In this Review, we aim to provide an updated summary of the research related to hollow micro- and nanostructures, covering both their synthesis and their applications. After a brief introduction to the definition and classification of the hollow micro-/nanostructures, we discuss various synthetic strategies that can be grouped into three major categories, including hard templating, soft templating, and self-templating synthesis. For both hard and soft templating strategies, we focus on how different types of templates are generated and then used for creating hollow structures. At the end of each section, the structural and morphological control over the product is discussed. For the self-templating strategy, we survey a number of unconventional synthetic methods, such as surface-protected etching, Ostwald ripening, the Kirkendall effect, and galvanic replacement. We then discuss the unique properties and niche applications of the hollow structures in diverse fields, including micro-/nanocontainers and rea...

Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Hollow Micro-/Nanostructures

CuO nanostructures: Synthesis, characterization, growth mechanisms, fundamental properties, and applications

CuO flowers and nanorods have been synthesized for the first time by the composite-hydroxide-mediated and the composite-molten-salt method, respectively, with advantages of one-step, ambient pressure, low temperature, template-free and low cost. Both nanostructures have been applied to modify the graphite substrates for nonenzymatic glucose detection. Compared with bare graphite electrode, the new electrodes exhibit excellent catalysis to direct glucose oxidation. Though the electrode based on the CuO flowers has higher sensitivity than that of the CuO nanorods modified electrode, the latter presents a much better linear range of glucose concentration and a shorter response time. Both electrodes exhibit the same detection limit of glucose as low as 4 μM. In addition, the detection of dopamine and ascorbic acid has also been carried out on these CuO nanostructure modified electrodes, indicating good selectivity for glucose detection.

Synthesis of CuO nanostructures and their application for nonenzymatic glucose sensing

Various morphologies of CuO/Cu(OH)2 nanostructures with different adsorbed –OH contents were synthesized on an acid-treated Cu foil through variation of NaOH concentration from 0 to 50 mM with an in situoxidation method. X-ray diffractometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated formation of CuO on the Cu(OH)2 crystalline phase at a growth temperature of 60 °C for 20 h. Antibacterial activity of the nanostructures against Escherichia coli bacteria was studied in the dark and under light irradiation. The nanostructures grown at a NaOH concentration of 30 mM showed the highest surface area and the strongest antibacterial activity among the samples. After elimination of the contribution of the effective surface area of the nanostructures to the antibacterial activity, it was found that the surface morphology and chemical composition of the nanostructures were the other most important parameters in the antibacterial activity of the nanostructures. Using XPS analysis, the better photocatalytic activity per surface area of the nanostructures prepared at higher NaOH concentrations was substantially attributed to the amount of adsorbed OH bonds on the surface of the nanostructures.

CuO/Cu(OH) 2 hierarchical nanostructures as bactericidal photocatalysts

Here we report the design, synthesis and characterization of a novel Cu2O/CuO heterojunction decorated with a nickel cocatalyst as a highly efficient photocathode for solar hydrogen production. The heterojunction structure was shown and examined by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy and Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). Due to the synergistic effect, the Cu2O/CuO heterojunction gave a remarkably improved photocurrent density (−2.1 mA cm−2), i.e. 3.1 times higher than a Cu2O photoelectrode. Additionally, the Cu2O/CuO heterojunction, when decorated with the nickel cocatalyst, showed six-fold and two-fold increases in photocurrent density (−4.3 mA cm−2) respectively when compared to Cu2O and the bare Cu2O/CuO at 0 V vs. RHE under AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW cm−2). Interestingly, the Ni decorated Cu2O/CuO photocathode showed an impressive solar conversion efficiency of 2.71% at −0.4 V vs. Pt, i.e. 467% higher compared to the bare Cu2O/CuO. After 20 minutes of standard solar illumination, 87.7% of the initial photocurrent density was retained for the nickel decorated Cu2O/CuO heterojunction. This is more than 1.5 times that of the bare Cu2O/CuO (53.6%), suggesting that surface modification with Ni not only effectively promotes water splitting but also stabilizes the photoelectrode. The enhanced photoelectrochemical performance is attributable to the efficient charge transfer and protective role of Ni, the improved crystallinity and the synergistic effect of the heterojunction in light absorption and charge separation. This inexpensive photocathode with increased photocurrent density and photostability offers a higher promise for solar hydrogen production.

Heterostructured Cu2O/CuO decorated with nickel as a highly efficient photocathode for photoelectrochemical water reduction

The flower-like CuO nanostructures were hydrothermally synthesized without using any template. The influences of hydrothermal temperature and time on the growth of nanostructures were investigated. The samples were characterized by means of scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (ED), and N2 adsorption isotherm. Interestingly, these architectures are made of three-order structures. The formation mechanism of the flower-like CuO was proposed and explained. Furthermore, the chemiluminescence (CL) and catalysis properties of the flower-like CuO were also investigated. The flower-like nanostructures showed the high-CL intensities and reactive activities for CO oxidation. The flower-like CuO can be used to fabricate a highly sensitive CL detector. This CL mode is a rapid and effective method for the selection of new catalysts from thousands of materials.

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Yutao Ma

Papers

Synthesis of flower-like CuO nanostructures as a sensitive sensor for catalysis

Facile synthesis of hollow Co3O4 microspheres and its use as a rapid responsive CL sensor of combustible gases