In the present report, a novel photocatalyst g-C3N4/Cu-MOF/Nd2O3@NiO was prepared using g-C3N4, Cu-MOF, and Nd2O3@NiO as the individual components using an ultrasonic-assisted wet-impregnation method. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis of the nanocomposite and its individual components were performed for vibrational, morphological, structural, and elemental characterization, respectively. The appearance of vibrational bands at 813 cm-1 for g-C3N4, 665 cm-1 for the Nd-O, 511 cm-1 for NiO, and 599 cm-1 for Cu-O indicates preparation of g-C3N4/Cu-BDC/Nd2O3@NiO nanocomposite. An irregular flake-like morphology of the nanocomposite was observed in SEM images. The appearance of sharp peaks in X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the crystalline nature of the nanocomposite and its individual components. EDX analysis indicated the presence of all elements that made up the composition of the nanocomposite and its individual components. A comprehensive photocatalytic study using nanocomposite and its individual components as photocatalysts was conducted on the degradation of Methylene blue (MB) as a target pollutant. The results indicated that the nanocomposite degraded the target pollutant more efficiently than its individual components at various parameters such as pH, time, concentration of catalyst, and pollutant. The nanocomposite showed maximum degradation of 91% at pH 11, a catalyst dose of 10 mg, and 140 minutes of irradiation time in sunlight. The nanocomposite and its individual components were also tested for the production of Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), and a higher production rate of 0.19 mg/L was obtained by the nanocomposite.
The present study involves green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) using aqueous Madhuca Longifolia flower extract from hydrothermal synthesis. The ZnO NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible studies, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), FT-IR, SEM, and EDAX. The NPs were evaluated for photodegradative and antimicrobial activities. UV-visible absorption of ZnO NPs showed an absorption band at 356 nm, which can be assigned to an effective formation of ZnO NPs having appreciable activity in the visible range, confirmed by the Tauc plot showing a 3.21 eV band gap. TEM image confirms the formation of nanoparticles, and the average crystallite sizes were found to be 17-20 nm. Eosin Blue (EB) dye was effectively degraded under sunlight in the minimum quantity of ZnO NPs. Excellent bactericidal activity was shown by the NPs on Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus ATCC13061, Staphylococcus saprophyticus KCTC3345) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli KCTC1682, Salmonella typhimurium KCCM11862) bacteria. Synthesis of multifunctional ZnO NPs using naturally occurring M. longifolia plant flower has been an excellent, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical methods.
Pure TiO2, ZnO, ZnO/TiO2, and Cu doped ZnO/TiO2 (Cu:ZnO/TiO2) heterojunctions (Type II) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized using a cost-effective room-temperature sol-gel (RTSG) method. Copper (Cu) doping levels ranged from 3 to 9 wt% relative to ZnO. The structural, morphological, optical, and surface chemical properties were characterized using XRD, FESEM, UV-Vis spectroscopy, XPS, and FTIR. Among all samples, 7 wt% Cu:ZnO/TiO2 exhibited a prominent red shift in the absorption edge (from 388.7 to 413.33 nm) and a narrowed band gap of 3.0 eV compared to 3.19 eV for pure TiO2, indicating enhanced visible-light absorption. This optimized photocatalyst demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic efficiency for the first-time degradation of Turquoise Blue G (TBG) dye, achieving 95% degradation within 2.5 h under UV irradiation-1.52 times higher than pure TiO2. The Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) decreased by 77.78%, confirming effective mineralization. Kinetic analysis revealed that the degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, validating the reaction's rate dependence on dye concentration. The recycled photocatalyst retained 84.3% degradation efficiency and 60% COD reduction, indicating excellent reusability. Furthermore, the highest adsorption capacity was observed at lower pH (pH 4), favoring electrostatic attraction. These results establish 7% Cu:ZnO/TiO2 as a robust, reusable, and highly efficient photocatalyst for sustainable dye wastewater treatment.
