1,2,3-Triazole is an aromatic, five-membered, π-excessive heterocycle comprised of three regular nitrogen atoms. 1,2,3-Triazoles possess a broad spectrum of bioactivities such as anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antiviral, and anti-HIV activity. Several compounds containing 1,2,3-triazole-moiety have been employed as drugs in the market. In organic synthesis, these heterocycles also play an important role as building blocks for different transformations. Furthermore, applications of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives as agrochemicals, corrosion retardants, polymers, optical brighteners, photostabilizers, pigments and metal chelators have also been well reported. Due to a wide range of applications, the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles has attracted tremendous research interest of chemists and a huge number of studies on the synthesis of these heterocycles have been published over the years. In this review article, we focus on the use of nanocatalysts for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles. 70 studies on the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles using nanocatalyst from 2014 have been collected and analyzed. We also try to describe reaction mechanisms as much as we can. The study might be useful for chemists who work in heterocyclic synthesis or medicinal chemistry. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting utilizing titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanodes presents a promising avenue for sustainable hydrogen production. Understanding the correlation linking the synthesis conditions to structural and phase evolution of semiconductor materials, which is essential for the development of photoanodes with improved PEC activity, remains challenging. This study aims to elucidate the structure- and phase-dependent PEC activity of TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) obtained via the non-isothermal decomposition of titanium oxyacetylacetonate (TiO(acac)₂) precursor at varying final temperatures (Tfin). The microstructural parameters and phase composition of the TiO2 NPs were determined via Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The PEC activity of spin-coated TiO2/FTO photoanodes was evaluated via open-circuit potential (OCP) measurements, OCP decay, and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) under chopped illumination. The results indicate that the anatase-rutile ratio and crystallite dimensions can be modulated by varying Tfin in the range of 500-700 °C. An optimized mixed-phase TiO2 comprising 71.7% anatase and 28.3% rutile, with the crystallite sizes Dav of 29.6 nm and 55.6 nm, respectively, is achieved at 650 °C enabling an efficient transition to free-electron transport and maximized photoactivity. These findings offer essential design principles for managing structural and phase transformations in TiO2-based photoanodes via the metal-organic decomposition route. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Functional material of iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles-functionalized Hydroxyapatite (HA) was synthesized from chicken bone waste. The preparation of material involved the calcination of chicken bone waste followed by the dispersion of iron oxide precursors and hydrothermal treatment to get coprecipitated HA. Systematic physicochemical characterization was performed by various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance UV-Visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the composite was examined to degrade methylene blue under various photon sources and pH condition. The results demonstrated that a high crystalline Fe2O3/HA was derived, and detail of the analysis confirm the functionality of iron as dopant in the crystalline structure of HA and the dispersed photoactive nanoparticles. Photocatalytic degradation experiments resumed that the high degradation efficiency could be achievable at alkaline condition and under visible light illumination, as the efficiency of 78.88% was the optimum value. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Iron oxide-loaded porous carbon has demonstrated effectiveness in heterogeneous Fenton reactions for degrading antibiotic pollutants in wastewater. However, the effect of calcination temperature on the properties of iron oxide loaded in biomass-derived carbon as a catalyst support remains largely unknown. In this work, sugar palm fiber served as the carbon source, and iron wet impregnation followed by calcination was employed to synthesize the catalyst. Calcination temperatures of 300, 500, and 700 °C were systematically investigated. Comprehensive characterization using TGA, XRD, SEM-EDX, VSM, Photoluminescence, Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen sorption analysis using NOVA and AUTOSORB instruments indicated that increasing the calcination temperature to 700 °C resulted in higher surface area, optimal pore structure, enhanced Fe3O4 formation, increased graphitization, and improved iron oxide dispersion. Catalytic tests for the degradation of 10 ppm levofloxacin showed that catalysts prepared at higher calcination temperatures exhibited superior removal efficiency and recyclability. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
