Electronic properties of bilayer and trilayer graphyne in the presence of electric field

The influence of electric field on the electronic properties of bilayer and trilayer graphyne has been studied using the density functional theory. We have investigated alpha graphyne due to its analogous to graphene. The bilayer and trilayer graphyne with different stacking style configurations have been considered. Our results indicate that the electronic properties of alpha graphyne are insensitive to the number of graphyne layer and configuration. The bilayer and trilayer graphyne are semimetal similar to the monolayer graphyne. It is found that applying a uniform electric field perpendicular to the graphyne sheet changes the electronic properties of AB-stacked bilayer and ABC-stacked trilayer graphyne so that they become semiconductor. The band gaps of the bilayer and trilayer graphyne with these configurations are enhanced by increasing strength of the electric field. Therefore, possibility of controlling the electronic properties of graphyne by applying electric field makes graphyne as a good candidate for next generation nanoelectronic devices.     

Adsorption of non-ionic surfactants on hydrophobic silica particles and the stability of the corresponding aqueous dispersions

The temperature stability of aqueous dispersions of hydrophobic monodisperse silica particles stabilized with nonionic surfactants has been investigated. Adsorption isotherms in conjunction with surface tension measurements showed that the surfactant formed a monolayer on the surface of the particles, where the adsorbed amount depended on the molecular weight of the ethylene oxide headgroup. The temperature stability of these dispersions has been measured by a standard turbidimetric technique and visual observations in terms of their critical flocculation temperature (CFT). Parameters controlling the CFT of the individual dispersions stabilized with a monolayer of surfactant include the thickness of the steric layer, the particle size, and the volume fraction of the particles. Calculations show that the van der Waals attraction between the particles with adsorbed polymer layers increases as the temperature of the dispersion increases, and this largely accounts for the observed CFT behavior.     

Binol salt as a completely removable graphene surfactant

For the first time, stable aqueous dispersions of graphene sheets can be prepared via exfoliation/in situ reduction of graphene oxide in the presence of binol salt, a stabilizing surfactant that can be completely removed without affecting the properties of graphene sheets.     

Molecular modeling of surfactant covered oil-water interfaces: Dynamics, microstructure, and barrier for mass transport

Mass transport across surfactant-covered oil-water interfaces of microemulsions plays an important role in numerous applications. In the current work, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate model systems containing flat hexadecane-water interfaces covered by monolayers of nonionic surfactants of various lengths. Several properties of the surfactant monolayers relevant to the mass transport are considered, including the monolayer microstructure, dynamics, and a free energy barrier to the solute transport. It is observed that the dominant contribution of a surfactant monolayer to the free energy barrier is a steric repulsion caused by a local density increase inside the monolayer. The local densities, and hence the free energy barriers, are larger for monolayers composed of longer surfactants. Since it is likely that the solute transport mechanism involves a sequence of jumps between short-lived pores within a monolayer, we perform a detailed analysis of structure, size, and lifetime of these pores. We demonstrate that the pore statistics is consistent with predictions of percolation theory and apply this theory to identify the characteristic length scale of the monolayer microstructure. The obtained pore structures are sensitive to minute changes of surfactant configurations occurring on the picosecond time scale. To reduce this sensitivity, the pores are averaged over short time intervals. The optimal duration of these time intervals is estimated from analysis of dynamics of pores with diameters comparable to or exceeding the characteristic percolation length scale. The developed approach allows one to filter out transient events of the pore dynamics and to focus on events leading to substantial changes of the monolayer microstructure.     

Aqueous polyaniline dispersions stabilized by polymeric carboxyl-containing surfactants

Aqueous dispersions of polyaniline were synthesized in the presence of various surfactants. Polyvinyl alcohol and polymeric surfactants with various chain lengths of polyoxyethylene fragments served as stabilizers. It was shown that it is advisable to use polymeric surfactants with side polyoxyethylene fragments to improve the sedimentation stability of aqueous dispersions of polyaniline. It was found that the particle size distribution of aqueous dispersions depends on the composition of the stabilizer used. Raising the pH value of aqueous dispersions to 8 makes it possible to substantially raise the sedimentation stability. The effect of a surfactant used to stabilize the dispersed system on the electrokinetic potential was examined.     

