Integration of [(Co(bpy)3]2+ Electron Mediator with Heterogeneous Photocatalysts for CO2 Conversion

An efficient chemical system for electron generation and transfer is constructed by the integration of an electron mediator ([Co(bpy)₃]²⁺; bpy=2,2′‐bipyridine) with semiconductor photocatalysts. The introduction of [Co(bpy)₃]²⁺ remarkably enhances the photocatalytic activity of pristine semiconductor photocatalysts for heterogeneous CO₂ conversion; this is attributable to the acceleration of charge separation. Of particular interest is that the excellent photocatalytic activity of heterogeneous catalysts can be developed as a universal photocatalytic CO₂ reduction system. The present findings clearly demonstrate that the integration of an electron mediator with semiconductors is a feasible process for the design and development of efficient photochemical systems for CO₂ conversion.     

Investigation of Coenzyme Q10 by Voltammetry

A simple, accurate and rapid voltammetric method has been developed for the quantitative determination of coenzyme Q₁₀. Studies with direct current voltammetry were carried out using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in a phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.86). A well-defined oxidation peak of CoQ₁₀ was obtained at -0.600 V vs Ag/AgCl. The magnitude of the oxidation peak current has been found to be related to the concentration of the coenzyme over the range of (2.010^-5 to 2.010^-4 M) (r = 0,991). Antioxidant activity of CoQ₁₀ was investigated.     

Utilization of Environmentally Benign Dicyandiamide as a Precursor for the Synthesis of Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Nitride and its Application in Base‐Catalyzed Reactions

Assisted by a new dissolution procedure, dicyandiamide (DCDA), an environmentally benign and cheap precursor, has been employed for the synthesis of mesoporous carbon nitride (CN) materials through a nanocasting approach. The synthesized mesoporous materials possessed high specific surface areas (269–715 m² g^?1) with narrow pore‐size distributions (about 5 nm) and faithfully replicated the mesostructures of the SBA‐15 and FDU‐12 templates. Several characterization techniques, including XRD, SAXS, TEM, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, XPS, and CO₂‐TPD, were used to analyze the physicochemical properties of these materials and the results showed that the mesoporous CND materials had graphitic‐like structures and consisted of CN heterocycles, as well as amino groups. In a series of Knoevenagel condensation reactions, as exemplified by the reaction of various aldehydes and nitriles, these mesoporous CND materials demonstrated high and stable catalytic activities, owing to an abundance of basic sites.     

One‐Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reactions

A high amount of heteroatom doping in carbon, although favorable for enhanced density of catalytically active sites, may lead to substantially decreased electroconductivity, which is necessary for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction. Herein, a relatively low amount of nitrogen was successfully doped into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by a hydrothermal approach in one step, and the synthesized nitrogen‐doped CNT (CNT‐N) materials retained most of the original, excellent characteristics, such as the graphitic structure, tubular morphology, and high surface area, of CNTs. The resultant CNT‐N materials, although containing a relatively low amount of nitrogen doping, exhibited high electrocatalytic ORR activity, comparable to that of 20 wt % Pt/C; long durability; and, more importantly, largely inhibited methanol crossover effect.     

Utilization of Pine Nut Shell derived carbon as an efficient alternate for the sequestration of phthalates from aqueous system

This study highlights the importance of a cheap bio waste; Pine Nut Shell (PNS), from which a carbon is synthesized that can efficiently remove toxic phthalates from an aqueous system. PNS derived carbon shows high affinity toward phthalates in descending order along with adsorption capacity i.e., dibutyl phthalate (DBP) 5.65 mg/g > diallyl phthalate (DAP) 3.64 mg/g > diethyl phthalate (DEP) and 2.87 mg/g > dimethyl phthalate (DMP) 2.48 mg/g. Different characterization techniques such as FTIR, elemental analysis, point of zero electric charge (PZC), SEM, EDX and BET were employed to investigate the binding sites and surface area of the adsorbent. Adsorption experiments were performed both in batch and column modes. Equilibrium studies showed that the Langmuir isotherm fits best to experimental data. Kinetically, adsorption phenomena obeyed pseudo second order. Furthermore, thermodynamic results expressed the exothermic nature of adsorption on the basis of negative value of enthalpy change. Column sorption method was also adapted to check the feasibility of the adsorption process through the investigation of flow rate, breakthrough curve and pre-concentration factor which is found to be 13 for DMP and DEP and 16 for DAP and DBP. Methanol was found to be best solvent for the recovery of phthalates. Application in real water samples also showed good efficiency of PNS derived carbon for the removal of phthalates.     

