A facile, green strategy is explored to obtain mesoporous titanium glycolate (Ti(OCH2CH2O)2) via a one-pot hydrothermal reaction. The mesoporous Ti(OCH2CH2O)2 nanomaterials take on a three-dimensional V-type stripe structure with a specific surface area of 246.5 m2 g−1 and present an excellent adsorption capacity of toxic heavy metal ions in aqueous solution, 225.73 mg g−1 for Pb(II), 131.93 mg g−1 for As(V) and 156.01 mg g−1 for As(III) with fast adsorption rates. The removal mechanism was found to derive from the electrostatic interaction or coordination interaction between Ti(OCH2CH2O)2 and heavy metal ions in aqueous solution since the mesoporous materials display a pH-dependent effect for arsenic removal.

Here we describe a highly porous metal–organic framework MIL-100(Fe), which is initially used as an arsenate adsorbent in water. An appropriate mesoporous size allows AsO43− to enter unrestrained and then be captured successfully, furthermore resulting in the damage of long-range order of uniform mesopores. Moreover, the porous framework could also make AsO43− be reversibly desorbed without structural changes and the long-range order of mesopores be recovered again.

The effects of the chemical composition on the properties, such as morphology, surface area, crystallinity and crystal structure, of magnesium titanate nanorods have been investigated. The adsorption performance of the magnesium titanate nanorods with changed chemical compositions presented a significant difference. The amorphous sample Ti/Mg-1/5-500 with the highest surface area of 152 m2 g−1 possessed the highest Pb2+ adsorption capacity of 241 mg g−1.

A novel flower-like Ti(HPO4)2·H2O microstructures were synthesized via a low-cost and credible method at low temperature. The assembly process was characterized in detail and a possible formation mechanism of the hierarchical microstructures was clarified. The obtained products possess a high surface area and excellent adsorption capacity for lead ion removal.

A kind of hierarchical porous magnetic Fe2O3@AlO(OH) superstructure nanomaterial was prepared by a facile method involving ethylene glycol as both cross linker and stabilizing agent. The resulting hierarchical material shows ultrafast adsorption rates and high adsorption capacities for removal of Pb(II), As(V) and Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution.

Novel graphene-like Fe2O3 nanofilms were successfully synthesized by a conventional hydrothermal method. The resulting composite showed ultrafast adsorption rates and high adsorption capacities for removal of Pb(II) and MB. Meanwhile, this material also revealed excellent photocatalytic properties.

A novel selenadiazole-fused pyrene derivative PySe was successfully synthesized and characterized. Its single structure is almost planar and adopts a sandwich-herringbone packing model. The self-assembly behaviors based on compound PySe and its analogue thiadiazole-fused pyrene derivative PyS were studied in detail and the as-formed nanostructures were fully characterized by means of UV-vis absorption, emission spectra, X-ray diffraction, field emission SEM and TEM. We attribute the bathochromic shift absorption and emission spectra of PyS and PySe in aqueous solution to the formation of J-type aggregation. In addition, our investigation demonstrated that the shape and size of the as-prepared nanostructures could be tuned by different chalcogen analogues and the volume ratio of water to organic solvent.

Pd-modified fullerenol (Pd-F) composite nanoparticles (NPs) are obtained through an in situ reduction method. These Pd-F composite NPs loaded on CNTs exhibit competitive electrocatalytic activity and outstanding stability for methanol oxidation in alkaline solution, which indicate that the fullerenols in the composite catalyst play an important role in the catalytic process.

We report the preparation of well-dispersed Pt nanoparticles depositing on Mn3O4-modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Mn3O4-MWCNTs) that can be taken as high performance catalyst in methanol electro-oxidation. Various spectrometry techniques such as FT-IR, Raman, XRD, TEM and XPS measurements were performed, revealing that the Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed on the surface of Mn3O4-modified MWCNTs with a narrow size distribution between 1.7 nm and 3.9 nm. Compared the Pt/MWCNT catalyst without Mn3O4 modification, the Pt/Mn3O4-MWCNT composite catalyst not only shows relative large electrochemical active surface area (EAS), high catalyzing activity toward methanol electro-oxidation, but also exhibits very high stability with apparent anti-poisoning tolerance to the incomplete oxidized species during methanol oxidation.Graphical AbstractHighlights► Mn3O4 was successfully modified on acid-treated MWCNTs in reducing solvents. ► Pt nanoparticles were uniformly deposited on the Mn3O4-MWCNT surface. ► The Mn3O4 in the catalyst played an important role in catalytic performance. ► The prepared catalyst presented better catalytic activity for methanol oxidation.

A novel flower-like Ti(HPO4)2·H2O microstructures were synthesized via a low-cost and credible method at low temperature. The assembly process was characterized in detail and a possible formation mechanism of the hierarchical microstructures was clarified. The obtained products possess a high surface area and excellent adsorption capacity for lead ion removal.

Pd-modified fullerenol (Pd-F) composite nanoparticles (NPs) are obtained through an in situ reduction method. These Pd-F composite NPs loaded on CNTs exhibit competitive electrocatalytic activity and outstanding stability for methanol oxidation in alkaline solution, which indicate that the fullerenols in the composite catalyst play an important role in the catalytic process.

Novel graphene-like Fe2O3 nanofilms were successfully synthesized by a conventional hydrothermal method. The resulting composite showed ultrafast adsorption rates and high adsorption capacities for removal of Pb(II) and MB. Meanwhile, this material also revealed excellent photocatalytic properties.

Here we describe a highly porous metal–organic framework MIL-100(Fe), which is initially used as an arsenate adsorbent in water. An appropriate mesoporous size allows AsO43− to enter unrestrained and then be captured successfully, furthermore resulting in the damage of long-range order of uniform mesopores. Moreover, the porous framework could also make AsO43− be reversibly desorbed without structural changes and the long-range order of mesopores be recovered again.

A kind of hierarchical porous magnetic Fe2O3@AlO(OH) superstructure nanomaterial was prepared by a facile method involving ethylene glycol as both cross linker and stabilizing agent. The resulting hierarchical material shows ultrafast adsorption rates and high adsorption capacities for removal of Pb(II), As(V) and Cr(VI) ions from aqueous solution.

The effects of the chemical composition on the properties, such as morphology, surface area, crystallinity and crystal structure, of magnesium titanate nanorods have been investigated. The adsorption performance of the magnesium titanate nanorods with changed chemical compositions presented a significant difference. The amorphous sample Ti/Mg-1/5-500 with the highest surface area of 152 m2 g−1 possessed the highest Pb2+ adsorption capacity of 241 mg g−1.