Sunit Rane

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar‑fuel production has emerged as a compelling route to carbon‑neutral energy. Yet, its practical deployment remains limited by the intrinsic constraints of metal‑oxide semiconductors, restricted visible‑light absorption, short carrier diffusion lengths, sluggish interfacial kinetics, and low CO ₂ ‑reduction selectivity. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of advances in oxide‑based PEC materials for solar water splitting and CO ₂ reduction, highlighting how nanoscale engineering has reshaped performance. We examine fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic requirements for PEC operation, including band‑edge alignment, charge‑carrier dynamics, and redox selectivity, and critically evaluate how morphology control, bandgap tuning, defect/dopant engineering, heterojunction design, surface passivation, and plasmonic activation collectively overcome long‑standing bottlenecks. We compare material‐specific progress in TiO ₂ , ZnO, Fe ₂ O ₃ , WO ₃ , BiVO ₄ , Cu ₂ O/CuO, and mixed‑oxide systems through reported photocurrent density, Faradaic efficiency, product selectivity, and stability. At the device scale, we discuss how membrane selection, photoelectrode architecture, and advanced reactor designs, including flow‑cell CO ₂ ‑reduction systems, translate material innovations into practical performance gains. Finally, we outline techno‐economic and life‐cycle considerations, emphasizing durability, resource sustainability, and the growing role of machine‐learning‐driven material discovery. With continued progress in oxide nano‐engineering and system integration, PEC platforms are now approaching the > 10% solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency needed for scalable solar‐fuel generation.

We report g-C ₃ N ₄ @SnO ₂ nanocomposites as efficient wide range and swift humidity-sensing materials. SnO ₂ nanoparticles synthesized via a facile solvothermal route were coupled in situ with g-C ₃ N ₄ sheets through an economic solid-state process.

Glutathione acts as a natural antioxidant in the human body and the reduction of its content is a sign of oxidative stress. In this study, a sensitive electrochemical sensor was developed using laccase enzyme immobilized onto graphene oxide (GO) for detection of glutathione. The surface of the indium tin oxide (ITO) was modified with GO via a drop casting method. Subsequently, laccase was immobilized onto the modified ITO decorated with GO. The modified electrode was characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The FTIR spectra of laccase/GO confirmed the successful immobilization of laccase onto GO sheets. FESEM analysis revealed the transformation from a layered, wrinkled structure to a compact, smooth surface with spherical laccase, confirming successful enzyme integration. Raman analysis confirmed successful laccase immobilization onto GO, as evidenced by structural changes in the D and G bands, highlighting the modification of the material. The cyclic voltammetry measurements revealed that laccase/GO/ITO exhibited better electrocatalytic activity toward oxidation of GSH in acetate buffer solution than the bare ITO electrode. This newly developed electrode exhibited a good response to glutathione with a wide linear range from 1 μM to 100 μM, a limit of detection of 0.89 μM and high sensitivity (6.51 μA μM⁻¹). Furthermore, it exhibited excellent selectivity, repeatability, and long-term stability. The modified electrode was successfully used for the detection of GSH in a real sample, offering satisfactory results.

Detecting triethylamine (TEA), which is a highly active industrial chemical, is crucial in today's globalized world with increasing air pollution.

Fundamentally understanding and critically resolving magnetic domain interactions are essential for the successful application of multiferroics in future nanoscale electronics and magnetoelectronics. In this context, herein, we report on the magnetic domain interactions at the nanoscale in flexible and free-standing 0–3 nanocomposite films of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)–Ni_0.93Co_0.02Mn_0.05Fe_1.95O_4−δ (NCMF) along with their performance characteristics. The PVDF–NCMF composites were synthesized by varying the chemical composition by means of the filler NCMF concentration in the PVDF matrix. The magnetic force microscopy (MFM) studies indicate the variation in the MFM-domain microstructure under varying fields. Combined MFM and magnetic measurements allowed us to elucidate the effective magnetic properties of the PVDF–NCMF composites as a function NCMF concentration. The magnetocapacitance (MC) and magnetoresistance (MR) of the composites were found to be in direct correlation with the chemical composition, particularly the NCMF content in the PVDF–NCMF composite. For 50 volume percentage (50%) of NCMF at 50 Oe, substantial MC and MR values of −3.1% and 4.4% were obtained at 10 kHz. The values rise more noticeably to −10.8% and 17.1% at 1000 Oe. The PVDF–NCMF composites demonstrated good sensing performance even at a modest magnetic field of 50 Oe indicating their potential for utilization in various multifunctional devices like memory devices, magnetic sensors, and bio sensors.

A polymeric membrane based on a N,N′-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediaminocobalt(II) complex as a cobalt ionophore (CI) was fabricated and optimized for nitrite ion sensing application. The membrane contained CI, 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (2-NPOE) as a plasticizer and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) as a cationic additive in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. The Nernstian slope (−0.020 mV per decade), detection limit (1 × 10⁻⁷ M to 3 M), and response (107 milliseconds) and recovery (22 milliseconds) times were recorded for optimum membrane composition. The ionophore functionality in the polymer matrix and their interaction were studied using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and optical microscopy analyses.