@article{18558,
  abstract     = {The current investigation presents a facile and cost-effective sol-gel approach for the synthesis of phase-pure multiferroic bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) nanoparticles (BFO NPs) by using propylene glycol as a complexing agent, intended for use as a photocatalyst to efficiently degrade organic dyes in aqueous solutions under natural sunlight. Characterization techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), elucidated a plausible reaction pathway for the formation of phase-pure BFO NPs. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data, in conjunction with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy, confirmed the synthesis of single-phase BFO NPs at 400 °C, displaying a space group of R3c and an average crystallite size of 25 nm. UV–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy revealed an absorption cut-off wavelength near 590 nm, corresponding to a band gap of 2.08 eV, indicating the capability of BFO NPs to absorb visible light within the 400–590 nm range. BFO NPs have shown efficient and rapid photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in acidic, neutral, and basic pH conditions under natural sunlight. This is attributed to the intrinsic ferroelectric and ferromagnetic ordering present in synthesized BFO NPs which facilitates the separation and migration of photoinduced charges through band bending phenomena at the interface.},
  author       = {Verma, Madhu and Kumar, Ajay and Thakur, Vijay Kumar and Maurya, Akanksha and Kumar, Sachin and Singh, Saurabh and Srivastav, Simant Kumar},
  issn         = {1573-4846},
  journal      = {Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology},
  pages        = {356--373},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Efficient and rapid sunlight-driven photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using multiferroic BiFeO3 nanoparticles}},
  doi          = {10.1007/s10971-024-06607-2},
  volume       = {113},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{7294,
  abstract     = {Mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 and TiO2–V2O5 microspheres were prepared by non-hydrolytic sol–gel from TiCl4, VOCl3, and iPr2O at 110 °C without any solvent or additives. The samples were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen physisorption, and impedance measurements. At low vanadium loadings, only TiO2 anatase was detected, and V2O5 scherbinaite was also detected at high vanadium loadings. The texture of the samples depended on the V loading, but all the samples appeared built of primary nanoparticles (≈10–20 nm in size) that aggregate to form mesoporous micron-sized spheres. The lithium insertion properties of these materials were evaluated by galvanostatic measurements taken using coin-type cells, in view of their application as electrode for rechargeable Li-ion batteries. The mesoporous TiO2 microspheres showed good performances, with a specific reversible capacity of 145 and 128 mAh g−1 at C/2 and C, respectively (C = 335.6 mA g−1), good coulombic efficiency, and a moderate capacity fade (6 %) from the 2nd to the 20th cycle at C/20. Although the addition of V effectively increased the electronic conductivity of the powders, the specific reversible capacity and cycling performances of the TiO2–V2O5 samples were only minimally improved for a 5 at% V loading and were lower at higher V loading.},
  author       = {Escamilla-Pérez, A. M. and Louvain, N. and Kaschowitz, M. and Freunberger, Stefan Alexander and Fontaine, O. and Boury, B. and Brun, N. and Mutin, P. H.},
  issn         = {0928-0707},
  journal      = {Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology},
  number       = {2},
  pages        = {270--278},
  publisher    = {Springer Nature},
  title        = {{Lithium insertion properties of mesoporous nanocrystalline TiO2 and TiO2–V2O5 microspheres prepared by non-hydrolytic sol–gel}},
  doi          = {10.1007/s10971-016-4037-9},
  volume       = {79},
  year         = {2016},
}