Zinc oxide is considered an outstanding photocatalyst candidate, but its low photo-corrosion resistance is a problem to be solved. In the ZnO-ZnS core-shell structure, ZnS acts as a protective layer for the ZnO core, and thus, it can enhance stability and long-term performance. The ZnO-ZnS core-shell structure is synthesized into various nanoscale morphologies with high specific surface areas to improve photocatalytic efficiency. However, they are easily agglomerated and are hard to separate from reaction media. In this study, micro-sized bumpy spheres of ZnO-ZnS core-shell structure were prepared via facile chemical transformation of as-prepared ZnO. After sulfurization of the ZnO template, it was confirmed through SEM, TEM, EDS, and XPS analysis that a uniform ZnS shell layer was formed without significant change in the initial ZnO morphology. The ZnO-ZnS core-shell microsphere has shown superior efficiency and stability in the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B compared with pristine ZnO microspheres

In this study, a molybdenum alloy with dispersed high-entropy particles was fabricated using the powder metallurgy method. The high-entropy powder, composed of Nb, Ta, V, W, and Zr elements with a same atomic fraction, was prepared via high-energy ball milling. Using this powder, an ideal core-shell powder, composed of high-entropy powder as core and Mo powder as shell, was synthesized via the milling and reduction processes. These processes enabled the realization of an ideal microstructure with the high-entropy phase uniformly dispersed in the Mo matrix. The sintered body was successfully fabricated via uniaxial compaction followed by pressureless sintering. The sintered body was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope, and the high-entropy phase is uniformly dispersed in the Mo matrix.

The goals of this work are to design and develop a technology for fabrication and study of multifunctional properties of core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) as magnetic/luminescent markers. The new hybrid core/shell Fe₃O₄/Gd₂O₃:1% Er³⁺, 18% Yb³⁺, 2.5% Mg²⁺, x% Nd³⁺ NPs doped with different concentrations of neodymium ions, where x = 0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 2%, 4%, were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The NPs were characterised using XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, confocal microscopy and photoluminescence. Fe₃O₄ (core) consists of several 13 nm NPs. The core/shell NPs have sizes from 220 nm to 641 nm. In this latter case, the shell thicknesses were 72, 80, and 121 nm. The upconversion efficiency properties and magnetic properties of the hybrid NPs were investigated. In the core/shell NPs, the addition of Nd³⁺ quenches the luminescence. The magnetic response of core/shell samples is rather paramagnetic and does not differ significantly from that registered for the shell material alone. For Gd₂O₃:1% Er³⁺, 18% Yb³⁺ and Fe₃O₄/Gd₂O₃:1% Er³⁺, 18% Yb³⁺, 2.5% Mg²⁺, 0.5% Nd³⁺, at 300 K, the values of the magnetization registered at ~ 40 kOe are similar and equal to ~ 5.3 emu·g⁻¹. The survivability of the HeLa tumor cells with the presence of the core/shell NPs was investigated for 24 h. The NPs are non-toxic up to a concentration of 1000 µg·ml⁻¹ and penetrate cells in the process of endocytosis which has been confirmed by confocal microscope studies.