{"title":"Micronano Structured Polyimide Films Fabricated Using a Femtosecond Laser for Seawater Desalination","authors":"Zhiliang Tang, Shuangshuang Hu, Dongkai Chu*, Wenbo Liu, Shuoshuo Qu and Peng Yao*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03063","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In the face of the global freshwater shortage crisis, solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) technology has emerged as a promising and sustainable solution. However, its practical application is constrained by severe salt accumulation and insufficient long-term evaporation stability. In this work, a polyimide (PI) photothermal film was prepared by femtosecond laser treatment technology, and coral-like micronanostructures were formed on the surface of the film to achieve efficient and stable desalination and wastewater purification. Due to the micronanostructures, hydrophilicity, and water transport channels on the surface, it exhibits a high light absorption rate (93%) and evaporation efficiency (67.3%). More importantly, this structure provides sufficient water for surface evaporation and prevents salt accumulation on the evaporator surface. Therefore, under one-sun irradiation, the evaporation rate can reach 2.94 kg m<sup>–2</sup> h<sup>–1</sup> in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution. A stable average evaporation rate of 2.83 kg m<sup>–2</sup> h<sup>–1</sup> was achieved for 6 consecutive hours. In outdoor environments, a freshwater collection amount of 4.2 kg m<sup>–2</sup> per day can be obtained. This research provides a pathway for the development of stable and efficient freshwater acquisition technologies, demonstrating great application prospects in the fields of seawater desalination and wastewater treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17977–17985"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paulo Henrique Fonseca do Carmo, Anna Carolina P. Lage, Newton Soares da Silva, Mariana de A. Rosa Rezende, Gabriella F. Ferreira, Maíra Terra Garcia, Eleftherios Mylonakis and Juliana Campos Junqueira*,
{"title":"In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Gallic Acid-Coated Gold Nanorods against Candida albicans","authors":"Paulo Henrique Fonseca do Carmo, Anna Carolina P. Lage, Newton Soares da Silva, Mariana de A. Rosa Rezende, Gabriella F. Ferreira, Maíra Terra Garcia, Eleftherios Mylonakis and Juliana Campos Junqueira*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03208","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03208","url":null,"abstract":"<p ><i>Candida albicans</i> is an opportunistic yeast that frequently affects the mucosal surfaces and the skin, causing candidiasis with high recurrence rates associated with increased antifungal resistance. In this context, metallic nanoparticles stand out as a potential antifungal agent for the treatment of superficial <i>Candida</i> infections. Here, we explored an emerging field of nanobiotechnology targeted to the metallic nanoparticle production using green synthesis methods. Our goal was to investigate the antifungal activity of gold nanorods─a rod-shaped gold nanostructure─synthesized via a green chemistry approach using gallic acid (GA) as both a reducing and capping agent (GA-AuNR). GA-AuNR exhibited fungicidal effects against <i>C. albicans</i> at concentrations at least 100 times lower than those required for GA. Furthermore, GA-AuNR significantly reduced <i>C. albicans</i> filamentation and biofilm viability. GA-AuNR treatment increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to enhanced lipid peroxidation and decreased ergosterol levels in fungal cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed cell wall thickening and membrane retraction in the treated cells. Moreover, GA-AuNR exposure reduced the expression of key virulence factor genes, including <i>BCR1</i>, <i>EFG1</i>, <i>BGR1</i>, and <i>SAP9</i>. Importantly, <i>in vivo</i> toxicity assessment using <i>Galleria mellonella</i> larvae demonstrated full survival at concentrations up to 24.60 μg/mL. In conclusion, GA-AuNR showed potent antifungal activity and no <i>in vivo</i> toxicity, indicating their potential as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of <i>C. albicans</i> infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"18032–18041"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsanm.5c03208","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dhayanithi Senthilkumar, Jhu-Lin You, Chih-Yu Kuo* and Mani Govindasamy*,
{"title":"Nanoparticles of Neodymium Tungstate on Reduced Graphene Oxide for Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Morin in Food","authors":"Dhayanithi Senthilkumar, Jhu-Lin You, Chih-Yu Kuo* and Mani Govindasamy*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03387","url":null,"abstract":"<p >A nanocomposite comprising neodymium tungstate (Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub>) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was developed as an advanced electrochemical sensing platform, leveraging the synergistic properties of both components. Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub>, a rarely explored rare-earth tungstate, provides distinctive redox activity, high chemical stability, and efficient electron transfer, while rGO, synthesized via a green reduction using ascorbic acid, contributes high conductivity, increased surface area, and sustainable material design. The intimate integration of Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub> nanoparticles with rGO sheets was confirmed by structural and morphological analyses, ensuring effective electron transport and enhanced active sites. The sensor was evaluated for the detection of morin, a biologically active flavonoid present in fruits and vegetables, which requires monitoring due to potential cytotoxicity and interference with drug metabolism upon excessive intake. The Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub>-rGO modified electrode demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving a nanomolar detection limit (0.827 nM) and quantification limit (2.73 nM), a broad linear range of 6.25 nM–189.3 μM, and excellent reproducibility and operational stability. Importantly, the method enabled direct analysis of real samples with satisfactory recoveries without the need for complex pretreatment. This study highlights the employment of Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub> as a rare-earth tungstate in combination with environmentally friendly rGO to construct a highly efficient, stable, and sustainable electrochemical sensor. The results establish the Nd<sub>2</sub>WO<sub>6</sub>-rGO nanocomposite as a promising platform for rapid, reliable, and practical food safety monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"18136–18146"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Review of Ordered Pores in Nanomaterials for Energy Applications Ranging from Energy Storage to Catalysis","authors":"Parul Aggarwal, Fareen Umar and Amit Paul*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03047","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Energy is a fundamental necessity in everyday life, and nanotechnology has profoundly influenced energy storage and conversion. Diverse strategies and advancements have been utilized over the years to revolutionize porous nanomaterials. Controlling the pore size of nanomaterials is an efficient approach to enhance energy production. Nanoporous materials possess pores of differing dimensions, each serving a unique function in various energy applications. This review offers a state-of-the-art overview of recent advancements in the production of ordered porous materials for diverse energy applications, including supercapacitors, batteries, CO<sub>2</sub> capture, and electrocatalysis. It explores the critical importance of distinct pore dimensions for a particular application. Micropores and ultramicropores are optimal for charge storage and CO<sub>2</sub> capture, while mesopores with a narrow pore size distribution are advantageous for catalysis. On the contrary, batteries necessitate a broad range of pore sizes. The proposed review content may facilitate broader applicability in diverse energy sectors within the confined dimensions of porous structures.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17780–17818"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Akash Kankane, , , Dhirendra Kumar Rai, , and , S. Janakiraman*,
{"title":"Mechanically Robust and Chemically Stable Separator Membrane Constituted of Electrospun Halloysite-Integrated Core–Shell Nanofibers for Sodium-Ion Batteries","authors":"Akash Kankane, , , Dhirendra Kumar Rai, , and , S. Janakiraman*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c02746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c02746","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The emerging demand for efficient and sustainable energy storage systems has driven significant interest in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as an economic substitute for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Among the key components of SIBs, the separator serves a crucial role in governing electrochemical performance and ensuring operational safety under various working conditions. This study explores the fabrication of advanced nanofiber separators using coaxial electrospinning, focusing on a core–shell composite structure composed of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the core of the nanofibers and halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) integrated polyvinylidene fluoride-<i>co</i>-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) as the shell of the nanofibers. The effect of this architecture on the structural integrity and electrochemical performance is systematically investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirm the optimized morphology, phase, and chemical bonding in the fabricated composite nanofiber separator. Outcomes show that the morphology of the HNT integrated PVDF-HFP/PAN coaxial composite separator (CCS) is uniform, and most of the fibers have a diameter range of 200–400 nm. These nanoscale features of CCS contribute a commendable set of properties, including high mechanical strength (24 MPa), high thermal stability (170 °C), high porosity (74%), and electrolyte uptake (325%). Electrochemical evaluations reveal superior ionic conductivity (1.86 mS cm<sup>–1</sup>), transference number (0.63), and a broad electrochemical stability window (5 V). The battery cell assembled with a CCS showed excellent performance, delivering the maximum discharge capacity of 159.58 mA h g<sup>–1</sup> at 0.1 C rate and retaining 87.32% after 100 charge–discharge cycles at 0.5 C rate. This research demonstrates the potential of a unique core–shell nanofibrous structure to deliver outstanding electrochemical performance, paving the way for its application in next-generation SIBs.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 39","pages":"18740–18750"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145204107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sara Jahani, Jean-François Morin* and Anna M. Ritcey*,
