Journal of Materials Science

Ye, Fei; Li, Tiehu; Liu, Yuhui; Chen, Jiahe; Wu, Shaoheng; Zada, Amir; Han, Yongkang; Sun, Yiting; Dang, Alei

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10194-6pmid: N/A

Graphene fibers (GFs), assembled from graphene-based building blocks, have received considerable attention both from academia and industry due to their intriguing features of high specific surface area, lightweight, easy functionalization, excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Herein, we have summarized current research status of GFs in terms of their latest fabrication techniques, characterization methods and reduction processes. Wet and dry spinning, dimension-confined hydrothermal strategy, electrophoretic self-assembly, and film conversion fabrication techniques are mainly discussed to optimize the best fabrication conditions. Moreover, various characterization techniques and reduction processes of GFs are also elaborated in detail. Finally, a perspective of the future development and applications of GFs have been given a separate portion in this review.

Qu, Xiaoxu; Wang, Min; Yang, Danni; Wu, Yiping; Guo, Xiaoyu; Liu, Xinling; Yang, Haifeng; Wen, Ying

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10345-9pmid: N/A

Zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have received considerable interest because of the growing demand for high-energy–density and safe energy storage systems. Efficient and economical catalysts for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in ZABs play a crucial role in reducing expenses and facilitating industrialization. In this study, an efficient alkaline ORR electrocatalyst derived from ZIF-67 is synthesized by a simple one-pot method followed by high-temperature calcination. The optimized catalyst, CoCu-NPC-1000, demonstrates outstanding electrocatalytic performance in ORR, with a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.849 V and an onset potential (Eonset) of 0.988 V. Notably, CoCu-NPC-1000 also shows excellent methanol tolerance, stability, and durability under alkaline conditions. These superior catalytic properties are attributed to the synergistic effect of Co-Nx and Cu-Nx dual active sites, along with the increased average pore diameter facilitated by the pore-forming agent Zn(NO3)2·6H2O. The CoCu-NPC-1000-based zinc-air battery outperforms the power density of Pt/C, achieving 107.1 mW cm⁻2 at a current density of 124.3 mA cm⁻2, compared to 84.79 mW cm⁻2 at 143 mA cm⁻2 for Pt/C. Additionally, its specific capacity reaches 851 mAh gZn-1\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$${g}_{Zn}^{-1}$$\end{document}, exceeding that of Pt/C (688 mAh gZn-1\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{wasysym}\usepackage{amsfonts}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{upgreek}\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}\begin{document}$${g}_{Zn}^{-1}$$\end{document}). This study not only confirms the effectiveness of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O as a pore-forming agent but also offers valuable insights into synthesizing bimetallic organic framework-derived electrocatalysts for ZABs.

Zhang, Lihua; Cheng, Xiaoyang; Li, Lingyan; Wu, Hao; Zheng, Jinfeng; Zhao, Zhipeng; Tan, Lei

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10349-5pmid: N/A

The composite α-Ni(OH)2@CNT of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and sheet-like α-Ni(OH)2 was prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. The structures and electrochemical properties of α-Ni(OH)2@CNT and α-Ni(OH)2 have been studied in detail. Since hydroxylated CNT was used in this study, CNT provides the dual role of dispersion and conductivity for α-Ni(OH)2@CNT. The structural characterization shows that the thickness of α-Ni(OH)2@CNT nanosheets is significantly lower than that of α-Ni(OH)2, and the specific surface area and pore volume are significantly higher than that of α-Ni(OH)2, which provides more active sites for the composites. The electrochemical test results show that the specific capacitance and rate performance of α-Ni(OH)2@CNT are much higher than that of α-Ni(OH)2. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) assembled with α-Ni(OH)2@CNT and activated carbon (AC) can provide an energy density of 42.8 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 800 W kg−1, and the specific capacity can be maintained by 80% after 20,000 cycles, showing good application value. The theoretical calculation results further confirm that CNT increases the conductivity of α-Ni(OH)2@CNT. This work provides a low cost and effective modification method for the practical application of α-Ni(OH)2.