In this study, a sustainable mesoporous silica material was synthesized using gelatin as a co-template (GSBA-15), followed by the incorporation of iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) to enhance its adsorption performance toward methylene blue (MB) and methyl orange (MO). Tamarindus indica pulp extract (TIE) was employed as a natural and environmentally benign activating agent, providing organic functionalities that facilitated material synthesis and surface modification. The adsorption performance of the synthesized materials, namely GSBA-15 and Fe₂O₃/GSBA-15-TIE, was evaluated using UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Under optimal adsorption conditions, the maximum adsorption capacities for MB were 176.062 and 183.497 mg.g⁻¹ for GSBA-15 and Fe₂O₃/GSBA-15-TIE, respectively. For MO, the corresponding adsorption capacities were 15.582 and 16.000 mg.g⁻¹. Kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of both dyes was best described by the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that chemisorption played a dominant role in the adsorption process. The enhanced adsorption performance of Fe₂O₃/GSBA-15-TIE compared with pristine GSBA-15 demonstrates the beneficial effects of iron oxide incorporation and TIE activation. These findings highlight the potential of Fe₂O₃/GSBA-15-TIE as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent for dye removal in wastewater treatment applications. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
series of catalysts, including date seeds (DS), NiO/DS, Ru2O3/DS, and bimetallic NiRu2O4/DS, anchored on a date seed-derived carbon support. The newly synthesized catalysts were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), NH3/CO2-temperature programmed desorption (TPD-NH3/CO2), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. Structural analysis confirmed that the metal nanoparticles were successfully embedded within the porous matrix of the biomass support, which significantly augmented both the surface area and the density of active sites. At optimized parameters of 350 °C and 40 bar N2 over a 3 h period, the NiRu2O4/DS catalyst achieved a maximum hydrocarbon yield of 95%. Detailed chemical profiling of the liquid product showed a high selectivity toward n-Tetradecane (C14) and n-Heptadecane (C17), both critical precursors for bio-jet fuel production. The remarkable performance of the catalyst is fundamentally driven by a synergistic combination of its structural and chemical properties: a higher BET surface area compared to the DS support (4.42 m2/g), a substantial pore volume of 0.0137 cm3/g, and a moderate surface basicity of 8534.6 μmol/g. Together, these features facilitate highly efficient deoxygenation pathways via decarboxylation (DCO2) and decarbonylation (DCO), while effectively suppressing undesirable cracking side reactions. Furthermore, the catalytic system demonstrated exceptional durability, maintaining a robust yield of 88.5% after three consecutive reaction cycles, illustrating the viability of these Ni- and Ru-based materials for renewable aviation energy solutions. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The demand for high-quality fuel with a high-octane number or Research Octane Number (RON) continues to increase due to strict emission standards and the ban on lead-based additives. This study aims to develop a catalyst material based on Indonesian natural zeolites from Lampung (ZAL), Bayah (ZAB), and Tasikmalaya (ZAT) through pre-treatment optimization to obtain comparable mesoporous material properties with Mobil Composition of Matter No. 41 (MCM-41). This catalyst is designed for the isomerization process of n-hexane into iso-hexane as a model compound for light naphtha. The research focuses on utilizing Indonesian natural zeolite in combination with desilication techniques using NaOH and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surface directing agents. The catalyst is characterized by using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Surface Area Analysis (SAA), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to identify the surface morphology of zeolite. XRD results show structural alteration in the low-to-high θ/2θ region with increasing NaOH concentration. XRF analysis reveals that the bulk Si and Al contents remain relatively stable (Si: 34.73-36.6 wt%; Al: 6.55-8.1 wt%), confirming that desilication occurs selectively at the crystal surface rather than altering the bulk composition. SAA data demonstrate substantial enhancement of textural properties, with the specific surface area increasing from 40.5 to 131.7 m²/g for ZAL, 36.5 to 134.9 m²/g for ZAT, and 46.9 to 101.0 m²/g for ZAB after 1.5 M NaOH treatment. SEM images reveal morphological changes from a defined crystalline texture to a more dispersed surface upon increasing NaOH concentration. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The increasing discharge of organic dyes into aquatic environments requires efficient and sustainable remediation strategies. Although Fe-doped Bi₂O₃ has shown promising photocatalytic performance, the effects of Fe content on its photocatalytic behavior under xenon-lamp irradiation remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to synthesize different amounts of Fe-doped Bi₂O₃ nanoparticles via a hydrothermal approach and subsequently evaluate their photocatalytic performance toward the degradation of methylene blue (MB). Monoclinic α-Bi2O3 was formed as confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis, without any detectable secondary phases, suggesting that Fe species were either incorporated into the Bi2O3 lattice or well dispersed in the matrix. Furthermore, the band gap energy decreased from 2.92 eV to 2.66 eV as determined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy combined with Tauc analysis. Photoluminescence analysis revealed a decrease in emission intensity, indicating suppressed electron-hole recombination and enhanced photogenerated charge separation. Among the prepared samples, the sample with 10 wt% Fe-doped Bi₂O₃ exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with about 99% degradation of 10 ppm MB within 14 min at optimum experimental conditions (pH of 8, 45 °C). The degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model with a rate constant of 0.134 min−1. The improved photocatalytic efficiency is attributed to Fe-induced band-gap narrowing and enhanced charge separation, highlighting its potential for wastewater treatment applications. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The contamination of aquatic environments by synthetic dyes such as Rhodamine B (RhB) represents a growing environmental and public health concern. In this work, a bismuth silicate composite (Bi2SiO5) was successfully synthesized via a rapid microwave-assisted co-precipitation route using silica extracted from natural Tunisian sand as a sustainable and low-cost precursor. The material was systematically characterized by XRD, FTIR, UV-Vis DRS, SEM, TEM, and EDX analyses, revealing a highly crystalline orthorhombic structure with an average crystallite size of 57.1 nm (Debye–Scherrer), primary particle dimensions of approximately 43.1 nm, and an optical bandgap of 2.74 eV. Under simulated solar irradiation, Bi2SiO5 achieved near-complete decolorization (≈ 99 %) of RhB within 15 min and a significant Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal efficiency of 75 % after 50 min, demonstrating substantial organic scaffold breakdown. Non-linear Kinetic analysis revealed that RhB degradation followed pseudo-first order (PFO) kinetics (k1 = 0.142 min-1, R2 = 0.962). Radical Scavenger experiments identified •OH and •O2- as the dominant reactive species, with h+ playing a secondary role, indicating a radical-mediated oxidative degradation mechanism. Bi2SiO5 demonstrated good reusability over five consecutive cycles, retaining 95% RhB removal efficiency after the fifth run. These findings establish Bi2SiO5 as a promising, eco-friendly photocatalyst derived from abundant natural resources for solar-driven wastewater remediation. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Natural montmorillonite from North Toraja, rich in silica and alumina, was employed as a precursor for synthesize cancrinite-type zeolite (CAN) through hydrothermal treatment at 170 °C for 24 h in 5 M NaOH solution. Zeolite, a porous aluminosilicate material widely applied in wastewater treatment, especially for heavy metal ion adsorption. To enhance adsorption performance, CAN was modified with chitosan through phase inversion, resulting in the formation of a zeolite–chitosan composite. Characterization using XRD, FTIR, SEM EDS, BET, and TGA DSC. XRD analyses revealed diffraction peaks at 2θ = 13.94°, 18.84°, 21.28°, 24.16°, 27.34°, 32.42°, 34.32°, 36.76°, and 42.46°. FTIR confirmed functional groups of CANat 678, 624, and 563 cm⁻¹ and chitosan at 2879 and 1643 cm⁻¹. SEM revealed a morphological change from sharp crystals to rough surface due to chitosan coating, while EDS identified the main elements of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, and Si. BET analysis indicated a surface area of 22.12 m²/g with pore diameter of approximately 28.48 nm. TGA-DSC indicated improved thermal stability, evidenced by a shift in degradation temperature attributed to strong zeolite-chitosan interaction. Adsorption studies for Cu²⁺ ions demonstrated optimum conditions at pH of 5 with a contact time of 150 min. Kinetic data followed a pseudo-second-order model, while equilibrium was best described by the Sips isotherm, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 360.65 mg/g. These findings confirm that CAN–Chitosan composite derived from North Toraja minerals are efficient and stable adsorbents for heavy metal removal, supporting sustainable wastewater treatment and environmental remediation. