This Thematic Series is focused on the many environmental applications of nanoparticles, ranging from biosensing to gas detection, to the removal of pollutants from water and even for the new generation of solar cells. Several works highlight the importance of gold nanoparticles for the development of biosensing platforms and for sensors based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering. New, low cost methods for creating thin films presented herein are expected to provide enhanced efficiency in solar cells.
These applications are changing our world, little by little, allowing for more compact, less expensive and lighter sensing devices. These, together with more efficient batteries and supercapacitors connected in a smart way to the network, will be part of the "internet of things", allowing ubiquitous environmental and health monitoring with immediate access to this critical information from anywhere in the world.
Figure 1: Platform to design a possible immunosensor.
Figure 2: UV–vis spectra in glycerol: i) the HClAu4 precursor; ii) the AuNPs synthesized with 8 min of irradi...
Figure 3: TEM images of AuNPs synthesized in glycerol by using ultraviolet irradiation for i) 8 min and ii) 1...
Figure 4: Variation of diameter and polydispersity index of SH–DOPC LUVs with glycerol content.
Figure 5: Cyclic voltammograms of K4[Fe(CN)6] in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) using a) (i) bare AuE , (...
Figure 6: Cyclic voltammograms of K4[Fe(CN)6] generated in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) by using AuE pr...
Figure 7: TEM images of AuNPs–SH–DOPC LUVs. a) i) and ii) TEM images of AuNPs–SH–DOPC LUVs using AuNPs synthe...
Figure 1: TEM images of the obtained Au NPs: (a) small Au NP, (b) big Au NP. The insets show the UV–vis spect...
Figure 2: SEM images of multilayer thin films consisted of PDDA and Au NPs of different sizes: (a) SSS, (b) S...
Figure 3: (a) SERS spectra of the sandwich-like multilayer thin films; (b) SERS intensity variations at 1078 ...
Figure 1: A schematic diagram showing the fabrication of a single titanium oxide ND gas sensor. (a) PMMA spin...
Figure 2: (a,b) AFM topographic images of the two NDs of sensors A and B, respectively. (c,d) Cross-sectional...
Figure 3: (a) The current response of sensor A at 10 V and 15 ppm NO, and (b,c) the current responses at 10 a...
Figure 4: (a) Response and (b) response time and recovery time as a function of the concentration for sensor ...
Figure 5: (a) The current response of sensor A at 10 V in the UV-recovery mode. (b) Response and (c) response...
Figure 6: (a) The current responses of sensor B at 10 V in the UV-activation mode. (b) The response and (c) t...
Figure 7: Diagram illustrating NO gas sensing mechanisms for the single titanium oxide ND sensor in the UV-re...
Figure 1: (a) HAADF-STEM image of the MWCNT:HfO2, (b) higher magnification image of (a), (c) HAADF-HRSTEM ima...
Figure 2: (a) Absorption spectrum of MWCNTs decorated with cubic HfO2 nanoparticles obtained from the transmi...
Figure 3: (a) Room temperature photoluminescence spectra of MWCNTs decorated with cubic HfO2 nanoparticles (f...
Figure 4: (a) HAADF-STEM image of the area of interest where EELS was performed, (b) C K-edge core loss EELS ...
Figure 5: (a) I–V characteristic of a nanohybrid material in the dark (full line) and under illumination (dot...
Figure 1: SEM morphology of a PGA/MWCNT film nanocomposite at 7,500 magnification.
Figure 2: Cyclic voltammograms of 1.0 mM GA in 0.2 M H3PO4 at a scan rate of 50 mV s−1 on bare GCE, PGA/GCE, ...
Figure 3: Relationship of i(t < τ) vs (t−1/2) chronoamperometry of 1.0 mM K3[Fe(CN)6] in 0.2 M KCl on (A) GCE...
Figure 4: Chronoamperograms of PGA/MWCNT/GCE in 0.2 M phosphoric acid in absence (curve a) and presence (curv...
Figure 5: Effect of scan rate on the cyclic voltammograms recorded for the first wave of 1.0 mM GA on the PGA...
Figure 6: SW voltammograms obtained at optimal conditions in 0.2 M H3PO4 solution containing different GA con...
Figure 7: SW voltammograms of a pomegranate juice sample (black), 0.1 mM GA (red) and 0.1 mM CAT (blue) in 0....
Figure 8: SW voltammograms obtained at optimal conditions of a pomegranate juice sample upon addition of diff...
