Catalytic Performance of Graphite Oxide Supported Au Nanoparticles in Aerobic Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol: Support Effect

Various Au/GO catalysts were prepared by depositing Au nanoparticles on thermally- and chemically-treated graphite oxide (GO) supports using a sol-immobilization method. The surface chemistry and structure of GO supports were characterized by a series of analytical techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption and Raman spectroscopy. The results show that thermal and chemical treatments have large influence on the presence of surface oxygenated groups and the crystalline structure of GO supports. A strong support effect was observed on the catalytic activity of Au/GO catalysts in the liquid phase aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. Compared to the amount and the type of surface oxygen functional groups, the ordered structure of GO supports may play a more important role in determining the catalytic performance of Au/GO catalysts.     

Co-detection of Copper and Lead in Artisanal Sugarcane Spirit Using Caffeic Acid-modified Graphite Electrodes

Caffeic acid (CA)-modified graphite electrodes [GE/poly(CA)] was applied to the co-detection of copper and lead in artisanal sugarcane spirit using square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Electrochemical and morphological studies were performed, and a mechanism for polymerization was proposed. Electropolymerization, SWASV, and analysis conditions parameters were optimized. Interferents, repeatability, reproducibility, and addition and recovery tests were carried out. GE/poly(CA) shows a linear range from 15 to 705 μg/L with a limit of detection of 3.01 μg/L for Pb(II) and 4.50 μg/L for Cu(II). Real samples of artisanal sugarcane spirit were used, and the electrochemical results were compared with atomic absorption spectroscopy experiments.     

石墨消解-ICP-MS法同时测定铜精矿中4种有害元素

为弥补标准检测方法的不足,建立了石墨消解-ICP-MS法同时检测铜精矿中Pb、Cd、As 和Hg等4种有害元素。确定了样品前处理和仪器分析条件。用铜精矿标准样品和参考样品分别进行7次重复实验,Pb、Cd和As的检测结果均在标准值范围内,Hg的检测结果与参考值基本一致。7次重复检测结果的变异系数符合GB/T 27417-2017《合格评定 化学分析方法确认和验证指南》要求。选择5种不同物相铜精矿作为待测样品,通过与标准方法比对,两种方法检测结果的绝对差符合标准方法的再现性要求,说明本方法适用于不同种类的铜精矿。本方法操作简单,可同时测定多种有害元素,实用性强。     

氧化石墨超声时间对三维还原氧化石墨烯结构及超级电容性能的影响

将氧化石墨凝胶超声不同时间制备氧化石墨烯(GO)溶胶,再以GO溶胶为前驱体采用一步水热法制备了三维还原氧化石墨烯(3DRGO),采用X射线衍射(XRD)、拉曼光谱、原子力显微镜(AFM)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和电化学测试等研究了不同超声时间对3DRGO的形貌、结构及超级电容性能的影响.结果表明,当超声时间不超过120 min时,经水热反应后还原氧化石墨烯均能形成稳定的三维结构,但随着超声时间的延长,三维结构尺寸不断减小,强度增加,样品的内部结构也由片状逐渐向多孔网状转化;当超声时间超过120 min时,还原氧化石墨烯虽具有网状结构,但在宏观上不利于形成稳定的三维结构.电化学测试结果表明,经不同超声时间所制备的还原氧化石墨烯均表现出较好的超级电容性能,其中超声时间为120 min时制备的3DRGO具有更均匀的多孔网状结构,表现出了最佳的超级电容性能,在1 A/g电流密度下其比电容可达328 F/g,即使在20 A/g的大电流密度条件下,其比电容仍可高达240 F/g.     

氧化环境和比例对改性Hummers法制备GO的影响

以鳞片石墨(GR)为原料,采用改性Hummers法液相氧化方法制备氧化石墨,通过超声剥离的方法剥离出片状的氧化石墨烯(GO),探讨了H₂SO₄环境与H₂SO₄+H₃PO₄混酸环境和KMnO₄与GR的比例对GO制备的影响。采用FTIR、UV、TG、XRD、SEM和XPS等分析手段对制备的GO进行分析。结果表明：GO外貌是呈褶皱片状,在片层上主要有C=O、C-OH、-COOH和C-O-C等官能团,以共价键形式存在石墨层间;通过TG与XPS数据分析表明在H₂SO₄ H₃PO₄混酸环境下制备的GO含氧官能团较多,并且(KMnO₄)与鳞片石墨的最佳比例是1:4。     

