Emerging strategies in the sustainable removal of antibiotics using semiconductor-based photocatalysts

• Yunus Ahmed,
• Keya Rani Dutta,
• Parul Akhtar,
• Md. Arif Hossen,
• Md. Jahangir Alam,
• Obaid A. Alharbi,
• Hamad AlMohamadi and
• Abdul Wahab Mohammad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 264–285, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.21

• (antibiotics + HO• and/or O2•− → CO2 + H2O). Mechanisms of metal, nonmetal, or co-doped photocatalysts The large bandgap and high electron–hole recombination rate of traditional and single semiconductor photocatalysts limit their effectiveness under visible light, which hinders their practical application. To

• CB of the material [58][59]. This action serves to reduce the bandgap, which in turn extends the absorption wavelength edge towards the region of visible light [60][61]. The idea of modifying semiconductor materials in the second generation involves the process of co-doping with both metal and

• nonmetal atoms. This method has attracted considerable interest because of its synergistic effect on improving the absorption of visible light and minimizing electron–hole recombination [62][63][64]. However, these synthesized materials not only remove antibiotic pollutants but also impact the formation of

Recent advances in photothermal nanomaterials for ophthalmic applications

• Jiayuan Zhuang,
• Linhui Jia,
• Chenghao Li,
• Rui Yang,
• Jiapeng Wang,
• Wen-an Wang,
• Heng Zhou and
• Xiangxia Luo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 195–215, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.16

• light can be divided into ultraviolet (UV; 190–400 nm), visible light (400–780 nm) and near-infrared light (NIR; 780–2500 nm) [28][29]. UV light has shorter wavelengths and higher photon energies that can be absorbed by most body tissues. Hence, its penetration is limited, and it may trigger a number of

• photothermal conversion capabilities. For instance, titanium dioxide (TiO2) with a bandgap of 3.3 eV, which is transparent to visible light, primarily absorbs ultraviolet light, and common semiconductor materials are only weakly absorbent in the NIR range (Figure 2h) [78]. In comparison to LSPR metals and

• bandgap width of TiO2 (≈3.3 eV) is relatively large; thus, absorption of visible light is very weak. Through non-metallic doping, some localized states can be generated above the O 2p orbitals, and the valence band of TiO2 can be reconstructed, resulting in an upward shift of the valence band and a

Clays enhanced with niobium: potential in wastewater treatment and reuse as pigment with antibacterial activity

• Silvia Jaerger,
• Patricia Appelt,
• Mario Antônio Alves da Cunha,
• Fabián Ccahuana Ayma,
• Ricardo Schneider,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Fauze Jacó Anaissi

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 141–154, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.13

• present profiles like BE clay, with intense absorption in the UV region with a sharp drop of around 550 nm [8]. This fact indicates the feasibility of activating the A-BEPh, A-BEPhP, A-BEOx, and A-BEOXPh samples under visible light (above 400 nm) [8]. The indirect bandgap energy values for the BE, NbOPO4

Ultrablack color in velvet ant cuticle

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Wencke Krings,
• Juliana Reis Machado,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1554–1565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.122

• risen considerable interest in recent years because of its potential applications in various fields, including optics, camouflage, and solar energy harvesting [1][2]. These colors are characterized by their ability to reflect an exceptionally low amount of visible light. Inspired by several biological

Strain-induced bandgap engineering in 2D ψ-graphene materials: a first-principles study

• Kamal Kumar,
• Nora H. de Leeuw,
• Jost Adam and
• Abhishek Kumar Mishra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1440–1452, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.116

• calculations and concluded that ψ-graphene has the potential to be employed in infrared (IR) sensors, ultraviolet (UV) optomechanical sensors, and visible-light sensors [39]. Li et al. theoretically reported a maximum theoretical storage capacity of 372 mAh·g−1 for Li, showing its capability to be utilized as

Lithium niobate on insulator: an emerging nanophotonic crystal for optimized light control

• Midhun Murali,
• Amit Banerjee and
• Tanmoy Basu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1415–1426, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.114

