CoS2/N-Doped Hollow Spheres as an Anode Material for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

In this work, we first synthesized polyacrylic acid (PAA) spheres and then used PAA as a template to load Co(OH)₂ particles onto its surface. The product of CoS₂ nanoparticles dispersed in N-doped hollow spheres (N-HCS) was prepared through sulfurization treatment (CoS₂/S@N-HCS). During the sulfuration process, sulfur penetrates into the PAA, embedding into the graphite layer along with the carbonization process. It was found that during the charging and discharging process, the sulfur in the carbon layer will gradually dissolve out, thereby forming new ion diffusion channels in the carbon spheres and exposing more CoS₂ active sites. The CoS₂/S@N-HCS composite exhibits a specific capacity of 729.6 mAh g⁻¹ after 500 cycles at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹. The sodium-storage mechanism and reaction kinetics of the materials were further measured by in-situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, ex-situ X-ray diffraction, capacitance performance evaluation, and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique. The excellent cycling performance and rate capability demonstrated that the CoS₂/S@N-HCS is a potential and prospective anode material for sodium-ion batteries.     

Porous Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes Derived from Tubular Polypyrrole for Energy‐Storage Applications

Porous nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (PNCNTs) with a high specific surface area (1765 m² g^?1) and a large pore volume (1.28 cm³ g^?1) have been synthesized from a tubular polypyrrole (T‐PPY). The inner diameter and wall thickness of the PNCNTs are about 55 nm and 22 nm, respectively. This material shows extremely promising properties for both supercapacitors and for encapsulating sulfur as a superior cathode material for high‐performance lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries. At a current density of 0.5 A g^?1, PNCNT presents a high specific capacitance of 210 F g^?1, as well as excellent cycling stability at a current density of 2 A g^?1. When the S/PNCNT composite was tested as the cathode material for Li‐S batteries, the initial discharge capacity was 1341 mAh g^?1 at a current rate of 1 C and, even after 50 cycles at the same rate, the high reversible capacity was retained at 933 mAh g^?1. The promising electrochemical energy‐storage performance of the PNCNTs can be attributed to their excellent conductivity, large surface area, nitrogen doping, and unique pore‐size distribution.     

Carbon Nanotube@N‐Doped Mesoporous Carbon Composite Material for Supercapacitor Electrodes

Here, carbon nanotube@N‐doped mesoporous carbon (CNT@N‐PC) composites were synthesized by using resorcinol‐formaldehyde resin as carbon source, ionic liquids (ILs) as template, and nitrogen sources and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as assistant agent. The use of ILs‐modified CNT with nitrogen and TEOS facilitated the generation of a richer mesoporous structure. The obtained CNT@N‐PC was composed of a CNT core and mesoporous carbon particles around it. CNT@N‐PC showed a 3D network structure like “dewy cobwebs” and had a high surface area of 857 m² g^?1, uniform pore size distribution (3.0 nm), and suitable N content (4.9 at.%). When used as supercapacitor electrode, the CNT@N‐PC exhibited a high specific capacitance (244 F g^?1 at 1 A g^?1), good rate capability and favorable capacitance retention (92.5 % capacitive retention after 5000 cycles), demonstrating the potential for application in high‐performance supercapacitors.     

Influence of Polymer Electronics on Selective Dispersion of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The separation and isolation of semiconducting and metallic single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on a large scale remains a barrier to many commercial applications. Selective extraction of semiconducting SWNTs by wrapping and dispersion with conjugated polymers has been demonstrated to be effective, but the structural parameters of conjugated polymers that dictate selectivity are poorly understood. Here, we report nanotube dispersions with a poly(fluorene‐co‐pyridine) copolymer and its cationic methylated derivative, and show that electron‐deficient conjugated π‐systems bias the dispersion selectivity toward metallic SWNTs. Differentiation of semiconducting and metallic SWNT populations was carried out by a combination of UV/Vis‐NIR absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and electrical conductivity measurements. These results provide new insight into the rational design of conjugated polymers for the selective dispersion of metallic SWNTs.     