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Biomass-derived glucose is an important platform molecule to produce value-added oxygenated chemicals through catalytic conversion. In this study, Cu-Ni-WOx catalysts supported on SiO2, ZrO2, and SiO2-ZrO2 were prepared by wet impregnation and evaluated for the hydrogenolysis of glucose in water. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDX, and pyridine-adsorption FTIR to examine the relationship between catalyst structure, acidity, and catalytic behavior. Catalytic tests were carried out in a batch reactor at 300 °C under 2 MPa H2 for 2 h. All catalysts showed comparable glucose conversion in the range of 92.2-93.1%, whereas the support strongly influenced the distribution of liquid products. The SiO2-supported catalyst favored glycol/glycol-like compounds and cyclic ether/THF products, indicating a stronger tendency toward oxygen-retaining pathways. In contrast, the SiO2-ZrO2-supported catalyst showed higher distribution toward cyclic ketones and aliphatic alcohols, while the ZrO2-supported catalyst exhibited an intermediate pattern. These findings suggest that support-dependent acidity plays an important role in directing hydrogenolysis pathways and controlling the relative formation of oxygen-retaining and rearranged products. This work highlights the importance of support composition in tuning the product distribution of Cu-Ni-WOx catalysts for glucose valorization into value-added oxygenates. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Continuous ethanol fermentation can achieve higher volumetric productivity than batch operation, but its performance is often limited by yeast washout, incomplete glucose conversion, and reduced fermentative activity under high-substrate and ethanol-stress conditions. This study evaluated an ultrafiltration membrane bioreactor for continuous ethanol fermentation using cell retention and controlled aeration. Glucose fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was evaluated in batch mode, conventional continuous anaerobic operation, anaerobic membrane bioreactor operation at dilution rates of 0.05 and 0.10 h⁻¹, and aerobic membrane bioreactor operation at 0.10 h⁻¹ with aeration rates of 0.08–0.30 vvm. Batch fermentation provided a reference for interpreting the continuous experiments: aerobic operation increased the final ethanol concentration from 65.7 to 89.5 g.L⁻¹ and the apparent maximum ethanol formation rate from 1.17 to 2.60 g.L⁻¹.h⁻¹, based on modified Gompertz fitting. In continuous operation, membrane-assisted cell retention reduced washout and increased biomass retention, glucose conversion, ethanol concentration, and volumetric productivity. At the same dilution rate of 0.10 h⁻¹, the anaerobic membrane bioreactor increased ethanol concentration from 2.8 ± 0.8 g.L⁻¹ to 43.4 ± 2.1 g.L⁻¹ and productivity from 0.3 ± 0.1 g.L⁻¹ h⁻¹ to 4.3 ± 0.2 g.L⁻¹.h⁻¹ relative to the non-membrane reactor. Lower dilution rate favored ethanol accumulation, whereas higher dilution rate favored volumetric productivity. Controlled aeration further enhanced productivity, reaching 5 g.L⁻¹.h⁻¹ at 0.08 vvm, but excessive aeration increased biomass accumulation while reducing ethanol yield and selectivity. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
This paper reports a study of the apparent reaction kinetics of crude palm oil (CPO) dechlorination using a sodium silicate (SS) solution, providing a water-efficient alternative to conventional washing to mitigate the 3-MCPD precursor. Three CPO-to-SS volume ratios (0.25, 2.33, and 3.00) were tested across temperatures of 60 °C, 70 °C, and 80 °C. The results showed the 2.33 ratio as most effective, achieving 1000 times of extraction, as indicated by the McCabe-Thiele equilibrium plot. Kinetic analysis revealed a transition from pseudo-first-order regimes at lower temperatures to exceptionally high apparent reaction orders (up to 24.90) at 80 °C. These high orders indicate a mass-transfer limited process where declining SS concentration might have destabilized the emulsion, making the reaction rate sensitive to interfacial surface area. The FTIR spectra confirmed that SS acted as both a buffering agent and a dispersant, reducing moisture retention without clear free fatty acid neutralization. The elevated temperatures significantly enhanced dechlorination rates, with the 0.25 ratio facilitating chloride breakdown with the highest rate constant. The results revealed that the kinetic rate is: with the rate constant, k (range 3.6 × 10-3 until 1×10 -111) and the apparent order, (range up to 24.9) at 80 ºC. These findings conclude that SS can effectively reduce chlorine content in CPO, and that process is strongly governed by the phase volume ratio and operating temperature. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Fuel Oil Blended Stock (FOBS) is a residual byproduct from petroleum refineries that is often underutilized and may cause storage and environmental issues. Converting FOBS into hydrogen through catalytic pyrolysis offers a sustainable waste valorisation pathway; however, no studies have focused on Ni/CeO2 catalysts for hydrogen production from FOBS, which establishes the novelty of this work. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a Ni/CeO2 catalyst for hydrogen production from FOBS via catalytic pyrolysis. A 3% Ni/CeO2 catalyst was synthesized using the wet impregnation method and characterized using XRD, FESEM, BET, and FTIR. Catalytic pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a tubular furnace reactor at temperatures between 400-600 degrees C, nitrogen flow rates of 40-140 mL/min, and catalyst-to-feedstock ratios of 1:5, 1:10, and 1:15. The gaseous products were analyzed using GC-TCD/FID. The results showed that higher temperatures and catalyst-to-feedstock ratios improved FOBS conversion and hydrogen selectivity, with optimal performance achieved at 600 degrees C, 90 mL/min, and a catalyst-to-feedstock ratio of 1:15, yielding high conversion, gas yield, and hydrogen selectivity. In conclusion, the Ni/CeO2 catalyst shows strong potential for converting FOBS into hydrogen-rich gas, supporting waste valorisation and sustainable hydrogen production. Copyright (c) 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Pesticides are widely used globally to control weeds and enhance agricultural yields. However, excessive herbicide application causes severe environmental issues, notably leading to biodiversity loss. This study investigates the adsorption of diuron, a persistent phenylurea derivative herbicide widely found in soil as well as ground and surface waters, from an aqueous solution onto raw calcium clay. Characterization analyses of the clay were systematically performed. The adsorption study was optimized by evaluating key influencing parameters, including contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature. Furthermore, the experimental equilibrium data were modeled using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Elovich isotherms to understand the surface interaction mechanisms. The results demonstrate that the removal of diuron onto raw calcium clay is an exothermic process and aligns well with the Freundlich isotherm model. This work highlights the potential of natural calcium clay as a cost-effective and eco-friendly adsorbent for sustainable wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Water contamination by Acid Orange 7 (AO7), a widely used anionic azo dye in the textile industry, represents a major environmental concern due to its persistence and potential to generate toxic aromatic amines. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel organobentonite (BPA6) via intercalation of phenylphosphonic acid into bentonite, an organoclay previously unexplored for pollutant removal. XRD analysis revealed an expansion of the basal spacing from 10 to 15.4 & Aring; with an intercalation rate of 86%, while FTIR and SEM confirmed structural reorganization and successful incorporation of phenylphosphonic functional groups. The modification increased interlayer accessibility and introduced additional P-OH active sites, enhancing hydrogen-bond donor density. Consequently, BPA6 achieved a maximum adsorption capacity of 123.3 mg.g-1 at 55 degrees C, significantly exceeding raw bentonite. The kinetics were well described by the pseudo-second-order model, while the equilibrium data fit best with the Langmuir-Freundlich model. Thermodynamic analysis indicated a predominantly physisorption-driven process. BPA6 maintained stable performance over multiple regeneration cycles. Mechanistic insight was obtained by correlating spectroscopic, adsorption, and thermodynamic data, revealing a clear relationship between structure, surface chemistry, interactions, and performance. The adsorption mechanism is primarily governed by hydrogen bonding between Si-OH and intercalated P-OH moieties and the sulfonate and amine moieties of AO7. Phenylphosphonic acid intercalation optimizes clay surface chemistry, enhancing dye adsorption by BPA6 and highlighting its potential as a sustainable, high-performance wastewater adsorbent. Copyright (c) 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The catalytic dry reforming of ethanol (EDR) offers a promising approach to reduce CO2 emissions and support the less carbon-intensive processes. This study examined the effect of cobalt (Co) loading on fibrous ZSM-5 (FZSM-5), which was synthesized at hydrothermal aging times of 6, 8, and 10 h, for EDR. The catalytic evaluation was carried out at 650 degrees C, 1 bar, and 30,000 mL.g-1.h-1 for 8 h. The results showed that hydrothermal aging time influenced the catalyst properties and catalytic performance. The catalyst aged for 8 h developed a distinct dendritic structure, a surface area of 208.9 m2.g-1, and distributed hierarchical porosity. During EDR, the 8 h Co/FZSM-5 catalyst sustained stable ethanol conversion and produced a favorable H2/CO ratio of 1.55. By contrast, the 6h catalyst showed low crystallinity, while the 10 h catalyst underwent extended crystal growth that limited mass transfer. TGA results further showed that the 8 h catalyst limited carbon deposition more effectively and exhibited less deactivation better than the other samples. These findings provide practical guidance for catalyst design and support the development of more resource-efficient reforming processes.