• proposed wide reflected angle Ti3O5/SiO2 DBR (WRA-DBR) comprises six sub-DBRs tailored for various central wavelengths spanning from blue to red light. With superior reflectivity across the visible light spectrum and reduced angular dependency, the WRA-DBR achieves an average reflectivity of up to 99.73

Mn-doped ZnO nanopowders prepared by sol–gel and microwave-assisted sol–gel methods and their photocatalytic properties

• Cristina Maria Vlăduț,
• Crina Anastasescu,
• Silviu Preda,
• Oana Catalina Mocioiu,
• Simona Petrescu,
• Jeanina Pandele-Cusu,
• Dana Culita,
• Veronica Bratan,
• Ioan Balint and
• Maria Zaharescu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1283–1296, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.104

• photocatalytic properties of SG and MW. Based on these preliminary results, it is fully desirable to develop such engineered materials [57] for the removal of organic pollutants. It is important to expand the activity range of the materials from UV to visible light by tailoring the manganese addition to ZnO and

Photocatalytic methane oxidation over a TiO₂/SiNWs p–n junction catalyst at room temperature

• Qui Thanh Hoai Ta,
• Luan Minh Nguyen,
• Ngoc Hoi Nguyen,
• Phan Khanh Thinh Nguyen and
• Dai Hai Nguyen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1132–1141, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.92

• because of its high stability, good dispersibility, and narrow energy bandgap. However, pristine TiO2 shows only low photocatalytic efficiency because of the high recombination rate between holes and electrons and the low visible-light harvesting ability [20][21][22]. The rapid recombination of charge

• recorded in a batch reactor under different wavelengths of light. As shown in Figure 6b, no products were detected under the visible-light irradiation. The photocatalytic performance under UV illumination was significantly lower than that under full illumination. Figure 7 shows the recyclability of the p–n

Intermixing of MoS₂ and WS₂ photocatalysts toward methylene blue photodegradation

• Maryam Al Qaydi,
• Nitul S. Rajput,
• Michael Lejeune,
• Abdellatif Bouchalkha,
• Mimoun El Marssi,
• Steevy Cordette,
• Chaouki Kasmi and
• Mustapha Jouiad

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 817–829, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.68

• Arab Emirates 10.3762/bjnano.15.68 Abstract Visible-light-driven photocatalysis using layered materials has garnered increasing attention regarding the degradation of organic dyes. Herein, transition-metal dichalcogenides MoS2 and WS2 prepared by chemical vapor deposition as well as their intermixing

• several cycles. This finding underscores the advantageous outcomes of intermixing WS2 and MoS2, shedding light on the development of an efficient and enduring photocatalyst for visible-light-driven photodegradation of methylene blue. Keywords: methylene blue; MoS2/WS2 composite; photocatalysis

• , with over 99% degradation of MB achieved within 60 min under visible light exposure by using 10 mg of the catalyst to degrade 10 mg/L of MB [22]. Other works have shown that the MoS2–ZnO composite achieved 97% of MB photodegradation in ≈30 min under visible irradiation by using 250 mg/L of the catalyst

Simultaneous electrochemical determination of uric acid and hypoxanthine at a TiO₂/graphene quantum dot-modified electrode

• Vu Ngoc Hoang,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Le Vu Truong Son,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Vo Thang Nguyen,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Ly Hoang Diem,
• Kieu Chan Ly,
• Ho Sy Thang and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 719–732, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.60

• µL of 500 µM URI and 20 µL of 500 µM HYT before dilution to 10 mL. Results and Discussion Characterization of materials The mixtures of GQDs and TiO2/GQDs suspensions were exposed to visible and UV light to confirm their fluorescence behavior. Under visible light, the aqueous suspension of GQDs is

Exfoliation of titanium nitride using a non-thermal plasma process

• Priscila Jussiane Zambiazi,
• Dolores Ribeiro Ricci Lazar,
• Larissa Otubo,
• Rodrigo Fernando Brambilla de Souza,
• Almir Oliveira Neto and
• Cecilia Chaves Guedes-Silva

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 631–637, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.53

• ferromagnetic properties and demonstrated high visible-light photocatalytic activity when loaded onto titania nanotube arrays. Titanium nitride (TiN) has gained recognition as an advanced engineering material because of its outstanding chemical and thermal stability, extreme hardness, and electrical