Role of adsorbed surfactant in the reaction of aryl diazonium salts with single-walled carbon nanotubes

Because covalent chemistry can diminish the optical and electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), there is significant interest in developing methods of controllably functionalizing the nanotube sidewall. To date, most attempts at obtaining such control have focused on reaction stoichiometry or strength of oxidative treatment. Here, we examine the role of surfactants in the chemical modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes with aryl diazonium salts. The adsorbed surfactant layer is shown to affect the diazonium derivatization of carbon nanotubes in several ways, including electrostatic attraction or repulsion, steric exclusion, and direct chemical modification of the diazonium reactant. Electrostatic effects are most pronounced in the cases of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate and cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, where differences in surfactant charge can significantly affect the ability of the diazonium ion to access the SWCNT surface. For bile salt surfactants, with the exception of sodium cholate, we find that the surfactant wraps tightly enough such that exclusion effects are dominant. Here, sodium taurocholate exhibits almost no reactivity under the explored reaction conditions, while for sodium deoxycholate and sodium taurodeoxycholate, we show that the greatest extent of reaction is observed among a small population of nanotube species, with diameters between 0.88 and 0.92 nm. The anomalous reaction of nanotubes in this diameter range seems to imply that the surfactant is less effective at coating these species, resulting in a reduced surface coverage on the nanotube. Contrary to the other bile salts studied, sodium cholate enables high selectivity toward metallic species and small band gap semiconductors, which is attributed to surfactant-diazonium coupling to form highly reactive diazoesters. Further, it is found that the rigidity of anionic surfactants can significantly influence the ability of the surfactant layer to stabilize the diazonium ion near the nanotube surface. Such Coulombic and surfactant packing effects offer promise toward employing surfactants to controllably functionalize carbon nanotubes.     

疏水石墨烯水相分散液的制备及电化学性能

通过未添加表面活性剂和稳定剂而得到均匀的石墨烯水相分散液的方法,近来来成为研究的一大热点.本工作通过提高水合肼的用量,来替代表面活性剂或者其它稳定剂的作用,得到了良好的均匀的水相石墨烯分散液,可长期稳定存放,6个月内未发生团聚现象.其Zeta电位低于-32.5 mV(pH值为5.89),原子力显微镜和透射电子显微镜图像表明产物为具有褶皱结构的、六方晶系的单层石墨烯结构,厚度为0.38 nm.XPS分析显示这种方法对于除去羟基和环氧基团起到了有效的作用.利用这种分散液所制备的石墨烯-玻碳电极(GE-GCE)在检测抗坏血酸(AA)和尿酸(UA)时,比普通玻碳电极(GCE)显示出更良好的电化学响应.     

Weak interactions at the photoexcited states of partially oriented aromatic chromophores in man-made bilayer membranes

Monoalkyl and dialkyl quarternary ammonium salt-type cationic surfactants containing a phenoxy group as aromatic chromophores at different positions of alkyl chains were synthesized. Monoalkyl-type surfactants formed micelles in aqueous solutions. The bilayer structure similar to that found in phospholipid liposomes was obtained in the aqueous dispersions of dialkyl-type surfactants. The phenoxy groups were partially oriented and aligned in these molecular assemblies. The interactions of aligned phenoxy groups in micelles or bilayers resulted in luminescence with lower energy than that of the monomer fluorescence or in a radiationless deactivation of excited states. Such interactions could be effectively prevented in bilayer structures composed of surfactant molecules containing a “spacer chain” between aligned chromophores. Evidence was obtained supporting energy migrations between aligned chromophores that were separated by a dodecyl chain in the bilayer structure.     