Fe-N共掺杂的碳纳米管串联空心球对氧还原反应的电催化

以ZIF-8为模板,通过表面包覆聚多巴胺、同时刻蚀ZIF-8中的Zn²⁺,形成空心球,在与三氯化铁络合后,经高温碳化和氨气热处理,得到了高比表面积的Fe-N共掺杂的碳纳米管串联的碳纳米空心球催化剂. 氨气不仅刻蚀碳基底提高比表面积,还可还原铁元素形成Fe₄N纳米粒子,提升了催化剂对氧还原反应的电催化活性,其氧还原半波电位达0.79 V,仅比商业Pt/C低60 mV,而且其稳定性和耐甲醇性更优于商业Pt/C,展示出良好的燃料电池应用潜力.     

Podlike N‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes Encapsulating FeNi Alloy Nanoparticles: High‐Performance Counter Electrode Materials for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Podlike nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes encapsulating FeNi alloy nanoparticles (Pod(N)‐FeNi) were prepared by the direct pyrolysis of organometallic precursors. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and Tafel polarization measurements revealed their excellent electrocatalytic activities in the I^?/I₃^? redox reaction of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). This is suggested to arise from the modification of the surface electronic properties of the carbon by the encapsulated metal alloy nanoparticles (NPs). Sequential scanning with EIS and CV further showed the high electrochemical stability of the Pod(N)‐FeNi composite. DSSCs with Pod(N)‐FeNi as the counter electrode (CE) presented a power conversion efficiency of 8.82 %, which is superior to that of the control device with sputtered Pt as the CE. The Pod(N)‐FeNi composite thus shows promise as an environmentally friendly, low‐cost, and highly efficient CE material for DSSCs.     

N‐Doped Hollow Porous Carbon Spheres/Bismuth Hybrid Film Modified Electrodes for Sensitive Voltammetric Determination of Trace Cadmium

In this work, N‐doped hollow porous carbon spheres (N‐HPCSs) were synthesized by silicon dioxide template‐assisted polybenzoxazine (PB) coating strategy. The prepared N‐HPCSs have a smooth hollow ball structure surrounded by a well‐defined porous shell. Combining with in‐situ plating of Bi film, the N‐HPCSs were further fabricated a sensitive electrochemical platform for determination trace levels of Cd(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). Under the optimized conditions, the Bi‐N‐HPCSs based sensor displays a linear response to Cd(II) over the range of 0.5 μg L⁻¹ to 150 μg L⁻¹. Meanwhile, the limit of detection (LOD, S/N=3) is estimated to be around 0.16 μg L⁻¹ for Cd(II), which is 31 times lower than the safety values set by United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the drinking water. Moreover, the proposed method was successfully applied to detection of Cd(II) in tap water and lake water, and the analytical results of the presented method are agreed well with inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) data. Due to the excellent analytical performance, the fabricated electrode is promised for future development in monitoring of cadmium pollution in the environment.     

Electrochemiluminescence of CdSe Quantum Dots Composited with Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes

A nanocomposite of CdSe quantum dots with nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes was prepared for enhancing the electrochemiluminescent (ECL) emission of quantum dots. With hydrogen peroxide as co‐reactant, the nanocomposite modified electrode showed a cathodic ECL emission with a starting potential of ?0.97 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in phosphate buffer solution, which was five‐times stronger than that from pure CdSe quantum dots and three‐times stronger than that from CdSe quantum dots composited with carbon nanotubes. The latter showed a starting potential of ?1.19 V. This result led to a sensitive ECL sensing of hydrogen peroxide with good stability, acceptable reproducibility and a detection limit down to 2.1×10^?7 mol L^?1. Nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes could be used as a good material for the construction of sensitive ECL biosensors for chemical and biochemical analysis.     

Electrochemical Sensor Based on Multi‐walled Carbon Nanotubes and Cobalt Phthalocyanine Composite for Pyridoxine Determination

In this work, an electrochemical sensor based on pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE), cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composite designed as PGE‐MWCNT/CoPc was developed and validated for pyridoxine (vitamin B6) determination employing Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV). The electrochemical behaviour of pyridoxine at the PGE‐MWCNT/CoPc has been evaluated and the charge transfer coefficient, α, and the charge transfer rate constant, κ, were calculated as 0.30 and 11.67±0.43 s^?1, respectively, which indicates that, although this system is irreversible, it is viable kinetically to be used as a sensor. The optimized experimental conditions were pH 5.5 in 0.30 mol L^?1 phosphate buffer. The linear range found was 10 to 400 μmol L^?1 of pyridoxine, with r=0.9987. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.50 and 1.67 μmol L^?1, respectively, showing the good sensitivity of the method. The method was successfully applied for the pyridoxine determination in real samples of pharmaceutical formulation with RSD% lower than 5 % indicating that it can be used for routine quality control pharmaceutical formulations containing pyridoxine. Furthermore, it has the advantages of a fast response, a low detection limit and low cost.     

