A hydrophilic polypyrrole/tellurium (PPy/Te) nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile approach in which H2TeO3 was used as the oxidizing agent of pyrrole and then the elemental Te formed in situ catalyzed the polymerization of pyrrole. The morphology and structure of the products were characterized by a series of testing technology. The electrochemical property and impedance of the PPy/Te nanocomposite were studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. Significantly, the charge-discharge measurement results show that the PPy/Te nanocomposite has high specific capacitance (2488 F/g, at 2 A/g) and good cyclability.

The cobalt sulfide/graphene oxide (CoS/GO) nanocomposite was synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction. The products as-synthesized were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, BET-BJH and TG. The electrochemical property and impedance of the CoS/GO nanocomposite were studied by cyclic voltammetry and EIS analysis, respectively. The results show that the presence of the GO enhances the electrode conductivity, and then improves the capacitance property of the CoS/GO nanocomposite. The galvanostatic charge/discharge measurement results show that the CoS/GO nanocomposite has a high specific capacitance (550 Fg-1) and long cycle life (over 1 000 cycles).

The combination of organic conducting polymer with inorganic semiconductor is one of the most important topics in developing photoelectric materials. In this work, bouquet-like polythiophene/tellurium (PTh/Te) nanocomposite was synthesized via the redox reaction of H2TeO3 and thiophene. The formation mechanism and effect factors of PTh/Te nanocomposite were discussed. It was found that the elemental Te formed in situ promoted the polymerization of thiophene, and the remainder H2TeO3 molecules adsorbed on the PTh chains made the nanocomposite soluble. The Z-scan test results show that the PTh/Te nanocomposite has a large two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-section and nonlinear optical (NLO) absorption coefficient.

•The rGQDs/SeNWs composite was synthesized by one-step electrodeposition.•Precursor GQDs were prepared by electrooxidation of graphite rod.•The composite was made up of trigonal phase Se NWs wrapped by rGQDs.•The rGQDs/SeNWs composite showed excellent photoelectric conversion.Using graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and H2SeO3 as precursors, the reduced graphene quantum dots/Se nanowires (rGQDs/SeNWs) composite was electro-synthesized in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The morphology and crystallization of the products as-synthesized was studied by a series of characterization techniques. The conductivity and photoresponse of rGQDs, Se NWs and rGQDs/SeNWs composite were determined respectively. Benefiting from the synergistic action of electron-deficient rGQDs and electron-rich Se NWs, significantly, the rGQDs/SeNWs composite showed excellent photoelectric conversion.

A facile one-step method for the synthesis of a water-soluble selenium/polypyrrole (Se/PPy) nanocomposite was developed. In the aqueous synthesis process, the pyrrole acted as a reductant for the reduction of H2SeO3, and then the elemental Se formed in situ acted as a catalyst for the polymerization of pyrrole. The characterization results show that the as-obtained composite (Se/PPy) is a spherical (Φ80 nm) product that is made up of amorphous Se particles coated by PPy layers. The formation mechanism and influence factors of the products were discussed, based on a series of experiments. It is proposed that remainder H2SeO3 adsorbed on the PPy chains increased the water-solubility and conductivity of the Se/PPy nanocomposite. Significantly, relying on the synergistic effect of photo-conductive Se nanoparticles and electric-conductive PPy molecules, the Se/PPy nanocomposite possesses a large two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section and good optical limiting properties, which were demonstrated by the Z-scan technique using a femtosecond laser. We believe that this work should be an interesting strategy for developing polymer composites with excellent optoelectrical properties.

Here we report that a novel zinc(II) complex with an intramolecular ‘push–pull’ structure was synthesized and fully characterized. For the zinc(II) complex, the photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength is at 460 nm and the excitation wavelength is at 380 nm. The two-photon absorption cross-section (σ) of the zinc(II) complex reached 140 GM (1 GM = 1 × 10−50 cm4 s photon−1). An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor could be built with a glass carbon disk electrode (GCE, Φ 4 mm) modified with the zinc(II) complex, and this exhibited an enhanced ECL intensity, good biocompatibility and long-term stability to detect ctDNA. Meanwhile, the reliability of the extracted signal was demonstrated in solutions of different pH values.