Electrochemical Activity of Wedelolactone and Probing its Interaction with DNA Using Voltammetry at a Carbon Electrode

Wedelolactone (WLA) is a polyphenolic coumestan derivative found in extracts of plants used in traditional medicine. Due to its cytostatic activity, WLA is one of natural compounds tested as potential anticancer drugs. In this work we for the first time studied electrochemical properties of WLA using cyclic (CV) and square‐wave (SWV) voltammetry at the basal‐plane pyrolytic graphite electrode. A reversible pair of peaks, corresponding to catechol/o‐benzoquinone redox system, was observed using CV around 0.275 V vs. Ag|AgCl|3 M KCl reference electrode. Measurements of SWV signal of WLA in the presence of single‐ or double‐stranded DNA suggested a weak interaction without evident preference for double‐stranded DNA. An indirect assay, employing electroactive DNA intercalator doxorubicin as competitor, confirmed absence of intercalative DNA binding of WLA.     

Intensified dissolution of uranium from graphite substrate using ultrasound

Decontamination of graphite structural elements and recovery of uranium is crucial for waste minimization and recycle of nuclear fuel elements. Feasibility of intensified dissolution of uranium-impregnated graphite substrate using ultrasound has been studied with objective of establishing the effect of operating parameters and the kinetics of sonocatalytic dissolution of uranium in nitric acid. The effect of operating frequency and acoustic intensity as well as the acid concentration and temperature on the dissolution of metal has been elucidated. It was observed that at lower acid concentrations (6 M–8 M), the dissolution ratio increases by 15% on increasing the bath temperature from 45 to 70 °C. At higher acid concentration (>10 M), the increase was only around 5–7% for a similar change in temperature. With 12 M HNO₃, pitting was also observed on the graphite surface along with erosion due to high local reaction rates in the presence of ultrasound. For higher frequency of applied ultrasound, lower dissolution rate of uranium was observed though it also leads to high rates of erosion of the substrate. It was thus established that suitable optimization of frequency is required based on the nature of the substrate and the choice of recycling it. The dissolution rate was also demonstrated to increase with acoustic intensity till it reaches to the maximum at the observed optimum (1.2 W/cm² at 33 kHz). Comparison with silent conditions revealed that enhanced rate was obtained due to the use of ultrasound under optimum conditions. The work has demonstrated the effective application of ultrasound for intensifying the extent of dissolution of metal.     

Rutin as an Electrochemical Mediator in the Determination of Captopril using a Graphite Paste Electrode

A simple, rapid and sensitive cyclic voltammetry method is described for the determination of the antihypertensive drug captopril in aqueous solution using a graphite paste electrode with rutin as mediator. The catalytic role of rutin in the oxidation of captopril was confirmed by the increase observed in anodic peak current at+0.44 V vs. SCE in the presence of the mediator. Anodic peak current varied linearly with the concentration of captopril in the dynamic range 0.2 to 1.0 mmol L^?1. The method exhibited a limit of detection of 89.4 μmol L^?1 and a reproducibility of 1 %, values that are comparable with those exhibited by other methodologies employing electrodes without any modification. The recovery rate for the determination of captopril in a pharmaceutical sample was good (91.21 %) suggesting that the described analytical technique would be effective in industrial applications whilst offering a number of advantages over published cyclic voltammetric methods.     

Direct oxidative synthesis of nitrones from aldehydes and primary anilines using graphite oxide and Oxone

One-pot condensation/oxidation of aldehydes and primary anilines into nitrones using graphite oxide (GO) and Oxone as the oxidant under very mild reaction conditions is described. The proposed method provides a direct oxidative synthesis of various nitrones in good to excellent yields under metal-free conditions in short reaction times.     

Influence of thermal and UV treatment on the polypropylene/graphite composite

Electrically conductive polypropylene/graphite (PP/graphite) composites were prepared via blending granulated PP with maleic anhydride grafted PP and natural graphite. Electrical conductivity of prepared samples containing either 65, 70, or 75 wt% of graphite was measured and the most conductive sample containing 75 wt% of graphite was exposed to UV irradiation for 1 and 24 h or thermally treated at 170 °C for 1 h. The influence of thermal and UV exposure on the structural and electrical changes in such treated samples was studied. Local current measurements on the surface were made using scanning spreading resistance microscopy and morphology of the surface was studied by atomic force microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis, infrared and Raman spectroscopy were also used for the structural characterization. Properties of treated and untreated samples are compared and differences are discussed.