The continued accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) remains a critical driver of climate change, necessitating the urgent development of technologies that not only capture CO₂ but also convert it into value-added chemicals. One promising strategy is the direct photocatalytic transformation of CO₂ into solar fuels and platform chemicals using abundant semiconductor materials. However, the success of this approach hinges not only on catalytic activity but also on selectivity, favoring the formation of specific products to eliminate costly downstream separation. The pursuit of efficient photocatalytic materials for carbon dioxide (CO₂) reduction is central to sustainable energy innovation. Copper(I) oxide (Cu₂O), a visible-light-responsive semiconductor, is attracting renewed interest for its ability to drive the selective production of C₂+ products—particularly methanol, a key energy carrier and feedstock for green fuels. In this study, we report the photocatalytic performance of structurally distinct, bare Cu₂O particles synthesized via a glucose-assisted reductive precipitation method. By modulating reaction conditions, we obtained Cu₂O with varied morphologies and crystallite sizes, which were systematically characterized to establish structure–property relationships. Photocatalytic experiments conducted under simulated sunlight revealed that spherical Cu₂O structures exhibited enhanced methanol selectivity, while smaller particles consistently delivered higher overall activity. These trends were attributed to improved charge carrier separation, increased surface area, and favorable facet exposure. This work underscores the potential of unmodified Cu₂O as a cost-effective photocatalyst for CO₂ valorization. Importantly, the findings demonstrate how rational control over catalyst morphology can be leveraged to guide selectivity toward methanol under mild, solar-driven conditions, supporting the development of low-carbon pathways to liquid solar fuels.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as one of the most promising and economically viable options for solar energy conversion, outperforming many traditional technologies. Their remarkable features, including high power conversion efficiency (PCE), low-cost solution processability, excellent optical transparency, and mechanical flexibility, make them attractive for use in a wide range of photoelectronic applications, such as flexible solar panels, building-integrated photovoltaics, and wearable electronics. However, despite their outstanding initial performance, issues related to their stability, reproducibility, and environmental impact continue to present challenges for their commercialization.

In this study, we investigated a sustainable approach to improving PSCs by incorporating naturally occurring small organic molecules as additives. Specifically, curcumin, a bio-derived compound known for its hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups, was introduced into the perovskite precursor solution. These functional groups could strongly interact with the perovskite components, facilitating improved crystallization, passivating surface defects, and enhancing the electronic properties of the resulting films.

The incorporation of curcumin led to a notable increase in the devices' efficiency, boosting the PCE from 18.27% to 20.27%. Additionally, the devices exhibited significantly improved thermal and moisture stability, along with enhanced reproducibility across multiple batches. This result suggests that curcumin not only aids in forming high-quality perovskite films but also acts as a protective agent against environmental degradation.

Introduction

The advancement of nanoscience and technology has brought new insight into the field of DSSCs (dye-sensitized solar cells). In this work, DSSCs werefabricated on top of an ITO (indium-doped tin oxide) film deposited by magnetron sputtering in the presence of monolithic inert gas. Further, the use of brookite TiO₂ as a photoanode proved to have a significant influence on enhancing efficiency compared to the standard device.

Methods

The ITO layers were manufactured in the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering system following our recent report at a pressure set point of 5 × 10⁻³ mbar, with an RF power of 70 W, rotation speed of 20 a.u., and Ar flow of 20 sccm. After the film deposition, it was annealed at 500 °C for 2 h in a nitrogen atmosphere. The brookite TiO₂ was synthesized following our previous report, and a paste was prepared using ethyl cellulose, terpineol, and ethanol. The paste was coated by doctor blading and annealed at 400 °C, followed by cooling. For a sandwich-type device fabrication, N719 dye, iodide-tri-iodide electrolyte, and a Pt top electrode were used.

Results

The 150 nm coated ITO film gave a nice balance of sheet resistance and transmittance of ~10 Ohm/square and ~80%, respectively. The champion device with sputtering-deposited ITO and brookite TiO₂ produced a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.7%, which is 28% higher compared to a commercial TiO₂/ITO glass-based champion device. The photovoltaic outcome was further verified using external quantum efficiency and impedance spectroscopy measurements.

Conclusions

The introduction of laboratory-developed ITO and combination with synthesized brookite TiO₂ shows a new approach to enhancing the efficiency of DSSCs. The importance of quality thin-film deposition by RF magnetron and the importance of the variable crystal structure of TiO₂ or other semiconducting materials for photovoltaic devices are demonstrated.

