Fabrication of nanocables by electrochemical deposition inside metal nanotubes

We report a novel route for fabricating Au-Te nanocables. Using nanoporous polycarbonate tract-etching (PCTE) membrane as the template, Au nanotubes were fabricated by electroless Au deposition inside the nanopores of the PCTE membrane. Using the Au nanotube membrane as a second template, Te was deposited on the surfaces of the Au nanotubes by slow electrochemical deposition, taking advantage of underpotential deposition (UPD). The deposition rate was sufficiently slow to radially grow Te nanotubes coaxially within the Au nanotubes to form nanocables.     

Fabrication and characterization of polymer-based magnetic composite nanotubes and nanorods

Herein we present the simple fabrication of magneto-polymer nanostructured composites. Specifically, large aspect ratio polymer-based magnetic nanotubes and nanorods have been prepared by means of wetting nanoporous hard templates with loaded polymer melts and solutions, respectively. Morphological characteristics of both one-dimensional composite nanostructures were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, important parameters of the materials such as elemental composition and distribution of the metallic elements were determined by means of X-ray diffraction, and Rutherford backscattering. The different confinement topology of the nanoparticles within the nanorods and the nanotubes leads to a stronger (i.e. ferro-) magnetic response of nanotube arrays, as determined by magnetometry. The magnetic measurements also allowed estimating the concentration of nanoparticles by means of properly fitting experimental data to a sum of different magnetic contributions to the total magnetic moment. The morphological, structural, compositional and magnetic characteristics of nanotubes and nanorods are related to the different wetting approaches used. It has to be noted that, to our knowledge, we present here the first example of nanoparticulated polymer-based composite nanotubes synthesized from the melt, which, indeed seems to be at the origin of their high morphological and compositional quality. The potential of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy for characterizing soft composite nanostructures has to be also remarked.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and in-situ self-assembly of coaxial Ag/C nanocables

We have successfully developed a new one-pot solution-phase route, namely microwave-assisted hydrothermal reduction/carbonization (MAHRC), for a rapid synthesis of coaxial Ag/C nanocables. The nanocables can self-assemble in situ in an end-to-end fashion into interconnected chains.     

Formation of Ag2Se nanotubes and dendrite-like structures from UV irradiation of a CSe2/Ag colloidal solution

Ag2Se nanotubes have been successfully synthesized by UV photodissociation of adsorbed CSe2 on the surface of Ag nanowires under ambient conditions. Transmission electron microscopy was used to trace the growth of hollow interiors, allowing a detail study of the Kirkendall effect in 1-dimensional nanosystems. Voids were observed to grow from both ends of the nanowires along the longitudinal axis and ultimately merged to form hollow nanotubes. This phenomenon is attributed to the crystallographic selective adsorption of poly(vinylpyrolidone) on Ag nanowire templates. In addition, we observed the formation of dendrites on aging of the reaction mixture and explained its growth based on a diffusion-limited aggregation model.     

Ag/C同轴纳米电缆的制备

采用十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)辅助水热法合成了Ag/C同轴纳米电缆,并用SEM、TEM、XRD和EDS对产物进行了表征。结果表明,产物为长达数十微米,内核直径80～100 nm,壳厚约100 nm的纳米电缆。初步探讨了Ag/C同轴纳米电缆的生长机制。     

Fabrication of polymer nanotubes containing nanoparticles and inside functionalization

A polypyrrole nanotube containing nanoparticles is prepared by a dual template approach, and the inside of the nanotube is selectively functionalized with carboxyl and amine groups.     

Fabrication, characterization, and chemical etching of Ag nanoelectrodes

The previously developed methodologies for fabricating flat, polished nanoelectrodes were extended to produce silver electrodes with the radii from 50 nm to micrometers. The prepared electrodes were characterized by steady-state voltammetry, scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), and atomic force microscopy. The protocol was developed for controlled chemical etching of silver in ammonia solutions to produce recessed nanoelectrodes. Voltammograms and SECM approach curves were obtained to evaluate the recess depth and other geometric parameters of the etched electrodes.     

