Chemical versus Electrochemical Synthesis of Carbon Nano‐onion/Polypyrrole Composites for Supercapacitor Electrodes

The development of high‐surface‐area carbon electrodes with a defined pore size distribution and the incorporation of pseudo‐active materials to optimize the overall capacitance and conductivity without destroying the stability are at present important research areas. Composite electrodes of carbon nano‐onions (CNOs) and polypyrrole (Ppy) were fabricated to improve the specific capacitance of a supercapacitor. The carbon nanostructures were uniformly coated with Ppy by chemical polymerization or by electrochemical potentiostatic deposition to form homogenous composites or bilayers. The materials were characterized by transmission‐ and scanning electron microscopy, differential thermogravimetric analyses, FTIR spectroscopy, piezoelectric microgravimetry, and cyclic voltammetry. The composites show higher mechanical and electrochemical stabilities, with high specific capacitances of up to about 800 F g^?1 for the CNOs/SDS/Ppy composites (chemical synthesis) and about 1300 F g^?1 for the CNOs/Ppy bilayer (electrochemical deposition).     

Tips and Tricks for the Surface Engineering of Well-Ordered Morphologically Driven Silver-Based Nanomaterials

Particularly-shaped silver nanostructures are successfully applied in many scientific fields, such as nanotechnology, catalysis, (nano)engineering, optoelectronics, and sensing. In recent years, the production of shape-controlled silver-based nanostructures and the knowledge around this topic has grown significantly. Hence, on the basis of the most recent results reported in the literature, a critical analysis around the driving forces behind the synthesis of such nanostructures are proposed herein, pointing out the important role of surface-regulating agents in driving crystalline growth by favoring (or opposing) development along specific directions. Additionally, growth mechanisms of the different morphologies considered here are discussed in depth, and critical points highlighted.     

Crosslinking network of bio‐based bis‐functional epoxides derived from trans‐limonene oxide

The thiol‐ene reaction between trans‐limonene oxide (trans‐LO) and ethane‐1,2‐dithiol in the presence of triethylborane affords a bio‐based bis‐functional epoxide (bis‐trans‐LO). The crosslinking reaction of bis‐trans‐LO with branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI; M_n = 600; BPEI₆₀₀) at a feed ratio of bis‐trans‐LO/BPEI₆₀₀ = 57/43 (wt/wt) yields the corresponding network polymer with T_d10 (10% thermal decomposition temperature) of 304.7 °C in 98% yield. In contrast, negligible amounts of network polymer are obtained by the reaction of bis‐LO (bis‐functional epoxide derived from cis and trans‐LO) and BPEI₆₀₀ regardless of the feed ratio. The mechanical strengths as measured by direct tensile tests of the network polymers derived from bis‐trans‐LO and BPEI_600,1800 (M_n = 600 and 1800) were approximately 16 and 11 times higher than that of bis‐LO and BPEI₁₈₀₀, respectively. The tensile shear strengths of the metal‐to‐metal adhesive bonds induced by bis‐trans‐LO and BPEI_600,1800 were 9.5 and 14.1 MPa, respectively. DMA revealed that the storage modulus of the network polymer derived from bis‐trans‐LO and BPEI₁₈₀₀ in the rubber region was higher than that of the material prepared from bis‐LO and BPEI₁₈₀₀, indicating higher crosslink density of the bis‐trans‐LO/BPEI₁₈₀₀ system. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 2466–2473     

Solvothermal synthesis of TiO2: anatase nanocrystals and rutile nanofibres from TiCl4 in acetone

This work reports a new synthetic approach for single‐phase TiO₂ nanomaterials by solvothermal treatment of titanium tetrachloride in acetone at 80–110 °C. Small, uniform, and yet size‐tunable (5–10 nm) anatase titania nanocrystallites were obtained using a low concentration of TiCl₄ in acetone (i.e., at molar ratios of TiCl₄/acetone ≤ 1:15) in the temperature range of 80–110 °C, while rutile nanofibers were synthesized using a high concentration of TiCl₄ (e.g., TiCl₄/acetone = 1:10) at 110 °C. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reverse micellar synthesis and properties of nanocrystalline GMR materials (LaMnO3, La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 and La0.67Ca0.33MnO3): Ramifications of size considerations

Nanoparticles of complex manganites (viz. LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃) have been synthesized using the reverse micellar route. These manganites are prepared at 800‡C and the monophasic nature of all the oxides has been established by powder X-ray diffraction studies. TEM studies show an average grain size of 68, 80 and 50 nm for LaMnO₃, La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃respectively. Ferromagnetic ordering is observed at around 250 K for LaMnO₃, 350 K for La_0.67Sr_0.33MnO₃ and 200 K for La_0.67Ca{0.33}MnO₃. These Curie temperatures correspond well with those reported for bulk materials with similar composition.     

