A novel type of hierarchical nanocomposites consisted of MoS2 nanosheet coating on the self-ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays is successfully prepared by a facile combination of anodization and hydrothermal methods. The MoS2 nanosheets are uniformly decorated on the tube top surface and the intertubular voids with film appearance changing from brown to black color. Anatase TiO2 nanotube arrays (NTAs) with clean top surfaces and the appropriate amount of MoS2 precursors are key to the growth of perfect compositing TiO2 @MoS2 hybrids with significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity and photocurrent response. These results reveal that the strategy provides a flexible and straightforward route for design and preparation nanocomposites based on functional semiconducting nanostructures with 1D self-ordered TiO2 NTAs, promising for new opportunities in energy/environment applications, including photocatalysts and other photovoltaic devices.

There has been significant progress in the field of semiconductor photocatalysis, but it is still a challenge to fabricate low‐cost and high‐activity photocatalysts because of safety issues and non‐secondary pollution to the environment. Here, 2D hexagonal nanoplates of α‐Fe2O3/graphene composites with relatively good distribution are synthesized for the first time using a simple, one‐step, template‐free, hydrothermal method that achieves the effective reduction of the graphene oxide (GO) to graphene and intimate and large contact interfaces of the α‐Fe2O3 nanoplates with graphene. The α‐Fe2O3/graphene composites showed significantly enhancement in the photocatalytic activity compared with the pure α‐Fe2O3 nanoplates. At an optimal ratio of 5 wt% graphene, 98% of Rhodamine (RhB) is decomposed with 20 min of irradiation, and the rate constant of the composites is almost four times higher than that of pure α‐Fe2O3 nanoplates. The decisive factors in improving the photocatalytic performance are the intimate and large contact interfaces between 2D hexagonal α‐Fe2O3 nanoplates and graphene, in addition to the high electron withdrawing/storing ability and the highconductivity of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) formed during the hydrothermal reaction. The effective charge transfer from α‐Fe2O3 nanoplates to graphene sheets is demonstrated by the significant weakening of photoluminescence in α‐Fe2O3/graphene composites.

The treatment of environmental pollution has become one of the most critical issues in the world. Despite the progress made in the study of semiconductor photocatalysis, it is still a challenge to obtain photocatalysts with high activity through relatively simple fabrication processes. In this work, monodisperse CdS spherical nanoparticles (SNPs) of various sizes and good crystallinity are obtained by only adjusting the starting ratio of reactants and the reaction temperature, exhibiting high photocatalytic performances. The photocatalytic rate constant of the ≈ 100 nm CdS SNPs, especially, is more than double that of P25. Furthermore, 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane is used to assist the interaction between ≈ 200 nm CdS SNPs and citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles (NPs). The signifi cant increase of photocatalytic activity is confi rmed by the degradation of Rodamine B (RhB) under Xe light irradiation. At the optimal Au concentration (0.5 wt%), the prepared nanohybrids show the highest photocatalytic activity, exceeding that of pure CdS two times. The superior photocatalytic performances of the CdS SNPs-Au nanohybrids can be attributed to the intimate interfacial contact between CdS SNPs and Au NPs, which is a contributing factor to the improvement of transfer and the fate of photogenerated charge carriers from CdS SNPs to Au NPs.

Efficient bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts are of great importance for rechargeable metal–air batteries. Herein, FeNx/C catalysts are synthesized by pyrolysis of thiourea and agarose containing α‐Fe2O3 nanoplate as Fe precursor, where α‐Fe2O3 nanoplate can prevent the aggregation of carbon sheets to effectively improve the specific surface area during the carbonization process. The FeNx/C‐700‐20 catalyst displays excellent catalytic performance for both ORR and OER activity in alkaline conditions with more positive onset potential (1.1 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode) and half‐wave potential, higher stability, and stronger methanol tolerance in alkaline solution, which are all superior to that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. In this study, the detailed analyses demonstrate that the coexistence of Fe‐based species and high content of Fe‐Nx both play an important role for the catalytic activity. Furthermore, FeNx/C‐700‐20 as cathode catalyst in Zn–air battery possesses higher charge–discharge stability and power density compared with that of commercial Pt/C catalyst, displaying great potential in practical implementation of for the rechargeable energy devices.