Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of nitrobenzene using MWCNT/β-ZnMoO4 composites under UV light emitting diodes (LEDs)

The β-ZnMoO₄/MWCNT nanocrystal composites were synthesized using hydrothermal method. The physicochemical properties such as structure, morphology and bandgap of synthesized photocatalysts were characterized using PXRD, UV-vis DRS, FTIR, FT-Raman, SEM and TEM analytical methods. PXRD pattern shows the peak shift in the case of synthesized ZnMoO₄/MWCNT which confirms the formation of nanocomposites. Moreover, the strong absorbance in UV region which was evidenced in UV-vis DRS spectra for all the case of synthesized ZnMoO₄ and ZnMoO₄/MWCNT composites. From the SEM and TEM images, the MWCNT was found to have adhered over the ZnMoO₄ nanocrystals. Compared to bare β-ZnMoO₄, β-ZnMoO₄/MWCNT nanocrystal composites exhibited significant higher photocatalytic activity under ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UVLEDs) irradiation for the degradation of nitrobenzene (NB; 2.606 × 10^?4 M). This may be due to the effective charge transfer in the composite and optimized electron hole pair recombination. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized photocatalysts was also studied under visible LEDs and it is observed that the photocatalytic degradation of NB was 97%, 77%, 65% and 52% under the irradiation of UV, blue, green, and red LEDs respectively.     

Characterisation of carbonaceous materials using Raman spectroscopy: a comparison of carbon nanotube filters,single‐ and multi‐walled nanotubes,graphitised porous carbon and graphite

Multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filters have been recently synthesised which have specific molecular filtering capabilities and good mechanical strength. Optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the formation of highly aligned arrays of bundles of carbon nanotubes having lengths up to 500 µm. The Raman spectra of this material along with four other carbonaceous materials, commercially available single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and MWCNTs, graphitised porous carbon (Carbotrap) and graphite have been recorded using two‐excitation wavelengths, 532 and 785 nm, and analysed for band positions and shape with special emphasis paid to the D‐, G‐ and G′‐bands. A major difference between the different MWCNT varieties analysed is that G‐bands in the MWCNT filters exhibit almost no dispersion, whereas the other MWCNTs show a noticeable dispersive behaviour with a change in the excitation wavelength. Spectral features similar to those of the MWCNT filter varieties were observed for the Carbotrap material. From the line shape analysis, the intensity ratio, I_D/I_G, of the more ordered MWCNT filter material using the integral G‐band turns out to be two times lower than that of the less ordered MWCNT filter product at both excitation wavelengths. This parameter can, therefore, be used as a measure of the degree of MWCNT alignment in filter varieties, which is well supported also by our SEM study. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Enhanced Performance of CNT‐doped Imine Based Receptors as Fe(III) Sensor Using Potentiometry and Voltammetry

A highly sensitive and selective potentiometric and voltammteric assay for the detection of Fe³⁺ using (E)‐3‐((2‐(2‐(2‐aminoethylamino) ethylamino) ethylimino)methyl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one (IFE(III)) ionophore was developed. To demonstrate the ion‐to‐electron transfer ability of MWCNT, these were incorporated in the ion‐selective membrane and response characteristics of Fe³⁺ electrode was compared with those of the traditional ion selective electrode. The electrode showed an improved Nernstian slope, lower detection limit, response time of less than 5 s and working in a pH range of 3.0 to 8.0. Differential pulse voltammetric studies were performed for IFE(III)‐Fe³⁺ complex in DMSO solvent medium at glassy carbon (GC) electrode. A linear relationship between the cathodic peak current and concentration of Fe³⁺ was observed in the range of 1.6×10^?5 to 4.4×10^?5 mol/L with a detection limit of 5.2×10^?8 mol/L. The electrode shows remarkable selectivity for Fe³⁺ ions over alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The optimized electrode was successfully applied for the determination of Fe³⁺ ion in different real‐life samples using potentiometric technique. Theoretical calculations were used to support the complexation behavior of Fe³⁺ with IFE(III).     

