Buzuayehu Abebe

Adama Science and Technology University | ASTU · Department of Applied Chemistry

The integration of nanotechnology in agriculture offers a transformative approach to improving crop yields, resource efficiency, and ecological sustainability. This review highlights the application of functional NM, such as nano-formulated agrochemicals, nanosensors, and slow-release fertilizers, which enhance the effectiveness of fertilizers and...

Novel nanomaterials (NMs) with high efficiency, low cost, and low energy demand have emerged as an attractive class of materials in high demand for a variety of energy storage applications. They are categorized based on their composition, dimensions, or morphology. For the synthesis of novel NMs, three main approaches are used. Those are physical,...

In order to meet the demand for portable water and replenish depleting water resources caused by industrialization, urbanization, and population growth; wastewater purification has become crucial. Emerging contaminants (ECs), which include organic dyes, pesticides, pharmaceutical drugs, polyaromatic compounds, heavy metal ions, and fertilizers, amo...

In the present work, we have successfully synthesized TiO2/ZnO heterostructure (TZH) by using the aqueous extract of Urtica Simensis (U. Simensis) leaf as a reducing and capping agent for the first time. The synthesized TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and TZH were characterized by different characterization techniques. The XRD analysis verified th...

Doped semiconductor heterostructures have superior properties compared to their components. In this study, we observed the synthesis of Cu-doped ZnO/Ag/CuO heterostructure with the presence of charge transfer and visible light-harvesting properties resulting from doping and heterojunction. The porous heterostructures were prepared using the bottom-...

Doping enhances the optical properties of high‐band gap zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), essential for their photocatalytic activity. We used the combustion approach to synthesize cobalt‐doped ZnO heterostructure (CDZO). By creating a mid‐edge level, it was possible to tune the indirect band gap of the ZnO NPs from 3.1 eV to 1.8 eV. The red shif...

This mini-review on doping and heterojunctions for catalysis applications provides a comprehensive overview of key aspects. Doping, when carried out adequately with a uniform distribution, creates a new energy level that significantly enhances charge transfer and light absorption. This new level alters the material's morphology and enhances intrins...

Doping of metal or metal ions in the host lattice with good dopant distribution or forming a local contact boosts materials properties for specific applications. This work used the solution combustion approach (SCA) to synthesize Ag-Fe2O3 nanocomposites (SICs) following the single-source precursor doping strategy with good final material stoichiome...

The emergence and re-emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a potential threat to treating infectious diseases. This study employed a nanometer-scale green synthesis using an extract of Solanum incanum leaves to obtain nanoparticles (NPs) and nanocomposites (NCs) possessing antibacterial properties. The FESEM-EDS elemental mapping analysis p...

This study reports the synthesis of highly pure nanosized composite materials using a sol-gel self-combustion synthesis (SCS) approach. The complex generated within the polyvinyl alcohol and precursor(s) induces combustion once the ignition temperature is reached, resulting in a porous nanocatalyst as the gaseous by-products are removed. The XRD an...

The solution combustion synthesis approach successfully synthesized the porous silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites (Ag-ZnO NCs). The pore generation and silver metal reduction occurred due to the evolution of gaseous byproducts during the combustion of poly(vinyl alcohol)-precursor complex. The low-resolution SEM and TEM images confirmed the porous na...

Continuous electron‐hole transfer and the ability of nanoscale materials to absorb visible light are critical for pollutant catalytic reduction. Cobalt and copper co‐doped ZnO composites were shaped by the sol‐gel solution combustion (SG‐SC) approach. The x‐ray diffraction analysis confirmed the crystalline nature and interstitial doping of copper...

The synthesis of optoelectrically enhanced nanomaterials should be continuously improved by employing time- and energy-saving techniques. The porous zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper-doped ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized by the time- and energy-efficient solution combustion synthesis (SCS) approach. In this SCS approach, once the precursor-surf...

The charge transfer and visible-light absorption capacities of stable materials are crucial in several applications, such as catalysis, absorption, sensors, and bioremediation. Copper-silver-zinc oxide nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized using PVA as a capping agent and urea as a stabilizing agent. DTG analysis confirmed 500 °C was the optimum te...