Meshless simulation of equilibrium swelling/deswelling of pH‐sensitive hydrogels

Hydrogels have been widely used in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and Bio‐MEMS devices. In this article, the equilibrium swelling/deswelling of the pH‐stimulus cylindrical hydrogel in the microchannel is studied and simulated by the meshless method. The multi‐field coupling model, called multi‐effect‐coupling pH‐stimulus (MECpH) model, is presented and used to describe the chemical field, electric field, and the mechanical field involved in the problem. The partial differential equations (PDEs) describing these three fields are either nonlinear or coupled together. This multi‐field coupling and high nonlinear characteristics produce difficulties for the conventional numerical methods (e.g., the finite element method or the finite difference method), so an alternative—meshless method is developed to discretize the PDEs, and the efficient iteration technique is adopted to solve the nonlinear problem. The computational results for the swelling/deswelling diameter of the hydrogel under the different pH values are firstly compared with experimental results, and they have a good agreement. The influences of other parameters on the mechanical properties of the hydrogel are also investigated in detail. It is shown that the multi‐field coupling model and the developed meshless method are efficient, stable, and accurate for simulation of the properties of the stimuli‐sensitive hydrogel. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 326–337, 2006     

介孔Co3O4-CeO2复合氧化物的制备及在CO选择性氧化中的应用

以硝酸钴和硝酸铈为前驱物，SBA-15为硬模板，利用双溶剂法制备了Co3O4-CeO2介孔复合氧化物，通过X-射线衍射、N2吸脱附测试、程序升温还原和透射电子显微镜等技术对活性组分及载体进行了表征，并且与浸渍法和共沉淀法所制备的催化剂进行了对比分析。结果表明，相比于浸渍法和共沉淀法，采用双溶剂法制备的介孔Co3O4-CeO2复合氧化物具有均匀的介孔结构、较小的颗粒尺寸、较大的比表面积和较高的活性组分分散度。此外，CO氧化脱除评价显示与常规的共沉淀法和浸渍法所制备的催化剂相比该介孔复合氧化物具有较高的反应活性和选择性，其高活性主要归因于较高的比表面积和活性组分的高分散度。     

无机分子纳米材料的研究进展

无机分子纳米材料是至少在一个维度上为纳米尺寸的分子及以其为单元组成的材料。由于其特殊的结构和性质，这种材料可以作为未来纳米分子电子器件、小分子吸附及储存材料。本文将从合成、结构、性质、应用等方面, 结合最新进展对这一充满活力并有着应用前景的领域作一简要概述。     

联二炔囊泡的光致聚合、热致变色及应用

物理化学实验为各大高校本科化学教学的主干实验课程之一。虽然各高校的物理化学实验内容已十分丰富,但仍然缺乏将不同章节知识点融会贯通以及与学科前沿密切联系的综合型实验内容。我们根据南开大学郭东升教授课题组发表的一篇有关联二炔程序性响应检测胆碱酯酶的工作设计了“联二炔囊泡的光致聚合、热致变色及应用”的物理化学实验,涉及到联二炔缔合胶体的制备、联二炔的紫外光致聚合反应和聚联二炔的热致变色,进而显示其在防伪领域的潜在应用价值。希望通过此实验,使学生对物理化学中的缔合胶体、光化学、热力学、动力学等章节有更深一步的贯通性掌握,并了解自组装、光聚合、变色材料和防伪等相关研究领域的前沿动态。     

贵金属纳米材料的液相合成及其表面等离子体共振性质应用

金属中的表面等离子体共振是描述其导带电子在电磁场作用下集体振荡的一个物理概念。金属纳米颗粒由于其表面等离子体共振性质表现出独特的光学应用。本文在相关研究的基础上，综述了具备表面等离子体共振性质的不同形貌及多种复合结构的贵金属纳米材料的制备和应用，并对其发展及应用前景进行了展望。