Novel rhombus-shaped Co₃O₄ nanorod (NR) arrays grown directly on a nickel substrate are successfully synthesized via a fluorine-mediated hydrothermal synthesis approach. The rhombic Co₃O₄ NRs have an average edge length of 400 nm, an induced edge angle of 50° and a length of 15 μm. The possible formation mechanism of the novel NR arrays was investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The formation of Co(OH)F plays a crucial role in the formation of the rhombus-shaped NR arrays. When tested as anodes for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) without the addition of other ancillary materials (carbon black and binder), the Co₃O₄ NR arrays on a nickel substrate exhibit a high reversible capacity (over 1000 mA h g⁻¹) and good cycling performance over 20 cycles in the range of 0.005–3 V at a current rate of 1 C.

ZnFe₂O₄/ZnO nanoheterostructures are synthesized by a facile template method. The hydrogen generation rate of ZnFe₂O₄/ZnO nanoheterostructures without co-catalysts is up to 2.15 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹ under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), which is 45 times higher than the best yields ever reported for ZnFe₂O₄-based photocatalysts.

Gas sensors based on ultrathin porous Co₃O₄ nanosheets to detect acetone for diagnosing diabetes at a low operating temperature.

For colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), shape control and doping as two widely applied strategies are crucial for enhancing and manipulating their functional properties. Here we report a facile and green synthetic approach for high-quality colloidal Mn doped ZnO NCs with simultaneous control over composition, shape and optical properties. Specifically, the shape of doped ZnO NCs can be finely modulated from three dimensional (3D) tetrapods to 0D spherical nanoparticles in a single reaction scheme. The growth mechanism of doped ZnO NCs with interesting shape transition is explored. Furthermore, we demonstrate the tunable optical absorption features of Mn doped ZnO NCs by varying the Mn doping levels, and the enhanced photocatalytic performance of Mn doped ZnO NCs under visible light, which can be further optimized by delicately controlling their shapes and Mn doping concentrations. Our results provide an improved understanding of the growth mechanism of doped NCs during the growth process and can be potentially extended to ZnO NCs doped with other metal ions for various applications.