Carbon Nanotubes Fed on “Carbs”: Coating of Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Dextran Sulfate

A facile and easily reproducible technique for assembling biohybrid nanoparticles is a core feature that is highly desired for biomedical applications, considering the nature and limited lifespan of the biopolymers used. Here we show a simple and effective method to enfold single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using an anionic polysaccharide, dextran sulfate. After their interactions, SWNTs were rendered dispersible in aqueous solution and were shortened and unbundled to their basic dimension. Atomic force microscopy analysis was extensively employed to elucidate the mechanism of their interfacing. This biohybrid nanoparticle holds promise for biological and biomedical applications due to the synergistic unique properties of SWNTs and dextran sulfate.

     

One‐Step Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reactions

A high amount of heteroatom doping in carbon, although favorable for enhanced density of catalytically active sites, may lead to substantially decreased electroconductivity, which is necessary for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction. Herein, a relatively low amount of nitrogen was successfully doped into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by a hydrothermal approach in one step, and the synthesized nitrogen‐doped CNT (CNT‐N) materials retained most of the original, excellent characteristics, such as the graphitic structure, tubular morphology, and high surface area, of CNTs. The resultant CNT‐N materials, although containing a relatively low amount of nitrogen doping, exhibited high electrocatalytic ORR activity, comparable to that of 20 wt % Pt/C; long durability; and, more importantly, largely inhibited methanol crossover effect.     

In Situ Growth of MnO2 Nanosheets on N‐Doped Carbon Nanotubes Derived from Polypyrrole Tubes for Supercapacitors

Nitrogen‐doped porous carbon nanotubes@MnO₂ (N‐CNTs@MnO₂) nanocomposites are prepared through the in situ growth of MnO₂ nanosheets on N‐CNTs derived from polypyrrole nanotubes (PNTs). Benefiting from the synergistic effects between N‐CNTs (high conductivity and N doping level) and MnO₂ nanosheets (high theoretical capacity), the as‐prepared N‐CNTs@MnO₂‐800 nanocomposites show a specific capacitance of 219 F g^?1 at a current density of 1.0 A g^?1, which is higher than that of pure MnO₂ nanosheets (128 F g^?1) and PNTs (42 F g^?1) in 0.5 m Na₂SO₄ solution. Meanwhile, the capacitance retention of 86.8 % (after 1000 cycles at 10 A g^?1) indicates an excellent electrochemical performance of N‐CNTs@MnO₂ prepared in this work.     

Mechanochromic Photonic‐Crystal Fibers Based on Continuous Sheets of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes

A new family of mechanochromic photonic‐crystal fibers exhibits tunable structural colors under stretching. This novel mechanochromic fiber is prepared by depositing polymer microspheres onto a continuous aligned‐carbon‐nanotube sheet that has been wound on an elastic poly(dimethylsiloxane) fiber, followed by further embedding in poly(dimethylsiloxane). The color of the fiber can be tuned by varying the size and the center‐to‐center distance of the polymer spheres. It further experiences reversible and rapid multicolor changes during the stretch and release processes, for example, between red, green, and blue. Both the high sensitivity and stability were maintained after 1000 deformation cycles. These elastic photonic‐crystal fibers were woven into patterns and smart fabrics for various display and sensing applications.     

High‐Loading Nano‐SnO2 Encapsulated in situ in Three‐Dimensional Rigid Porous Carbon for Superior Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Tin oxide nanoparticles (SnO₂ NPs) have been encapsulated in situ in a three‐dimensional ordered space structure. Within this composite, ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) acts as a carbon framework showing a desirable ordered mesoporous structure with an average pore size (≈6 nm) and a high surface area (470.3 m² g^?1), and the SnO₂ NPs (≈10 nm) are highly loaded (up to 80 wt %) and homogeneously distributed within the OMC matrix. As an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries, a SnO₂@OMC composite material can deliver an initial charge capacity of 943 mAh g^?1 and retain 68.9 % of the initial capacity after 50 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g^?1, even exhibit a capacity of 503 mA h g^?1 after 100 cycles at 160 mA g^?1. In situ encapsulation of the SnO₂ NPs within an OMC framework contributes to a higher capacity and a better cycling stability and rate capability in comparison with bare OMC and OMC ex situ loaded with SnO₂ particles (SnO₂/OMC). The significantly improved electrochemical performance of the SnO₂@OMC composite can be attributed to the multifunctional OMC matrix, which can facilitate electrolyte infiltration, accelerate charge transfer, and lithium‐ion diffusion, and act as a favorable buffer to release reaction strains for lithiation/delithiation of the SnO₂ NPs.     