Owing to multiple industrial applications of chromium compounds, developing chronic and highly water soluble chromium adsorption methods has gained attention. Nano-iron-magnetite nanocomposite (IM-NCs) was successfully synthesized from Eucalyptus globulus leaf extract for chromium adsorption from an aqueous solution. The occurrence of the black sol...

The stable nanomaterials with the enhanced light absorption and synergistic effects are crucial for the remediation of the pollutants. The present study reports the synthesis of Fe and Cu co-doped...

Nanotechnology-based synthesis of nanoscale materials has appealed to the attention of scientists in the modern scientific community. In the bottom-up approach, atoms start to aggregate/agglomerate and form nuclei within the minimum and maximum supersaturation range. Once nuclei are generated above the critical-free energy/radius, the growth is ini...

Improvement in the synthesis techniques and their optimum properties to be up-to-date is the global need for industrially scalable applications. The sol–gel solution combustion synthesis (SG-SCS) approach is an easy, time-/energy-efficient, and creates regularly ordered porous materials that have significance in the ion-/mass-transport phenomenon....

There is a significant global demand for improvements in synthesis techniques and their optimal characteristics, especially for industrial-scale applications. Sol-gel-based solution combustion synthesis (SG-SCS) is a simple method to produce ordered porous materials. In this regard, Pearson's hard and soft acids and bases theory assists in selectin...

Colloidal nanocrystals play a vital role in several applications. The doping of cations in the nanocrystal matrix enhances the optical, electrical, and magnetic properties. The number and well-defined distribution of the dopant are crucial to protect the nanocrystal from clustering. The XRD, XPS, and XAS instruments reveal the change in the lattice...

The porous colloidal nanocrystal framework material was synthesized by sol-gel assembly followed by a self-propagation procedure. The characteristics of the synthesized nanocrystal were confirmed by advanced instruments. From the DTG analysis, the poly (vinyl alcohol) was completely degraded at 400 °C. The XRD pattern and TEM image confirmed the na...

Nanotechnology has a great impact on a wide range of areas, with the synthesis of nanomaterials (NM) for multifunctional applications in diverse areas being an issue of great significance. Nanometal oxides of alkali and transition metals have been applied in catalysis and also nanomedicine, pharmaceuticals , and energy-generation applications. Meta...

The application of zinc oxide-based nanocomposite is one of the novel approaches utilized for the development of electronic devices. The sol-gel and auto combustion procedures were employed to synthesize porous PVA aided ZnO/Fe2O3 nanocomposite (PBNC). The n-type iron (III) oxide was successfully coupled with n-type ZnO. The characterizations condu...

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a fascinating semiconductor material with many applications such as adsorption, photocatalysis, sensor, and antibacterial activities. By using a poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer as a capping agent and metal oxides (iron and manganese) as a couple, the porous PVA-aided Zn/Fe/Mn ternary oxide nanocomposite material (PTMO-NCM) wa...

The sol-gel method followed by accidental self-propagation procedures was used for the synthesis of optimized high surface area and porous Zn/Fe/Mn oxide nanocomposites. The synthesized single and ternary nanomaterials were characterized by DTG-DSC, UV–vis-DRS, XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDAX, BET, TEM-HRTEM-SAED, and CV-EIS-Amperometric analytical techniques...

Metal oxide nanomaterials are one of the preferences as antibacterial active materials. Due to its distinctive electronic configuration and suitable properties, ZnO is one of the novel antibacterial active materials. Nowadays, researchers are making a serious effort to improve the antibacterial activities of ZnO by forming a composite with the same...

The poly(vinyl alcohol)-assisted sol-gel-self-propagation route has been used for the synthesis of porous binary metal oxide nanocomposites (BMONCs) and ternary metal oxide nanocomposites (TMONCs). The effects of synthesis techniques, precursor's type, amount of PVA loading, and precursor's percentage were studied. The optical, chemical bonding, cr...

The present work reports the application of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) supported sol-gel-self-propagation route for the synthesis of ZnO-based binary metal oxides nanocomposites (BMONCs). The DRS–UV–Visible spectroscopic method confirmed the less-reflectance properties of PVA-BMONCs compared to ZnO. The crystallinity of PVA-BMONCs was found to be l...