A novel composite of Ag nanodendrites (AgNDs) wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was prepared via a one-step electrodeposition approach. The characterization results show that three dimensional (3D) AgNDs with cubic phase are enwrapped by RGO sheets in the as-prepared RGO/AgNDs composite. Due to the synergistic effect of AgNDs and RGO, the RGO/AgNDs composite exhibited excellent photoelectrical conversion. Furthermore, due to its good electrochemical response to H2O2, an electrode modified with the RGO/AgNDs composite was used as a sensor for H2O2 detection, and the results show that the linear detection range is from 0.08 mM to 2.65 mM.

The electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior of the sulfur-terminal CdS2L complex synthesized in this work was studied, and the ECL mechanism and effect factors were discussed. Based on the strong and stable ECL emission of the CdS2L complex, a solid-state ECL sensor was fabricated. The as-prepared sensor was used to detect glutathione (GSH), and the results show that the linear response range is from 0.002 μM to 4 μM with a detection limit of 0.67 nM for GSH solution.

A novel molybdenum sulfide-chitosan/CdSe quantum dots (MoS2-CS/CdSe QDs) composite was prepared by a facile liquid chemistry procedure. The composition and morphology of the composite as-prepared were characterized by a series of measurements. The electrode modified with MoS2-CS/CdSe QDs composite has excellent electrochemiluminescence (ECL) property that benefited from the synergistic effect of MoS2 nanosheets, CdSe QDs, and CS molecules. Based on strong and stable ECL emission, the electrode as-modified was used as ECL sensor for the detection of uric acid (UA) and the results show that the detection linear range for UA is from 0.10 to 140 nM with the detection limit of 0.040 nM. Depending on its good sensitivity and selectivity, this ECL sensor was successfully applied to determine uric acid in urine sample.

An unlimited water-soluble white emitter with two-photon absorption has been designed and synthesized. Water solubility has strongly hindered the ability and application of white emitter with two-photon absorption (TPA) materials. To overcome this shortcoming, during the course of synthesis, the copolymer was prepared using the isocyanate and ligand esterification reaction. To test the performance of the product, a series of characterizations were implemented. New copolymer exhibits strong NIR absorption, low band gap and good thermal stability. Particularly, the copolymer demonstrates perfect water-solubility, two-photon absorption and the possibility to be a white emitter. These characters may significantly broaden the possibility of using TPA materials for display.

Two photons are simultaneously absorbed by a molecule when their frequencies correspond exactly to the energy between two eigenstates. In a medium, however, homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadenings strongly hinder this two-photon absorption. By compensating for the impedance mismatch between visible wavelengths and intense laser pulses, CdSe quantum dots can enhance light-matter interactions over a broad frequency range. We used CdSe quantum dots to enhance two photon absorption statistics of dye molecules. Qualitative agreement between the measured enhancement and the theoretically forecast enhancement indicate that the two-photon absorption cross-section (σ) can be increased by 500 GM (1 GM = 1 × 10−50 cm4 s per photon). The interactions between the chromophore and calf thymus DNA were investigated by UV-visible absorption experiments. The results show that the chromophore could interact with DNA in an intercalation mode and could therefore potentially be used in cell imaging applications.

•We prepared Sb2Te3 nanoplates via a simple hydrothermal method.•Reaction time is shorter than most of other work.•The mechanism of reaction was discussed.•The interesting electrochemical property was investigated.A rapid chemical method has been developed for the synthesis of the Sb2Te3 nanoplates with rhombohedral crystalline phase. The method is based on the template-engaged synthesis in which the Te nanorods were used as template reagents. On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the effect factors and the formation mechanism of the Sb2Te3 nanoplates were discussed. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of the Sb2Te3 nanoplates was determined by the voltammetric technique.

The polyaniline/TiO2/graphene oxide (PANI/TiO2/GO) composite, as a novel supercapacitor material, is synthesized by in situ hydrolyzation of tetrabutyl titanate and polymerization of aniline monomer in the presence of graphene oxide. The morphology, composition and structure of the composites as-obtained are characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD and TGA. The electrochemical property and impedance of the composites are studied by cyclic voltammetry and Nyquist plot, respectively. The results show that the introduction of the GO and TiO2 enhanced the electrode conductivity and stability, and then improved the supercapacitive behavior of PANI/TiO2/GO composite. Significantly, the electrochemical measurement results show that the PANI/TiO2/GO composite has a high specific capacitance (1020 F g−1 at 2 mV s−1, 430 F g−1 at 1 A g−1) and long cycle life (over 1000 times).Novel PANI/TiO2/GO composite is facilely synthesized by in situ polymerization. The test results show that the composite has a high specific capacitance (1020 F g−1 at 2 mV s−1, 430 F g−1 at 1 A g−1) and long cycle life (over 1000 times).