Mitigating the environmental risks associated with the chemical fabrication of nanoparticles is a pressing necessity. The green synthesis approach is considered a more secure alternative for nanoparticle production due to its cost efficiency, non-toxic nature, and eco-friendliness. Numerous elements influence the efficacy of nanoparticles; notably, the shape of these particles plays a crucial role, as their geometry can dictate their interactions with external factors, including biological organisms and water pollutants. For synthesizing Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnOn), Fig leaf extract was employed, which possesses antifungal, anti-helminthic, and acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory properties. For the first time in his work, he created different shapes of ZnOn with the same co-precipitation procedure and different calcination temperatures (200 degrees C, 400 degrees C, and 600 degrees C). To explore the impact of nanoparticle shape, a range of analytical methods has been utilized. The crystallite sizes of ZnOn were measured using the Debye-Scherrer method at forms of nanoflake, cylinder, and sphere, yielding 25.34 nm, 42.49 nm, and 43.52 nm, respectively. Moreover, UV-vis spectroscopy has identified apeak absorption wavelength of around 380, and characterizes the optical properties of ZnOn. Spherical nanoparticles exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity efficiency, reaching 88% in the first 60 min for ZnOn. The investigation focuses on the degradation process of methylene orange. Anti-microbial characteristics against the gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (S. aureus) are examined by the MIC test for three samples of ZnOn.
Mahrokh Farrokh was born in Qom, Iran, in 1999. She received her B.Sc. in Applied Chemistry (2022) from Bu-Ali Sina University, Iran. She received her M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2024) under the supervision of Prof. Mohammad Ali Zolfigol and Prof. Maryam Hajjami. Also, she was also accepted for a Ph. D. in organic chemistry at the Bu-Ali Sina University in the same year. Her research interest is the synthesis, characterization and applications of homogeneous and heterogeneous reagents and catalysts in organic synthesis.
Zahra Alishahi was born in 1999 in Qom, Iran. She received her B.Sc. in applied chemistry (2021) from Qom University and M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2023) from Bu-Ali Sina University under the supervision of Professor Mohammad Ali Zolfigol. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Mohammad Ali Zolfigol and Professor Saeid Azizian at Bu-Ali Sina University. Her research interest is the design, synthesis and catalytic applications of magnetic nanoparticles and porous organic polymers in organic transformations. (c) 2026 The Author(s). Published by the OICC Press under the terms of the CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
The catalytic performance of xFe/MgO (x=10, 15, 20 wt.%) and Cu-promoted 15Fe-yCu/MgO (y=3, 5 wt.%) catalysts, fabricated via impregnation techniques on a precipitation-derived MgO support, was investigated for methane combustion. Maximum activity was observed for the 20Fe/MgO formulation, exhibiting light-off temperatures T-10 and T-50 of 412 degrees C and 463 degrees C, respectively. This superior activity is correlated with its physicochemical properties, namely a high specific surface area (49.70 m & sup2;& centerdot;g(-)& sup1;), small crystallite size (22 nm), and presence of abundant Fe active sites on the surface of MgO or within Mg(1-)xFexO solid solution. In contrast, Cu promotion detrimentally affected performance, an effect ascribed to the blockage or fundamental alteration of the active sites and agglomeration of particles. The 20Fe/MgO catalyst further demonstrated notable operational stability, maintaining >80% CH4 conversion during a 25-hour time-on-stream analysis at 550 degrees C. XRD characterization of the spent catalyst indicated progression of solid solution formation following the reaction.
In this study, 4-nitrophenylboronic acid is used as a radical precursor for functionalizing fullerene soot nanoparticles with 4-nitrophenyl and 4-nitrophenoxy groups. The oxidative deboration of 4-nitrophenylboronic acid for the formation of 4-nitrophenyl radical is carried out by employing potassium persulfate as oxidant and copper (II) sulfate as catalyst dissolved in water/dichloromethane under autoclave, oil-bath, or microwave heating conditions. The 4-nitrophenoxy radical is formed from the corresponding phenolic byproduct in the presence of persulfate/copper (II). The potentially energetic solid containing 4-nitrophenoxy groups involved in ether linkages is produced in the absence of fullerene soot. The 4-nitrophenyl and 4-nitrophenoxy radicals are efficiently trapped in the presence of fullerene soot to eventually afford samples with high nitrogen contents. The reaction conditions are optimized against temperature, time, and the amounts of starting materials. The characterization of products is performed by EDX and elemental maps, FT-IR, XRD, FESEM, and TGA-DSC. Results show that the oxidative deboration reaction can occur even in the absence of a catalyst. However, copper (II) catalyst can be used to obtain samples with more nitrogen content (up to 19.60 wt.% by EDX line scan) and better energetic performance. DSC thermograms of these samples exhibit a significant exothermic peak assigned to the decomposition of energetic groups.
