Non-toxic nanomaterials have gained significant importance recently in the treatment of industrial wastewater that sometimes contains organic dyes such as methylene blue.

We reported the fabrication of an electrochemical sensor for uric acid (UA) monitoring using metal-free electrode based on heteroatoms (S, N, P, and O) doped carbon (HADC) nanoparticles, derived from polyphosphazene, synthesized via precipitation polymerization reaction between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) and 1,4-dithiane-2,5-diol (DD) under sonication irradiations at 40 °C, following its modification with benzimidazolium-1-acetate ionic liquid (BIL). The developed HADC-BIL electrode showed a highly sensitive and selective response toward UA even in the presence of highly electroactive interferences such as ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA), glucose (Glu), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Our results demonstrated that the as-fabricated HADC-BIL electrode allows us to detect UA over a linear range of 2–1050 μM with a detection limit of 1.27 μM. Further, we were able to monitor the amount of UA level in the blood of a gout patient using the developed HADC-BIL electrode, which ensures the effectiveness of the developed sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of UA from real samples.

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Designing an efficient photoanode for water splitting is a promising way to produce hydrogen fuel for a green and sustainable future. Herein, we reported a facile single-step fabrication of ZnO-GaN:ZnO three-dimensional branched nanowire (3D B-NW) arrays photoanode for efficient visible-light-driven solar water splitting. The ZnO-GaN:ZnO 3D B-NW arrays were synthesized through chemical vapor deposition route via simultaneous growth of ZnO 1D NW arrays followed by the diffusion of gallium (Ga) and nitrogen (N) vapors into pregrown ZnO 1D NW arrays. The ZnO-GaN:ZnO 3D B-NW arrays were highly crystalline, and branches extended in all possible directions along the ⟨100⟩ orientation. The 3D geometry of the as-constructed photoanode offers supreme light harvesting ability, visible-light response due to N-doping, and enhanced electrical conductivity as a consequence of Ga insertion. A type II energy band diagram was evaluated for photogenerated electron−hole transport. The 3D B-NW arrays of ZnO-GaN:ZnO photoanode yield remarkably higher J PEC of 1.81 mA/cm 2 leading to 37.12% enhanced photocurrent over ZnO 1D NW arrays photoanode. This growth route will open a new avenue for synthesis of 3D B-NW arrays of other semiconductors to improve the efficiency of solar-powered devices.

Polyphosphazenes are an inorganic molecular hybrid family with multifunctional properties due to their wide range of organic substitutes. This review intends to propose the basics of the synthetic chemistry of polyphosphazene, describing for researchers outside the field the basic knowledge required to design and prepare polyphosphazenes with desired properties. A special emphasis is placed on recent advances in chemical synthesis, which allow not only the synthesis of polyphosphazenes with controlled molecular weights and polydispersities but also the synthesis of novel branched designs and block copolymers. We also investigated the synthesis of polyphosphazenes using various functional materials. This review aims to assist researchers in synthesizing their specific polyphosphazene material with unique property combinations, with the hope of stimulating further research and even more innovative applications for these highly interesting multifaceted materials.

Defect engineering of metal organic frameworks offers potential prospects for tuning their features toward particular applications. Herein, two series of defective UiO-66 frameworks were synthesized via changing the concentration of the linker and synthetic temperature of the reaction. These defective materials showed a significant improvement in the capability of Pb­(II) removal from wastewater. This strategy for defect engineering not only created additional active sites, more open framework, and enhanced porosity but also exposed more oxygen groups, which served as the adsorption sites to improve Pb­(II) adsorption. A relationship among degree of defects, texture features, and performances for Pb­(II) removal was successfully developed as a proof-of-concept, highlighting the importance of defect engineering in heavy metal remediation. To investigate the kinetic and adsorption isotherms, we performed adsorption experiments influenced by the time and concentration of the adsorbate, respectively. For the practicality of the materials, the most significant parameters such as pH, temperature, adsorbent concentration, selectivity, and recyclability as well as simulated natural surface water were also examined. This study provides a clue for the researchers to design other advanced defective materials for the enhancement of adsorption performance by tuning the defect engineering.

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