Figure 1: Schematic of the preparation of In2O3/PANI composite nanofibers.
Figure 2: a) XRD pattern of In2O3 nanofibers. FTIR spectra of b) In(NO3)3/PVP composite nanofibers and In2O3 ...
Figure 3: SEM images of (a) In(NO3)3/PVP composite nanofibers (with diameter distributions), (b) In2O3 nanofi...
Figure 4: Current–Voltage (I–V) characteristics of pure PANI and In2O3/PANI nanofibers.
Figure 5: Dynamic response of sensors based on (a) pure PANI, (b) In2O3/PANI nanofibers-1, (c) In2O3/PANI nan...
Figure 6: The response values of pure PANI and three In2O3/ PANI nanofibers sensors to different concentratio...
Figure 7: Dynamic response of In2O3/ PANI-2 sensor towards 50 ppm, 30 ppm and 10 ppm NH3 at room temperature.
Figure 8: Cross-response curves of In2O3/PANI-2 nanofibers sensor to 1000 ppm methanol, ethanol, acetone and ...
Figure 9: Sensing repeatability and reversibility of In2O3/PANI-2 nanofibers sensor to 1000 ppm NH3 vapor.
Figure 10: Schematic of p–n junction of In2O3/PANI nanofibers and its potential energy barrier change when exp...
Figure 1: Synthesis of NP-PEIP. The number of phosphonates depends on the number of equivalents of phosphorou...
Figure 2: A) pH Values at which NP-PEIP20 and NP-PEIP80 adsorb a maximum amount of dye. MO is better adsorbed...
Figure 3: Prediction of the best range of pH values for electrostatic attractions between NP-PEIP and MO and ...
Figure 4: Removed amounts of MO and MB dyes by NP-PEIPx at pH 7 and 14. P% significantly affects adsorption o...
Figure 5: A) Cumulative quantities of dyes released after each wash. MO is desorbed from NP-PEIP05 with sodiu...
Figure 1: Raman spectra A–D of thin layers grown by spraying solutions with Sb/S precursor ratios of 1:9 to 1...
Figure 2: SEM images of Sb2S3 crystalline flakes grown by spraying solutions with a precursor ratio of 1:6 on...
Figure 3: Cross-sectional SEM image of the glass/ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3 structure, the topmost Sb2S3 layer consists o...
Figure 4: A: Absorption coefficient α of Sb2S3 layers of nanoparticles grown by ultrasonic CSP with 3–9 depos...
Figure 5: Tauc plot of the optical transmittance spectra of the glass/ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3 layer stack, using α fro...
Figure 6: A: Cross-sectional SEM image of the glass/ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/Au solar cell, the 5-cycle Sb2S3 laye...
Figure 7: External quantum efficiency of glass/ITO/TiO2/Sb2S3/P3HT/Au solar cells. Sb2S3 layer was grown by s...
Figure 1: (a) Spectrum of sunlight and different active materials used in tandem organic solar cells. (b) The...
Figure 2: Schematic of the proposed simulation strategy for investigation and optimization of organic solar c...
Figure 3: Optical parameters and simulation results from the optical calculation module. The complex refracti...
Figure 4: (a) Morphologies generated for 1:1 P3HT (green)/PCBM (red) and (b) the dependence of the connectivi...
Figure 5: MC simulation results for P3HT/PCBM active layer with different D/A weight ratios. (a.1–5) presents...
Figure 6: MC simulation results for PCPDTBT/PCBM (1:2) active layer. (a.1–4) presents the EDE, carrier mobili...
Figure 7: One example of a J–V curve for a tandem structure constructed from J–V curves of sub-cells. Sub-cel...
Figure 8: Device performance calculated through the multiscale simulation for configuration A (a) and B (b). ...
Figure 9: (a) Presents the evolution of optimized active layer thicknesses during the search of the optimal P...
Figure 10: Optimal PCE values for different configurations and different D/A weight ratios in the P3HT/PCBM bl...
Figure 1: Schematic representation of the four different functionalization methods explored in this work. (a)...
Figure 2: DOE experimental results for adsorption (a) and directional (b) methods. Estimation of the effect o...
Figure 3: (a) Schematic representation of model ELISA and the basis of enhancement by means of AuNP probes. (...
Figure 4: Optimization of AuNP probe concentration to be used in ELISA. Assayed concentrations: 0.25, 0.5, 0....
Figure 5: Schematic representation of gliadin detection by indirect ELISA and the basis of enhancement by mea...