This review mainly discusses the development of TiO ₂ -based materials including synthetic methods, dopants and structural modifications, and applications. A comprehensive analysis of the different aspects of TiO ₂ is described.

Luminescent materials are of worldwide interest because of their unique optical properties. Silica, which is transparent to light, is an ideal matrix for luminescent materials. Luminescent silica nanoparticles (LSNs) have broad applications because of their enhanced chemical and thermal stability. Silica spheres of various sizes could be synthesized by different methods to satisfy specific requirements. Diverse luminescent dyes have potential for different applications. Subject to many factors such as quenchers, their performance was not quite satisfying. This review thus discusses the development of LSNs including their classification, synthesis, and application. It is the highlight that how silica improves the properties of luminescent dye and what role silica plays in the system. Further, their applications in biology, display, and sensors are also described.

In this research contribution, the primary objective was to enhance the crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). To accomplish this tack, three kinds of new nucleating agents SiO₂-diethylene glycol-LMPET (PET-3), SiO₂-triethylene glycol–LMPET(PET-4) and SiO₂-tetraethylene glycol-LMPET (PET-5) nucleating agents were prepared via grafting different oligomers (diethylene glycol; triethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol) to the surface of nano-SiO₂ and then linking to the low molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) (LMPET). These nano-particle nucleating agents facilitated the crystallization of PET. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of the composites that pure PET blended with PET-3, PET-4 and PET-5 indicated that the longer ethoxy segment in the nucleating agents exhibited (i) higher degrees of crystallinity; (ii) faster rates of crystallization; and (iii) higher crystallization temperatures. The Jeziorny method was employed to analyze the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of the composites. These works demonstrated that the PET-3, PET-4 and PET-5 were attractive nucleating agents for poly(ethylene terephthalate), and the longer the chain length of the ethoxy segment in the nucleating agents, the more efficient the nucleation effect.

Synergistic multi-field photocatalysis—integrating photo-piezoelectric, photothermal, photomagnetic, and other effects—uses in situ characterization and ab initio methods to boost charge separation and reaction kinetics for environmental/energy use.