Application of carbon nanotubes in extraction and chromatographic analysis: A review

Carbon nanotube (CNT), a well-known carbon-based nanomaterial has drawn much attention in many application fields including chemistry in the last few decades. Many researchers and scientists have shown huge interest to improve the extraction methodologies and adopt their applications in combination with chromatography technique. With respect to this, the exceptional applications of CNTs have been introduced as extraction sorbent due to their excellent inborn physical and chemical properties. In particular, CNTs have consistently been used as adsorbents in various techniques including solid-phase micro-extraction, solid-phase extraction, micro dispersive slid phase extraction, magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction, analytes enrichment, sample fractionation and clean-up as well as support for many derivatization reactions. Many research papers have discussed the successful use of CNTs to overcome the limitations of the extraction techniques due to their excellent sorbent capacity. In addition, considering the clear need to make chromatographic technique more successful, the applications of CNTs have been reported in the literatures in details as stationary and pseudo-stationary phases for the separation and extraction of challenging compounds. Because of the higher thermal and chemical stability, CNTs have been anticipated as stationary phase modifier for chromatographic applications to avoid bleeding of the columns and enable the analysis even at very high temperature (1200 °C). In liquid chromatography CNTs have primarily been used in combination with other packing materials (silica) and sometimes incorporated in a porous polymeric monolith. Therefore, the recent utilizations of CNTs as extraction materials and stationary phases have been illustrated in the current review and a table listing the details applications of CNTs in aforementioned field is provided as well. We believe that the review will help researcher to gain vast knowledge about application of carbon nanotubes in the field of separation chemistry.     

Evaluation of thermal and flame properties of HDPE-MWCNT-SiO2 nanocomposites

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nano-silicon dioxide (SiO₂) fillers were evaluated for flame retardancy and thermal properties for cable and wire applications. In this study, the filler percentages of MWCNT and nano-SiO₂ have varied from 0 to 5 wt% in HDPE composite with polyethylene-grafted glycidyl methacrylate compatibilizer and 3-aminopropyl triethoxy silane coupling agent. Addition of MWCNT’s and nano-SiO₂ to the HDPE composite is observed to enhance the limiting oxygen index and char formation. Cone calorimeter results also show a 53% reduction in the peak heat release rate of the HDPE composite with 5 wt% of MWCNT. The existence of synergism between the uniformly dispersed MWCNT and nano-SiO₂ has been verified using Finite Element Method (FEM)-based thermal simulations.     

Pd/CNT Catalysts for Glycerol Electro‐oxidation: Effect of Pd Loading on Production of Valuable Chemical Products

Glycerol (C₃H₈O₃), a waste product of biodiesel, is considered as a suitable substrate for electro‐oxidation process to generate high value‐added products. A suitable active catalyst could improve the yield of desirable organic compounds from electro‐oxidation of glycerol. In this work, palladium nanoparticles supported over activated multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with varying loadings of 5 %–40 % were prepared using chemical reduction method and used to study their potential for electro‐oxidation of glycerol to produce various high value‐added products. The catalysts were characterized by different physicochemical methods, such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), N₂ adsorption‐desorption, and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), whereas the electro‐oxidation activity of the catalysts was analysed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA), and the products were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The electrochemical surface area (S_ESA) and mass activity (MA) were increased from 176.98 m² g^?1 to 282.29 m² g^?1 and 12.22 mA mg^?1 to 49.53 mA mg^?1 by increasing the Pd‐loading from 5 % to 20 %, respectively. While the further increase to 40 % Pd loading, the S_ESA and MA values decreased to 231.45 m² g^?1 and 47.63 mA mg^?1respectively. The results found that the optimum 20 % Pd‐loading showed the excellent electrochemical properties due to uniform distribution of Pd‐metal particles over MWCNTs. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed the tartronic acid, glyceric acid and glyceraldehyde as dominant products. Mechanism of the reaction has also been proposed based on product distribution.     