Synthesis and characterization of Mn2P2S6 single-crystal nanorods and nanotubes

Mn2P2S6 single-crystal nanorods with diameters 20-40 nm and lengths up to 1 microm and nanotubes with diameters 40-50 nm and lengths ranging between 110 and 170 nm have been prepared through a low-temperature solvothermal method. They have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution (HR) TEM, electron diffraction, energy-dispersive spectrometry analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy.     

Preparation of highly conductive, self-assembled gold/polyaniline nanocables and polyaniline nanotubes

One-dimensional gold/polyaniline (Au/PANI-CSA) coaxial nanocables with an average diameter of 50-60 nm and lengths of more than 1 mum were successfully synthesized by reacting aniline monomer with chlorauric acid (HAuCl(4)) through a self-assembly process in the presence of D-camphor-10-sulfonic acid (CSA), which acts as both a dopant and surfactant. It was found that the formation probability and the size of the Au/PANI-CSA nanocables depends on the molar ratio of aniline to HAuCl(4) and the concentration of CSA, respectively. A synergistic growth mechanism was proposed to interpret the formation of the Au/PANI-CSA nanocables. The directly measured conductivity of a single gold/polyaniline nanocable was found to be high (approximately 77.2 S cm(-1)). Hollow PANI-CSA nanotubes, with an average diameter of 50-60 nm, were also obtained successfully by dissolving the Au nanowire core of the Au/PANI-CSA nanocables.     

H2与C,BN和GaN纳米管的相互作用势能

基于C,B,N和Ga与H原子间的L-J势函数,系统计算了H2处于(n,n)(n=8,10,12)单壁C,BN和GaN纳米管内部及外部不同处的势能.根据势能变化曲线,分析了3种纳米管氢物理吸附能力的差异,给出了H2在3种纳米管外部的势能表达式.研究结果表明:3种纳米管内部的氢吸附力均分别高于管外;随着纳米管直径的增加,各纳米管管内的氢吸附力均略有下降,而管外变化不明显;GaN,BN和C纳米管依次具有更好的储氢能力.     

Ag, Ag2S, and Ag2Se nanocrystals: synthesis, assembly, and construction of mesoporous structures

Synthesis of mesoporous materials has become more and more important due to their wide application. Nowadays, there are two main ideas in their preparation. One is focused on the templating method. The other is based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) constructed from molecular building blocks. Herein, we exploit a new idea for their facile and general synthesis, namely, using "artificial atoms" (monodisperse nanoparticles) as uniform building blocks to construct ordered mesoporous materials. Mesoporous Ag, Ag2S, and Ag2Se have been obtained to demonstrate this concept. On the other hand, we also describe a facile method to prepare the "building blocks". Ag nanoparticles were obtained by direct thermal decomposition of AgNO3 in octadecylamine, and Ag2S/Ag2Se nanoparticles were synthesized by reaction between sulfur or selenium powder and Ag nanoparticles formed in situ. This approach for Ag, Ag2S, and Ag2Se nanoparticles is efficient, economical, and easy to scale up in industrial production.     

Ag/Se二元团簇的形成以及Ag与Se团簇反应的研究

用飞行时间质谱仪研究了激光直接溅射Ag/Se混合样品产生的二元团簇以及团簇正离子的光解行为;并用串级溅射反应装置研究了Ag和Se正负离子产物.在直接溅射产生的Ag/Se二元团簇中,正离子主要系列是:[(Ag₂Se)_nAg⁺],[(Ag₂Se)_nAg₃⁺];负离子主要系列是:[(Ag₂Se)_nAgSe^-],[(Ag₂Se)_nAgSe₂^-],[(Ag₂Se)_nSe^-].团簇正离子的光解结果表明,同样条件下Ag/Se二元团簇正离子光解比率比Ag/S大.在Ag和Se样品串级溅射实验中,主要得到AgSe_n⁺(n=4～9)和AgSe_nSe^-(n=4～7)系列的产物,在AgSe_n⁺系列中,n=4,6时丰度较大.这表明串级溅射反应和直接溅射二元混合样品两种过程中成簇机理是不同的.     

Carbon nanotube template promoted growth of NbS2 nanotubes/nanorods

NbS2 nanotubes/rods have been generated successfully employing carbon nanotube template promoted growth; high resolution transmission electron microscopy, coupled with EDX analysis, confirm the template effect and existence of NbS2 tube structures.     