Aero-ZnS prepared by physical vapor transport on three-dimensional networks of sacrificial ZnO microtetrapods

• Veaceslav Ursaki,
• Tudor Braniste,
• Victor Zalamai,
• Emil Rusu,
• Vladimir Ciobanu,
• Vadim Morari,
• Daniel Podgornii,
• Pier Carlo Ricci,
• Rainer Adelung and
• Ion Tiginyanu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 490–499, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.44

• also needed in view of the large specific surface area inherent to the produced aeromaterials and of the important role played by surface states in shifting the edge of the valence band, improving the visible-light photocatalytic properties, as shown by first-principle investigations in some

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots

• Vo Chau Ngoc Anh,
• Le Thi Thanh Nhi,
• Le Thi Kim Dung,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Truong Son,
• Nguyen Thi Thao Uyen,
• Nguyen Ngoc Uyen Thu,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Le Trung Hieu,
• Tran Ngoc Tuyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 475–489, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.43

• degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light. The catalyst can be recycled with an external magnetic field and displays suitable stability. Also, it was reused in three successive experiments with a loss of efficiency of about 5%. The CF/GQDs are considered as an efficient photocatalyst for MB

• photocorrosion and exhibits excellent reusability for the degradation process. The mechanism of MB degradation over the CF/GQDs catalyst is illustrated in Scheme 2. Under visible light irradiation, photogenerated holes (h+) are created in the valence bands via the transfer of photogenerated electrons (e−) from

• min). (a) Effects of addition of KI, IPA, KBrO3, and BQ on the visible-light-driven photocatalytic degradation of MB with CF@GQDs; (b) dependence of the chemical oxygen demand on the reaction time. (a) Cyclic photocatalytic degradation experiments of MB with CF/GQDs-200 photocatalyst; (b) XRD pattern

Comparative electron microscopy particle sizing of TiO₂ pigments: sample preparation and measurement

• Ralf Theissmann,
• Christopher Drury,
• Markus Rohe,
• Thomas Koch,
• Jochen Winkler and
• Petr Pikal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 317–332, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.29

• ) passes through a flat maximum in the pigment MinFeret size range between 110 and 220 nm. Particles with a MinFeret well below 100 nm have limited capability to scatter visible light, resulting in poorer tinting strength, and are consequently inefficient as pigments. The CIE b* values depict the ability

• practical and reliable way of verifying EM results for nearly spherical, non-porous, and non-aggregated particles without rugged surface treatment, even if they have been prepared by different methods. Pigmentary TiO2 must have a specific particle size range to scatter visible light effectively. The

• . In the case of TiO2 with a refractive index of 2.5–2.9 (depending on the crystal structure), the optimum particle size for visible light scattering is around 200 nm [12]. Particles of this size scatter mostly red and green light, so the tint of such material is yellow. If a bluer shade is required, a

A visible-light photodetector based on heterojunctions between CuO nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods

• Doan Nhat Giang,
• Nhat Minh Nguyen,
• Duc Anh Ngo,
• Thanh Trang Tran,
• Le Thai Duy,
• Cong Khanh Tran,
• Thi Thanh Van Tran,
• Phan Phuong Ha La and
• Vinh Quang Dang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1018–1027, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.84

• nanoparticles and ZnO nanorods obtained via a simple and cost-effective synthesis process has great potential for optoelectronic applications. Keywords: CuO nanoparticles; heterojunction; optoelectronics; visible-light photodetector; ZnO nanorods; Introduction Optoelectronics is a field to accelerate the

• a particular wavelength [9][10][11][12][13][14] and broadband PDs that work over a wide wavelength range [15]. Many researchers have focused on developing sensing materials operating in the visible-light region because this region is the biggest fraction of the solar spectrum (around 43%) [16][17

• [21]. Regardless, pure ZnO still has the considerable drawback of a wide bandgap (ca. 3.35 eV), which limits its usability for visible-light photodetectors. ZnO absorbs light only in the UV region (less than 4% of the sunlight spectrum) [23]. Extending the operation range of ZnO nanomaterials toward

