In the present work, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by a simple and green method using carrageenan as reducing and capping agent. The as-synthesized carrageenan-AgNPs was demonstrated as an effective duel colorimetric sensing for selective and sensitive recognition of Cu²⁺ and S²⁻, which could be used to detect these ions with naked eyes. In addition, the possible sensing mechanism was that Cu²⁺ ions caused serious aggregation of carrageenan-AgNPs, which led to the color change of carrageenan-AgNPs. AgNPs were etched by S²⁻ forming Ag₂S, which played an important role in the determination of S²⁻ ions. Furthermore, it has been successfully applied to the determination of Cu²⁺ and S²⁻ in tap water and lake water, showing its great potential for the analysis of environmental water samples.

Cubic Iridium nanoparticles without any surfactants on the surface have been synthesized successfully in this work. The process of synthesis was quite simple by just injecting one drop of 400 µL solution containing Iridium precursor onto Cu foil (1 cm × 1 cm), and through galvanic reaction between the Ir precursor and Cu foil, the cubic Iridium nanoparticle could be obtained quite quickly (<30 s). The Cu foil played the roles of both reducing agent and substrate. This method could also be employed to synthesize cubic nanoparticles of other Pt-group metals such as Rh. By employing this method, cubic metal nanoparticles with surfactant-free surfaces could be produced economically and efficiently, and as a result, a realistic relationship between structure and catalytic activity could be established.

This article presents a facile, one-pot method using the aqueous phase for the synthesis of high-quality Pd nanocubes. In this study, Pd chloride was used as the precursor, sodium iodide as capping agent, and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as surfactant and reducing agent. The effects of different halogens on the morphology of Pd nanocrystals were investigated. The results showed that, in this synthesis system, the selection and proper amount of sodium iodide was essential to the preparation of high-quality Pd nanocubes. When iodide was replaced by other halogens (such as bromide and chloride), Pd nanocrystals with cubic morphology could not be obtained. In addition, we have found that NaBH₄ can be used to efficiently remove inorganic covers, such as iodide, from the surface of Pd nanoparticles as synthesized. The Pd nanoparticles obtained were employed as electro-catalysts for formic acid oxidation, and they exhibited excellent catalytic activity and good stability towards this reaction.

The development of Ir-based catalyst with high efficiency for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in acidic conditions is of great significance to the development of clean energy, but it still remains a significant challenge for shape controlled synthesis of Ir-based catalysts. This article presented a facile one-pot synthesis method that is based on polyol method for preparing IrCu microspheres. In the process of synthesis, formaldehyde solution and ethylene glycol were used as reducing agent and solvent, respectively, while poly(vinylpyrrolidone) was used as surfactant and dispersant, and all of them played important roles in the successful synthesis of Ir-Cu microspheres. The Ir-Cu microspheres, as synthesized, showed well sphere shape and smooth surface, while their alloy features were quite clear and the composition could be adjusted. Benefitting from the synergistic electronic effect between the Iridium and Cupric atoms from the alloy, the IrCu_0.77 microspheres exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards OER in 0.1 M HClO₄ electrolyte, and to achieve 10 mA cm⁻², IrCu_0.77 microspheres only required the overpotential of 282 mV, which was much lower than that of commercial Ir/C catalysts.

Biopolymer nanocomposites containing metal nanoparticles have attracted much attention due to their excellent properties and broad applications. In this work, alginate fibers embedded with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared. The as-obtained alginate-AgNP fibers exhibited antibacterial activity against both Gram microorganisms of model microbes Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive). A growth kinetic study with S. aureus and E. coli displayed the inhibition of bacterial growth at the logarithmic phase. The cytotoxic effect of the fibers in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells was assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry. The as-prepared alginate-AgNP fibers, particularly with high amount and long treatment time, showed high cell-killing efficiency. These findings emphasize that such alginate-AgNP fibers with multifaceted biological activities are a promising material for applications in the textile or biomedical fields.

In this paper, loofah was used as raw material and alkali and hydrogen peroxide were used to pre-oxidize. The activated carbon was activated by zinc chloride, and the activated carbon was used to desorb the heavy metal ions nickel and copper. The removal efficiency of heavy metal ions was studied under different conditions. The effects of retinervus Luffae Fructus active carbon adsorption of metal ions on process conditions, including metal ion concentration, reaction temperature, loofah activated carbon types and activated carbon dosage. In the present study, in different strain rate on the loofah sponge material compression tests in a wide range of density from 24 to 64 kg cubic meters. Luffa fibers and followed by carbonization to prepare MCAC KOH activation. MCAC has dense in parallel channels 10 mm in diameter and 4 - 0.3 - 1 mm wall thickness, which is inherited from the native structure of Luffa. Micro and middle holes are formed on the inner surface of the channel wall to form a hierarchical porous structure.