Transition from the hierarchical distribution to a homogeneous formation in injection molded isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with dynamic mold temperature control

There is an increasing demand to produce injection molded thermoplastic parts with high performance and more uniform microstructure. In this study, an injection mold with dynamic mold temperature control was developed to create a thermo-mechanical environment in which a high mold temperature and slow cooling rate were retained. Two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WAXD) and polarized optical microscopy (POM) studies were carried out to investigate the morphological distribution of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) through the depth. Due to the fast relaxation of polymer chains at a high temperature, the macroscopic orientated structure of iPP in conventional injection molding was eliminated, that is transited from the hierarchical morphology distribution to a more homogeneous formation. A homogeneous appearance without layer boundary was shown and many radial spherulites with loosely packed lamellae distributed uniformly throughout the sample.     

Side chain engineering of naphthalene diimide–bithiophene‐based polymer acceptors in all‐polymer solar cells

Two novel polymeric acceptors based on naphthalene diimide (NDI) and 2.2′‐bithiophene, named as P(NDI2THD‐T2) and P(NDI2TOD‐T2), were designed and synthesized for all polymer solar cells application. The structural and electronic properties of the two acceptors were modulated through side‐chain engineering of the NDI units. The optoelectronic properties of the polymers and the morphologies of the blend films composed of the polymer acceptors and a donor polymer PTB7‐Th were systemically investigated. With thiophene groups introduced into the side chains of the NDI units, both polymers showed wider absorption from 350 nm to 900 nm, compared with the reference polymer acceptor of N2200. No redshift of absorption spectra from solutions to films indicated reduced aggregation of the polymers due to the steric hindrance effect of thiophene rings in the side chains. The photovoltaic performance were characterized for devices in a configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PTB7‐Th:acceptors/2,9‐bis(3‐(dimethylamino)propyl)anthra[2,1,9‐def:6,5,10‐def]diisoquinoline‐1,3,8,10(2H,9H)‐tetraone (PDIN)/Al. With the addition of diphenyl ether as an additive, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 2.73% and 4.75% for P(NDI2THD‐T2) and P(NDI2TOD‐T2) based devices were achieved, respectively. The latter showed improved J_sc, Fill Factor (FF), and PCE compared with N2200 based devices. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3679–3689     

Local crystal structure of nano-manganese-oxide gold adsorbent

The local crystal structure of dried and deuterated nano-manganese-oxide powder samples was studied via atomic pair distribution function analysis of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data. The protonated sample shows ultrahigh efficiency as a gold adsorbent even from ppt-level aqueous solutions such as seawater. We show that the nano-manganese-oxide particles have an R-MnO₂-type local crystal structure. The possible role of the protons on the surface of the nano-particles is discussed.     

Recent developments in synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photoionization coupled to mass spectrometry

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to “soft” photoionization (PI), which will potentially become a standard, universal ionization method. Tunable synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet (SVUV) light, a quasi-continuous light with good energy resolution and high photon flux, has proved an ideal source for “soft” PI in various research fields (e.g., combustion chemistry and molecular imaging).This review focuses on combinations of SVUV light with commonly used techniques (e.g., molecular-beam sampling, laser desorption, ion desorption, and thermal vaporization). These couplings have successful applications in flame chemistry, organic analysis, chemical imaging and aerosol mass spectrometry.     

Lu2O3纳米粉体和透明陶瓷中掺杂Nd3+的局域结构研究

利用扩展X射线吸收精细结构光谱(EXAFS)研究了不同掺杂浓度Nd3+:Lu2O3纳米粉体和透明陶瓷中Nd3+的局域结构.结果表明,在不同条件下Nd3+均以固溶取代Lu3+的方式进入Lu2O3基质晶格,掺杂Nd3+原子的第一配位键长约为0.225 nm,小于Nd2O3纳米粉中Nd-O第一近邻键长0.251 nm,而大于...     

Double perovskite oxides Sr_2Mg_(1-x)Fe_xMoO(6-δ) for catalytic oxidation of methane

The double perovskite oxides Sr2Mg1-xF exMoO6-δ were investigated as catalysts for the methane oxidation.The structural properties of catalysts were characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.The catalytic property was strongly influenced by the Fe substitution.The relation between catalytic performance and the degree of Fe substitution was examined with regard to the structure and surface characteristics of the mixed oxides.The Fe-containing catalysts exhibited higher activity attributable to the possible(Fe2+,Mo6+) and (Fe3+,Mo5+)valency pairs,and the highest activity was observed for Sr2Mg0.2Fe0.8MoO6-δ.The enhancement of the catalytic activity may be correlated with the Fe-relating surface lattice oxygen species and was discussed in view of the presence of oxygen vacancies.     