Degradation of Single‐Layer and Few‐Layer Graphene by Neutrophil Myeloperoxidase

Biodegradability of graphene is one of the fundamental parameters determining the fate of this material in vivo. Two types of aqueous dispersible graphene, corresponding to single‐layer (SLG) and few‐layer graphene (FLG), devoid of either chemical functionalization or stabilizing surfactants, were subjected to biodegradation by human myeloperoxidase (hMPO) mediated catalysis. Graphene biodegradation was also studied in the presence of activated, degranulating human neutrophils. The degradation of both FLG and SLG sheets was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy analyses, leading to the conclusion that highly dispersed pristine graphene is not biopersistent.     

The impact of multivalent counterions, Al3+, on the surface adsorption and self-assembly of the anionic surfactant alkyloxyethylene sulfate and anionic/nonionic surfactant mixtures

The impact of multivalent counterions, Al(3+), on the surface adsorption and self-assembly of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl dioxyethylene sulfate, SLES, and the anionic/nonionic surfactant mixtures of SLES and monododecyl dodecaethylene glycol, C(12)E(12), has been investigated using neutron reflectivity, NR, and small angle neutron scattering, SANS. The addition of relatively low concentrations of Al(3+) counterions induces a transition from a monolayer to well-defined surface bilayer, trilayer, and multilayer structures in the adsorption of SLES at the air-water interface. The addition of the nonionic cosurfactant, C(12)E(12), partially inhibits the evolution in the surface structure from monolayer to multilayer interfacial structures. This surface phase behavior is strongly dependent upon the surfactant concentration, solution composition, and concentration of Al(3+) counterions. In solution, the addition of relatively low concentrations of Al(3+) ions promotes significant micellar growth in SLES and SLES/C(12)E(12) mixtures. At the higher counterion concentrations, there is a transition to lamellar structures and ultimately precipitation. The presence of the C(12)E(12) nonionic cosurfactant partially suppresses the aggregate growth. The surface and solution behaviors can be explained in terms of the strong binding of the Al(3+) ions to the SLES headgroup to form surfactant-ion complexes (trimers). These results provide direct evidence of the role of the nonionic cosurfactant in manipulating both the surface and solution behavior. The larger EO(12) headgroup of the C(12)E(12) provides a steric hindrance which disrupts and ultimately prevents the formation of the surfactant-ion complexes. The results provide an important insight into how multivalent counterions can be used to manipulate both solution self-assembly and surface properties.     

Phase Behavior in Mixtures of Cationic Dimeric and Anionic Monomeric Surfactants

The formation of mixed aggregates has been investigated in the mixture of oppositely charged surfactants vastly differing in molecular geometry and size. The systems considered is mixture of the cationic gemini surfactant, ethanediyl-1,2-bis(dodecyldimethylammonium bromide), and anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate. Various mixed nano- and microaggregates (micelles, vesicles, thin lamellar sheets, and tubules) were formed depending on bulk composition and total surfactant concentration. Two types of aggregates were found in precipitate, the tubules as prevailing aggregates on the gemini-rich side, and vesicles as prevailing aggregates on the SDS-rich side. The tubules formation was ascribed to mutual influence of specific structure of cationic dimeric surfactant and electrostatic interactions at the bilayer/solution interface. The proposed mechanism involved the formation of lamellar sheets, which rolled-up into tubules.     

A Kinetic Model for Exfoliation Kinetics of Layered Materials

Exfoliation of two‐dimensional materials is key to obtaining high‐performance properties. We present a simple kinetic model for exfoliation that is readily solved analytically. Random and irreversible sheet separation is postulated in the presence of highly effective stabilizers. This model appears to quantitatively fit graphene exfoliation data, and it illuminates mechanistic aspects of exfoliation. Thicker sheets exfoliate much faster than trilayer and bilayer sheets. Exfoliation follows highly activated diffusion‐controlled intercalation of stabilizer into inter‐sheet galleries. Application to the most concentrated graphene exfoliation data available supports these assumptions and provides insight for practical treatment regimens.     

