In this work, vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles (V₂O₅) derived by the chemical coprecipitation route were used to synthesize various vanadium-doped ZnO nanocomposite samples via the standard solid-state reaction process. The effect of V₂O₅ nanoparticles on the physicochemical properties of ZnO was discussed. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and UV-visible spectroscopy. A diffuse reflectance spectroscopic approach is described to determine the bandgap energy (Eg) of the samples. The dielectric and photocatalytic characteristics are also examined. The photocatalytic performance of the prepared materials was tested under visible light using methylene blue (MB) as a pollutant dye model. As a result, it is found that the addition of V₂O₅ enhances the photodegradation of MB. The kinetics of the photodegradation reaction was found to follow a pseudo-first-order model.

This study reports the synthesis of aluminum-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Al-ZnO NPs) via a top-down mechanochemical solid-state reaction (SSR) approach using high-energy ball milling (HEBM) as a rapid, controllable, and efficient method. Al-ZnO samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Significantly, the band gap decreased by 0.215 eV when transitioning from pure ZnO to 9 wt.% Al-doped ZnO (Al-ZnO9). TEM analysis showed that after 4 h of milling at 1000 rpm, the particle size was reduced to 59 nm, exhibiting a spherical morphology crucial for enhanced bioactivity. The antimicrobial properties of the Al-ZnO NPs were evaluated using the well diffusion method against various pathogenic microorganisms, with a particular focus on Staph. aureus ATCC 29213 and Staph. epidermidis ATCC 12228, given their clinical significance as common pathogens in infections related to medical implants and prosthetics. Al-ZnO9 demonstrated superior antibacterial performance, producing inhibition zones of 13 mm and 15 mm against Staph. aureus and Staph. epidermidis, respectively. Moreover, exposure to visible light further amplified the antimicrobial activity. This research underscores the potential for the scalable production of Al-ZnO NPs, presenting a promising solution for addressing infections linked to implanted medical devices.

Two new nonmetal cation tetrafluoroborate phases [H₃tren](BF₄)₃ (I) and [H₃tren](BF₄)₃ HF (II) were synthesized by microwave-assisted solvothermal and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis DTA-TGA. [H₃tren](BF₄)₃ is cubic (P2₁3) with unit cell parameter a = 11.688(1) Å. [H₃tren](BF₄)₃•HF is trigonal (R3c) with unit cell parameters a = 15.297(6) Å and c = 12.007(2) Å. Both (I) and (II) structures can be described from isolated tetrafluoroborate BF₄^- anions, triprotonated tris-(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) [H₃tren]³⁺. Phase (II) contains disordered BF₄^- tetrahedron and hydrofluoric acid.

Through the electrodeposition technique, toxic metals in wastewater can be removed and deposited on a chosen substrate with excellent selectivity. In this work, we use this technique to extract lead cations from simulated wastewater by using fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate at various temperatures. In situ tracking of lead nucleation at advanced stages has been achieved by chronoamperometry. According to the experimental results, the theoretical models developed to study the kinetic growth of lead deposits in 2D and 3D are in good agreement. Nucleation rate and growth rate constants, for example, were found to be strongly influenced by temperature. Cottrell’s equation is used to calculate the diffusion coefficient. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersiveX-ray techniques were used to investigate and characterize the lead deposits. The reported results could provide insight into the optimization of electrodeposition processes for heavy metal recovery from wastewater and electronic wastes.