Atomically precise nanomaterials with tunable solid-state luminescence attract global interest. In this work, we present a new class of thermally stable isostructural tetranuclear copper nanoclusters (NCs), shortly Cu4@oCBT, Cu4@mCBT and...

The Gibbs free energy difference between seawater and river water can be tapped by selective ion transport across charged nanochannels, referred to as reverse electrodialysis (RED). However, existing single pore and micro/nanofluidic RED systems have shown poor prospects for scalability and practical implementation. Herein, we present a macroscopic RED system, utilizing a cation-selective membrane or an anion-selective membrane. The membranes comprise reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets decorated uniformly with TiO2 nanoparticles. The nanosheets are covalently functionalized with polystyrene (PS) and subsequently linked to sulfonate or quaternary amine functional groups to obtain cation and anion selectivity, respectively. The membranes show excellent ion transport properties along with high power densities demonstrated under artificial salinity gradients. The cation-exchange membrane (CEM) delivered a power density of 448.7 mW m–2 under a 500-fold concentration gradient, while the anion-exchange membrane (AEM) produced a substantial power output of 177.8 mW m–2 under a similar gradient. The efficiencies ranged from 10.6% to 42.3% for CEM and from 9.7% to 46.1% in the case of AEM. Testing under varying pH conditions revealed higher power output under acidic conditions and substantial power output across the entire pH range, rendering them practically viable for sustainable energy harvesting in acidic and alkaline wastewaters.

Molecular de-aggregation was observed at the air/water interface of aqueous microdroplets. We probed this phenomenon using dyes such as Rhodamine 6G (R6G), Rhodamine B, Acridine orange, and Fluorescein, which show...

Nanomaterials are nanostructures that have gained massive interest in the scientific community due to their exciting functional and physicochemical properties. They offer high stability, advanced optical-electronic properties, and tuneable surface functionalization. Such properties have made them a material of everyday use in the pharmaceutical industries, cosmetics, electronics, and many more. Considering their increasing usage, there is a demand for reliable and better quantitative and qualitative characterization tools. This chapter is dedicated to such characterization methodologies for the analysis of nanomaterials. Numerous distinct and integrated correlated techniques are discussed in detail. Such tools are arranged from the basic to advanced methods, each mentioning the unique property of nanomaterial such as elemental composition, morphology, crystal structure, magnetism, and strength. Lastly, some recent advancements in the characterization methodologies of nanostructures are provided. Understanding the properties of nanomaterials will enable us to expand their applications in society.