多糖类大分子与表面活性剂相互作用的研究进展

多糖类大分子具有天然、无毒、使用安全和可再生及来源丰富等优点. 将多糖类大分子与表面活性剂复配使用, 不仅可利用各自的优势和特性, 而且能发挥二者的协同作用, 大大改善二者的性能. 由于两者之间存在诸如静电作用、疏水作用、偶极相互作用、氢键作用、空间位阻效应等, 水体系中表面活性剂在多糖分子链上的缔合得到调控, 并引起表面活性剂的临界聚集浓度(cac)、临界胶束浓度(cmc)、结合量, 以及体系的表面吸附、界面流变性等呈现各种变化. 本文简要总结了近年来多糖类大分子与表面活性剂复配体系研究方面取得的一些进展, 述及复配体系研究中所采用的方法与手段, 主要讨论复配体系的物理化学性质以及多糖类大分子与表面活性剂相互作用的机制.     

Understanding the pH-dependent behavior of graphene oxide aqueous solutions: a comparative experimental and molecular dynamics simulation study

Understanding the pH-dependent behavior of graphene oxide (GO) aqueous solutions is important to the production of assembled GO or reduced GO films for electronic, optical, and biological applications. We have carried out a comparative experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study to uncover the mechanisms behind the aggregation and the surface activity of GO at different pH values. At low pH, the carboxyl groups are protonated such that the GO sheets become less hydrophilic and form aggregates. MD simulations further suggest that the aggregates exhibit a GO-water-GO sandwichlike structure and as a result are stable in water instead of precipitating. However, at high pH, the deprotonated carboxyl groups are very hydrophilic such that individual GO sheets prefer to dissolve in bulk water like a regular salt. The GO aggregates formed at low pH are found to be surface-active and do not exhibit characteristic features of surfactant micelles. Our findings suggest that GO does not behave like conventional surfactants in pH 1 and 14 aqueous solutions. The molecular-level understanding of the solution behavior of GO presented here can facilitate and improve the experimental techniques used to synthesize and sort large, uniform GO dispersions in a solution phase.     

Microwave- and nitronium ion-enabled rapid and direct production of highly conductive low-oxygen graphene

Currently the preferred method for large-scale production of solution-processable graphene is via a nonconductive graphene oxide (GO) pathway, which uncontrollably cuts sheets into small pieces and/or introduces nanometer-sized holes in the basal plane. These structural changes significantly decrease some of graphene's remarkable electrical and mechanical properties. Here, we report an unprecedented fast and scalable approach to avoid these problems and directly produce large, highly conductive graphene sheets. This approach intentionally excludes KMnO(4) from Hummers' methods and exploits aromatic oxidation by nitronium ions combined with the unique properties of microwave heating. This combination promotes rapid and simultaneous oxidation of multiple non-neighboring carbon atoms across an entire graphene sheet, thereby producing only a minimum concentration of oxygen moieties sufficient to enable the separation of graphene sheets. Thus, separated graphene sheets, which are referred to as microwave-enabled low-oxygen graphene, are thermally stable and highly conductive without requiring further reduction. Even in the absence of polymeric or surfactant stabilizers, concentrated dispersions of graphene with clean and well-separated graphene sheets can be obtained in both aqueous and organic solvents. This rapid and scalable approach produces high-quality graphene sheets of low oxygen content, enabling a broad spectrum of applications via low-cost solution processing.     

Particle charging and charge screening in nonpolar dispersions with nonionic surfactants

The electrostatic stabilization of colloidal dispersions is usually considered the domain of polar media only because of the high energetic cost associated with introducing electric charge in nonpolar environments. Nevertheless, some surfactants referred to as "charge control agents" are known to raise the conductivity of liquids with low electric permittivity and to mediate charge stabilization of nonpolar dispersions. Here we study an example of the particularly counterintuitive charging and electrostatic interaction of colloidal particles in a nonpolar solvent caused by nonionic surfactants. PMMA particles in hexane solutions of nonionic sorbitan oleate (Span) surfactants are found to exhibit a field-dependent electrophoretic mobility. Extrapolation to zero field strength yields evidence for large electrostatic surface potentials that decay with increasing surfactant concentration in a fashion reminiscent of electrostatic screening caused by salt in aqueous solutions. The amount of surface charge and screening ions in the nonpolar bulk is further characterized via measurements of the particles' pair interaction energy. The latter is obtained by liquid structure analysis of quasi-2-dimensional equilibrium particle configurations studied with digital video microscopy. In contrast to the behavior reported for systems with ionic surfactants, we observe particle charging and a screened Coulomb type interaction both above and below the surfactant's critical micelle concentration.     

