Nitrogen-rich Graphdiyne Film for Efficiently Suppressing the Methanol Crossover in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

The inhibition of the methanol crossover is one of the intractable challenges in the direct methanol fuel cell.The graphdiyne(GDY)with atomic-level pores shows great potential in realizing the zero-permeation of methanol molecules.In this paper,an ultrathin layer of nitrogen-rich GDY film with a high nitrogen content is largely prepared and readily used for retarding the methanol permeation in the state-of-the-art commercial Nafion membrane.The high N-content in this porous GDY nanofilm remarkably increases the selective suppression in methanol transfer,and single-layer GDY film can efficiently prevent 43％methanol crossover and the value of the double-layer GDY film can be high up to 69％.The power performance and the long-term stability of the cell are obviously improved due to the reduced methanol crossover.     

A Photoelectrochemical Immunosensor for Prostate Specific Antigen Detection Based on Graphdiyne Oxide Conjugated with Horseradish Peroxidase

Graphdiyne (GDY) was a novel flat material with sp and sp² hybridized carbon atoms. It exhibited good biocompatibility. The application of GDY in PEC immunosensor was very limited. Thus, a novel photoelectrochemical sensor for the sensitive detection of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was proposed by using GDY oxide (GDYO) conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and secondary antibody for photocurrent signal inhibition. GDYO was prepared by oxidation of honeycomb-like nanotubes composed of numerous GDY nanosheets. It showed high loading capacity for HRP and the catalytic activity of HRP could be remained. With reduced graphene oxide-CdS (rGO-CdS) as photoelectrochemical sensing platform, a sandwich-type photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor was thus fabricated. The immunosensor presented a wide linear concentration range of 10 fg mL⁻¹–20.0 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit (LOD) of 3.5 fg mL⁻¹. Moreover, the PEC immunosensor displayed ideal reproducibility, stability, and selectivity, which was a promising platform for the detection of other important tumor targets.     

Synthesis of Chlorine‐Substituted Graphdiyne and Applications for Lithium‐Ion Storage

Chlorine‐substituted graphdiyne (Cl‐GDY) is prepared through a Glaser–Hay coupling reaction on the copper foil. Cl‐GDY is endowed with a unique π‐conjugated carbon skeleton with expanded pore size in two dimensions, having graphdiyne‐like sp‐ and sp²‐ hybridized carbon atoms. As a result, the transfer tunnels for lithium (Li) ions in the perpendicular direction of the molecular plane are enlarged. Moreover, benefiting from the bottom‐to‐up fabrication procedure of graphdiyne and the strong chemical tailorability of the alkinyl‐contained monomer, the amount of substitutional chlorine atoms with appropriate electronegativity and atom size is high and evenly distributed on the as‐prepared carbon framework, which will synergistically stabilize the Li intercalated in the Cl‐GDY framework, and thus generate more Li storage sites. Profiting from the above unique structure, Cl‐GDY shows remarkable electrochemical properties in lithium ion half‐cells.     

Proton conductive thin films prepared by plasma polymerization

Proton conductive membranes were prepared as thin films of about 10 μm thickness by an ion beam assisted plasma polymerization process. Argon ions were generated in a high frequency plasma and accelerated towards a PTFE target where CF fragments were released as a consequence of the ion impact. Various sulfur components (SO₂, CF₃SO₃H or ClSO₃H) were added to achieve proton conductivity by the formation of sulfonic acid groups. The CF fragments combined with the sulfur components to form a coherent thin film on a substrate. Mass spectrometric investigations revealed, however, that sulfur oxygen compounds were extremely delicate towards reduction to sulfur carbon compounds like CS₂ or SCF₂. The best membrane conductivities (>10⁻⁴ S/cm) and highest ion exchange capacities (0.15 mmol/g) were achieved with chlorosulfonic acid involved in the plasma polymerization process. Ultra-thin layers of these of these plasma polymers (ca. 300 nm) were subsequently deposited onto Nafion^® membranes in order to suppress methanol permeation for a potential application in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The ratio of proton conductivity and methanol diffusion coefficient was employed for an assessment of the transport characteristics of the coated membrane. Diffusion coefficients were determined in a flow cell coupled to a mass spectrometer. The plasma polymer coating decreased both the methanol permeation and the proton conductivity. With a proton conductive plasma polymer coating the decrease of methanol diffusion could outweigh the loss of proton conductivity. Plasma coating offers a way to suppress methanol crossover in DMFCs and to maintaining the proton conductivity.     

