On the potentiality of a cluster-beam source to produce free-standing one-dimensional and two-dimensional FeAg nanostructures: mechanisms underlying their shape genesis

Controlling the morphology and composition of one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) assemblies of matter is essential to design and create nanostructures with exceptional material properties, for applications ranging from nanoelectronics to nanomedicine. Within this latter, a great interest is placed on assembling magnetoplasmonic nanostructures to enable multimodal biosensing and bioimaging for early diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. To date, the synthesis of such complex nanostructures is mostly relying on wet chemistry and templates. Herein, we employed a templateless physical method to generate FeAg-based anisotropic nanostructures, using a modified cluster source. Under tuned experimental conditions, we demonstrated the successful magnetic-assisted assembly of Fe nanoclusters (Fe NCs), to form stable and permanent branched Fe nanorods (Fe NRs), core@shell Fe@Ag-NRs, Fe nanosheets (Fe NSs), and Fe/Ag-NSs. This assembly is driven by the need to reduce their magnetic interaction energy on one hand and their overall surface energy on the other hand. When NCs and NRs are magnetically brought into intimate contact, they undergo a coalescence process, through the interfacial diffusion of the surface atoms, resulting in the formation of 1D and 2D nanostructures. For Fe@Ag NRs, the advantage conferred by the Ag shell is to protect Fe NRs from oxidation and prevent them from aggregation at the same time. The observed contrast reversal in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of Fe NRs and Fe NSs is discussed.     

Ni-N-C单原子催化剂活化过硫酸盐降解苯酚

采用煅烧法制备了以木质素生物炭为载体的单原子催化剂(Ni-N-C-10), 用于高效活化过硫酸盐(PMS)降解苯酚. 利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 透射电子显微镜(TEM)、 经球差校正的高角度环形暗场扫描透射电子显微镜(AC-HAADF-STEM)、 X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD)以及X射线光电子能谱仪(XPS)等对材料进行了表征分析, 证明合成了原子分散的催化剂Ni-N-C-10. 探究了制备过程中双氰胺的投加量和降解实验中催化剂投加量、 PMS投加量、 pH值以及温度对苯酚降解的影响. 结果表明, 在催化剂制备过程中, 加入10倍质量比的双氰胺更有利于实现原子分散. Ni-N-C-10/PMS体系在较低的催化剂和PMS投加量、 以及较宽的pH值范围(3~9)内都能有效活化PMS降解苯酚. 此外, 该体系的稳定性好且应用范围广, 除了能高效降解苯酚外还能快速降解双酚A、 四环素和亚甲基蓝. 电子顺磁共振检测和自由基淬灭实验结果表明, Ni-N-C-10/PMS体系降解苯酚为SO₄^?-、 ·OH和¹O₂ 3种主要活性物种共同作用的结果, 其中¹O₂起主导作用. 反应前后Ni-N-C-10催化剂的XPS分析结果表明, 催化降解苯酚的效率与Ni位点呈正相关.     