Nanomaterials for photocatalysis and applications in environmental remediation and renewable energy

• Viet Van Pham and
• Wee-Jun Ong

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 722–724, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.58

• development of advanced materials based on semiconductors (i.e., carbon-modified hexagonal boron nitride (MBN), MgO@g-C3N4, and TiO2@MWCNTs) have indicated a highly efficient photocatalytic performance for phenol removal using a low-power visible LED light source. For NO degradation, a visible light source

Mixed oxides with corundum-type structure obtained from recycling can seals as paint pigments: color stability

• Dienifer F. L. Horsth,
• Julia de O. Primo,
• Nayara Balaba,
• Fauze J. Anaissi and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 467–477, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.37

• ) coloration of the mixed oxides was confirmed by XPS and visible-light absorption measurements. The colorimetric stability of the oxides in acid and alkaline environments was evaluated. After 240 h of exposure to harsh environments, both pigments demonstrated stability and showed no strong color difference

Conjugated photothermal materials and structure design for solar steam generation

• Chia-Yang Lin and
• Tsuyoshi Michinobu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 454–466, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.36

• produced the homogeneous formation of the APDA layer on the wood surface. The APDA-coated wood sample efficiently absorbed UV–visible light to more than 96%. In addition, the NIR absorption efficiency was also improved to more than 87% (Figure 8c). SSG structure In order to obtain a high vaporization

Plasmonic nanotechnology for photothermal applications – an evaluation

• A. R. Indhu,
• L. Keerthana and
• Gnanaprakash Dharmalingam

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 380–419, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.33

• incident radiation from the sun, 8% UV, 42.4% visible light, and 49.6% infrared radiation reach the earth's surface. Applications such as steam generation from solar power can evidently benefit from the use of materials that can absorb as much as possible of the entire spectrum of solar radiation. In this

Bismuth-based nanostructured photocatalysts for the remediation of antibiotics and organic dyes

• Akeem Adeyemi Oladipo and
• Faisal Suleiman Mustafa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 291–321, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.26

• ultraviolet light in the solar spectrum due to its broad bandgap of 3.2 eV, which limits the use of visible light. Because of this, the potential photocatalytic use of TiO2 is constrained and the photocatalytic effectiveness is reduced [19][20][25]. Table 1 compares some of the salient characteristics of some

• , nanometre-sized photocatalysts based on bismuth have recently been investigated and evaluated, because the majority of bismuth-based photocatalysts have a bandgap below 3.0 eV, making them usable in visible light. Additionally, their electrical structure produces a valence band with hybrid O 2p and Bi 6s

• . Different materials based on bismuth have been developed and used for a range of environmental remediation applications. For instance, Mu et al. [46] synthesised a Bi2S3/Bi4O7 heterostructure via an in situ sulfidation approach and utilised it for the degradation of rhodamine B dye under visible-light

Cyclodextrins as eminent constituents in nanoarchitectonics for drug delivery systems

• Makoto Komiyama

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 218–232, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.21

• opened for the release of encapsulated drug. In order to achieve photoinduced drug release through visible light, tetra-ortho-methoxy-substituted azobenzene (mAzo) can be used instead of unsubstituted azobenzene. The trans-to-cis isomerization of this chromophore proceeds under irradiation with red or

• green light, and the reverse cis-to-trans isomerization occurs under blue light [50]. Compared with UV light, visible light is advantageous for medical applications, since it can penetrate more deeply into tissues and causes less photodamage to healthy cells. In the same way as unsubstituted azobenzene

• ) light is more advantageous than UV and visible light, since it penetrates more efficiently into tissues, and the toxicity is marginal. However, most photoisomerizable dyes (azobenzenes and arylazopyrazoles) require UV or visible light and are incompatible with NIR. The most straightforward strategy is

Structural, optical, and bioimaging characterization of carbon quantum dots solvothermally synthesized from o-phenylenediamine

• Zoran M. Marković,
• Milica D. Budimir,
• Martin Danko,
• Dušan D. Milivojević,
• Pavel Kubat,
• Danica Z. Zmejkoski,
• Vladimir B. Pavlović,
• Marija M. Mojsin,
• Milena J. Stevanović and
• Biljana M. Todorović Marković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 165–174, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.17