Tuning the Properties of Graphdiyne by Introducing Electron-Withdrawing/Donating Groups

The properties of graphdiyne (GDY), such as energy gap, morphology, and affinity to alkali metals, can be adjusted by including electron-withdrawing/donating groups. The push–pull electron ability and size differences of groups play a key role on the partial property adjusting of GDY derivatives MeGDY, HGDY, and CNGDY. Cyano groups (electron-withdrawing) and methyl groups (electron-donating) decrease the band gap and increase the conductivity of the GDY network. The cyano and methyl groups affects the aggregation of GDY, providing a higher number of micropores and specific surface area. These groups also endow the original GDY additional advantages: the stronger electronegativity of cyano groups increase the affinity of GDY frameworks to lithium atoms, and the larger atomic volume of methyl groups increases the interlayer distance and provides more storage space and diffusion tunnels.     

In situ synthesis of a Prussian blue nanoparticles/graphdiyne oxide nanocomposite with high stability and electrocatalytic activity

Herein we report an in situ synthesis of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB) on graphdiyne oxide (GDYO) which acts as an excellent substrate. The hybrid was then used as an electrode with high electrochemical catalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide. The PB/GDYO hybrid was prepared by simply adding FeCl₃ to GDYO solution, and then mixing with Fe(CN)₆^3 − at room temperature. The GDYO was able to anchor PB in nanoparticle form and stabilize it in neutral and weakly basic solutions. The hybrid was investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements. The PB/GDYO hybrid showed high electrochemical catalytic activity and stability for the detection of hydrogen peroxide.     

Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Olefin Hydrogenation in Aqueous Solution

Selective hydrogenation of olefins with water as the hydrogen source at ambient conditions is still a big challenge in the field of catalysis. Herein, the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of purely aliphatic and functionalized olefins was achieved by using graphdiyne based copper oxide quantum dots (Cu_xO/GDY) as cathodic electrodes and water as the hydrogen source, with high activity and selectivity in aqueous solution at high current density under ambient temperature and pressure. In particular, the sp-/sp²-hybridized graphdiyne catalyst allows the selective hydrogenation of cis-trans isomeric olefins. The chemical and electronic structure of the GDY results in the incomplete charge transfer between GDY and Cu atoms to optimize the adsorption/desorption of the reaction intermediates and results in high reaction selectivity and activity for hydrogenation reactions.     

Research on the Preparation of Graphdiyne and Its Derivatives

As a new 2D carbon material allotrope composed of sp and sp² carbon atoms, graphdiyne (GDY) possesses a highly conjugated porous structure, easily tunable intrinsic bandgap, and various excellent properties. Such properties allowed researchers to develop methods to prepare GDY, so that it can be applied for energy storage and conversion, environmental protection, various electronic devices and so on. In this review, the authors systematically discuss the methods and strategies developed for preparing GDY and its derivatives, including the synthesis of GDY by using liquid-, solid-, and gas-phase methods, the synthesis of heteroatom-doped GDY, the preparation of GDY-based composites, and the synthesis of GDY analogues. All these preparation methods can provide the way to obtain GDY for specific studies and applications.     

Surface modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and Nafion nanocomposite membranes for use in fuel cell applications

The preparation and characterization of the nanocomposite polyelectrolyte membranes, based on Nafion, sulfonated multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT‐SO₃H) and imidazole modified multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT‐Im), for direct methanol fuel cell applications is described. The results showed that the modification of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with proton‐conducting groups (sulfonic acid groups or imidazole groups) could enhance the proton conductivity of the nanocomposite membranes in comparison to Nafion 117. Regarding the interactions between the protonated imidazole groups, grafted on the surface of MWCNT, and the negatively charged sulfonic acid groups of Nafion, new electrostatic interactions can be formed in the interface of the Nafion and MWCNT‐Im, which result in both lower methanol permeability and higher proton conductivity. The physical characteristics of these manufactured nanocomposite membranes were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, water uptake, methanol permeability, and ion exchange capacity, as well as proton conductivity. The Nafion/MWCNT‐Im membranes showed the higher proton conductivity, lower methanol permeability, and, as a consequence, a higher selectivity parameter in comparison to the neat Nafion or Nafion membrane containing MWCNT‐SO₃H or ─OH functionalized multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT‐OH) membranes. The obtained results indicated that the Nafion/MWCNT‐Im membranes could be used as efficient polyelectrolyte membranes for direct methanol fuel cell applications.     

含异原子石墨炔基电极材料的研究进展

碳材料具有价格低廉、 易制备、 环境友好、 导电性高、 比表面积大以及适合离子存储和迁移等优点, 已成为目前应用于电化学储能器件电极的重要材料之一. 石墨炔(GDY)是一种新型的二维碳同素异形体, 由sp²碳杂化形式的苯环和sp碳杂化形式的炔键构成. 这种独特的化学结构一方面保持了碳材料良好的导电特性, 另一方面形成了新颖的离子传输通道, 为碳材料带来了不同的离子传输和存储特性. 与此同时, 由于石墨炔的空间结构可调性, 可以通过引入异原子微调石墨炔电子结构, 拓展石墨炔在电极材料领域的应用. 本文重点对近几年异原子杂化石墨炔基电极材料在锂离子电池、 钠离子电池、 金属硫电池、 电容器、 金属空气电池和电极保护等储能领域的研究工作进行总结, 并对未来石墨炔类材料在储能领域的发展进行了展望.     