Liu, Weinan; Zhang, Haiyang; Yuan, Hang; Wang, Lidong; Li, Zhen

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10350-ypmid: N/A

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) is widely used in advanced oxidation processes. Fe(II) is an excellent catalyst for PMS, and organic pollutants in water can be effectively degraded in the Fe(II)/PMS system. However, the pollutant degradation efficiency is limited by the low conversion efficiency of Fe(II). Natural antioxidants exist in the water environment and have strong electron-donating ability. At present, the research on the introduction of natural antioxidants into the advanced oxidation processes to degrade pollutants focuses on a few polyphenols, and the effects of other natural antioxidants on the removal of pollutants are worth studying. In this study, natural antioxidants, proanthocyanidins (PCs), saponins (SPs), and Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), were introduced into the Fe(III)/PMS system. The reduction ability of natural antioxidants was used to improve the conversion efficiency of Fe(III) to Fe(II), and PMS was more effectively activated to produce ROS, which promoted the degradation of ofloxacin (OFL). After the introduction of PC in the Fe(III)/PMS system, 80% of OFL was degraded at 20 min, and 90% of OFL was degraded at 120 min after the introduction of SP. The experimental results showed that the degradation of OFL was affected by the amount of antioxidants, PMS and Fe(III), pH value, and coexisting anions. Free radical quenching experiments showed that 1O2, SO4−·, and ·OH play an important role in the degradation of OFL in the Fe(III)/antioxidant/PMS system. This paper proves that the introduction of proanthocyanidins and saponins into the advanced oxidation processes can remove organic pollutants more efficiently.Graphical Abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Ma, Haotong; Zuo, Songlin; Cui, Nannan; Wang, Shanshan

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10370-8pmid: N/A

The basicity of activated carbon materials is derived from basic sites. The concentration of basic sites is fundamental to understanding their properties and can usually be determined by simply reacting with acids. Herein, we measured the basic site concentrations of steam-, carbon dioxide- and ammonia-activated basic carbon materials by reacting with acidic HCl, NaHSO4 and H2SO4 solutions. It was found that the values determined using HCl solution were unexpectedly much lower than those using H2SO4 or NaHSO4, with the H2SO4 and NaHSO4 results being similar, independent of the species of activated carbon. Adsorption experiments verified that this huge discrepancy was caused by apparent adsorption of anions by the activated carbon due to the establishment of an electric double layer between the carbon surface and solution. The further analysis revealed that the adsorption of Cl− is governed by electrostatic and molecular interaction forces, while adsorption of SO42− or HSO4− is mainly dependent on electrostatic forces, leading to apparent adsorption of Cl− under neutral conditions. The introduction of nitrogen-containing functionality favors adsorption of anions from neutral and acidic solutions. These findings provided new insight into the quantitative analysis of basic activated carbon materials and their electrochemical, environmental and catalytic applications.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Wang, Ting; Lyu, Yanting; Zhao, Kehan; Ahmad, Mudasir; Zhang, Baoliang

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10382-4pmid: N/A

Anchoring more template proteins on the carrier surface is one of the most critical steps in the preparation process of protein-imprinted polymers. Inspired by the stable interactions between metal ions and proteins, high external surface iron-nickel double hydroxides (Fe–Ni LDH) derived from metal–organic framework were selected as carriers to develop high-performance surface bovine serum albumin (BSA) imprinted iron-nickel double hydroxides nanorods (Fe–Ni LDH@MIP). A hexagonal hollow structure Fe–Ni LDH was synthesized with nanosheets stacked on the surface by etching MIL-88A with Ni2+. The etching of Ni2+ increased the surface roughness of MIL-88A and the rough surface of the carrier was conducive to improving the anchorage amount of BSA, thus providing more effective imprinting sites. Controlled coating of the imprinted polymer layer on the surface of Fe–Ni LDH was obtained by aqueous phase precipitation polymerization. The protein adsorption amount reached 329.8 ± 7.8 mg/g in 60 min with an imprinting factor of 2.86. Fe–Ni LDH@MIP also demonstrated excellent and specific recognition ability in the separation of mixed proteins and fetal bovine serum (FBS) and had good adsorption selectivity, whose adsorption capacity only decreased by 11.5% after 7 adsorption–desorption cycles. In short, Fe–Ni LDH@MIP has great potential to apply in the separation and purification of biomolecules.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Shao, Xibo; Wu, Xun; Liu, Hongliang; Wang, Pei; Du, Cheng-feng; Wang, Long; Wang, Haifeng; Yang, Jun