LiDAR active remote sensing provides vertical measurement (10s of meters) profiles of aerosols and clouds, which can be applied for air quality analysis. LiDAR sensors generate their own energy, and measurements occur during both the day and night. This study uses volume data collected by the CALIPSO LiDAR satellite. CALIPSO stands for Cloud–Aerosol LiDAR and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations and was launched by NASA and CNES to measure the vertical distribution of aerosols and clouds. The measurements contain narrow curtains that are scanned to determine their wavelengths in the Electromagnetic spectrum.

The main objective of this study consists of analyzing the air quality using LiDAR data, such that the information included in the curtain is interpreted to discern the cloud phase and aerosol type. To this end, we present a data-driven framework protocol. First, an analysis of the total attenuated backscatter at 532 nm, known as the level-1 product, is provided. Second, the level-2 product Cloud–Aerosol Discrimination is used to capture the characteristics of the aerosols and clouds. Third, the aerosol type is classified as polluted or clean.

The dataset considered in the experiments was acquired by CALIPSO on 04 July 2020. The images include two sets of the total attenuated backscatter at wavelengths of 532 nm and 1064 nm. The analysis of the results is presented as follows. The LiDAR curtain contains several features that differ between lower latitudes (left) and higher latitudes (right). At latitudes ranging from ~ 30 to 36°N, high-intensity features are noticed between altitudes of 5km and 10km, which are classified as desert dust. However, from latitudes of 5.97 to -0.16°N and at altitudes lower than 5km, the aerosols are classified as desert and polluted dust, which correspond to biomass burning. To conclude, the results presented in this study are confirmed by the pixel intensities of various features present in the LiDAR curtain.

Water plays pivotal role in life. Problems occur when human being and wildlife do not have access to fresh water. In modern day society, with the advancement of technology, it is important to improve the quality of water. There are innumerable methods used for the treatment of wastewater, such as conventional adsorption, flocculation, filtration—although these are only used for primary wastewater treatment—along with physical, biological, chemical, and mixed treatment methods.. In order to overcome all these issues with conventional methods, we have developed Fe nanoparticles by adding FeCl₃ 0.1 M solution to plant extracts and LDS nano catalysts fvia the co-precipitation method through the addition of MI and MII metals with the addition of a base. Nanotechnology is evolving in allareas of science and engineering; our main objective is to evaluate the application of Fe NPs and layered double hydroxides (LDHs nano particles, which were characterized by SEM analysis for determining morphology. A 15–13mm spherical shape was formed. The FTIR results at 3272 and 1000 cm⁻¹ were to the presence of several biomolecules during the formation of Fe NPs, and we successfully removed MB and MO from water. Fe NP and LDH nanomaterials show promise in future use for the treatment of wastewater and in many industries at a global level.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an inorganic free radical that plays a multifaceted role in regulating numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes and is gaining increasing recognition as a powerful unconventional therapeutic agent for the treatment of severe diseases, including cancer. However, its high reactivity and the need for precise control over its site- and time-specific release pose significant challenges for clinical translation. Light-triggered delivery of NO from suitable photoprecursors represents a compelling strategy to address these challenges, especially if its delivery times are compatible with therapeutic windows.

Here, we present a conceptually novel supramolecular approach for the catalytic photoactivation of a blue light-responsive NO photodonor (NOPD) using biocompatible red light, which is made possible by photosensitized energy transfer within nanocarriers. This strategy achieves a remarkable red-shift of approximately 300 nm, enabling activation at longer, clinically relevant wavelengths.

By co-encapsulating red light-absorbing photosensitizers (PSs) and the NOPD into various biocompatible nanocarriers, we establish a new photoreactive environment where the PS triplet state initiates NO release through an oxygen-competitive pathway. This ensures effective release under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, broadening potential biological applications.

Notably, the process also yields a fluorescent photoproduct, offering a built-in optical reporter for real-time monitoring of NO generation. This integrated activation/reporting mechanism, achieved without chemical modification of the NOPD or the use of complex light sources, introduces a versatile and scalable platform for NO-based phototherapies. This work offers a transformative advance in light-mediated NO delivery by uniting supramolecular photochemistry, nanotechnology, and clinical biocompatibility, opening up new avenues for minimally invasive therapeutic strategies.

Chronic wounds are a significant and increasingly prevalent public health problem, characterized by a prolonged inflammatory phase and healing time, with a strong impact on healthcare systems and patients’ quality of life. Furthermore, the high risk of infections and the development of biofilms in wound beds are difficult to treat, especially with growing antimicrobial resistance. In this context, natural compounds show great potential for wound management due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. The combination of several compounds with different bioactivities can simultaneously treat multiple aspects of wound healing, thereby potentially achieving a synergistic effect.

