This book introduces readers to the preparation of two-dimensional metal sulfide/oxide for CO2 photoreduction. Based on two-dimensional metal sulfide/oxide materials, this book establishes the structure-to-property relationships of photocatalyst for CO2 photoreduction, and reveals the intrinsic mechanism of the CO2 photoreduction by virtue of the in situ characterization techniques and the density functional theory calculations. It is anticipated that this book will help to identify empirical guidelines for designing and fabricating high-performance catalysts of solar-driven CO2 reduction.

This book presents comprehensive reviews on the latest developments of nanotechnologies to detect and remove pollutants in water, air and food. Polymer nanocomposites, nanoparticles from microbes and the application of nanotechnologies for desalination and agriculture are also discussed. Pollution of water and air by contaminants and diseases is a major health issue leading globally to millions of deaths yearly according to the World Health Organization. Such issue requires advanced methods to clean environmental media.

Nanostructured materials with tailored properties are regarded as a fundamental element in the development of future science and technology. Research is still ongoing into the nanosized construction elements required to create functional solids. The recently developed technique, nanocasting, has great advantage over others in terms of the synthesis of special nanostructured materials by the careful choice of suitable elements and nanoengineering steps. This new book summarizes the recent developments in nanocasting, including the principles of nanocasting, syntheses of novel nanostructured materials, characterization methods, detailed synthetic recipes and further possible development in this area. The book focuses on the synthesis of porous solids from the viewpoint of methodology and introduces the science of nanocasting from fundamental principles to their use in synthesis of various materials. It starts by outlining the principles of nanocasting, requirements to the templates and precursors and the tools needed to probe matter at the nanoscale level. It describes how to synthesize nano structured porous solids with defined characteristics and finally discusses the functionalization and application of porous solids. Special attention is given to new developments in this field and future perspectives. A useful appendix covering the detailed synthetic recipes of various templates including porous silica, porous carbon and colloidal spheres is included which will be invaluable to researchers wanting to follow and reproduce nanocast materials. Topics covered in the book include: * inorganic chemistry * organic chemistry * solution chemistry * sol-gel and interface science * acid-base equilibria * electrochemistry * biochemistry * confined synthesis The book gives readers not only an overview of nanocasting technology, but also sufficient information and knowledge for those wanting to prepare various nanostructured materials without needing to search the available literature.

This book comprises a detailed overview on the role of photocatalysts for environmental remediation, hydrogen production and carbon dioxide reduction. Effective ways to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the material via doping, hybrid material, laser light and nanocomposites have been discussed in this book. The book also further elaborates the role of metal nanoparticles, rare earth doping, sensitizers, surface oxygen vacancy, interface engineering and band gap engineering for enhancing the photocatalytic activity. An approach to recover the photocatalytic material via immobilization is also presented. This book brings to light much of the recent research in the development of such semiconductor photocatalytic systems. The book will thus be of relevance to researchers in the field of: material science, environmental science & technology, photocatalytic applications, newer methods of energy generation & conversion and industrial applications.

This book guides beginners in the areas of thin film preparation, characterization, and device making, while providing insight into these areas for experts. As chemically deposited metal oxides are currently gaining attention in development of devices such as solar cells, supercapacitors, batteries, sensors, etc., the book illustrates how the chemical deposition route is emerging as a relatively inexpensive, simple, and convenient solution for large area deposition. The advancement in the nanostructured materials for the development of devices is fully discussed.

Following an introduction to biogenic metal nanoparticles, this book presents how they can be biosynthesized using bacteria, fungi and yeast, as well as their potential applications in biomedicine. It is shown that the synthesis of nanoparticles using microbes is eco-friendly and results in reproducible metal nanoparticles of well-defined sizes, shapes and structures. This biotechnological approach based on the process of biomineralization exploits the effectiveness and flexibility of biological systems. Chapters include practical protocols for microbial synthesis of nanoparticles and microbial screening methods for isolating a specific nanoparticle producer as well as reviews on process optimization, industrial scale production, biomolecule-nanoparticle interactions, magnetosomes, silver nanoparticles and their numerous applications in medicine, and the application of gold nanoparticles in developing sensitive biosensors.

The book explains the principles and fundamentals of photocatalysis and highlights the current developments and future potential of the green-chemistry-oriented applications of various inorganic, organic, and hybrid photocatalysts. The book consists of eleven chapters, including the principles and fundamentals of heterogeneous photocatalysis; the mechanisms and dynamics of surface photocatalysis; research on TiO2-based composites with unique nanostructures; the latest developments and advances in exploiting photocatalyst alternatives to TiO2; and photocatalytic materials for applications other than the traditional degradation of pollutants, such as carbon dioxide reduction, water oxidation, a complete spectrum of selective organic transformations and water splitting by photocatalytic reduction. In addition, heterogeneized polyoxometalate materials for photocatalytic purposes and the proper design of photocatalytic reactors and modeling of light are also discussed. This book appeals to a wide readership of the academic and industrial researchers and it can also be used in the classroom for undergraduate and graduate students focusing on heterogeneous photocatalysis, sustainable chemistry, energy conversion and storage, nanotechnology, chemical engineering, environmental protection, optoelectronics, sensors, and surface and interface science. Juan Carlos Colmenares is a Professor at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland. Yi-Jun Xu is a Professor at the State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, China.