Silver Halide and Silver Chalcogenide Systems. IV. Excess enthalpies of the liquid mixtures of AgCl + Ag2Se,Agl + Ag2Se,AgCl + Ag2Te,AgBr + Ag2Te,and Agl + Ag2Te

The integral enthalpies of mixing of the liquid mixtures AgCl + Ag₂Se, AgI + Ag₂Se, AgCl + Ag₂Te, AgBr + Ag₂Te and AgI + Ag₂Te were determined in an isoperibolic calorimeter. The systems have endothermic effects which can be explained by a misfit energy, due to the substitution of ions of different size in the polymeric network of these melts.     

Fabrication and photocatalytic activity of TiO2/SiO2 composite nanotubes

TiO₂/SiO₂ composite nanotube photocatalysts supported on Al substrates were prepared by the anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) liquid-phase deposition method for degradation of 100 mg/L methyl blue (MB). AAO templates were prepared in H₃PO₄ acidic electrolytes through the two-step anodic oxidation method. The photocatalysts were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermal analysis (TG-DTA), and Fourier-transform infrared, x-ray photoelectron, and UV?CVis diffuse spectroscopies. The results showed that the presence of SiO₂ in TiO₂ inhibited the crystal phase transformation temperature effectively, with a greater wall thickness of 80?C100 nm. It was found that Ti?CO?CSi bonds were formed on the surface and the surface hydroxyl concentration was increased, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic activity, being about 20% higher than for pure TiO₂ films. The calculated band structure for TiO₂/SiO₂ was investigated using first-principle calculations. The TiO₂/SiO₂ composite exhibited a wider conduction band which would effectively prohibit recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes.     

Aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes array electrode:Fabrication,characterization and application

In the presence of 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride(EDC)and N-hydroxysuccinimide(NHS), carboxylic group-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWNTs)were assembled vertically on the glassy carbon electrode using ethylenediamine as linking agent to fabricate an aligned electrode(SWNTE).The morphological characteristic was studied with atomic force microscope(AFM)and its electrochemical property was investigated using K_3[Fe(CN)_6]as probe. ssDNA had a sensitive voltammetr...     

Surfactant-directed polypyrrole/CNT nanocables: synthesis, characterization, and enhanced electrical properties.

We describe here a new approach to the synthesis of size-controllable polypyrrole/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocables by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization directed by the cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or the nonionic surfactant polyethylene glycol mono-p-nonylphenyl ether (Opi-10). When carbon nanotubes are dispersed in a solution containing a certain concentration of CTAB or Opi-10, the surfactant molecules are adsorbed and arranged regularly on the CNT surfaces. On addition of pyrrole, some of the monomer is adsorbed at the surface of CNTs and/or wedged between the arranged CTAB or Opi-10 molecules. When ammonium persulfate (APS) is added, pyrrole is polymerized in situ at the surfaces of the CNTs (core layer) and ultimately forms the outer shell of the nanocables. Such polypyrrole/CNT nanocables show enhanced electrical properties; a negative temperature coefficient of resistance at 77-300 K and a negative magnetoresistance at 10-200 K were observed.     