Raman spectroscopy measurement of levofloxacin lactate in blood using an optical fiber nano‐probe

Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry were time‐consuming and expensive as the main methods for the drug analysis at present, and the samples must be pretreated. The Raman spectroscopy measurement methods were fast and simple, so the Raman spectroscopy methods for the drug analysis were explored in this paper. An optical fiber nano‐probe coated with gold nanoparticles was fabricated and used with surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to measure levofloxacin lactate. The resulting SERS spectra of levofloxacin lactate in mouse blood that was detected by the optical fiber nano‐probe clearly showed the characteristic wave numbers of levofloxacin lactate, indicating that optical fiber nano‐probes can be used with spectral techniques to analyze drugs in vitro or potentially even in vivo. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fiber optical parametric amplifiers in optical communication systems

The prospects for using fiber optical parametric amplifiers (OPAs) in optical communication systems are reviewed. Phase‐insensitive amplifiers (PIAs) and phase‐sensitive amplifiers (PSAs) are considered. Low‐penalty amplification at/or near 1 Tb/s has been achieved, for both wavelength‐ and time‐division multiplexed formats. High‐quality mid‐span spectral inversion has been demonstrated at 0.64 Tb/s, avoiding electronic dispersion compensation. All‐optical amplitude regeneration of amplitude‐modulated signals has been performed, while PSAs have been used to demonstrate phase regeneration of phase‐modulated signals. A PSA with 1.1‐dB noise figure has been demonstrated, and preliminary wavelength‐division multiplexing experiments have been performed with PSAs. 512 Gb/s have been transmitted over 6,000 km by periodic phase conjugation. Simulations indicate that PIAs could reach data rate x reach products in excess of 14,000 Tb/s × km in realistic wavelength‐division multiplexed long‐haul networks. Technical challenges remaining to be addressed in order for fiber OPAs to become useful for long‐haul communication networks are discussed.

     

锌活化Fe/Co/N掺杂的生物质碳基高效氧还原催化剂

为了推动清洁能源-燃料电池的广泛应用, 迫切需要研发成本低、 原料来源广泛的过渡金属基高效氧还原反应(ORR)催化材料, 来替代目前使用的贵金属铂基催化材料. 本文以铁和钴等非贵金属离子作为催化材料的主要活性位点, 通过金属-羧基/羟基螯合键原位预锚定在具有三维(3D)孔道结构、 富含羧基和羟基以及极易在水溶液中形成凝胶网络的海洋生物质材料海藻酸钠上, 经冷冻干燥得到气凝胶; 然后通过高温碳化, 得到活性位点均匀分布在具有多级孔结构的碳骨架中的高活性、 高稳定的Co/Zn/Fe/N@bio-C-2氧还原催化剂材料, 该催化剂包含2种不同的铁基活性材料(Fe₂O₃和Fe)以及2种不同的钴基活性材料(CoO和Co).利用硝酸锌作为活化剂来改善催化材料的孔道结构, 使制备碳材料的总面积从149.3 m²/g增加到325.3 m²/g. 通过一系列对比实验发现, Fe/Co双活性位点与合适比表面积的协同作用使得Co/Zn/Fe/N@bio-C-2获得了最佳的ORR催化活性.其在0.1 mol/L KOH溶液中起始电位达到0.99 V, 半波电位可达0.87 V.