过渡金属电催化剂在硅基光阳极分解水产氧中的作用

光电化学分解水可将太阳能转换为绿色的氢能,为目前的能源危机和环境问题提供了一种理想的解决方案.在分解水反应中,涉及四空穴过程的产氧半反应是制约性能的关键步骤,往往需要在半导体表面沉积电催化剂以加速产氧反应动力学.因此,全面理解电催化剂在光电化学分解水体系中的作用至关重要.在目前的产氧电催化剂中,过渡金属羟基氧化物电催化剂(MOOH,M=Fe,Co,Ni)因其环保、廉价、高效以及稳定的特性,已被广泛用于半导体光阳极分解水器件中.而且,MOOH可用简单的电沉积方法沉积在光电极表面,易于大面积制备.然而,电沉积法制备的MOOH具有复杂的结构,对其作用机制的全面理解更加困难.因此,本文以电沉积MOOH修饰的硅基光阳极(n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/Fe/FeOx/MOOH)作为模型,研究了不同电催化剂对硅光阳极光电化学产氧性能的影响.实验发现电催化剂的界面优化在电催化剂修饰的光电极中发挥着重要作用,这是因为优化的界面可以提升界面电荷传输,提供更多的催化反应活性位点以及更高的本征催化活性,从而更有利于光解水性能的提升.该项研究揭示了电催化剂在光解水器件中的作用,并为今后高效光解水器件的设计提供了一定指导.首先在多晶n⁺p-Si基底上热蒸镀了一层30 nm的金属Fe膜,并通过电化学活化将Fe膜表面转换为FeOx得到Fe/FeOx(记作aFe)界面层,然后利用电沉积方法制备MOOH表面修饰层,最终得到n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:MOOH光阳极.X射线光电子能谱、拉曼光谱以及扫描电子显微镜表面元素成像的表征结果均证实电极表面由于界面层金属Fe元素的掺杂而形成了Fe1-xNixOOH.在模拟太阳光下用于光解水产氧时,n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:NiOOH电极的起始电位为~1.01 VRHE(相对于可逆氢电极的电势),在1.23 VRHE下的光电流为38.82 mA cm^-2,显著优于n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe、n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:FeOOH以及n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:CoOOH三个对比样品,且其稳定性达到75 h.另外,我们发现n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:MOOH电极的光电化学产氧性能均显著高于n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe电极,且p++-Si/SiO_x/aFe:MOOH的电催化产氧性能也高于p++-Si/SiO_x/MOOH,不仅证明了aFe界面层对Si与MOOH层之间的界面接触作用的有效调控,而且表明双电催化剂体系(aFe:MOOH)的电催化产氧活性高于单电催化剂(MOOH).热力学分析表明,n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:MOOH光阳极的光电压大小与其光解水产氧性能并不一致,从而排除了热力学因素对性能的关键影响.进一步从塔菲尔斜率、电化学活性表面积和电化学阻抗谱对各电极的动力学进行了分析,证明了动力学因素在上述光阳极产氧性能中的主导作用.同时发现,由于aFe:NiOOH双电催化剂具有更高的本征电催化产氧性能,提供了更多的表面活性位点以及更有效地促进了光生载流子的传输,对动力学的提升效果更显著,从而使n⁺p-Si/SiO_x/aFe:NiOOH光阳极表现出最高的光解水产氧性能.     

轨道对称性匹配:MXene基体上的单原子催化以实现优异的氮还原反应

氨作为一种可被植物直接吸收用以合成其他有机物的重要成分,在化学化工及含氮化合物的生产当中起着至关重要的作用.传统工业生产氨气采用Haber-Bosch工艺,将空气中丰富的氮气转化为氨气,但该工艺需要较高的压强和温度来促进氮气分解,因此会消耗大量能源.近年来,电催化反应发展迅速.在电催化工艺中,通过控制操作电位及电解质便可提高生产效率,降低能源消耗.基于这种策略,各种针对能源环境的催化研究应运而生,如二氧化碳还原、水分解反应等.其中,对于氮还原的催化研究尤其是电催化设计领域研究相对较少.研究发现,在电催化剂中,异构掺杂及原子尺度的调控可以极大地影响催化剂的催化活性.其中,单原子催化(SAC)因其在催化活性和催化选择性上的优势受到广泛关注.MXene是一种二维过渡金属碳化物或氮化物,其优异的化学性能和稳定的表面构型可以对单原子起到良好的锚定与支撑作用,是一种更具潜力的单原子催化基体.本文基于上述思想,利用密度泛函第一性原理等模拟软件,设计并研究了以MXene为基体的28种过渡金属单原子催化体系,计算并分析了各SAC@MXene体系对氮还原反应的催化效果,从限制电势、催化路径、反应机制等方面探索了其催化性能.并对体系进行了态密度、晶体轨道哈密顿量、差分电荷密度等电子结构分析,找到了适用于MXene体系的单原子催化设计原则.通过对限制电势的计算表明,Ni@MXene和Co@MXene体系具有很低的限制电势(-0.13和-0.17 V),说明这些体系在较低的启动电压下即可发生氮还原反应.研究发现了一种新型适用于SAC@MXene氮催化体系的酶促-远端反应机制.电子结构分析得到SAC原子与MXene基体的Ti原子在催化过程中存在一种协同作用.态密度及晶体轨道哈密顿量也显示出SAC原子与MXene基体Ti之间的一种轨道对称性匹配关系,揭示了这种协同作用对催化反应的积极作用.计算的氢析出反应(HER)结果也显示,在相同化学环境下,SAC@MXene体系氮还原反应相对于氢析出反应更易发生.     

亚表面引发原子转移自由基聚合构筑温度响应型纳米纤维油水分离膜

亚表面引发聚合是一种用于制备共价嵌入型聚合物刷的新型改性策略. 该方法在发展高稳定性聚合物刷功能化表界面材料方面具有显著的优势. 本工作利用亚表面引发原子转移自由基聚合(sSI-ATRP)对静电纺丝聚丙烯腈(PAN)基纳米纤维膜进行亚表面改性, 通过接枝聚N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(PNIPAM)制备了温度响应型纳米纤维油水分离膜(PAN-sg-PNIPAM). 当温度低于低临界溶解温度(LCST)时, PNIPAM链与水分子之间的强氢键作用使得聚合物链完全伸展, 分离膜表面亲水且对油滴具有非常低的粘附力, 对油水乳液具有非常高的分离效率(达98.7%); 当温度高于LCST时, PNIPAM链失水收缩, 膜表面变得更加疏水且对油滴的粘附力显著增加, 其油水乳液分离效率显著降低, 仅为9.1%. 此外, 由于共价嵌入聚合物刷的高稳定性, 该分离膜在4 kPa压力下, 20 ℃和45 ℃之间可逆切换10个循环后, 仍能保持非常稳定的渗透通量. 本研究为发展高稳定性的智能型油水分离膜提供了一种新方法.     

