A Unique Synthesis of Macroporous N-Doped Carbon Composite Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Macroporous carbon materials (MCMs) are used extensively for many electrocatalytic applications, particularly as catalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs)-for example, in fuel cells. However, complex processes are currently required for synthesis of MCMs. We present a rapid and facile synthetic approach to produce tailored MCMs efficiently via pyrolysis of sulfonated aniline oligomers (SAOs). Thermal decomposition of SAO releases SO2 gas which acts as a blowing agent to form the macroporous structures. This process was used to synthesise three specifically tailored nitrogen (N)-doped MCM catalysts: N-SAO, N-SAO (phenol formaldehyde) (PF) and N-SAO-reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the formation of macropores (100-350 µm). Investigation of ORR efficacy showed that N-SAOPF performed with the highest onset potential of 0.98 V (vs. RHE) and N-SAOrGO showed the highest limiting current density of 7.89 mAcm-2. The macroporous structure and ORR efficacy of the MCM catalysts synthesised using this novel process suggest that this method can be used to streamline MCM production while enabling the formation of composite materials that can be tailored for greater efficiency in many applications.

Investigating the reinforcing mechanism and optimized dosage of pristine graphene for enhancing mechanical strengths of cementitious composites.

The proposed reinforcing mechanism and optimized dosage of pristine graphene (PRG) for enhancing mechanical, physicochemical and microstructural properties of cementitious mortar composites are presented. Five concentrations of PRG and two particle sizes are explored in this study. The results confirmed that the strength of the mortars depends on the dosage of PRG. The PRG sizes have a significant influence on the enhancement rate of mechanical strengths of the mortars, whereas they do not have a significant influence on the optimized PRG dosage for mechanical strengths. The PRG dosage of 0.07% is identified as the optimized content of PRG for enhancing mechanical strengths. The reinforcing mechanism of PRG for cement-based composites is mostly attributed to adhesion friction forces between PRG sheets and cementitious gels, which highly depends on the surface area of PRG sheets. The larger surface area of PRG sheets has a larger friction area associated with cementitious gels suggested to be one of favorable parameters for enhancing mechanical strengths with graphene additives.

A Facile Synthesis Procedure for Sulfonated Aniline Oligomers with Distinct Microstructures.

Well-defined sulfonated aniline oligomer (SAO) microstructures with rod and flake morphologies were successfully synthesized using an aniline and oxidant with a molar ratio of 10:1 in ethanol and acidic conditions (pH 4.8). The synthesized oligomers showed excellent dispersibility and assembled as well-defined structures in contrast to the shapeless aggregated material produced in a water medium. The synergistic effects among the monomer concentration, oxidant concentration, pH, and reaction medium are shown to be controlling parameters to generate SAO microstructures with distinct morphologies, whether micro sheets or micro rods.

Green Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hybrid N-Doped ORR Electro-Catalysts Derived from Apricot Sap.

Rapid depletion of fossil fuel and increased energy demand has initiated a need for an alternative energy source to cater for the growing energy demand. Fuel cells are an enabling technology for the conversion of sustainable energy carriers (e.g., renewable hydrogen or bio-gas) into electrical power and heat. However, the hazardous raw materials and complicated experimental procedures used to produce electro-catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells has been a concern for the effective implementation of these catalysts. Therefore, environmentally friendly and low-cost oxygen reduction electro-catalysts synthesised from natural products are considered as an attractive alternative to currently used synthetic materials involving hazardous chemicals and waste. Herein, we describe a unique integrated oxygen reduction three-dimensional composite catalyst containing both nitrogen-doped carbon fibers (N-CF) and carbon microspheres (N-CMS) synthesised from apricot sap from an apricot tree. The synthesis was carried out via three-step process, including apricot sap resin preparation, hydrothermal treatment, and pyrolysis with a nitrogen precursor. The nitrogen-doped electro-catalysts synthesised were characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD, Raman, and BET techniques followed by electro-chemical testing for ORR catalysis activity. The obtained catalyst material shows high catalytic activity for ORR in the basic medium by facilitating the reaction via a four-electron transfer mechanism.

A Unique 3D Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Composite as High-Performance Oxygen Reduction Catalyst.

The synthesis and properties of an oxygen reduction catalyst based on a unique 3-dimensional (3D) nitrogen doped (N-doped) carbon composite are described. The composite material is synthesised via a two-step hydrothermal and pyrolysis method using bio-source low-cost materials of galactose and melamine. Firstly, the use of iron salts and galactose to hydrothermally produceiron oxide (Fe2O3) magnetic nanoparticle clusters embedded carbon spheres. Secondly, magnetic nanoparticles diffused out of the carbon sphere when pyrolysed in the presence of melamine as nitrogen precursor. Interestingly, many of these nanoparticles, as catalyst-grown carbon nanotubes (CNTs), resulted in the formation of N-doped CNTs and N-doped carbon spheres under the decomposition of carbon and a nitrogen environment. The composite material consists of integrated N-doped carbon microspheres and CNTs show high ORR activity through a predominantly four-electron pathway.

Graphene Oxide-Assisted Liquid Phase Exfoliation of Graphite into Graphene for Highly Conductive Film and Electromechanical Sensors.

Here, we report a new method to prepare graphene from graphite by the liquid phase exfoliation process with sonication using graphene oxide (GO) as a dispersant. It was found that GO nanosheets act a as surfactant to the mediated exfoliation of graphite into a GO-adsorbed graphene complex in the aqueous solution, from which graphene was separated by an additional process. The preparation of isolated graphene from a single to a few layers is routinely achieved with an exfoliation yield of up to higher than 40% from the initial graphite material. The prepared graphene sheets showed a high quality (C/O ∼ 21.5), low defect (ID/IG ∼ 0.12), and high conductivity (6.2 × 10(4) S/m). Moreover, the large lateral size ranging from 5 to 10 µm of graphene, which is believed to be due to the shielding effect of GO avoiding damage under ultrasonic jets and cavitation formed by the sonication process. The thin graphene film prepared by the spray-coating technique showed a sheet resistance of 668 Ω/sq with a transmittance of 80% at 550 nm after annealing at 350 °C for 3 h. The transparent electrode was even greater with the resistance only 66.02 Ω when graphene is deposited on an interdigitated electrode (1 mm gap). Finally, a flexible sensor based on a graphene spray-coating polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is demonstrated showing excellent performance working under human touch pressure (<10 kPa). The graphene prepared by this method has some distinct properties showing it as a promising material for applications in electronics including thin film coatings, transparent electrodes, wearable electronics, human monitoring sensors, and RFID tags.

In Situ Transformation of Chitosan Films into Microtubular Structures on the Surface of Nanoengineered Titanium Implants.

There is considerable interest in combining bioactive polymers such as chitosan with titanium bone implants to promote bone healing and address therapeutic needs. However, the fate of these biodegradable polymers especially on titanium implants is not fully explored. Here we report in situ formation of chitosan microtube (CMT) structures from chitosan films on the implant surface with titania nanotubes (TNTs) layer, based on phosphate buffer-induced transformation and precipitation process. We have comprehensively analyzed this phenomenon and the factors that influence CMT formation, including substrate topography, immersion solution and its pH, effect of coating thickness, and time of immersion. Significance of reported in situ formation of chitosan microtubes on the TNTs surface is possibly to tailor properties of implants with favorable micro and nano morphology using a self-ordering process after the implant's insertion.