SnO2 nanostructured materials used as gas sensors for the detection of hazardous and flammable gases: A reviewYulin Kong, Yuxiu Li, Xiuxiu Cui et al.|Nano Materials Science|2021 SnO2 has been extensively used in the detection of various gases. As a gas sensing material, SnO2 has excellent physical-chemical properties, high reliability, and short adsorption-desorption time. The application of the traditional SnO2 gas sensor is limited due to its higher work-temperature, low gas response, and poor selectivity. Nanomaterials can significantly impact gas-sensitive properties due to the quantum size, surface, and small size effects of nanomaterials. By applying nanotechnology to the preparation of SnO2, the SnO2 nanomaterial-based sensors could show better performance, which greatly expands the application of SnO2 gas sensors. In this review, the preparation method of the SnO2 nanostructure, the types of gas detected, and the improvements of SnO2 gas-sensing performances via elemental modification are introduced as well as the future development of SnO2 is discussed.
Designing heterostructured FeP—CoP for oxygen evolution reaction: Interface engineering to enhance electrocatalytic performanceShuang Hou, Ansai Zhang, Qi Zhou et al.|Nano Research|2023 It is significant to develop highly efficient electrocatalysts for energy conversion systems. Interface engineering is one of the most feasible approaches to effectively enhance the electrocatalytic activity. Herein, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations predict that the potential barriers of Fe sites at the interface of FeP—CoP heterostructures are lower than that of Fe sites in FeP nanoparticles (NPs), Co sites in CoP NPs, or Co sites in heterostructures. Motivated by the DFT calculation results, FeP—CoP heterostructures have been designed and synthesized by a metal—organic frameworks (MOFs) confined-phosphorization method. The FeP—CoP exhibits the lowest overpotential of 230 mV at the current density of 10 mA·cm−2 for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), compared with FeP (470 mV) and CoP (340 mV), which outperforms most of transition metal-based catalysts. The Tafel analysis of FeP—CoP heterostructures shows an improved reaction kinetic pathway with the smallest slope of 90.3 mV·dec−1, as compared to the Tafel slopes of FeP NPs (137 mV·dec−1) and CoP NPs (114 mV·dec−1). And the FeP—CoP shows extraordinary long-term stability over 24 h. The excellent activity and long-term stability of FeP—CoP derive from the synergistic effect between FeP and CoP.