Analytical pyrolysis as a characterization technique for monitoring the production of carbon nanofilaments

The main step in the production of carbon nanofilaments is the catalytic nucleation and lengthening of the filament. An undesired parallel step in the production of carbon nanofilaments is their thickening by pyrolitic carbon vapor deposition consisting in an ordered polycondensation of carbon over an existing catalytic carbon nanofilament. The regular characterization of the structure of carbon nanofilaments (coated or not) is by transmission electron microscopy. However, this technique is not affordable in many cases because is expensive and complex. In the present work, the analytical pyrolysis is proposed to obtain clues of the structure of carbon nanofilaments. Several commercial carbon nanofilaments have been analyzed. The samples with a thicker soot layer evolve a higher amount of heavy PAHs in the pyrolysis runs than the ones free of soot. It has been observed that pyrene is a key compound in the pyrolytic carbon vapor deposition process and the resulting formation of soot over the carbon nanofilaments. The aim of this work is to get useful information about the quality of the carbon filaments by a cheap technique, the analytical pyrolysis.     

Application of thermal analysis to carbon black-elastomer systems

In this study a relationship between the surface and textural properties of carbon blacks and the gasification process induced thermally in air is noted. A temperature jump method was used to follow the gasification in air and to establish the relevant Arrhenius parameters. This can be associated with the activity of ‘basal’ plane carbon atoms as well as ‘edge’ carbon atoms at the surface. This is based on a model of carbon black structure consisting of the irregular packing of small graphite carbon structures. The carbon black surface was measured using a single measurement of adsorption based essentially on the BET volumetric method. The carbon black surface had a rate of oxidation per unit are which clearly indicated that the lower area carbon blacks had a predominately active area of ‘edge’ atoms at the surface while the surface of the higher area carbon blacks had a predominate amount of ‘basal’ plane graphite carbon atoms.     

熔盐电化学还原二氧化碳制备碳材料研究进展北大核心CSCD

二氧化碳浓度持续升高导致的温室效应已在全球范围内引发极端天气、冰川融化等一系列生态环境问题。为降低二氧化碳含量,改善气候变暖带来的恶劣影响,研发高效、绿色、安全的二氧化碳处理技术,促进碳资源循环可持续发展刻不容缓。熔盐离子液体作为一种良好的电化学转化介质,为二氧化碳还原提供了一条极具应用前景的技术路线。综述了国内外近几年高温熔盐中二氧化碳的捕获与电化学还原的研究,简述了熔盐电沉积碳的电化学机理和热力学机制,对不同形貌高附加值碳材料:无定形碳、碳球和碳纳米管的制备进行了总结,最后对未来发展方向做出展望。     

Carbon nanostructures based on IR-pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile

For the first time, it is shown that IR pyrolysis of a composite based on polyacrylonitrile and gadolinium chloride produces a metal-carbon nanocomposite where metal particles with a size of 4–11 nm form a fine dispersion in the structure of the carbon matrix. The carbon phase of the composite is a carbon-carbon nanocomposite with a structure in which carbon nanoparticles (bamboolike carbon nanotubes, carbon nanospheres, or octahedral carbon nanoparticles) are incorporated into the matrix graphite-like material.     

碳纳米结构构建:十二烷基二甲基苄基氯化铵@氯化钠体系

碳纳米材料用途十分广泛,但其形貌的控制和制备方法的完善仍然是个研究热点和亟需攻克的难点。在此,基于阳离子表面活性剂十二烷基二甲基苄基氯化铵(DDBAC)@氯化钠(NaCl)体系成功制备了碳纳米结构（碳纳米管、纳米碳球、棒状和层状碳纳米结构）。以DDBAC为碳源。碳化过程中使用NaCl晶体分隔DDBAC的有序聚集体。结果表明,通过控制DDBAC浓度制备出不同形貌的碳纳米结构,在1倍临界胶束浓度（CMC）~5CMC下制备了球形、棒形碳纳米结构和碳纳米管,在10CMC下制备了矩形层状碳纳米结构。利用TEM、PL、Raman等手段对制备的碳纳米结构进行表征。通过TEM分析DDBAC @ NaCl体系结构的转变,建立了胶束结构的演变过程。表面活性剂浓度的增加最终使得碳纳米形态从球形碳纳米结构到层状碳纳米结构的变化。本实验结论表明了表面活性剂@盐体系是一种潜在的制备碳纳米结构的方法。     