Bismuth Nanoparticles Embedded in Carbon Spheres as Anode Materials for Sodium/Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are regarded as an attractive alternative to lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) for large‐scale commercial applications, because of the abundant terrestrial reserves of sodium. Exporting suitable anode materials is the key to the development of SIBs and LIBs. In this contribution, we report on the fabrication of Bi@C microspheres using aerosol spray pyrolysis technique. When used as SIBs anode materials, the Bi@C microsphere delivered a high capacity of 123.5 mAh g^?1 after 100 cycles at 100 mA g^?1. The rate performance is also impressive (specific capacities of 299, 252, 192, 141, and 90 mAh g^?1 are obtained under current densities of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2 A g^?1, respectively). Furthermore, the Bi@C microsphere also proved to be suitable LIB anode materials. The excellent electrochemical performance for both SIBs and LIBs can attributed to the Bi@C microsphere structure with Bi nanoparticles uniformly dispersed in carbon spheres.     

Cobalt‐Embedded Nitrogen‐Rich Carbon Nanotubes Efficiently Catalyze Hydrogen Evolution Reaction at All pH Values

Despite being technically possible, splitting water to generate hydrogen is still practically unfeasible due mainly to the lack of sustainable and efficient catalysts for the half reactions involved. Herein we report the synthesis of cobalt‐embedded nitrogen‐rich carbon nanotubes (NRCNTs) that 1) can efficiently electrocatalyze the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with activities close to that of Pt and 2) function well under acidic, neutral or basic media alike, allowing them to be coupled with the best available oxygen‐evolving catalysts—which also play crucial roles in the overall water‐splitting reaction. The materials are synthesized by a simple, easily scalable synthetic route involving thermal treatment of Co²⁺‐embedded graphitic carbon nitride derived from inexpensive starting materials (dicyandiamide and CoCl₂). The materials’ efficient catalytic activity is mainly attributed to their nitrogen dopants and concomitant structural defects.     

Tungsten Nitride‐Cobalt Anchored in N‐Doped Ordered Porous Carbon as an Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst

We prepared a non‐precious‐metal tungsten nitride‐cobalt (WN‐Co) electrocatalyst anchored in nitrogen‐doped ordered porous carbon (NOPC) through an in situ method. The WN‐Co/NOPC electrocatalyst possesses good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) capability in alkaline media, including a high onset potential of −132 mV, a dominant four‐electron process, and a superior stability (onset potential and limiting current density were almost unchanged after 5000 cycles in 0.1 m KOH). The improved ORR performance was comparable to that of WN/NOPC and Co/NOPC with regard to three aspects: the even dispersion and uniform size of electrocatalyst particles provide more reactive sites; the nitrogen doping, high specific surface area and highly ordered mesoporous channel of catalyst support (NOPC) are conducive to the infiltration of the electrolyte; the existence of WN reinvests the catalyst with good stability, and the anchored configuration of WN and Co in the NOPC will prevent the particles from agglomerating after a long‐term cycle, thereby improving the stability of the catalyst particles.     

Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell Counter Electrodes Based on Carbon Nanotubes

Dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received significant attention from the scientific community since their discovery in 1991. However, the high cost and scarcity of platinum has motivated researchers to seek other suitable materials for the counter electrode of DSSCs. Owing to their exceptional properties such as high conductivity, good electrochemical activity, and low cost, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been considered as promising alternatives to expensive platinum (Pt) in the counter electrode of DSSCs. Herein, we provide a Minireview of the CNTs use in the counter electrode of DSSCs. A brief overview of Pt‐based counter electrodes is also discussed. Particular attention is given to the recent advances of counter electrodes with CNT‐based composite structures.