The new method of ZnIn2S4 synthesis on the titania nanotubes substrate with enhanced stability and photoelectrochemical performance.

In this work, ZnIn2S4 layers were obtained on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass and TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2NT) using a hydrothermal process as photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Then, samples were annealed and the effect of the annealing temperature was investigated. Optimization of the deposition process and annealing of ZnIn2S4 layers made it possible to obtain an FTO-based material generating a photocurrent of 1.2 mA cm-2 at 1.62 V vs. RHE in a neutral medium. In contrast, the highest photocurrent in the neutral electrolyte obtained for the TiO2NT-based photoanode reached 0.5 mA cm-2 at 1.62 V vs. RHE. In addition, the use of a strongly acidic electrolyte allowed the generated photocurrent by the TiO2NT-based photoanode to increase to 3.02 mA cm-2 at 0.31 V vs. RHE. Despite a weaker photoresponse in neutral electrolyte than the optimized FTO-based photoanode, the use of TiO2NT as a substrate allowed for a significant increase in the photoanode's operating time. After 2 h of illumination, the photocurrent response of the TiO2NT-based photoanode was 0.21 mA cm-2, which was 42% of the initial value. In contrast, the FTO-based photoanode after the same time generated a photocurrent of 0.02 mA cm-2 which was only 1% of the initial value. The results indicated that the use of TiO2 nanotubes as a substrate for ZnIn2S4 deposition increases the photoanode's long-term stability in photoelectrochemical water splitting. The proposed charge transfer mechanism suggested that the heterojunction between ZnIn2S4 and TiO2 played an important role in improving the stability of the material by supporting charge separation.

New light on the photocatalytic performance of NH4V4O10 and its composite with rGO.

Solar-driven photocatalysis has shown great potential as a sustainable wastewater treatment technology that utilizes clean solar energy for pollutant degradation. Consequently, much attention is being paid to the development of new, efficient and low-cost photocatalyst materials. In this study, we report the photocatalytic activity of NH4V4O10 (NVO) and its composite with rGO (NVO/rGO). Samples were synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method and successfully characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman, XPS, XAS, TG-MS, SEM, TEM, N2 adsorption, PL and UV‒vis DRS. The results indicate that the obtained NVO and NVO/rGO photocatalysts exhibited efficient absorption in the visible wavelength region, a high content of V4+ surface species and a well-developed surface area. Such features resulted in excellent performance in methylene blue photodegradation under simulated solar light illumination. In addition, the composite of NH4V4O10 with rGO accelerates the photooxidation of the dye and is beneficial for photocatalyst reusability. Moreover, it was shown that the NVO/rGO composite can be successfully used not only for the photooxidation of organic pollution but also for the photoreduction of inorganic pollutants such as Cr(VI). Finally, an active species trapping experiment was conducted, and the photodegradation mechanism was discussed.

Nano Tin/Tin Oxide Attached onto Graphene Oxide Skeleton as a Fluorine Free Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Herein, we show a composite formation method of tin/tin oxide nanoparticles with graphene oxide and CMC based on laser ablation technique as an electrode material for energy storage devices. The material exhibited a three-dimensional conducting graphene oxide network decorated with tin or tin oxide nanoparticles. The structure, homogeneous distribution of nanoparticles, and direct contact between inorganic and organic parts were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy. Electrochemical performances of composite electrode material showed a reversible capacity of 644 mAh/g at a current density equal to 35 mA/g, and 424 mAh/g at 140 mA/g. The capacity retention of 90% after 250 cycles show that tested electrode material is suitable as a negative electrode for lithium-ion batteries.

[Papillomaviruses and herpesviruses as selected risk factors in the etiopathogenesis of cervix neck cancer. I. Use of nucleic acid hybridization for diagnosing HPV infections]. / Wirusy papilloma i herpes oraz wybrane czynniki ryzyka w etiopatogenezie raka szyjki macicy. I. Zastosowanie hybrydyzacji kwasów nukleinowych do wykrywania zakazen HPV.

HPV infections are regarded as the main etiological factor responsible for the presence of cytological abnormalities and the primary risk factor for cervical cancer development. Diagnostic materials were collected between 1995 and 1997 in the Gynecologic Cancer Prevention, Cancer Center Institute of Oncology, Memorial Hospital Maria Sklodowska-Curie, Warsaw. The patients were divided into three groups: group C--women suspected for viral infection during clinical or cytological examination and two comparative groups A and B--women invited for routine cytological examination. Cytological smears for nucleic acid hybridisation collected before cytological smear sampling with a dacron swab (groups A and C) or collected after cytological smear sampling with a cervical brush (group B) were used. Cytological and clinical data was also used in the investigation. In 52% of the 236 samples tested by nucleic acid hybridisation HPV DNA was found to be present. DNA from the high/intermediate HPV risk group was also present in 36% of the samples and in 11% of the samples from the low risk HPV group. In 5% of the samples we confirmed the presence of mixed infections from both HPV risk groups. The results obtained from nucleic acid hybridisation with pap smear results were compared. It was observed that HPV infections from the high risk group occurred more frequently in pap 3 and pap 4 test results; HPV infections from the low risk group occurred more frequently in pap 1 and pap 2 results, while mixed infections from both risk groups occurred particularly in pap 4 and pap 5 results. Women in the 35-45 age groups suffered more frequently from infections from the high/intermediate risk group. In the 25-35 and 55-65 age groups HPV infections from the low risk group occurred more frequently. In the comparative groups only 2.6% of the women were infected with HPV.

[Papillomaviruses and herpesviruses as selected risk factors in the etiopathogenesis of cervix neck cancer. II. Use of PCR for isolating DNA of human papillomavirus and Herpes simplex]. / Wirusy papilloma i herpes oraz wybrane czynniki ryzyka w etiopatogenezie raka szyjki macicy. II. Zastosowanie PCR do wykrywania DNA wirusów brodawczaka czlowieka i Herpes simplex.

The aims of the study were to compare polymerase chain reaction PCR with nucleic acid hybridisation HC in the routine diagnosis of HPV infections. Smears collected for PCR were digested for 24 hours using proteinase K. After DNA extraction 174 samples were tested by PCR with human bglobin primers PG04-GH20. The PCR products were separated in 2% agarose gel electrophoresis stained with ethidium bromide. In 80.6% of the samples 256 base pair DNA fragments were observed in the gel in UV light. These samples were tested by PCR with HPV primers MY09-MY11. In 40% of the samples the presence of HPV DNA was confirmed. Next we carried out PCR using a mixture of two pairs of primers bglobin PG04-GH20 and HPV MY09-MY11. DNA for this study was extracted from 24 samples in which the presence of human DNA was not confirmed in the first PCR test and from 7 untested samples. In 21 cases HPV DNA was found to be present in gel electrophoresis. The presence of HPV DNA was confirmed in 44.75% of the samples.