• and thermally stable, quasi-spherical, photoluminescent material with very good antibacterial and anticancer properties under visible light irradiation [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. This material has very good biocompatibility, including low dark cytotoxicity and good cell proliferation

• (nitrogen, chlorine, and fluorine) affected structural properties and ROS production with or without visible light irradiation. In addition, we examined antibacterial and cytotoxic properties. An important issue is the preparation of CQDs and polymer-based composites and their possible antibacterial

• toluene solution of CQDs has a strong broad absorption band at 248 nm with a shoulder at 224 nm, which represents the π–π* transition of C=C bonds. Apart from this broad band, there is a shoulder peak at 330 nm corresponding to the n–π* transition of C=O [32]. In the visible light region, at 444 nm, there

Photoelectrochemical water oxidation over TiO₂ nanotubes modified with MoS₂ and g-C₃N₄

• Phuong Hoang Nguyen,
• Thi Minh Cao,
• Tho Truong Nguyen,
• Hien Duy Tong and
• Viet Van Pham

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1541–1550, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.127

• O–H bonds, which are caused by air humidity. To confirm the ability of the heterojunctions to enhance absorption in the visible-light region, the DRS spectra and Tauc plots were recorded and are presented in Figure 4. It can be easily observed in Figure 4a that the TNAs show a strong absorption edge

• at 393 nm. This means that TNAs are only activated by near-UV irradiation. In contrast, the g-C3N4 sample shows an absorption edge at 464 nm. Meanwhile, MoS2 exhibits strong absorption from the UV region extending to the entire visible-light region. It can be seen that the loading of both MoS2 and g

• -C3N4 on the TNAs surface extended the absorption to the visible-light range. Specifically, the absorption edge of the g-C3N4/TNAs and MoS2/TNAs samples shifted to 442 and 425 nm, respectively. Besides, a remarkable feature of the DRS spectrum of MoS2 is a superior absorption ability in the whole

A TiO₂@MWCNTs nanocomposite photoanode for solar-driven water splitting

• Anh Quynh Huu Le,
• Ngoc Nhu Thi Nguyen,
• Hai Duy Tran,
• Van-Huy Nguyen and
• Le-Hai Tran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1520–1530, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.125

• -scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and linear sweep voltammetry. The results show that the TiO2@MWCNTs nanocomposite has an optical bandgap of 2.5 eV, which is a significant improvement in visible-light absorption capability compared to TiO2 (3.14 eV). The

• mesoscale TiO2 [2][3]. This results in an improvement of the photon efficiency of TiO2 nanoparticles. Reducing the dimension of the photocatalyst favors not only a bandgap shift to the visible-light region but, unfortunately, also the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes (e−/h+), which limits

• been developed to increase the absorption of visible solar light [6][7]. Notably, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are a promising material for visible-light absorption [8]. A combination of TiO2 with CNTs can effectively enhance the separation of e−/h+ pairs based on the high electric conductivity of CNTs

LED-light-activated photocatalytic performance of metal-free carbon-modified hexagonal boron nitride towards degradation of methylene blue and phenol

• Nirmalendu S. Mishra and
• Pichiah Saravanan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1380–1392, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.114

• -photoresponsive hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) into a visible-light-responsive material. The carbon modification was achieved through a solid-state reaction procedure inside a tube furnace under nitrogen atmosphere. In comparison to HBN (bandgap of 5.2 eV), the carbon-modified boron nitride could efficiently

• absorb LED light irradiation with a light harvesting efficiency of ≈90% and a direct bandgap of 2 eV. The introduction of carbon into the HBN lattice led to a significant change in the electronic environment through the formation of C–B and C–N bonds which resulted in improved visible light activity

• , respectively. The setup consists of a 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte/hole-scavenger solution along with LED lamps as a visible light source. The working electrode was fabricated through an ITO-PTFE electrode (dimensions: 1 cm × 1 cm) drop casted with a slurry of the studied materials, isopropanol and Nafion solution