基于从头计算法的三维碳同素异形体结构设计

由于独特的成键特性,在不同温度和压强下,碳具有丰富的结构特性。除了实验上已发现各种同素异形体,理论计算也预言了丰富的新结构。在本文中,我们对第一性原理计算预言的三维碳同素异形体做了综述,特别地,我们着重关注了泡沫状的碳结构。碳泡沫主要由石墨片断以各种碳键连接而成,具体多孔结构及较大的表面积。另外,针对由低维碳结构,如碳富勒烯、纳米芽、纳米管及石墨烯等组成的三维碳超结构以及其他三维碳晶体我们也做了概述。这些新型碳结构有的由混杂的sp-sp²碳或者纯sp²碳组成(H-6, bct-4, C-20, K₄等),有的质量密度比金刚石还大(C₈, hP3, tl12, tp12等),有的可以由石墨在室温高压下转化而成(M碳, bct-4碳, W碳, Z碳等)。在这些预言的碳同素异形体中,有些在将来可能在实验室合成。     

Carbon Dispersion and Morphology in Carbon-Mineral Adsorbents

Carbon-mineral composite adsorbents prepared by deposition of carbon on various mineral supports have been studied extensively by a new textural approach. The evidence of significant influence of both organization of initial mineral support porous space and mobility of carbon precursors over the surface of mineral support on carbon localization has been obtained. Restricted mobility of carbon precursors leads to homogeneous distribution of carbon clusters over the support surface despite the presence of narrow mesopores in the structure of the support if the entire support surface is equiaccessible. Unrestricted mobility over the smooth surface of the mineral support without narrow mesopores leads to the similar resulting carbon distribution. However, unrestricted mobility of carbon precursors in densely packed porous materials seems to be the reason for carbon pulling and deposition in narrow mesopores. These peculiarities of carbon deposition influence the carbon/mineral (hydrophobic/hydrophilic) composition of the composite surface. Trapping of carbon in narrow mesopores leads to a decrease and, in contrast, homogeneous dispersion of carbon over the whole support surface leads to an increase in the part of the composite surface, which can be appropriated to carbon. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

从零维到三维的碳范式:碳单质概念的新发展

自18世纪石墨与金刚石的组成被确定为碳元素后,碳单质概念初步形成。然而,20世纪末期,包括C₆₀在内的富勒烯一族的发现突破了人们对碳单质的认识。随后,碳纳米管、石墨烯以及人工合成的T-碳的出现,重新诠释了碳单质的概念。碳单质的新发现,建立了从零维到三维的碳范式,掀开了对“碳单质”研究和应用的新篇章。     

Influence of acid treatments of carbon nanotube precursors on Ni/CNT in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes

The Ni/CNT catalyst was fabricated by directly dipping carbon nanotube precursors refluxed in 4 M of nitric acid into Ni electroless plating bath, and used to synthesize new carbon nanotubes. The experimental results indicate that the duration of acid-treatment of carbon nanotubes precursors exerts a great influence on the catalysis of Ni/CNT in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and hence the structures of the new carbon nanotubes. When the carbon nanotubes precursors were refluxed for 0.5 h in 4 M of nitric acid, bamboo-shaped carbon nanotubes (BSCNT) or Y junction carbon nanotubes in the carbon products were obtained. As the duration of acid-treatment of carbon nanotubes precursors increased to 6 h, the as-prepared Ni/CNT displayed higher activity, and the carbon nanotube products were high pure without any Y junction structure or any separation layers in hollow.     

新型碳纳米材料在低温燃料电池催化剂中的应用

 碳纳米管及其衍生纳米碳材料是一种介于富勒烯与石墨之间的碳的存在形式,具有独特的电子性质. 碳纳米材料可与其表面负载的金属活性相产生一种特殊的载体-金属相互作用; 纳米管中电子转移的动力学行为极佳,并且其特殊的纳米级孔道结构有利于反应物及产物的传质,因此作为低温燃料电池催化剂载体备受关注. 综述了多种新型碳纳米材料如碳纳米管、碳纳米纤维、碳纳米盘、碳纳米角和碳纳米分子筛等在低温燃料电池催化剂中的应用,并对其存在的问题和可能的发展方向进行了讨论.     