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10303-5pmid: N/A

As an excellent solid lubricant in vacuum and inert gas environment, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is easy to be oxidized in high temperature, which leads to serious deterioration or even failure of lubricating performance. The introduction of doped phase or composite can improve the high temperature lubricating performance of MoS2-based lubricating coating to some extent. In this work, the effect of nano-particles zinc oxide (ZnO) and layered graphene oxide (GO) on the high temperature (400, 450 and 500 °C) tribological properties of MoS2-based composite lubricating coatings were studied. It was found that the tribological performance of MoS2-ZnO composite coating were the best for almost all test conditions, and the average friction coefficient and wear rate were about 0.25 ~ 0.27 and 4 ~ 6 × 10−5 mm3/Nm, respectively. The promising tribological performance of MoS2-ZnO composite coating was attributed to the ZnO that mitigated the oxidation of MoS2, and the formation of ZnS. It is the formed ZnS, nano-ZnO and a small amount of MoS2 that provided synergistic lubrication. However, the introduction of layered GO deteriorated the tribological properties of the MoS2-based composite coating, due to the high-temperature decomposition of GO and the formation of hard abrasive particles. The results can provide reference for the design and preparation of MoS2-based composite lubricating coating.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Yempally, Swathi; Al-Ejji, Maryam; Zaidi, Shabi Abbas; Ponnamma, Deepalekshmi

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10331-1pmid: N/A

The current study explores a new approach to investigate the CO2 detection capabilities of cobalt-doped zinc oxide (Co-ZnO) combined with molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) hybrid nanomaterials Co-ZnO/MoS2 (CZM). The hydrothermally synthesized CZM composites provide unique structural and compositional properties, with 25 nm as their longest dimension (length), and specific lattice structure. CZM-based electrodes are developed by preparing the nanomaterial-dispersed ink, and potentiometric studies explore the optimal sensing performance. We found significant enhancements in sensitivity, reaction time, and reduction efficiency by systematically changing the electrolyte concentration in the electrode cell. Bode and Nyquist plots explain the influence of electrolyte concentration and the nanomaterial synergy in CO2 sensing and conversion with the 0.1 N electrolyte with the maximum efficiency. By offering important insights into how the electrolyte content affects the performance of Co-ZnO/MoS2 nanocomposite sensors, this study advances the field of CO2 sensing technology. Further, the nanomaterials extend their applicability in environmental monitoring, evaluating indoor air quality, and industrial processes.

Feng, Long; Cai, Ming; Fu, Yu; Ma, Qihua; Sun, Baozhong; Waterhouse, Geoffrey I. N.

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10363-7pmid: N/A

Aerogels attract a lot of attention due to their high porosity, high specific surface area, low density, and low thermal conductivity. However, high cost, complex manufacturing process, and poor mechanical properties hinder their application in the industrial sector. Herein, we examined the effect of strengthening silica-based aerogels with short jute (Corchorus olitorius) fibers. Gels containing a commercial silica sol, water, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and jute fibers were prepared, then freeze-dried for 36 h to yield SiO2/PVA/PEG-Jute aerogels with different jute fiber contents. The aerogel prepared with a fiber content of 3 wt.% possessed excellent thermal insulation properties (thermal conductivity of 0.05355 W/m K), a linear elongation of 80%, and a compressive strength of 1.1 MPa (8 times higher than the aerogel prepared without jute fibers). The addition of low-cost jute fibers thus maintains the desirable thermal insulation properties of SiO2-based aerogels whilst significantly improving their mechanical properties (aerogel flexibility, compression performance and shrinkage resistance) for different end uses.

Xue, Zhao; Liu, Ziwei; Ding, Yanhuai

doi: 10.1007/s10853-024-10377-1pmid: N/A

With increasing demand for high-performance materials in modern industry, lightweight, high-strength, and excellent thermal insulation materials have become a hot topic of research. Basalt fibers, due to their excellent mechanical properties and temperature resistance, are widely regarded as an ideal choice for reinforcing materials. This study aims to prepare basalt fiber-reinforced silica aerogels and conduct an in-depth study of its properties. Silica aerogel with a nano-porous structure was successfully prepared using the sol–gel process, and it was reinforced with basalt fibers. The study investigated the effects of different amounts of basalt fiber on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and thermal insulation performance of the composite aerogels. The results show that the addition of basalt fibers significantly improved the compressive strength of the composite material while maintaining the low thermal conductivity characteristic of the aerogel. This study provides a new approach for the development of high-performance thermal insulation materials and lays the foundation for the application of basalt fibers in the field of aerogels.