激光直写微型RGO/MWCNT/CF平面柔性超级电容器的制备及性能

将采用改性Hummers法制备的氧化石墨烯与多壁碳纳米管(MWCNT)复合, 通过激光直写的方法制备了以棉织物(Cotton fabric, CF)为基底的石墨烯复合碳纳米管的同心圆形织物柔性平面超级电容器(RGO/MWCNT/CF). 通过扫描电子显微镜、 X 射线衍射和拉曼光谱技术对RGO/MWCNT/CF进行了表征, 并对超级电容器的电导率和电化学性能进行了测试. 结果表明, 电极材料经激光还原后导电率达到了7.19×10 ⁴ S/m, 表现出良好的导电性能. 以RGO/MWCNT/CF为工作电极、 PVA/LiCl凝胶为电解质组装的超级电容器具有良好的电化学性能, 在电位窗口为0~1 V、 电流密度为40.8 mA/cm ²时比电容达到24 mF/cm ², 功率密度为61 mW·h/kg, 能量密度为1.22 mW·h/kg, 且循环1000次仍能保持92%的比电容.     

Analysis of graphene based optically transparent patch antenna for terahertz communications

With and without multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) loaded graphene based optically transparent patch antennas are designed to resonate at 6 THz. Their radiation characteristics are analyzed in 5.66–6.43 THz band. The optically transparent graphene is deployed as the patch and ground plane of the antennas, which are separated by a 2.5 μm thick flexible polyimide substrate. By shorting the microstrip line and ground plane of the antenna with a MWCNT via, the return loss of the antenna is improved. The peak gain of 3.3dB at 6.2 THz and a gain greater than 3dB in 5.66–6.43 THz band is obtained for antenna loaded without MWCNT. Both the antennas achieved a −10dB impedance bandwidth of 12.83%. Gain, directivity and radiation efficiency of the proposed antennas are compared with conventional transparent patch antennas and graphene based non-transparent antennas. The antenna structures are simulated by using finite element method based electromagnetic simulator-Ansys HFSS.     

Carbon nanotube composite PVC coated stainless steel disc electrode for detection of Ga(III)

This study demonstrates the application of the composite of multi-walled carbon nanotube polyvinylchloride (MWCNT-PVC) based on Bismarck Brown R for gallium sensor. MWCNT has a role to enhance the hydrophobicity of the membrane, which leads to a more stable potential signal. In addition by applying polypyrrol on the surface of this sensor a reduction in the drift of potential occurred and equilibrium potential was achieved faster. Compared to previous studies, using a stainless steel disc instead of a wire electrode causes to obtain an easily and more homogeneous coated electrode. The sensor shows a good Nernstian slope of 19.70?±?0.37?mV?decade^?1 in a wide linear range concentration of 1.0?×?10^?7 to 1.0?×?10^?2?M of Ga(NO₃)₃. The detection limit of this electrode was 7.7?×?10^?8?M of Ga(NO₃)₃. This proposed sensor is applicable in a wide pH range of 2 to 8. It has a short response time of about 8?s and has a good selectivity over twenty four various metal ions. The practical analytical utility of this electrode is demonstrated by measurement of Ga(III) in rock and different water samples.     

A novel polybenzimidazole-modified gold electrode for the analytical determination of hydrogen peroxide

The imine of polybenzimidazole (PBI) is chemically oxidized by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the presence of acetic acid (AcOH). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies (XPS) showed that when the AcOH concentration remained constant, the degree of oxidation increased with increasing H₂O₂ levels. Moreover, the imine also exhibited electrochemical redox behavior. Based on these properties, a PBI-modified Au (PBI/Au) electrode was developed as an enzyme-free H₂O₂ sensor. At an applied potential of −0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl, the current response of the PBI/Au electrode was linear with H₂O₂ concentration over a range from 0.075 to 1.5 mM, with a sensitivity of 55.0 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². The probe had excellent stability, with <5% variation from its initial response current after storage at 50 °C for 10 days. Potentially interfering species such as ascorbic or uric acid had no effect on sensitivity. Sensitivity improved dramatically when multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were incorporated in the probe. Under optimal conditions, the detection of H₂O₂ using a MWCNT-PBI/Au electrode was linear from 1.56 μM to 2.5 mM, with a sensitivity of 928.6 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². Analysis of H₂O₂ concentrations in urine samples using a MWCNT-PBI/Au electrode produced accurate real-time results comparable to those of traditional HPLC methods.