Carbonyl-containing compounds, such as aldehydes and ketones, are fundamental to synthetic organic chemistry, with wide-ranging applications in the pharmaceutical industry. In this study, we introduce an efficient and streamlined metallophotoredox approach for decarboxylative oxygenation via visible-light-induced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). Our method simplifies the transformation of aryl aliphatic carboxylic acids into their corresponding aryl aldehydes and ketones, utilizing iron(III) triflate as a photo catalyst in the presence of TMEDA as a ligand. This strategy not only enhances environmental sustainability but also expands the potential for late-stage functionalization of complex molecules and bioactive compounds.
The study explores the catalytic performance of nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe)-based catalysts synthesized through precipitation, activation by hydrothermal reaction, and calcination for the conversion of cellulose and glucose into levulinic acid (LA). Characterization of the catalysts was conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses, which confirmed the formation of metal oxides, specifically NiO and Fe2O3, in the synthesized catalysts. The key experimental parameters, including catalyst loading, reaction temperature, and time, were optimized to improve the LA yield. The Fe.75Ni catalyst achieved the highest catalytic activity, yielding 46.18% based on the theoretical yield or a weight percentage of 29.72 wt.% at a reaction time of 5 hours and 200 degrees C reaction temperature using 0.30g of catalyst. The study highlights the importance of catalyst acidity, good surface area, and thermal stability in enhancing LA production and suggests that the Fe.75Ni catalyst holds significant potential for efficient conversion of biomass.
This study investigates the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the water 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) interface using tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as an electron mediator and 2,2-dipyridylamine (DPA) as a proton shuttle, combining electrochemical measurements with Hartree-Fock and DFT calculations. TCNQ facilitates interfacial electron transfer, exhibiting reversible stepwise reductions (TCNQ/TCNQ(-)/TCNQ(2-)) with rate constants of similar to 7x10(-3) to 1.5x10(-1) cm s(-1), while quantum chemical analysis reveals its modest proton affinity (PA similar to 16-95 kJ mol(-1) for mono-protonated form) and weak aqueous basicity (pK(a) >12), confirming its primary role in electron mediation rather than protonation. DPA addition (2.4-5.6 x10(-6) M) enhances cathodic/anodic peak currents in cyclic voltammetry, enabling proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) that boosts H2O2 yield from 38% (4 mM) (TCNQ alone) to 78% (8 mM) via synergistic proton relay, as validated by iodometric assays and a proposed mechanism involving O-2 -> O-2(-) -> HO2. These findings highlight a cooperative molecular relay at soft interfaces, offering design principles for efficient biphasic electrocatalysts in energy applications.
The facile and efficient green method for the synthesis of Ag based bimetallic nanoparticles Ag-Ni is developed by using sprout water extract. The phytochemical present in the sprout water extract assist the reduction of both the metal simultaneously according to their reduction potential and provides the way for seedless, one pot green synthesis. In the present study sprout water was used for the synthesis of Ag, Ni monometallic and bimetallic Ag25Ni75, Ag50Ni50, Ag75Ni25 because synergistic effect of two metal provides enhancement in catalytic properties of bimetallic nanoparticles. The synthesized nanocatalyst were further characterized by UV-visible analysis, XRD, EDX, NTA, TEM. The nanocatalyst is used for the reduction of organic pollutants like degradation of crystal violet dye and 4-nitrophenol. The nanoparticles were investigated for their antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. The Ag25Ni75 shows outstanding performance for the reduction of Nitrophenol. It will reduce 84.69 % of 4-nitrophenol just in 60 second with constant 0.70 min(-1). The order of the reaction is pseudo first order. The Ag75Ni25 shows excellent efficiency for the degradation of 66.37% crystal violet dye in 3 hrs following pseudo first order reaction with rate constant 0.007733min(-1). The Ag75Ni25 exhibits more zone of inhibition in B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. typhi, aeruginosa, and E. coli 15.36 +/- 0.28 mm, 15.23 +/- 0.15 mm, 15.40 +/- 0.20 mm, 15.33 +/- 0.23 mm, 15.40 +/- 0.20 mm than monometallic silver and nickel.
In this research, an eco-friendly procedure is reported for the synthesis of NiO/MgO nanocomposite by the co-precipitation method. The obtained nanocomposite was characterized using FE-SEM, EDS, BET, XRD, and TGA analyses. The catalytic performance of the NiO/MgO nanocomposite was investigated in the regioselective synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles under mild conditions. The results revealed that the desired triazole derivatives were produced in high yields with excellent selectivity. The catalyst exhibited notable stability and recyclability over several cycles without significant loss of activity. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the NiO/MgO nanocomposite was evaluated against various bacterial strains, showing good inhibitory effects against the tested pathogens.
