ABSTRACT
Iron powders and Fe/graphene oxide and Fe/boron nitride composites were synthesized by means of a polyol synthesis method. The effect of NaOH/Fe and ascorbic acid/Fe ratios on the characteristics of synthesized products were evaluated. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and Raman-spectroscopy. Ascorbic acid-assisted polyol synthesis resulted in the 10-fold decrease of the iron particles' size and almost 2-fold increase of lead removal efficiency. The deposition of iron on the surface of graphene oxide lead to the formation of small 20-30 nm sized particles as well as bigger 200-300 nm sized particles, while the reduction in presence of boron nitride resulted in the 100-200 nm sized particles. The difference is attributed to the surface state of graphene oxide and boron nitride. Adsorption properties of the obtained materials were studied in the process of Pb2+ ion removal from wastewater.
ABSTRACT
Diamond is attractive for various applications due to its unique mechanical and optical properties. In particular, single crystal diamond needles with high aspect ratios and sharp apexes of nanometer size are demanded for different types of optical sensors including optically sensing tip probes for scanning microscopy. This paper reports on electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy characterization of the diamond needles having geometrically perfect pyramidal shapes with rectangular atomically flat bases with (001) crystallography orientation, 2-200 nm sharp apexes, and with lengths from about 10-160 µm. The needles were produced by selective oxidation of (001) textured polycrystalline diamond films grown by chemical vapor deposition. Here we study the types and distribution of defects inside and on the surface of the single crystal diamond needles. We show that sp3 type point defects are incorporated into the volume of the diamond crystal during growth, while the surface of the lateral facets is enriched by multiple extended defects. Nitrogen addition to the reaction mixture results in increase of the growth rate on {001} facets correlated with the rise in the concentration of sp3 type defects.