Single wall carbon nanotube supports for portable direct methanol fuel cells

Single-wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes are employed as carbon supports in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The morphology and electrochemical activity of single-wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes obtained from different sources have been examined to probe the influence of carbon support on the overall performance of DMFC. The improved activity of the Pt-Ru catalyst dispersed on carbon nanotubes toward methanol oxidation is reflected as a shift in the onset potential and a lower charge transfer resistance at the electrode/electrolyte interface. The evaluation of carbon supports in a passive air breathing DMFC indicates that the observed power density depends on the nature and source of carbon nanostructures. The intrinsic property of the nanotubes, dispersion of the electrocatalyst and the electrochemically active surface area collectively influence the performance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). As compared to the commercial carbon black support, single wall carbon nanotubes when employed as the support for anchoring the electrocatalyst particles in the anode and cathode sides of MEA exhibited a approximately 30% enhancement in the power density of a single stack DMFC operating at 70 degrees C.     

一种新型低噪音碳纤维纳米电极

近年来,碳纤维超微电极在生命科学领域中已取得了广泛应用,电极的超微尺寸使之能对生物微环境进行实时监测^[1],还可作为微柱分离的检测 ^[2],自Adams研究组1976年开展微电极伏安法对细胞外液中生物胺以及有关代谢物的检测研究以来,碳纤维超微电极已成为探测脑内甚至单个细胞内神经递质的一种有力的工具,人们已对单个细胞内神经递质^[3]及激素^[4]的释放进行了探索性研究。     

Monte Carlo Simulation and Experimental Studies of CO2, CH4 and Their Mixture Capture in Porous Carbons

Adsorption of carbon dioxide and methane in porous activated carbon and carbon nanotube was studied experimentally and by Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation. A gravimetric analyzer was used to obtain the experimental data, while in the simulation we used graphitic slit pores of various pore size to model activated carbon and a bundle of graphitic cylinders arranged hexagonally to model carbon nanotube. Carbon dioxide was modeled as a 3-center-Lennard-Jones (LJ) molecule with three fixed partial charges, while methane was modeled as a single LJ molecule. We have shown that the behavior of adsorption for both activated carbon and carbon nanotube is sensitive to pore width and the crossing of isotherms is observed because of the molecular packing, which favors commensurate packing for some pore sizes. Using the adsorption data of pure methane or carbon dioxide on activated carbon, we derived its pore size distribution (PSD), which was found to be in good agreement with the PSD obtained from the analysis of nitrogen adsorption data at 77 K. This derived PSD was used to describe isotherms at other temperatures as well as isotherms of mixture of carbon dioxide and methane in activated carbon and carbon nanotube at 273 and 300 K. Good agreement between the computed and experimental isotherm data was observed, thus justifying the use of a simple adsorption model.     

Long-service-life plasma arc torch

An arc plasma torch having a long service life is described. Its water-cooled copper electrodes are coated with a film of a nanostructured carbon material. Electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy instrumental studies of the electrode coating showed that it consisted of the composite nanosized carbon material including largely single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes and other carbon forms with a certain amount of copper atoms intercalated in the carbon matrix.     

