In this review, we selectively summarize the recent advances in mesoporous g-C₃N₄(mpg-C₃N₄), including synthesis strategies, characterization techniques, fundamental properties, functional modifications and potential applications. Several difficulties and emerging issues are also proposed.

In this review, we highlight the important progress made in the diversified Cu _2−x S micro-/nanostructures, including synthesis strategies, formation mechanisms, functional modifications and potential applications. Several emerging issues and perspective are also given.

Hybrid Cu₂O-based heterogeneous nanostructures possess novel synergistic properties that arise from the integrated interaction between the disparate components, thereby showing promising potential for various important applications including solar cells, carbon monoxide oxidation, photocatalysts, field emission, sensors, templates and so on. With the rapid progress in nanomaterials science and nanotechnology, hybrid Cu₂O-based heterogeneous nanostructures with well-controlled compositions, shapes and sizes have been rationally designed and synthesized. This review attempts to summarize the important advances in the development of different types of hybrid Cu₂O-based heterogeneous nanostructures, such as hybrid Cu₂O–metal nanostructures, hybrid Cu₂O–metal oxide nanostructures and hybrid Cu₂O–carbon nanostructures. The correlations between the improved performances and interfacial structures of the hybrid Cu₂O-based heterogeneous nanostructures are discussed based on some important and representative examples. Several key scientific issues and perspective research directions in this field are also given.

In this review, we mainly highlight the advances made in the development of amorphous TiO₂nanostructures for photocatalysts. Some perspectives on the challenges and new direction are also discussed.

For the first time, a facile, one-pot water/ethanol solution-phase transformation of Cu₂(NO₃)(OH)₃ precursors into bicomponent CuO hierarchical nanoflowers is demonstrated by a sequential in situ dissolution–precipitation formation mechanism. The first stage produces a precursory crystal (monoclinic Cu₂(NO₃)(OH)₃) that is transformed into monoclinic CuO nanoflowers during the following stage. Water is a required reactant, and the morphology-controlled growth of CuO nanostructures can be readily achieved by adjusting the volume ratio between water and ethanol. Such a bicomponent CuO hierarchical nanoflower serving as a promising electrode material for a nonenzymatic glucose biosensor shows higher sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The findings reveal that the different Cu_xM_y(OH)_z (M = acidic radical) precursors synthesized in a water/ethanol reaction environment can be utilized to obtain new forms of CuO nanomaterials, and this unique water-dependent precursor-transformation method may be used to effectively control the growth of other metal oxide nanostructures.