Lanthanum Phosphate-Incorporated Organosilane Nanocomposites for Gas-Phase CO₂ Detection

Abstract

A facile, sol−gel method to produce fluorescent, organically modified silica (ORMOSIL)−lanthanum phosphate (LaPO 4 ) hybrid nanocomposites suitable for gasphase CO 2 detection through a fluorescence-quenching mechanism is reported in the present work. ORMOSIL−LaPO 4 hybrid nanocomposites are prepared from a hybrid nanocomposite composition derived from trifunctional silanes such as methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), and from LaPO 4 nanorods, which act as fluorescent additives in the organically modified silane (ORMOSIL) matrix. Hybrid nanocomposite compositions containing MTMS and GPTMS were prepared in which the amount of LaPO 4 was varied. The wet alcogels thus obtained were dried under ambient conditions for 7 days, resulting in nanocomposite powders, and were calcined at 400 °C. The prepared nanocomposites were further characterized for their structural and functional features. The functional ORMOSIL matrix together with a luminescent additive like LaPO 4 makes the prepared ORMOSIL−LaPO 4 nanocomposite highly photoluminescent. The hybrid nanocomposite with nanoporous features exhibited a room-temperature CO 2 adsorption property and the photoluminescence intensity was found to quench with respect to CO 2 adsorption, which demonstrates the potential of the material to be used as a viable CO 2 sensor.

Efficient catalytic degradation of single and binary azo dyes by a novel triple nanocomposite of Mn3O4/Ag/SiO2

“…[ 9 ] Sreekala et al found that Mn 3 O 4 was an efficient photocatalyst for the removal of Malachite green. [ 10 ] Noble metal nanoparticles have shown remarkable potential for many applications in electronic, chemical, biological, and catalytic fields due to their distinctive properties, when compared to their bulk counterparts. [ 11–13 ] As a relatively inexpensive noble metal, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been applied in a variety of catalytic reactions because of the catalytic activity of Ag NPs is easily tuned using the particle size, shape, and temperature, [ 14,15 ] are active under mild conditions or even ambient temperature, [ 16 ] particularly suitable for practical applications due to their relatively low prices, [ 17 ] and relatively low toxicity.…”