Ag2S/Ag2WO4微米棒的声化学合成、表征及其高光催化性能

TiO2作为一种光催化剂广泛应用于各种污染物的降解.但是它较大的宽禁带(~3.2 eV)导致其很难吸收可见光,因此寻找窄禁带的具有可见光响应的半导体光催化剂成为近年来光催化研究的热点.在众多窄禁带光催化剂中,纯 Ag2S在降解污染物方面并不出色,但是作为一种窄禁带的直接带隙半导体,它在加快电子迁移和提高光量子效率方面表现出色.目前有许多高催化活性的 Ag2S异质结复合半导体光催化剂的报道,如 Ag2Mo3O10-Ag2S, TiO2-Ag2S, ZnS-Ag2S和NiO-Ag2S等. Ag2WO4是一种具有新颖物理化学性质的半导体材料,在催化、传感器、抗菌和光致发光等方面有着广泛应用.但是, Ag2WO4的理论带隙较宽,约为3.5 eV,而且光照下Ag2WO4很容易产生光化学腐蚀而分解出单质银,作为光催化剂存在太阳光利用率低和稳定性较差等缺点.声化学是一种特殊纳米材料的合成方法.它主要是利用超声空化产生特殊的物理化学环境来强化化学键的生成,同时实现半导体从无定形态到固定晶型转变.本文采用超声辅助共沉淀法制备了长为0.2?1μm、直径为20?30 nm的 Ag2S/Ag2WO4微米棒复合光催化剂.利用 X射线衍射(XRD)、N2物理吸附、扫描电镜、透射电镜、光电子能谱、光致发光谱(PL)和紫外-可见漫反射吸收光谱(UV-vis DRS)和光电流等手段对所制 Ag2S, Ag2WO4和 Ag2S/Ag2WO4进行了表征.结果表明,合成的样品比表面积较小(2.7?3.6 m2/g). UV-vis DRS测试表明,声化学处理能有效拓宽 Ag2S/Ag2WO4在可见光区的吸收范围,提高其可见光响应性能.另外, PL和光电流测试结果证实,在声化学制备的 Ag2S/Ag2WO4体系中,光生电子(e?)-空穴(h+)的复合过程被极大地限制,具有较高的 e?-h+分离效率.以金卤灯为光源进行了光催化降解染料亚甲基蓝的性能测试.结果表明,声化学合成的 Ag2S/Ag2WO4的反应速率常数(0.150 min?1)分别为单纯 Ag2WO4(0.031 min?1)和 Ag2S (0.004 min?1)的4.7和29.8倍.自由基捕获实验表明,在 Ag2S/Ag2WO4光催化降解甲基橙过程中主要的活性物种为超氧自由基(?O2?)和光生空穴(h+).此外,声化学合成的 Ag2S/Ag2WO4表现出很好的光催化稳定性.循环使用3次后,该样品对亚甲基蓝的光催化活性仍高达80.4%,而纯 Ag2WO4几乎完全失活. Ag2S/Ag2WO4具有很高的光催化活性的原因,一方面是声化学处理提高了催化剂的结晶度,同时生成了独特的棒状结构;另一方面是在超声作用下, Ag2S和 Ag2WO4两相紧密接触形成异质结,促进了可见光的吸收和光生 e?与 h+的分离.     

Fabrication and characterization of smooth high aspect ratio zirconia nanotubes

In the present work, we report formation of high aspect ratio zirconia nanotubes by electrochemical anodization of zirconium in a 1 M (NH₄)₂SO₄ electrolyte containing 0.5 wt% NH₄F. Highly self-organized zirconia nanotubes can be formed with a diameter of ≈50 nm and a length of ≈17 μm, i.e. with an aspect ratio of more than 300. The nanotubes show a distinct smooth and straight morphology. XRD investigation reveals that the nanotubes have a cubic crystalline structure directly after anodization, that is, without any further annealing.     

Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of Bi2S3/Ag2S/ZnO novel ternary heterostructure nanorods

The current work investigates the morphology, crystallinity and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of bismuth sulfide/silver sulfide/zinc oxide nanorods (Bi₂S₃/Ag₂S/ZnO NRAs) photoelectrodes as prepared at different annealing temperature. ZnO NRAs was initially grown hydrothermally, deposited in sequence with Ag₂S and Bi₂S₃ via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method before undergoing the annealing treatment. The optimised photoelectrode (Bi₂S₃/Ag₂S/ZnO NRAs-400 °C) possesses an optical bandgap of 1.60 eV extending the absorption edge of ZnO to visible light spectrum. The current-voltage characterization of Bi₂S₃/Ag₂S/ZnO NRAs photoelectrodes revealed that the photocurrent density and photoconversion efficiency were strongly dependent on the annealing temperature. The PEC study shows that the photoelectrode annealed at 400 °C achieved impressive photocurrent density of 12.95 mA/cm² at +0.5 V (vs Ag/AgCl/saturated KCl) under 100 mW/cm² illumination with superior photoconversion efficiency of 12.63%. This improvement is due to the cascade-designed band structure alignment of Bi₂S₃/Ag₂S/ZnO/ITO and to the brilliant role of Ag₂S as an intermediate layer that reduced random chance of electron-hole (e⁻_-h⁺) pairs recombination and improved the electrons collection efficiency. This work is highly anticipated to give contribution on further utilisation of Bi₂S₃/Ag₂S/ZnO NRAs as a promising semiconductor material in PEC related applications.