A novel strategy for the enhancement of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) was developed by combining CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with graphene oxide-chitosan (GO-CHIT). The ECL sensor fabricated with CdSe QDs/GO-CHIT composite exhibited high ECL intensity, good biocompatibility and long-term stability, and was used to detect of cytochrome C (Cyt C). The results show that the ECL sensor has high sensitivity for Cyt C with the linear range from 4.0 to 324 μM and the detection limit of 1.5 μM. Furthermore, the ECL sensor can selectively sense Cyt C from glucose and bovine serum albumin (BSA).Highlights► A novel composite was prepared by combining CdSe QDs, graphene oxide and chitosan. ► The composite as-prepared exhibited high ECL intensity and long-term stability. ► The composite ECL sensor has high sensitivity and good selectivity to cytochrome C.

CeO2/TiO2 composite with kernel–shell structure was synthesized by a sol–gel process. The characterization results show that the composite is made up of anatase phase TiO2 and cubic system CeO2. The electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior of the CeO2/TiO2 composite was studied by a cyclic voltammetry in the presence of persulfate, and the effect factors on ECL emission were discussed. Based on a series of experiments, it is proposed that the strong dual ECL emission produced by the CeO2/TiO2 composite resulted from the benefit ECL effect of interface heterojunction in composite.

A novel hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on the BPT/AuNPs/graphene/HRP composite was developed. Firstly, graphene was prepared under the protection of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and then the AuNPs/graphene composite was synthesized via in situ decoration. Using biphenyldimethanethiol (BPT) as a connector, the AuNPs/graphene composite was immobilized on the surface of the Au electrode, and whereafter the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was decorated on the surface of the composite by adsorption. The morphology and structure of the products were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and UV-visible spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic performance of the resulting BPT/AuNPs/grapheme/HRP composite (namely, biosensor) was studied by electrochemical instrument. The results show that the biosensor has high sensitivity and fast response to H2O2. In the solution of pH 7.4 with potential −0.2 V, the linear response of the biosensor to H2O2 ranges from 5.0×10−6 to 2.5×10−3 M with the detection limit of 1.5×10−6 M.

A simple solvothermal route was explored to prepare hierarchical, nanostructured flower-like bismuth oxychlorides (BiOCl) by employing pyridine as the solvent. The volume ratios of distilled water to pyridine play an important role in the assembly of the BiOCl nanostructure from nanoplates to nanoflowers. The as-prepared BiOCl nanoflowers were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen sorption. The resulting BiOCl nanoflowers with high specific surface area were phase-pure and self-assembled from thin nanoplates during the reaction process. In addition, the photocatalytic properties of the as-prepared samples were further investigated by photocatalytic decomposition of methyl orange (MO) dye, and it was found that the BiOCl nanoflowers showed a higher photocatalytic activity than that of TiO2 (Degussa, P25) under modeling sunlight.

In this paper, the TiO2/HS–CH2–COOH/Cu3Se2 composite film photoanodes were fabricated on conducting glass plates. Cu3Se2 nanoparticles were used as the sensitizer and the bi-functional modifier HS–CH2–COOH was used at the interface between Cu3Se2 and TiO2 films to improve the properties of the film photoanode. The characterization results show that the sol–gel prepared anatase TiO2 film has a compact and uniform surface, while the tetragonal Cu3Se2 film has a coarse surface which is made up of uniform elongated particles. The photoelectrochemical experimental results indicate that the TiO2/HS–CH2–COOH/Cu3Se2 composite film photoanodes have a good photovoltaic property.

A novel chemical method has been developed for the preparation of the PbTe nanorods. The method is based on the template-engaged synthesis in which the Te nanorods as-prepared were used as template reagent. On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the effects of the reaction time and temperature on the product were discussed, respectively. Besides the synthesis, the electrochemical property of the PbTe nanorods was determined, and useful results were obtained.

A novel chemical method has been developed for the preparation of PbSe nanotubes. The method is based on the template-engaged synthesis in which the as-prepared Se nanotubes were used as template reagent. On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the effect factors and the formation mechanism of the PbSe nanotubes were discussed. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of the PbSe nanotubes was studied.

