Rapid population growth and ever-increasing energy consumption have resulted in increased environmental pollution and energy demands in recent years. Accordingly, studies and research on innovative and efficient ways of wastewater clean-up and exploiting eco-friendly and renewable energy sources such as sunlight have become a necessity. This review focuses on recent progress with photocatalysis for water splitting capabilities. It introduces photocatalysis and hydrogen as a fuel source, before moving on to explain water splitting. Then, the criteria for ideal photocatalytic materials are discussed along with current material systems and their limitations. Finally, it concludes on the TiO₂ systems and their potential in future photocatalysis research.

This work focuses on the superconducting and magnetic properties of Chevrel phase (CP) compounds (Cu₂Mo₆S₈ and Ni₂Mo₆S₈) processed via a novel self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) method involving ternary cation intercalation in MoS₂ high-temperature polymorphs. Green pellets of the precursor materials sealed under vacuum and exposed to 1050 °C or 1200 °C rapidly transformed from a powder mixture into submicron CPs within minutes. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of Cu₂Mo₆S₈ CP (67%), and Ni₂Mo₆S₈ (93%). This group has illustrated the first time CP were formed at low energy cost and full stoichiometry. Magnetization versus temperature data obtained for the samples under different field conditions confirmed the superconducting behavior of the Cu–CP at a critical temperature of 8.3 K. The Ni–CP behaved as a superparamagnetic at low temperature (4.2 K). The results of this work suggest that the novel SHS process offers a viable scalable synthesis route for the Chevrel family of compounds and that it is worth exploring the functional applications of the new compounds of this material system.

This perspective involves two types of functional nanomaterials, amyloid fibrils and metal oxide nanowires and nanogrids. Both the protein and the inorganic nanomaterials rely on their polymorphism to exhibit diverse properties that are important to sensing and catalysis. Several examples of novel functionalities are provided from biomarker sensing and filtration applications to smart scaffolds for energy and sustainability applications.