The development of sustainable Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) is crucial for advancing fuel cell technology. This study presents a novel MEA design that incorporates metal oxide nanoparticles synthesized using natural materials into a high-performance membrane and employs a non-platinum catalyst. Specifically, alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized in medium Spondias mombin leaf extract, which served as both a base source and a capping agent. Alumina nanoparticles combined with polyaniline serve as a composite material to enhance the hydrophilicity, structural and thermal stability, power density, and proton conductivity of a sulfonated polysulfone-based composite membrane. Alumina is known as a catalyst support with a large surface area, while polyaniline is a conductive polymer that readily interacts with metal oxides and hemin, which is rich in electrons, exhibits catalytic activity. Based on the characterization of physical and chemical properties, the SPSU-PANI_Al2O3 7.5% composite MEA using a hemin catalyst on the cathode in a fuel cell (DMFC) demonstrated good structural and thermal stability, low methanol permeabilitity (3.37×10-6 cm2/s), and high-power density (90.76 mW/cm2), but low proton conductivity. Furthermore, Electrochemical cell testing of the hemin catalyst, which identified two reduction peaks at 0.48-0.52 V and 1.22 V similar to those of the Pt catalyst at the cathode demonstrates that the hemin catalyst provides comparable cell potential and catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction for fuel cell technologies. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
This study investigated the effect of calcination temperature on the structural properties and photocatalytic performance of TiO2/vermiculite (TiO2/ver) composites for methylene blue (MB) degradation. The TiO2/ver composites were synthesized via a one-step sol-gel method using titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor, followed by calcination at 450, 600 and 800 oC. Structural characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the anatase phase predominance in samples calcined at 450 and 600 oC, whereas partial transformation to rutile occurred at 800 oC. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that increasing calcination temperature promoted particle growth and agglomeration. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis revealed the coexistence of characteristic Ti-O-Ti and Si-O vibrations and indicated possible interfacial interactions between TiO2 and the vermiculite support through a shift the Si-O stretching band. Textural analysis demonstrated a progressive decrease in specific surface area with increasing calcination temperature, suggesting thermally induced pore collapse and crystallite growth. Photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that the sample calcined at 450 oC (V-450) exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving complete MB degradation within 90 min under the optimal conditions of a catalyst dosage of 1.0 g.L-1, an initial MB concentration of 10 mg.L-1 and pH of 7. Kinetic analysis showed that the degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The superior performance of the V-450 was attributed to the optimal balance between crystallinity, specific surface area and phase composition. These findings highlight the critical role of calcination temperature in tuning the structure-activity relationship of TiO2/ver composites for photocatalytic wastewater treatment applications. Copyright © 2026 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
The most widely used pesticide in agricultural regions across the entire globe is chlorpyrifos (CPF).In the present research, g-C3N4/Fe3O4/CuWO4/CuO heterojunction has been created through a series of straightforward technologies and used for photocatalytic degradation of chlorpyrifos .The produced g-C3N4/Fe3O4/CuWO4/CuO nanocomposites' optical and magnetic features, structure, and morphologies have been investigated using XRD, FTIR, elemental mapping, EDS, SEM, TEM, VSM, DRS, PL, and BET methodologies. With rate constants of 0.00507 and 0.00696 min-1, correspondingly, the photocatalyst enabled the photocatalytic degradation of chlorpyrifos, g-C3N4, and CuWO4, which achieved maximal efficiencies of 50% and 69% in visible light. However, under visible light, g-C3N4/Fe3O4/CuWO4/CuO exhibited a maximum performance of 93% with rate constants of 0.0159 min-1. In order to remove chlorpyrifos from aqueous solution, this work created a unique type of g-C3N4/Fe3O4/CuWO4/CuO nanocomposite utilizing a multistage procedure using a photocatalytic technique employing novel catalysts. Being exposed to visible light, the as-fabricated g-C3N4/Fe3O4/CuWO4/CuO substantially enhanced the photocatalytic activity for the successful elimination of pesticide, boosting its potential for use in ecologically friendly water purification systems.