The electrochemical behavior and the electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of the crystalline CuSe nanotubes as-prepared were present in this paper. The effect factors on these properties of the CuSe nanotubes, such as scan rate, scan potential scope and the acidity of electrolyte solution, were thoroughly studied. The results show that the electroactivity of the CuSe nanotubes could be enhanced in acidic or alkaline solution. With pulse potential scan, the CuSe nanotubes could produce excellent ECL in neutral aqueous solution.The electrochemical behavior and ECL property of the crystalline CuSe nanotubes as-prepared were studied. Based on a series of experiments, the effect factors on the cyclic voltammograms of CuSe nanotubes, such as scan rate, potential region and the acidity of electrolyte solution, were discussed. The results show that the electroactivity of CuSe nanotubes was higher in acidic or alkaline condition than in neutral condition. The excellent ECL of CuSe nanotubes was observed in neutral aqueous solution and the ECL mechanism was exploited.

A rapid chemical method has been developed for the synthesis of the Ag2Te nanorods with monoclinic crystalline phase. The method is based on the template-engaged synthesis in which the Te nanorods were used as template reagents. On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the effect factors and the formation mechanism of the Ag2Te nanorods were discussed. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of the Ag2Te nanorods was determined by the voltammetric technique.

A simple chemical method has been developed for the preparation of fringy CdSe wurtzite nanocrystals. The method is based on the template-engaged water-thermal synthesis in which the Se nanotubes were used as template reagent and NH3.H2O as reducer. The products were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS analyses. On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the effect factors and the formation mechanism for the CdSe nanocrystals were discussed. Furthermore, the photochemical, electrochemical, and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) properties of the CdSe nanocrystals were studied and significant results were obtained.

Ortho-CuAgSe nanotubes were facilely synthesized through a nanotube–nanotube transformation process in aqueous solution at room temperature. The products as-obtained were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and thermogravimetric (TG)/differential scanning calorimetric (DSC). On the basis of a series of the experiment results, the formation mechanism of ortho-CuAgSe nanotubes was proposed. From kinetics and energetics, it had been demonstrated that the exchange of univalent cation between ortho-Ag2Se (orthorhombic phase Ag2Se) nanotubes and ortho-Cu2Se nanotubes in the formation process of ortho-CuAgSe nanotubes was feasible in mild condition. Furthermore, the electrochemical property of the nanotubes as-obtained was studied by the voltammetric technique.

An unlimited water-soluble white emitter with two-photon absorption has been designed and synthesized. Water solubility has strongly hindered the ability and application of white emitter with two-photon absorption (TPA) materials. To overcome this shortcoming, during the course of synthesis, the copolymer was prepared using the isocyanate and ligand esterification reaction. To test the performance of the product, a series of characterizations were implemented. New copolymer exhibits strong NIR absorption, low band gap and good thermal stability. Particularly, the copolymer demonstrates perfect water-solubility, two-photon absorption and the possibility to be a white emitter. These characters may significantly broaden the possibility of using TPA materials for display.

The electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behavior of the sulfur-terminal CdS2L complex synthesized in this work was studied, and the ECL mechanism and effect factors were discussed. Based on the strong and stable ECL emission of the CdS2L complex, a solid-state ECL sensor was fabricated. The as-prepared sensor was used to detect glutathione (GSH), and the results show that the linear response range is from 0.002 μM to 4 μM with a detection limit of 0.67 nM for GSH solution.

A facile one-step method for the synthesis of a water-soluble selenium/polypyrrole (Se/PPy) nanocomposite was developed. In the aqueous synthesis process, the pyrrole acted as a reductant for the reduction of H2SeO3, and then the elemental Se formed in situ acted as a catalyst for the polymerization of pyrrole. The characterization results show that the as-obtained composite (Se/PPy) is a spherical (Φ80 nm) product that is made up of amorphous Se particles coated by PPy layers. The formation mechanism and influence factors of the products were discussed, based on a series of experiments. It is proposed that remainder H2SeO3 adsorbed on the PPy chains increased the water-solubility and conductivity of the Se/PPy nanocomposite. Significantly, relying on the synergistic effect of photo-conductive Se nanoparticles and electric-conductive PPy molecules, the Se/PPy nanocomposite possesses a large two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section and good optical limiting properties, which were demonstrated by the Z-scan technique using a femtosecond laser. We believe that this work should be an interesting strategy for developing polymer composites with excellent optoelectrical properties.