Formation and stability of peptide enolates in aqueous solution

Second-order rate constants k(DO) (M(-1) s(-1)) were determined in D(2)O for deprotonation of the N-terminal alpha-amino carbon of glycylglycine and glycylglycylglycine zwitterions, the internal alpha-amino carbon of the glycylglycylglycine anion, and the acetyl methyl group and the alpha-amino carbon of the N-acetylglycine anion and N-acetylglycinamide by deuterioxide ion. The data were used to estimate values of k(HO) (M(-1) s(-1)) for proton transfer from these carbon acids to hydroxide ion in H(2)O. Values of the pK(a) for these carbon acids ranging from 23.9 to 30.8 were obtained by interpolation or extrapolation of good linear correlations between log k(HO) and carbon acid pK(a) established in earlier work for deprotonation of related neutral and cationic alpha-carbonyl carbon acids. The alpha-amino carbon at a N-protonated N-terminus of a peptide or protein is estimated to undergo deprotonation about 130-fold faster than the alpha-amino carbon at the corresponding internal amino acid residue. The value of k(HO) for deprotonation of the N-terminal alpha-amino carbon of the glycylglycylglycine zwitterion (pK(a) = 25.1) is similar to that for deprotonation of the more acidic ketone acetone (pK(a) = 19.3), as a result of a lower Marcus intrinsic barrier to deprotonation of cationic alpha-carbonyl carbon acids. The cationic NH(3)(+) group is generally more strongly electron-withdrawing than the neutral NHAc group, but the alpha-NH(3)(+) and the alpha-NHAc substituents result in very similar decreases in the pK(a) of several alpha-carbonyl carbon acids.     

Tubular carbon nano-/microstructures synthesized from graphite powders by an in situ template process

Through the use of commercial graphite powders as the carbon sources, a variety of interesting tubular carbon nano- and microstructures, such as networked carbon nanotubes, aligned carbon microtubes with hexagonal cross-sections, aligned tapered carbon tubes, and hollow carbon microhorns, have been successfully synthesized. As-grown tubular carbon structures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy. An in situ template mechanism was proposed to explain the possible growth process. The vibrational properties of the synthesized tubular carbon structures were also studied by Raman spectroscopy.     

The role of carbon support morphology in the formation of catalytic layer of solid-polymer fuel cell

The Pt/C catalysts with similar morphology of active catalytic phase (platinum nanoparticles), which were deposited on the supports with different types of carbon structures (Vulkan XC-72 carbon black, Taunit carbon tubes, and Timrex HSAG-300 carbon support with graphite structure), were fabricated by the method of electrochemical dispersion. The effect of the carbon structure type on the electrocatalytic properties of Pt/C catalysts was studied in their operation in the three-electrode cell and in-service in the membrane-electrode assembly of air-hydrogen solid-polymer fuel cell. The Pt/C catalyst based on the Vulkan XC-72 carbon support showed the best performance. The anisotropic shape of Taunit carbon nanotubes and the microstructure of Timrex HSAG-300 carbon support do not allow us to form a catalytic layer with a large active platinum surface area and a structure, which provides an effective ionic transport and mass exchange near the platinum surface.     

A viable way to tailor carbon nanomaterials by irradiation-induced transformations

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been the most important tool in their investigation. It is possible to use electron irradiation in a TEM to construct a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) from an amorphous carbon film. Here we show that such a synthesis method creates a large number of carbon ad-atoms, which after some critical amount of radiation act to restore the system by reconstructing the carbon film. The behavior of the ad-atoms can be controlled by adjusting the current density in the microscope, suggesting that carbon nanomaterials can be tailored by electron irradiation.     

Fe/炭黑、Ni/炭黑催化剂对渣油加氢反应的影响

使用模型化合物在微型反应釜中研究了载体炭黑对渣油内部氢转移反应的影响。结果表明,炭黑可以明显地促进四氢萘到蒽的氢转移反应。使用等体积浸渍法制备了Fe/炭黑、Ni/炭黑催化剂并对Fe/炭黑催化剂进行了XRD、SEM表征,结果表明,金属硫化物附着在炭黑颗粒的表面,直径为1μm左右。在高压反应釜中研究了载体炭黑和以炭黑为载体的催化剂对克拉玛依常压渣油430℃加氢反应的影响,并于传统的水溶性分散型催化剂的抑焦性能进行了对比。 结果表明,Fe/炭黑、Ni/炭黑催化剂可以明显地抑制渣油加氢反应的生焦,水洗后的催化剂效果比未经水洗的催化剂抑制生焦的效果好;Ni/炭黑催化剂抑焦效果比Fe/炭黑催化剂好;Fe/炭黑催化剂比同等浓度的水溶性Fe催化剂抑焦效果好。对反应产物馏分的分析表明,Fe/炭黑催化剂可以有效地抑制渣油缩合生焦,同时在一定程度上抑制裂化反应。