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Zinc–air batteries (ZABs) have garnered significant interest as a viable substitute for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), primarily due to their impressive energy density and low cost. However, the efficacy of zinc–air batteries is heavily dependent on electrocatalysts, which play a vital role in enhancing reaction efficiency and stability. This scholarly review article highlights the crucial significance of electrocatalysts in zinc–air batteries and explores the rationale behind employing Fe-Co-Ni-Zn-based metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived hybrid materials as potential electrocatalysts. These MOF-derived electrocatalysts offer advantages such as abundancy, high catalytic activity, tunability, and structural stability. Various synthesis methods and characterization techniques are employed to optimize the properties of MOF-derived electrocatalysts. Such electrocatalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity, stability, and selectivity, making them suitable for applications in ZABs. Furthermore, they demonstrate notable capabilities in the realm of ZABs, encompassing elevated energy density, efficacy, and prolonged longevity. It is imperative to continue extensively researching and developing this area to propel the advancement of ZAB technology forward and pave the way for its practical implementation across diverse fields.

The investigation of using medicinal plants for the production and application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has attracted growing research interest. In this study, AgNPs are synthesized from the stem barks of the Pyrus pashia medicinal plant using a biosynthetic strategy. The reaction conditions were optimized under ambient conditions, including concentration, temperature, time, and pH, and various techniques were employed, such as UV-visible, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TEM, to characterize the synthesized AgNPs. The AgNPs produced through this biosynthesis method were found to be spherical and polydispersed, with an average size of 23.92 ± 7.04 nm. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated an enhanced DPPH free radical scavenging capacity compared to the aqueous extract, with IC50 values of 10.67 ± 0.05 µg/mL and 13.66 ± 0.35 µg/mL, respectively. In the agar well diffusion method, the synthesized AgNPs showed higher antibacterial activity than that of the extract against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 14028), and Shigella sonnei (ATCC 25931). Based on these findings, the study suggests that green synthesized AgNPs from P. pashia could be used for biomedical applications.

Hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a clean, carbon-free energy carrier capable of supporting future sustainable energy systems. Water electrolysis provides a practical route for hydrogen generation, but its efficiency is determined by the catalytic performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Transition metal phosphides (TMPs), particularly those derived from Fe, Co, Ni, and Mo, including their binary and multimetallic alloys, and alloys with other transition metals, have attracted significant attention due to their low overpotentials. Strong electrochemical stability and tunable catalytic activity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the HER reaction mechanism, synthesis strategies, performance evaluation methods, and structural engineering approaches for TMP-based catalysts. Special emphasis is placed on alloyed phosphide systems incorporating these and other transition elements, which exhibit enhanced charge transfer, optimized hydrogen adsorption energies, and improved durability. The electrocatalytic behaviour of these phosphides under different phosphidation conditions is compared to reveal the structure–activity relationship. Despite considerable progress, several limitations persist, such as insufficient intrinsic activity, active-site instability, sluggish kinetics in alkaline media, and challenges in large-scale synthesis. To overcome these barriers, potential solutions and future research directions are proposed, including multi-metal alloy design, advanced in-situ/operando characterization, computationally guided catalyst screening and development. The advancements are expected to guide the development of high-performance Fe–, Co–, Ni–, and Mo–, based phosphide materials suitable for practical water splitting applications.

The investigation of using medicinal plants for the production and application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) has attracted growing research interest. In this study, AgNPs are synthesized from the stem barks of the Pyrus pashia medicinal plant using a biosynthetic strategy. The reaction conditions were optimized under ambient conditions, including concentration, temperature, time, and pH, and various techniques were employed, such as UV-visible, FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TEM, to characterize the synthesized AgNPs. The AgNPs produced through this biosynthesis method were found to be spherical and polydispersed, with an average size of 23.92 ± 7.04 nm. The synthesized AgNPs demonstrated an enhanced DPPH free radical scavenging capacity compared to the aqueous extract, with IC[sub.50] values of 10.67 ± 0.05 µg/mL and 13.66 ± 0.35 µg/mL, respectively. In the agar well diffusion method, the synthesized AgNPs showed higher antibacterial activity than that of the extract against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Salmonella typhi (ATCC 14028), and Shigella sonnei (ATCC 25931). Based on these findings, the study suggests that green synthesized AgNPs from P. pashia could be used for biomedical applications.

Purpose - One of the most significant concerns of disaster management is that community at large is reluctant to initiate pre-disaster measures at the individual level. Disaster education to schoolchildren offers the most vital answer to this grave concern. The objective of this study is to identify the factors which enhance students' awareness and promote the actual action for disaster reduction.Design methodology approach - This study is based on a questionnaire survey in six selected schools of Kathmandu, Nepal. Different awareness levels have been established to identify effective educational factors at each level. The analysis showed the way to implement the education program.Findings - Results showed that current school disaster education - which is based on lectures - can raise risk perception, but it cannot enable students to know the importance of pre-disaster measures and to take actual action for disaster reduction. Self-education is effective for realizing the importance of implementing measures. Community plays the essential role for promoting students' actual actions for disaster reduction. Future disaster education in school should be active learning for students. Continuous community involvement is the most important factor for school disaster education.Research limitations implications - This study focuses on the direction of disaster education for schoolchildren. Specific cases of the education should be customized, based on the results of this study.Practical implications - The study findings are of significant importance for school teachers or education department while designing the curriculum for disaster education.Originality value - The findings and recommendations are field-tested in Nepal and hence offer higher possibilities of adaptation, particularly in developing countries.