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In this study, Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films integrated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were synthesized using the spin coating method to examine their enhanced photocatalytic properties. The films were deposited on glass substrates and subsequently annealed to improve crystallinity. When comparing TiO2/MWCNT films to pristine TiO2, UV-Vis analysis showed a slight red shift and the optical band gap reduces from 3.75 eV to 3.65 eV. XRD analysis verified and preserved the anatase phase of TiO2. The chemical interactions between TiO2 and MWCNT that led to the enhanced photocatalytic activity were validated by FTIR characterization. While FESEM images showed a uniformly distributed granular morphology, the particle size was found to be 25.7 nm and 26.3 nm for pristine TiO2 and TiO2/MWCNT films respectively, and PL studies revealed a decreased rate of photogenerated electron-hole pair recombination in the composite films. Malachite green degradation under visible light irradiation has been used to assess the photocatalytic activity. Due to improved electron transport, decreased electron-hole recombination and increased surface area, the TiO2/MWCNT composite films demonstrated significantly higher photocatalytic efficiency of 82
A novel solution-mixing method was proposed to synthesize Co3O4/graphene nanocomposites (Co3O4@Gr) using a green tea leaf (Camellia sinensis) extract as the reducing agent. XRD analysis shows that the as-prepared Co3O4@Gr exhibits a cubic spinel crystal structure. From morphological analysis, the obtained Co3O4 NS forms spherical clusters that are uniformly distributed on the graphene surface. FT-IR and Raman analyses confirmed the strong molecular and vibrational interactions between the Co3O4 NS and Gr. The suppressed PL intensity peak of the Co3O4@Gr NCs indicated significant inhibition in the recombination of charge carriers between the hybrid orbitals within the composites. As a result, the catalytic efficiency of Co3O4@Gr NCs increased to 80% compared to pristine Co3O4, which exhibited only 45% efficiency against methylene blue (MB) dye. Moreover, the as-prepared NCs exhibited a detection limit of 0.01-224 μM, demonstrating a superior low-DPA detection with high sensitivity. The Co3O4@Gr/GCE exhibits admirable selectivity for various pesticides, fungicides, and metal ions, with outstanding reproducibility and stability. From electrochemical investigations, the highest specific capacitance values of the as-synthesized Co3O4@Gr were 349 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and 158 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g.
Developing high-performing photocatalysts and composites generate synergetic effects in modern photocatalysis. Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising photocatalyst; however, its wide bandgap and high charge carrier recombination rate significantly limit its visible-light activity and overall photocatalytic efficiency. To overcome these challenges, this study focuses on the synthesis of Cu-Ag codoped ZnO/graphene nanocomposites using both hydrothermal and sonochemical methods, aiming to regulate the interfacial interaction and enhance charge separation. The hydrothermally synthesized (CAZ/Gr)H composite exhibited a lower bandgap, improved carrier transfer efficiency, and stronger Zn-O-C interfacial bonding compared to the sonochemically prepared (CAZ/Gr)S sample. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed the reduced work function and enhanced electron mobility in the hydrothermal system. Under natural sunlight, the (CAZ/Gr)H composite demonstrated superior photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. These findings highlight the effectiveness of interface-regulated, green-synthesized ZnO-based nanocomposites in addressing the fundamental limitations of traditional ZnO photocatalysts.
Accurate plant species identification underpins taxonomy, conservation, ecological monitoring, and the authentication of medicinal and food resources. While classical morphology-based approaches often struggle with cryptic or closely related taxa, DNA barcoding has emerged as a standardized molecular framework for species identification. In plants, core plastid markers such as rbcL and matK, together with nuclear regions like ITS and ITS2, have been widely adopted, yet species-level resolution remains limited in recently diverged or hybridizing lineages. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have enabled chloroplast genome sequencing and plastome-scale “super-barcoding,” substantially improving discriminatory power and facilitating the derivation of lineage-specific and mini-barcodes. Concurrently, multi-locus barcoding, metabarcoding, and environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches are revealing cryptic diversity and reshaping our understanding of plant community structure and species interactions. Emerging machine-learning methods further enhance barcode-based classification, reference-library curation, and integrative species delimitation. This review synthesizes developments in plastome-guided barcoding, cryptic diversity discovery, and data-driven analytics, outlining methodological advances, practical constraints, and future directions. We emphasize that continued expansion and rigorous curation of reference libraries, combined with transparent benchmarking of computational models, are essential for reliable, scalable, and genome-aware plant identification systems in the genomic era.
The growing clinical demand for durable and biologically safe dental implants has accelerated the development of novel material systems that address both mechanical and biological challenges. One major limitation of conventional titanium-based implants is their insufficient antibacterial activity, which increases the risk of postoperative infections and implant failure. In this study, titanium-zirconium-β-tricalcium phosphate (Ti-15Zr-xβ-TCP, x = 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 wt