{"title":"Twisted Graphene Synthesis via Lamellar Template Polymerization for Optoelectronic Applications","authors":"Sara Jahani, Jean-François Morin* and Anna M. Ritcey*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c02965","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c02965","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study explores a room-temperature approach for synthesizing graphene materials through chemical polymerization within a lamellar self-assembled surfactant template. The process involves the polymerization of carbon-based monomers, such as butadiyne or acetylene in sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)-stabilized water-in-oil microemulsions at ambient temperature. Transmission electron microscopy images and electron diffraction patterns of the reaction product exhibit high-quality moiré superlattices with well-defined rotational angles, corresponding to highly ordered, twisted graphene layers. Graphene layers with a twist angle have emerged as an intriguing material, offering exceptional electronic, mechanical, and thermal properties, making them highly desirable for next-generation optoelectronic applications, such as flexible transparent conductive films and photonic devices. Conventional methods for producing twisted graphene often require high temperatures, which can limit scalability and increase energy consumption, presenting challenges for sustainable production. This room-temperature solution-phase synthesis method paves the way for an environmentally friendly and cost-effective route to the production of twisted graphene.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17952–17958"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phonon Dynamics and Carrier-Mobility Engineering in Gd-Doped Bi2Se3 Nanoflakes for Thermoelectric Applications","authors":"Kowsalya Senthil Kumar, Arun Kumar, Archana Jayaram, Navaneethan Mani and Senthil Kumar Eswaran*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c02977","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c02977","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Bismuth selenide (Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>) has attracted considerable interest as a lead-free, environmentally benign thermoelectric (TE) material for near-room-temperature applications. Despite extensive research, Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> has yet to achieve a thermoelectric figure of merit (<i>zT</i>) exceeding unity, primarily due to intrinsic limitations in its thermal and electronic transport properties. In this work, we report on the thermoelectric performance of Gd-doped Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> nanoflakes synthesized via a hydrothermal process and spark plasma sintering (SPS). Temperature-dependent thermal transport measurements revealed a significant reduction in total thermal conductivity, to nearly ∼30%, reaching 0.69 W/mK at 453 K for the 2 mol % Gd-doped Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>. Raman spectroscopy confirmed significant optical phonon softening and a decrease in the interatomic force constant upon Gd doping. Further, sound velocity measurements confirmed the enhanced lattice anharmonicity, contributing to the suppression of lattice thermal conductivity. The 1 mol % Gd-doped Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> exhibited an enhanced power factor of 256 × 10<sup>−6</sup> W/mK<sup>2</sup> due to optimized carrier mobility and an improved balance between electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient. This results in a peak <i>zT</i> of 0.14 at 453 K. These findings demonstrate the importance of rare-earth doping in simultaneously tuning phonon and charge transport, offering a promising pathway for improving the performance of Bi<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>-based thermoelectric materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17959–17967"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Naveen Karuppusamy, Shaktivel Manavalan, Shen Ming Chen*, Bih-Show Lou*, Sung Mi Jung, Ta Thi Thuy Nga, Pandian Mannu, Chung Li Dong, Ying Li, Chih-Min Wang*, Yeh-Fang Duann*, Chi-Liang Chen and Jyh-Wei Lee,
{"title":"Zerovalent Fe Atom-Enriched Fe3C@C Electrocatalysts for Selective Heavy Metals Sensing","authors":"Naveen Karuppusamy, Shaktivel Manavalan, Shen Ming Chen*, Bih-Show Lou*, Sung Mi Jung, Ta Thi Thuy Nga, Pandian Mannu, Chung Li Dong, Ying Li, Chih-Min Wang*, Yeh-Fang Duann*, Chi-Liang Chen and Jyh-Wei Lee, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03213","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study addresses emerging concerns regarding the toxicity of heavy metals in daily consumption and their severe health implications. Hence, there is a critical need to develop an accurate monitoring tool for heavy metals in environmental sources. Herein, we report zerovalent iron-enriched Fe<sub>3</sub>C@C (Fe<sup>(0)</sup>/Fe<sub>3</sub>C@C) obtained from carbonization of matériaux l’institut lavoisier-88A (MIL-88A), a member of the metal–organic framework (MOF) as a superior electrocatalyst for the simultaneous detection of various heavy metals. The morphology and properties of Fe<sup>(0)</sup>/Fe<sub>3</sub>C@C are controllable at different temperature conditions so that the maximum carbon-confined zerovalent iron (ZVI) atoms are achieved at higher temperature pyrolysis (900 °C) of MIL-88A. As a result, it shows the best performance in the electrochemical detection of heavy metals owing to its reduction capability, higher affinity, strong adsorption capacity, abundant active sites, and ionic conductivity. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) performed under different conditions indicates that the additional charges from modified Fe clusters significantly enhance the electrochemical performance. The simultaneous and individual electrochemical sensing performance based on Fe<sup>(0)</sup>/Fe<sub>3</sub>C@C-900 demonstrated an excellent sensitivity with a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 0.29 nM, 0.54 nM, 0.68 nM, and 0.92 nM for simultaneous sensing and 3.20 nM, 1.69 nM, 7.96 nM, and 2.04 nM for individual sensing of cadmium ion (Cd<sup>2+</sup>), lead ion (Pb<sup>2+</sup>), copper ion (Cu<sup>2+</sup>), and mercury ion (Hg<sup>2+</sup>), respectively, over concentrations ranges from 15 μM to 75 μM using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Furthermore, real-time analysis in water samples for the electrochemical detection of proposed heavy metals is demonstrated. Overall, this study aims to highlight the importance of controlling pyrolysis and electrode characterization and enabling simultaneous electrochemical detection of heavy metal for further commercial applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"18018–18031"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Smartphone-Colorimetric Biosensor for Uric Acid through Morphological Transition of Silver Nanoplates","authors":"Liangchong Yu, Xiaobing Gao, Xiaoya Liu, Xiaohan Li, Zhenhua Gu, Taolei Sun* and Guanbin Gao*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c03428","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c03428","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Elevated uric acid (UA) serves as a critical biomarker for hyperuricemia-related disorders, yet conventional detection faces cost and complexity limitations. Here, we developed an enzyme-free smartphone-colorimetric biosensor using silver triangular nanoplates (AgTNPs). These anisotropic nanostructures exhibit morphology-dependent surface plasmon resonance (SPR), enabling UA-selective etching that induces a blue-to-yellow color shift. Spectrophotometry revealed a linear response (40–110 μM, R<sup>2</sup> > 0.992) correlating with blue shifts. Smartphone-based green-channel analysis achieved comparable accuracy (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.98) in a 96-well plate. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed UA-driven morphological evolution from triangular to spherical nanoparticles via anisotropic etching. This dual-mode platform provides a cost-effective solution for point-of-care UA monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17870–17875"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amit Gautam, Allepuram Rameshwari and Samar K. Das*,
{"title":"Internal Electric Field Developed at the Interface between CoNiP Core and ZnIn2S4 Shell Leading to Efficient Charge Separation for Photochemical Hydrogen Evolution","authors":"Amit Gautam, Allepuram Rameshwari and Samar K. Das*, ","doi":"10.1021/acsanm.5c02699","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.5c02699","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Charge carrier separation is the key step in photocatalytic reactions for efficient utilization of solar energy. The generation of an internal electric field significantly improves the separation efficiency of heterostructured materials. However, the employment of internal electric field (IEF) has been overlooked for charge separation in Type–I heterojunction. Herein, we have fabricated the CoNiP nanoprism (core), which has been used as support to grow ZnIn<sub>2</sub>S<sub>4</sub> (ZIS) nanosheets onto CoNiP forming spherical flower-like hierarchical <b>ZIS/CoNiP</b> composite having Type-I heterojunction. The optimized heterostructured title material exhibits hydrogen (H<sub>2</sub>) evolution activity of 18.81 mmol g<sup>–1</sup> h<sup>–1</sup> under visible light irradiation, which is 6 times greater than the catalytic activity of pristine ZIS. Detailed analysis indicates that stratified growth of ZIS nanosheet onto CoNiP increases specific surface area, thereby improving the surface-to-volume ratio. This shortens the charge transport distance to accelerate the charge separation under the influence of an internal electric field (IEF), originated due to the difference in work function between core and shell, leading to favorable Fermi level alignment. Under the influence of IEF, the <b>ZIS/CoNiP</b> Type-I heterojunction effectively separates photogenerated charge carriers and retains the maximum reducing efficiency of photogenerated electrons on ZIS. This study provides valuable insights into the design of high-performing heterostructured materials for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":6,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Nano Materials","volume":"8 37","pages":"17886–17899"},"PeriodicalIF":5.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145094584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}