Amidation-Dominated Re-Assembly Strategy for Single-Atom Design/Nano-Engineering: Constructing Ni/S/C Nanotubes with Fast and Stable K-Storage

An amidation-dominated re-assembly strategy is developed to prepare uniform single atom Ni/S/C nanotubes. In this re-assembly process, a single-atom design and nano-structured engineering are realized simultaneously. Both the NiO₅ single-atom active centers and nanotube framework endow the Ni/S/C ternary composite with accelerated reaction kinetics for potassium-ion storage. Theoretical calculations and electrochemical studies prove that the atomically dispersed Ni could enhance the convention kinetics and decrease the decomposition energy barrier of the chemically-absorbed small-molecule sulfur in Ni/S/C nanotubes, thus lowering the electrode reaction overpotential and resistance remarkably. The mechanically stable nanotube framework could well accommodate the volume variation during potassiation/depotassiation process. As a result, a high K-storage capacity of 608 mAh g⁻¹ at 100 mA g⁻¹ and stable cycling capacity of 330.6 mAh g⁻¹ at 1000 mA g⁻¹ after 500 cycles are achieved.     

Formation and Fate of Formaldehyde in Methanol-to-Hydrocarbon Reaction: In Situ Synchrotron Radiation Photoionization Mass Spectrometry Study

HCHO has been confirmed as an active intermediate in the methanol-to-hydrocarbon (MTH) reaction, and is critical for interpreting the mechanisms of coke formation. Here, HCHO was detected and quantified during the MTH process over HSAPO-34 and HZSM-5 by in situ synchrotron radiation photoionization mass spectrometry. Compared with conventional methods, excellent time-resolved profiles were obtained to study the formation and fate of HCHO, and other products during the induction, steady-state reaction, and deactivation periods. Similar formation trends of HCHO and methane, and their close correlation in yields suggest that they are derived from disproportionation of methanol at acidic sites. In the presence of Y₂O₃, the amount of HCHO changes, affecting the hydrogen-transfer processes of olefins into aromatics and aromatics into cokes. The yield of HCHO affects the aromatic-based cycle and the formation of ethylene, indicating that ethylene is mainly formed from the aromatic-based cycle.     

Single-Atom Electrocatalysts from Multivariate Metal–Organic Frameworks for Highly Selective Reduction of CO2 at Low Pressures

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are of great interest because of their ultrahigh activity and selectivity. However, it is difficult to construct model SACs according to a general synthetic method, and therefore, discerning differences in activity of diverse single-atom catalysts is not straightforward. Herein, a general strategy for synthesis of single-atom metals implanted in N-doped carbon (M₁-N-C; M=Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) has been developed starting from multivariate metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The M₁-N-C catalysts, featuring identical chemical environments and supports, provided an ideal platform for differentiating the activity of single-atom metal species. When employed in electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction, Ni₁-N-C exhibited a very high CO Faradaic efficiency (FE) up to 96.8 % that far surpassed Fe₁-, Co₁- and Cu₁-N-C. Remarkably, the best-performer, Ni₁-N-C, even demonstrated excellent CO FE at low CO₂ pressures, thereby representing a promising opportunity for the direct use of dilute CO₂ feedstock.     

A Universal Graphene Quantum Dot Tethering Design Strategy to Synthesize Single-Atom Catalysts

A general graphene quantum dot-tethering design strategy to synthesize single-atom catalysts (SACs) is presented. The strategy is applicable to different metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn) and supports (0D carbon nanosphere, 1D carbon nanotube, 2D graphene nanosheet, and 3D graphite foam) with the metal loading of 3.0–4.5 wt %. The direct transmission electron microscopy imaging and X-ray absorption spectra analyses confirm the atomic dispersed metal in carbon supports. Our study reveals that the abundant oxygenated groups for complexing metal ions and the rich defective sites for incorporating nitrogen are essential to realize the synthesis of SACs. Furthermore, the carbon nanotube supported Ni SACs exhibits high electrocatalytic activity for CO₂ reduction with nearly 100 % CO selectivity. This universal strategy is expected to open up new research avenues to produce SACs for diverse electrocatalytic applications.