Flexible Polyester Cellulose Paper Supercapacitor with a Gel Electrolyte

A low-cost polyester cellulose paper has been used as a substrate for a flexible supercapacitor device that contains aqueous carbon nanotube ink as the electrodes and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based gel as the electrolyte. Gel electrolytes have attracted much interest due to their solvent-holding capacity and good film-forming capability. The electrodes are characterized for their conductivity and morphology. Because of its high conductivity, the conductive paper is studied in supercapacitor applications as active electrodes and as separators after coating with polyvinylidene fluoride. Carbon nanotubes deposited on porous paper are more accessible to ions in the electrolyte than those on flat substrates, which results in higher power density. A simple fabrication process is achieved and paper supercapacitors are tested for their performance in both aqueous and PVA gel electrolytes by using galvanostatic and cyclic voltammetry methods. A high specific capacitance of 270 F g⁻¹ and an energy density value of 37 W h kg⁻¹ are achieved for devices with PVA gel electrolytes. Furthermore, this device can maintain excellent specific capacitance even under high currents. This is also confirmed by another counter experiment with aqueous sulfuric acid as the electrolyte. The cycle life, one of the most critical parameters in supercapacitor operations, is found to be excellent (6000 cycles) and less than 0.5 % capacitance loss is observed. Moreover, the supercapacitor device is flexible and even after twisting does not show any cracks or evidence of breakage, and shows almost the same specific capacitance of 267 F g⁻¹and energy density of 37 W h kg⁻¹. This work suggests that a paper substrate can be a highly scalable and low-cost solution for high-performance supercapacitors.     

Pine Needles (Pinus Sylvestris) as a Bioindicator of Sulphur and Heavy Metal Deposition in the Area Around a Pulp and Paper Mill Complex at Kemi,Northern Finland

Abstract

The determination of sulphur and heavy metals in plants is an integral part of many environmental studies. Pine needles (Pinus Sylvestris) have proved to be suitable air quality indicators for pollutants, especially for sulphur. This study was carried out in the vicinity of Kemi, a town situated on the Gulf of Bothnia in northern Finland. An industrial complex comprising two pulp and paper mills is located in the centre of the area. Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris) needles were collected from 29 sampling sites. The samples were dried, homogenized and digested with nitric acid. The concentrations of the elements S, Fe, Zn, Ca, V, and Pb were determined by ICP-AES. According to our results pine needles (Pinus sylvestris) appear to be an ideal bioindicator and sampling material for identifying and assessing atmospheric sulphur pollution derived from pulp and paper mills and can complement the information provided by plant mapping studies around pulp and paper mills.     

Graphene oxide reinforced polyamide nanocomposite coated on paper as a novel layered sorbent for microextraction by packed sorbent

ABSTRACT

In this work, a novel layered sorbent for microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was introduced, which has been prepared by coating graphene oxide/polyamide (GO/PA) nanocomposite (NC) onto cellulose paper through solvent exchange method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to investigate the surface characteristic and morphology of PA and GO/PA NC coated on cellulose paper. The prepared MEPS device was used for extraction of organophosphorous pesticides (OPPs) including chlorpyrifos, fenthion, fenithrothion, ethion, edifenphos and phosalone in environmental aqueous samples followed by detection using gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID). Important parameters affecting the MEPS method including pH of sample solution, extraction draw-discard cycles, sorbent layers, desorption solvent volume and desorption draw-eject number were studied and optimised using central composite design (CCD). Based on the method validation, limits of detection (LODs) were in the range of 0.2–1 µg L^?1. The calibration graphs for chlorpyrifos, fenthion and edifenphos are linear in the concentration range of 1 to 500 µg L^?1; for ethion and phosalone are linear in the range of 1–1000 µg L^?1 and for fenithrothion is linear in the range of 3–1000 µg L^?1. The method precision (RSD %) with six replicates determinations was in the range of 3 to 9.4 % and 3.9 to 11.9% for distilled water and spiked river water sample, respectively, at the concentration level of 300 µg L^?1 . The developed method was applied successfully to determine OPP compounds in river, dam and tap water samples; accordingly, the relative recoveries (RR%) were obtained in the range of 77.8 to 113.3%.     

Cyanide ion colorimetric chemosensor based on protonated merocyanine in EtOH

This Letter aimed to develop an efficient method for the determination of cyanide ion (CN⁻). A novel colorimetric chemosensor 4-[(1E)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethenyl]-1-allylpyridinium bromide (HPEAPB) was synthesized. HPEAPB displayed good selectivity toward CN⁻ over other competing anions in ethanol. A color change from yellow to red was immediately observed upon the addition of CN⁻ and the limit of detection (LOD) was 3.4 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹. The sensing mechanism was discussed by UV–vis, ¹H NMR titration, and a comparison study. Colorimetric test paper for CN⁻ was prepared by attaching HPEAPB to a chromatography paper, which could be used to detect CN⁻ in environmental samples as simply as a pH-indicator paper for pH value. The LOD of the test paper for CN⁻ was 2.0 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹. This detection method for CN⁻ has potential applications in cyanide ion containing fields by combination of rapid and real-time advantages.     