Phase Behavior of Bis(Quaternary Ammonium Bromide)/Sodium Cholate/H2O System

Interactions in an oppositely charged surfactant mixture composed of a gemini surfactant (bis(quaternary ammonium bromide)) and a bile salt (sodium cholate) in water were studied at 30°C. A combination of techniques was used including surface tension, conductometry, light scattering, light microscopy, and microelectrophoretic measurements. A strong dependence of the phase behavior on the molar ratio and actual concentration of surfactants was found. The interplay between electrostatic effects, geometry of molecules, and dissimilar separation of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties in the surfactants dictate the interaction mode and the microstructures formed. Instead of precipitation, in the equivalent mixtures formation of complexes, mixed micelles, vesicles, coacervates, and solid crystalline phases have been observed. The extent of interacting forces in mixed micelles formed in equivalent mixtures was evaluated by regular solution theory. A relatively high negative value of interaction parameter indicated a strong attractive interaction between surfactants. The compositions of both mixed micelles and mixed monolayer are found to be almost equimolar.     

Direct covalent modification of thermally exfoliated graphene forming functionalized graphene stably dispersible in water and poly(vinyl alcohol)

The syntheses of water-dispersible graphene via graphene oxide colloid dispersion and/or using functionalizations that disrupt the π-bond system of graphene or contaminate a graphene surface with big amounts of undesired impurities face some challenges in practical applications. Approaches based on thermally exfoliated graphene might be promising for many applications in which flat and perfect single-layer graphene is not mandatory and productivity is more than important. In this paper, for the first time, we report a simple and effective method to prepare water-dispersible graphene directly from thermally exfoliated graphene by covalent modification utilizing the inherent defects of graphene as active sites. That is, the epoxide groups on graphene were reacted with ethanolamine and then with n-butyl bromide to prepare the graphene decorated with cationic ammonium ions (alkylated graphene, AAG). Elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the reactions have proceeded as designed. The Raman spectra showed that the π-electronic system of sp ²-bonded carbons of the graphene was not damaged by the modification. The homogeneous colloidal dispersion of AAG in water remained stable for at least 6 months, showing that the wrinkled nature of the graphene as well as the electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance between the graphene sheets caused by the bulky ammonium moieties on the graphene’s surface efficiently prevented the graphene from restacking and aggregating. The AAG dispersed stably in a poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix produced an extraordinarily high modulus increase of 236 % with just 1 phr (about 0.5 vol%) of AAG.     

Aqueous Dispersions of Graphene from Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphite

A facile and environmentally friendly synthetic strategy for the production of stable and easily processable dispersions of graphene in water is presented. This strategy represents an alternative to classical chemical exfoliation methods (for example the Hummers method) that are more complex, harmful, and dangerous. The process is based on the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite and includes three simple steps: 1) the anodic exfoliation of graphite in (NH₄)₂SO₄, 2) sonication to separate the oxidized graphene sheets, and 3) reduction of oxidized graphene to graphene. The procedure makes it possible to convert around 30 wt % of the initial graphite into graphene with short processing times and high yields. The graphene sheets are well dispersed in water, have a carbon/oxygen atomic ratio of 11.7, a lateral size of about 0.5–1 μm, and contain only a few graphene layers, most of which are bilayer sheets. The processability of this type of aqueous dispersion has been demonstrated in the fabrication of macroscopic graphene structures, such as graphene aerogels and graphene films, which have been successfully employed as absorbents or as electrodes in supercapacitors, respectively.