈2.7 mA/cm2) and HER (≈0.7 mA/cm2) with onset potential of 0.9 V for OER and 0.6 V for HER. As-prepared sodium niobate nanoparticles show enhanced photocatalytic property (86% removal) towards the degradation of rose Bengal dye. Dielectric behaviour at different sintering temperatures was explained by Koop’s theory and Maxwell-Wagner mechanism. The dielectric constants of 41 and 38.5 and the dielectric losses of 0.04 and 0.025 were observed for the samples sintered at 500 °C and 700 °C, respectively at 500 kHz. Conductivity of the samples was understood by using power law fit.

Population explosion has caused serious environmental and energy-related problems that have increased the interest of researchers to develop new nontoxic, inexpensive, stable, and efficient materials to address these environment and energy-related issues. Among the different efforts, the development of photocatalysts is considered as an important way to utilize the sustainable solar energy for environment remediation and energy purposes. Presently, several hundred photocatalysts have been synthesized. Among them, alkali niobates and tantalates represent an important class of photocatalysts, because of their nontoxicity, structural flexibility, and simplicity. This review summarizes recent developments in synthetic strategies of alkali niobate and tantalates, their important application as photocatalysts for environment remediation and energy applications, and efforts being made to modify their physicochemical properties and extend their efficiencies by tuning different reaction conditions. The purpose of this Review is to discuss methods to regulate the efficiencies of these materials and future challenges faced for practical applications.

Delafossite CuCrO2 nanoparticles with band gap energy of 3.09 eV and surface area of 235 m2 g−1 were prepared by citrate precursor route showed enhanced catalytic degradation of methylene blue in H2O under the sunlight irradiation.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were preparedviaa co-precipitation method and were then characterized and evaluated for their antibacterial activity after modification withOcimum sanctumleaf extract.

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Ruthenium oxide is one of the most active electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Herein, we report simple wet chemical route to synthesize RuO2 nanoparticles at controlled temperature. The structural, morphological and surface area studies of the synthesized nanoparticles were conducted with X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and BETsurface area studies. The bifunctional electrocatalytic performance of RuO2 nanoparticles was studied under different atmospheric conditions for OER and ORR, respectively, versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in alkaline medium. Low Tafel slopes of RuO2 nanoparticles were found to be ~47 and ~49 mV/dec for OER and ORR, respectively, in oxygen saturated 0.5 M KOH system. Moreover, the catalytic activity of RuO2 nanoparticles was examined against the Horseradish peroxidase enzyme (HRP) at high temperature, and the nanoparticles were applied as a sensor for the detection of H2O2 in the solution.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have attracted attention because of their idiosyncratic physicochemical characteristics and vast range of applications such as protein separations, catalysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic sensors, drug delivery, and magnetic refrigeration. The activity of the catalyst depends on the chemical composition, particle size, morphology and also on the atomic arrangements at the surface. The catalytic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles can be easily altered by controlling the shape, size, morphology and surface modification of nanomaterials. This review is focused on the use of iron oxide as a catalyst in various organic reactions viz. oxidation, hydrogenation, C-C coupling, dihydroxylation reactions and its reusability/recoverability.

Magnetic Fe3O4 nanostructures for electrochemical water splitting and supercapacitor applications were synthesized by low temperature simple wet-chemical route. The crystal structure and morphology of as-acquired nanostructures were examined by powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic measurements indicate that the as-synthesized Fe3O4 nanostructures are ferromagnetic at room temperature. The synthesized nanostructures have a high-specific surface area of 268 m2/g, which affects the electrocatalytic activity of the electrode materials. The purity of the as-synthesized nanostructures was affirmed by Raman and X-ray Photoelectron studies. The electrochemical activity of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONPs) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and supercapacitors were investigated in alkaline medium (0.5 M KOH) versus Ag/AgCl at room temperature. The electrocatalysts show low onset potential (~0.18 V) and Tafel slope (~440 mV/dec) for HER. Additionally, the specific capacitance of MIONPs was investigated, which is to be ~135 ± 5 F/g at 5 mV/s in 1 M KOH.