Further revisions on the diterpenoid alkaloids reported in a JNP paper (2012, 75, 1145–1159)

We have corrected (Tetrahedron2013, 69, 5859–5866) the structures of diterpenoid alkaloids reported in the Journal of Natural Products2012, 75, 1145–1159. Our follow-up experiments compel us to present further revisions and clarifications on the diterpenoid alkaloids:     

Electrochemical Properties of Hollow‐Structured MnS–Carbon Nanocomposite Powders Prepared by a One‐Pot Spray Pyrolysis Process

Spherical, hollow MnS? C composite powders were prepared from a solution of manganese salt, thiourea, and sucrose by one‐pot spray pyrolysis. The MnS? C composite powders were generated by direct sulfidation of MnO with hydrogen sulfide gas generated in situ by decomposition of thiourea during spray pyrolysis. Sucrose, which is used as a carbon source material, plays a key role in the formation of the MnS? C composite powders by improving the reducing atmosphere around the powders. Dot‐mapping images of the composite powders demonstrated uniform distribution of the manganese, sulfur, and carbon components within the MnS? C composite powder. Fine crystals of MnS were uniformly mixed with carbon derived from polymerization and carbonization of sucrose. The carbon content of the MnS? C composite powders was 26 wt %. The discharge capacities of the MnS? C composite powders in the 2nd and 200th cycles were 863 and 967 mA h g^?1, respectively, at a current density of 1000 mA g^?1. The spherical and hollow morphology of the MnS? C composite powders was completely retained, even after 200 cycles. The enhanced cycling and rate performance of the MnS? C composite powders is ascribed to the structural stability of the composite powders.     

Preparation of Yolk‐Shell and Filled Co9S8 Microspheres and Comparison of their Electrochemical Properties

In this study, we report the first preparation of phase‐pure Co₉S₈ yolk–shell microspheres in a facile two‐step process and their improved electrochemical properties. Yolk–shell Co₃O₄ precursor microspheres are initially obtained by spray pyrolysis and are subsequently transformed into Co₉S₈ yolk–shell microspheres by simple sulfidation in the presence of thiourea as a sulfur source at 350 °C under a reducing atmosphere. For comparison, filled Co₉S₈ microspheres were also prepared using the same procedure but in the absence of sucrose during the spray pyrolysis. The prepared yolk–shell Co₉S₈ microspheres exhibited a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area of 18 m² g^?1 with a mean pore size of 16 nm. The yolk–shell Co₉S₈ microspheres have initial discharge and charge capacities of 1008 and 767 mA h g^?1 at a current density of 1000 mA g^?1, respectively, while the filled Co₉S₈ microspheres have initial discharge and charge capacities of 838 and 638 mA h g^?1, respectively. After 100 cycles, the discharge capacities of the yolk–shell and filled microspheres are 634 and 434 mA h g^?1, respectively, and the corresponding capacity retentions after the first cycle are 82 % and 66 %.     

Flame Spray Pyrolysis for Finding Multicomponent Nanomaterials with Superior Electrochemical Properties in the CoOx‐FeOx System for Use in Lithium‐Ion Batteries

High‐temperature flame spray pyrolysis is employed for finding highly efficient nanomaterials for use in lithium‐ion batteries. CoO_x‐FeO_x nanopowders with various compositions are prepared by one‐pot high‐temperature flame spray pyrolysis. The Co and Fe components are uniformly distributed over the CoO_x‐FeO_x composite powders, irrespective of the Co/Fe mole ratio. The Co‐rich CoO_x‐FeO_x composite powders with Co/Fe mole ratios of 3:1 and 2:1 have mixed crystal structures with CoFe₂O₄ and Co₃O₄ phases. However, Co‐substituted magnetite composite powders prepared from spray solutions with Co and Fe components in mole ratios of 1:3, 1:2, and 1:1 have a single phase. Multicomponent CoO_x‐FeO_x powders with a Co/Fe mole ratio of 2:1 and a mixed crystal structure with Co₃O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ phases show high initial capacities and good cycling performance. The stable reversible discharge capacities of the composite powders with a Co/Fe mole ratio of 2:1 decrease from 1165 to 820 mA h g^?1 as the current density is increased from 500 to 5000 mA g^?1; however, the discharge capacity again increases to 1310 mA h g^?1 as the current density is restored to 500 mA g^?1.     

A Rapid,Highly Sensitive and Selective Phosgene Sensor Based on 5,6-Pinenepyridine

The toxicity of phosgene (COCl₂) combined with its extensive use as a reactant and building block in the chemical industry make its fast and accurate detection a prerequisite. We have developed a carboxylic derivative of 5,6-pinenepyridine which is able to act as colorimetric and fluorimetric sensor for phosgene in air and solution. For the first time, the formation of a pyrido-[2,1-a]isoindolone was used for this purpose. In solution, the sensing reaction is extremely fast (under 5 s), selective and highly sensitive, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.7 nM/0.8 ppb. When fixed on a solid support, the sensor is able to detect the presence of gaseous phosgene down to concentrations of 0.1 ppm, one of the lowest values reported to date.