Adsorption is one of the noble techniques for remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants. The poly (vinyl alcohol) supported sol-gel and self-propagation routes have been used for the synthesis of porous ternary metal oxides nanocomposites. The optical, chemical bonding, crystallinity, morphological, textural, and electrochemical properties of...

Indigenous medicinal plant of Ethiopia has been applied for the first time to investigate the synergistic influence of phytoconstituents in green copper nanoparticles (g-Cu NPs) towards the enhancement of antimicrobial properties of NPs. We report the green synthesis of Cu NPs using Hagenia abyssinica (Brace) JF. Gmel. leaf extract. The synthesized...

The poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) assisted highly mesoporous Zn-Fe-Mn oxides nanomaterials were synthesized using the sol-gel followed by the self-propagation techniques. TheUV–vis spectroscopic technique was used to study the optical properties of the materials. The presence of metal-oxygen bond and depositedOH−/H2Ospecies were characterized by FT-IR...

This work reveals a green combustion route for the synthesis of TiO2, Fe2O3 and TiO2-Fe2O3 nanocomposites as photocatalysts for decolorization of Titan Yellow (TY) and Methyl Orange (MO) dyes at room temperature in aqueous solution concentration of 20 ppm under UV-light irradiation. We observed that the TiO2-Fe2O3 nanocomposite shows superior photo...

Organic solvent-free impregnation method was used to synthesize titanium-iron oxides (TIOs) nanomaterial. The physical properties of synthesized TIOs materials were characterized by XRD, SEM–EDX, BET, UV–Vis, and FTIR analytical techniques. The appearance of iron oxide (IO) on SEM image, XRD, and EDX spectra, the redshift on UV–Vis spectra of TIO c...

Fingerprint (FP) is a global mark used for personal identification. This study reviews recent latent fingerprint (LFP) enhancement techniques including metal oxides, multi-metal deposition (MMD-I/II/SMD/Au-ASP), optical, chemical, physical, and physicochemical. Furthermore, analytical techniques involved in identification, evaluation, and determina...

The present work reports the synthesis of Ti-Al Oxides (TAOs) nanomaterial by an organic solvent-free impregnation method. The as-prepared products were studied by XRD, SEM-EDAX, UV-Vis, and FT-IR analytical techniques. XRD patterns revealed the fact that both TiO2 (TO)and TAOs exhibited almost similar peaks with the exception to minor peak differe...

A novel cost-effective, eco-friendly clay composite adsorbent was developed towards fluoride remediation. Clay, Grog, Bone char, and Sawdust were dry mixed within volume ratios of (5:1:1:1), (4:2:2:1), and (3:3:3:1), respectively. The powders were mixed again with distilled water, pressed with disc shape; sun dried for three days and fired for one...

In this article, a brief overview of manganese oxide nanomaterials (NMs) potential towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for microbial fuel cell (MFC), bioremediations, and battery applications is discussed. It's known that using non-renewable fossil fuels as a direct energy source causes greenhouse gas emissions. Safe, sustainable and renewable...

The present work involves the synthesis, characterization and sorption behavior of Fe–Al–MC nanocomposite for the removal of Pb (II) ions from industrial waste water. The sorbent was synthesized by impregnation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were applied to study the...

Green routes of synthesis are simple, safe, nontoxic and eco-friendly methods to synthesize nanoparticles of various metals and their oxides by the application of bioactive compounds of plants, algae, fungi, yeast, etc. Green engineered copper and copper oxide nanoparticles (Cu and CuO NPs) synthesis has been reported to be more economical and best...

TiO 2 -Fe 2 O 3 binary oxides containing different percentage of Fe 2 O 3 were synthesized using impregnation method. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and thermogravimetric with differential thermal analyzer (TG-DTA) analyt...

Organic solvent free iron oxide nanomaterial used for lead removal was synthesized by co-precipitation method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopic with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo gravimetric-differential thermal (TG-DTA) analysis were used to determine th...

In the present work, nanocrystalline Fe-Al-Mn ternary oxide nanosorbent was synthesized via impregnation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed to characterize th...