Schematic representation of Cu-MOF@PVDF-PS hybrid nanofiber membranes prepared via electrospinning and hot pressing. Incorporation of Cu-MOF into PVDF-PS enhances hydrophilicity, ion exchange capacity, proton conductivity, and thermal stability.

NiCo ₂ O ₄ nanosheets and nanoribbons were synthesized via hydrothermal and solvothermal methods. The nanosheets exhibited superior methanol oxidation performance due to higher surface area, enhanced porosity, and lower onset potential.

The higher energy density and lesser toxicity of ethanol compared to methanol make it an ideal combustible renewable energy source in fuel cells. Finding suitable cost-effective electrocatalysts that can oxidize ethanol in ethanol-based fuel cells is a major challenge. With their high catalytic activity and stability in alkaline media, transition metal-based catalysts are ideal candidates for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells. Nickel-based nanomaterials and composites exhibit high electrocatalytic activity, which makes them predominant candidates for the electrochemical oxidation of ethanol. In this study, the electrocatalytic activity of a nickel oxide flower-like structure was explored. Forming a nanocomposite of NiO in combination with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), NiO/CNTs, as a substrate led to an increase in the stability of the electrocatalyst in alkaline media. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic activity of the NiO/CNT nanocomposite was greatly enhanced by decorating the surface with different ratios of silver (Ag). Ag/NiO/CNT composites with different Ag ratios, namely, 25% and 50% by weight, were studied. The Ag 25%/NiO/CNT weight ratio showed a maximum ethanol conversion. At an ethanol concentration of 300 mM, the electrochemical oxidation current density was found to be 57.1 ± 0.2 mA cm⁻² for the 25% by weight Ag ratio, with a five-fold increase in the current density (compared to NiO/CNTs (10 ± 0.34 mA cm⁻²)). Furthermore, the nanocomposite synthesized here (Ag 25%/NiO/CNTs) showed a significantly higher energy conversion (current per ethanol concentration) rate compared to other reported NiO-based catalysts. These results open real opportunities for designing high efficiency ethanol fuel cell catalysts.

This study demonstrates the synthesis of CNTs/TiO₂ nanocomposites (0–20 wt% CNT) via sol-gel method for photocatalytic hydrogen generation from tri-ammonium phosphate (TAP), a cost-effective and underexplored hydrogen source. Advanced characterization (TEM, XRD) confirmed the uniform deposition of TiO₂ nanoparticles on multiwalled CNTs, forming heterostructures that facilitate charge separation. Photocatalytic tests revealed a 2.3-fold increase in hydrogen yield at 15 wt% CNT loading compared to pure TiO₂, attributed to CNTs’ electron-conducting properties and suppressed charge recombination. The optimal nanocomposite demonstrated a hydrogen generation rate of 28.6 mmol·h⁻¹·g⁻¹, underscoring the synergy between CNTs and TiO₂. This work provides a strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts using TAP, a sustainable alternative to conventional hydrogen feedstocks.