In this work, we developed a topical liposomal formulation co-encapsulating two phytocompounds with different physicochemical properties to enhance wound healing. Liposomes composed of an 80:20 molar ratio of lipid 1:lipid 2 were prepared using the thin-film hydration method. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles, including their mean particle size and polydispersity index (PDI), were evaluated using dynamic light scattering, and their zeta potential was measured using electrophoretic light scattering. The encapsulation efficiency was determined after filtration through ultracentrifugation by quantifying the phytocompound content in the filtrate using high-performance liquid chromatography.

The dual-loaded liposomes exhibited a mean particle size of 134.08 ± 16.27 nm, a PDI of 0.21 ± 0.05, and a zeta potential of -15.57 ± 9.20 mV. Both phytocompounds were effectively encapsulated, with encapsulation efficiencies of 91.36 ± 0.01% for the hydrophobic compound and 41.76 ± 5.05% for the hydrophilic compound. The physicochemical properties indicated a homogeneous and stable system with a small size suitable for skin application, with the potential to facilitate the penetration and co-delivery of encapsulated compounds into deeper layers.

These preliminary findings suggest that liposomes are promising carriers for the co-encapsulation of natural compounds. Further antioxidant and in vitro release studies are being conducted to complement these results.

This study reports the effective adsorptive removal of amoxicillin from aqueous solutions using halloysite nanotubes as adsorbents. Pharmaceuticals are identified as well-known emerging pollutants which can pose risks to aquatic life and other organisms due to their toxicity. Toxicity may cause long-term effects even if they are present in trace levels. Among them, amoxicillin is the most widely used drug for the treatment of bacterial infections. As they are used extensively, they can be found in different environmental compartments. Studies have shown that drugs cannot be absorbed and digested well by living organisms. In this study, halloysite nanotubes were selected due to their high adsorption capacity, wider porous structure and cost effectiveness. In the study, Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were used to investigate adsorption isotherms. Also, kinetic studies were evaluated using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intra-particle diffusion modules. Langmuir isotherm was found to be the best fitted isotherm for the experimental data, which indicated a monolayer adsorption. Kinetic data were also fitted to pseudo-second-order and Elovich modules. The structural and surface properties of halloysite nanocomposites were characterized by X- Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The maximum adsorption capacity was 118.75 mg/g and a 70.03% removal efficiency was observed. Unlike other tubular materials, halloysite is an abundantly available natural nanomaterial, which makes it attractive and convenient for technological applications.

Plastics are widely used across various industries due to their light weight, durability, and low cost. However, their extensive use has led to environmental contamination, with microplastics and nanoplastics (NPs) becoming emerging pollutants of global concern. These particles can enter the food chain and pose significant threats to food safety and human health. While numerous studies have examined the accumulation, translocation, and toxicity of nanoplastics in herbaceous crops, their potential impact on woody nut-producing species remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the effects of NPs on the nuts of Torreya grandis, a commercially and nutritionally important tree species. Our preliminary results demonstrated that exogenously applied NPs could penetrate the nut tissue and accumulate internally. This accumulation significantly reduced nut size and led to a notable change in key nutritional components, including sucrose and oils. Transcriptome analysis revealed that nut size reduction was associated with alterations in multiple metabolic and signaling pathways. In particular, genes involved in sucrose biosynthesis were significantly downregulated following NP exposure, suggesting a direct link between nanoplastic stress and impaired carbon metabolism. In summary, this study provides novel insights into the adverse effects of NPs on nut development and nutritional quality in T. grandis, and highlights the potential ecological and food safety risks posed by nanoplastic contamination in perennial nut crops.

The hydrothermal process assisted by microwaves offers several advantages for processing various materials, including nanoparticles. In this study, we synthesized pure SnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) and Cu-SnO₂ and Zn-SnO₂ nanocomposites using the hydrothermal synthesis method. Characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to confirm the successful synthesis. The XRD analysis revealed that all NPs had a tetragonal rutile crystal structure. FTIR identified a range of functional groups, while SEM images showed that pure SnO₂ NPs formed small clusters. In contrast, the Cu-SnO₂ NPs displayed a semi-spherical shape, and the Zn-SnO₂ NPs exhibited larger spherical structures and interconnected clusters. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of tin (Sn), oxygen (O), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). The formed nanocomposites were then tested for degradation of indigo caramine and para-nitrophenol. Photocatalytic activity tests demonstrated that Cu-SnO₂ NPs were less effective in degrading toxic indigo carmine dye and para-nitrophenol samples. However, Zn-SnO₂ NPs achieved complete degradation of these compounds within six hours. The findings indicate that the synthesized nanoparticles can effectively degrade the toxicity of harmful substances, such as para-nitrophenol, found in wastewater. This efficacy can be attributed to the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs made possible by surface modification. The unique properties of the prepared nanoparticles makes them valuable in tackling environmental pollution challenges.