The paper reports on the preparation and photocatalytic activity of thin films of iodine-doped ZnO nanoflowers deposited on glass substrate using a simple growth process based on hydrothermal synthesis. Addition of iodic acid (5-20 vol%) in the reaction mixture allows the introduction of iodine ions in the form of I⁻ or IO₃⁻ in the ZnO lattice, as suggested by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Doping ZnO nanostructured films with iodine did not impact their morphology, while it has a significant influence on their optical properties. Indeed, the nanostructured ZnO films, prepared in the presence of iodic acid, display a large increase of the visible luminescence, which reaches a maximum at a concentration of 10 vol%. Finally, the photocatalytic activity of the ZnO nanostructured films for the photodegradation of a model pollutant, rhodamine B, was evaluated under UV and visible light irradiation. While under UV light irradiation, both undoped and iodine-doped ZnO films show a similar behavior, the photocatalytic performance of iodine-doped under visible light irradiation is significantly enhanced in comparison to that of undoped ZnO

This article reports on the fabrication and characterization of plasmonic interfaces composed of a sandwiched structure comprising a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) substrate, gold nanostructures (Au NSs), and a thin ITO film overcoating. The change in the optical characteristics of the ITO/Au NSs/ITO interfaces as a function of the ITO overlayer thickness (d(ITO) = 0-200 nm) was followed by recording UV-vis transmission spectra. The influence of the thickness of the ITO overcoating on the position and shape of the plasmonic signal is discussed. The possibility to functionalize the ITO/Au NSs/ITO interfaces chemically is demonstrated by covalently linking ethynyl ferrocene to azide-terminated ITO/Au NSs/ITO interfaces. The resulting interfaces were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical (cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry) techniques, and UV-vis transmission spectroscopy.

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This article describes the use of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) interface to detect complexation/decomplexation steps of a controllable host-guest system at the solid-liquid interface. The LSPR interfaces consist of a sandwiched structure comprising a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) substrate, gold nanostructures (Au NSs) and a thin ITO film overcoating. ''Click'' chemistry was used to covalently link an alkyne-functionalized p-electron deficient tetracationic cyclophane cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT 4+ ) unit to an azide-terminated LSPR interface. The modified interfaces were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis transmission spectroscopy. Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) was used as a model guest molecule to demonstrate the possibility to follow the complexation/decomplexation events by monitoring the change in the LSPR signal. The results demonstrate that redox controlled host-guest complexation at the surface can be monitored effectively using LSPR.