Titania-hydroxypropyl cellulose thin films for the detection of peroxide vapors.

Titania nanoparticles in a hydroxypropyl cellulose matrix produced using a sol-gel method were utilized to prepare films on polycarbonate slides and coatings on cellulose papers. The exposure of these materials to hydrogen peroxide gas leads to the development of an intense yellow color. By using an inexpensive web camera and a tungsten lamp to measure the reflected light, first-order behavior in the color change was observed when exposed to peroxide vapor of less than 50 ppm.

Remediation of arsenic and lead with nanocrystalline zinc sulfide.

Nanocrystalline (1.7 ± 0.3 nm) zinc sulfide with a specific surface area up to 360 m(2) g(-1) was prepared from the thermal decomposition of a single-source precursor, zinc ethylxanthate.