Tuning Deazaflavins Towards Highly Potent Reducing Photocatalysts Guided by Mechanistic Understanding – Enhancement of the Key Step by the Internal Heavy Atom Effect

Deazaflavins are well suited for reductive chemistry acting via a consecutive photo-induced electron transfer, in which their triplet state and semiquinone – the latter is formed from the former after electron transfer from a sacrificial electron donor – are key intermediates. Guided by mechanistic investigations aiming to increase intersystem crossing by the internal heavy atom effect and optimising the concentration conditions to avoid unproductive excited singlet reactions, we synthesised 5-aryldeazaflavins with Br or Cl substituents on different structural positions via a three-component reaction. Bromination of the deazaisoalloxazine core leads to almost 100 % triplet yield but causes photo-instability and enhances unproductive side reactions. Bromine on the 5-phenyl group in ortho position does not affect the photostability, increases the triplet yield, and allows its efficient usage in the photocatalytic dehalogenation of bromo- and chloroarenes with electron-donating methoxy and alkyl groups even under aerobic conditions. Reductive powers comparable to lithium are achieved.     

微波消解–原子荧光法同时测定PM2.5中砷、汞含量

采用微波消解–原子荧光法测定PM2.5中砷、汞含量。实验结果表明,当还原剂硼氢化钾的质量分数为2%、溶液介质酸度为4%(体积分数)盐酸时,同时测定砷、汞可获得最佳的荧光值。砷、汞测定的检出限分别为0.027,0.006μg/L,空白滤膜的加标回收率分别为95.3%~101.7%,96.0%~106.0%,样品的加标回收率分别为95.0%~103.5%,93.3%~110.0%。该法检出限低,准确度高,适用于环境空气PM2.5中砷、汞含量的测定。     

A Grafting Study on Partially Dehydrochlorinated Poly(vinyl chloride) by Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization

HCl elimination in low ratio was first carried out from poly(vinyl chloride) to increase allylic chlorines. Partially dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride), having a macroinitiator effect, was grafted with tert‐butyl methacrylate via atom transfer radical polymerization in the presence of CuBr/2,2′‐bipyridine at 64°C in tetrahydrofuran. Original poly(vinyl chloride) was also grafted with tert‐butyl methacrylate under the same conditions to compare with that of partially dehydrochlorinated poly(vinyl chloride). The graft copolymers were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C‐NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal stabilities of the graft copolymers were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis as compared with those of the macroinitiators.     

Poly(acrylate‐b‐styrene‐b‐isobutylene‐b‐styrene‐b‐acrylate) Block Copolymers via Carbocationic and Atom Transfer Radical Polymerizations

A series of polyacrylate‐polystyrene‐polyisobutylene‐polystyrene‐polyacrylate (X‐PS‐PIB‐PS‐X) pentablock terpolymers (X=poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA), poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA), or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)) was prepared from poly (styrene‐b‐isobutylene‐b‐styrene) (PS‐PIB‐PS) block copolymers (BCPs) using either a Cu(I)Cl/1,1,4,7,7‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) or Cu(I)Cl/tris[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl]amine (Me₆TREN) catalyst system. The PS‐PIB‐PS BCPs were prepared by quasiliving carbocationic polymerization of isobutylene using a difunctional initiator, followed by the sequential addition of styrene, and were used as macroinitiators for the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl acrylate (MA), n‐butyl acrylate (BA), or methyl methacrylate (MMA). The ATRP of MA and BA proceeded in a controlled fashion using either a Cu(I)Cl/PMDETA or Cu(I)Cl/Me₆TREN catalyst system, as evidenced by a linear increase in molecular weight with conversion and low PDIs. The polymerization of MMA was less controlled. ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy was used to elucidate pentablock copolymer structure and composition. The thermal stabilities of the pentablock copolymers were slightly less than the PS‐PIB‐PS macroinitiators due to the presence of polyacrylate or polymethacrylate outer block segments. DSC analysis of the pentablock copolymers showed a plurality of glass transition temperatures, indicating a phase separated material.