BiCoO3 was successfully prepared through a novel combustion method using tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane as both a chelating agent and a fuel. Various calcination temperatures were investigated to obtain BiCoO3 nanoparticles in a single phase. The perovskite structure was characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and BET surface area measurement. Additionally, BiCoO3 was prepared by the co-precipitation method, and a comparative study of the structures obtained from both methods was performed by XRD analysis. The obtained BiCoO3 nanoparticles were used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyrans and 4,4-(arylmethylene)bis-(3-methyl-1-phenyl-1 H-pyrazol-5-ols). The reactions were carried out at reflux conditions, in a short reaction time, with high yields, high catalytic activity, and reusability. The catalyst also exhibited good stability, and it can be reused six times without losing activity in the reaction.
A simple protocol is reported for the oxidative amidation of aromatic aldehydes or alcohols with amines to aromatic amides by a magnetic silica-supported copper complex of Schiff base as a heterogeneous solid catalyst using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent. Under optimized conditions, oxidative amidation of benzaldehyde or benzyl alcohol with morpholine is achieved using this nanostructured catalyst with 98% amide selectivity. In addition, this catalyst is used to convert a wide range of aldehydes to their respective amide derivatives. The catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture using an external magnetic field and is reusable for up to five consecutive cycles. Its structural characteristics are thoroughly analyzed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS).
Zahra Torkashvand was born in Tehran, Iran in 1998. She received her also completed her M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry at Bu-Ali Sina University under the supervision of Prof. Mohammad Ali Zolfigol. In the following she was accepted into a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the Bu-Ali Sina University in the same year under the supervision of Prof. again. Her research interest is the synthesis, characterization, and applications of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts in organic synthesis and CO2 capture.
An efficient and green protocol has been developed for the synthesis of 2-substituted benzimidazole derivatives using various aromatic aldehydes and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) in aqueous medium. In this procedure, mandelic acid is used as an inexpensive and efficient organo-catalyst for the synthesis of various derivatives of 2-substituted benzimidazole (3a-3m) in excellent yields (88-93%). The present method affords noteworthy advantages of an organocatalyst, such as being highly stable, environmentally benign, and commercially readily available, and water as a green reaction medium, with high conversions of the products. All products have been confirmed by their spectroscopic technique, such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry.
the In addition to high activity, a reliable catalyst must exhibit resistance to thermal and mechanical stresses, which is achieved through high mechanical strength. In this work, nine samples of gamma- alumina catalyst supports were prepared using the oil-drop method according to the Taguchi M9 design. To assess the reliability of the supports, all samples were evaluated through mechanical strength testing. Iron catalysts were then prepared on these supports via the wet impregnation method for use in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The results revealed that the catalyst prepared on the support with the following specifications: An Al/H ratio of 1.8, a hexamethylenetetramine solution concentration of 30 wt.%, an aging time of 12 hours, and a calcination temperature of 650 degrees C, demonstrated good conversion in addition to relatively high mechanical strength (65 MPa), among the other samples. Finally, this reliable catalyst was evaluated in a reactor to determine the optimal conditions for achieving higher conversion and selectivity. The best results for CO conversion (61.9%) and C4 selectivity (4.1%) were obtained when the reaction operational conditions were T=270 degrees C, P=3bar, GHSV=2153.40 h-1, and H2/CO=1
Mahrokh Farrokh was born in Qom, Iran, in 1999. She received her B.Sc. received her M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (2024) under the supervision of Prof. Mohammad Ali Zolfigol and Prof. Maryam Hajjami. Also, she was accepted for a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Bu-Ali Sina University in the same year. Her research interest is the synthesis, characterization, and applications of homogeneous and heterogeneous reagents and catalysts in organic synthesis.
An environmentally friendly synthesis method was used to produce Mg0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 magnetic nanoparticles, which were evaluated for their photocatalytic performance in degrading Direct Red 31 dye. The nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, BET, FESEM, EDX, TEM, DRS, and VSM. XRD results confirmed a single-phase spinel cubic structure with a crystallite size of 13 nm. The nanoparticles exhibited a narrow band gap of 1.75 eV, enabling efficient visible light absorption. Photocatalytic tests revealed 94% degradation of Direct Red 31 within 45 minutes. Kinetic analysis showed that the degradation followed a pseudo-first-order reaction. Furthermore, the nanoparticles demonstrated excellent reusability, maintaining their photocatalytic efficiency over four consecutive cycles without any performance degradation, highlighting their strong potential for sustainable wastewater treatment applications.