Proton exchange membrane using partially sulfonated polystyrene-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane) for direct methanol fuel cell

A diblock copolymer ionomer containing a rubbery poly(dimethylsiloxane) block has been developed as a proton exchange membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The partially sulfonated polystyrene-b-poly(dimethylsiloxane) (sPS-b-PDMS) membrane with 38% sulfonation degree exhibited 3 times lower methanol permeability and 2.6 times higher membrane selectivity (proton conductivity/methanol permeability) compared to Nafion^® 115 at 25 °C. Coexistence of microphase domains and ionic clusters was confirmed from the morphological studies by small-angle X-ray scattering and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy. Gas chromatographic analysis revealed that water/methanol selectivity of sPS-b-PDMS was 20 times higher than that of Nafion^® 115. Such a high water/methanol selectivity can be attributed to the existence of PDMS microdomains minimizing methanol permeation through hydrophilic ion channels. sPS-b-PDMS membranes were fabricated into membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and air-breathing DMFC test for these MEAs showed a better performance compared to the MEA composed of Nafion^® 115.     

Carbon Atom Hybridization Matters: Ultrafast Humidity Response of Graphdiyne Oxides

Graphdiyne oxide (GDO), the oxidized form of graphdiyne (GDY), exhibits an ultrafast humidity response with an unprecedented response speed (ca. 7 ms), which is three times faster than that of graphene oxide (GO) with the same thickness and O/C ratio. The ultrafast humidity response of GDO is considered to benefit from the unique carbon hybridization of GDO, which contains acetylenic bonds that are more electron‐withdrawing than ethylenic bonds in GO, consequently giving rise to a faster binding rate with water. This distinctive structure‐based property enables the fabrication of a novel GDO‐based humidity sensor with an ultrafast response speed and good selectivity against other kinds of gas molecules as well as high sensitivity. These properties allow the sensor to accurately monitor the respiration rate change of human and hypoxic rats.     

Tuning the Properties of Graphdiyne by Introducing Electron‐Withdrawing/Donating Groups

The properties of graphdiyne (GDY), such as energy gap, morphology, and affinity to alkali metals, can be adjusted by including electron‐withdrawing/donating groups. The push–pull electron ability and size differences of groups play a key role on the partial property adjusting of GDY derivatives MeGDY, HGDY, and CNGDY. Cyano groups (electron‐withdrawing) and methyl groups (electron‐donating) decrease the band gap and increase the conductivity of the GDY network. The cyano and methyl groups affects the aggregation of GDY, providing a higher number of micropores and specific surface area. These groups also endow the original GDY additional advantages: the stronger electronegativity of cyano groups increase the affinity of GDY frameworks to lithium atoms, and the larger atomic volume of methyl groups increases the interlayer distance and provides more storage space and diffusion tunnels.     

2D Graphdiyne: A Rising Star on the Horizon of Energy Conversion

Two-dimensional (2D) graphdiyne (GDY), a rapidly rising star on the horizon of carbon materials, is a new carbon allotrope featuring sp- and sp²-cohybridized carbon atoms and 2D one-atom-thick network. Since the first successful synthesis of GDY by Professor Li's group in 2010, GDY has attached great interests from both scientific and industrial viewpoints based on its unique structure and physicochemical properties, which provides a fertile ground for applications in various fields including electrocatalysis, energy conversion, energy storage and optoelectronic devices. In this work, various potential properties of the GDY-based electrocatalysts and their recent advances in energy conversion are reviewed, including atomic catalysts, heterogeneous catalysts, and metal-free catalysts. The critical role of GDY in improving catalytic activity and stability is analyzed. The perspectives of the challenges and opportunities faced by GDY-based materials for energy conversion are also outlined.     

Preliminary evaluation of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/monoethanolamine/adipic acid composite membranes for direct methanol fuel cell applications

A series of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/monoethanolamine/adipic acid (SPEEK/MEA/AA) composite membranes are prepared and investigated to assess their possibility as proton exchange membranes in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). A preliminary evaluation shows that introducing MEA and AA into SPEEK matrix decreases the thermal stability of membrane. However, the degradation temperatures are still above 260 °C, satisfying the requirement for fuel cell operation. Compared with the pure SPEEK membrane, the composite membranes exhibit not only lower water uptake and swelling ratios but also better mechanical property and oxidative stability. Noticeably, the methanol diffusion coefficient of the composite membranes decrease significantly from 3.15 × 10^?6 to 0.76 × 10^?6 cm²/s with increasing MEA and AA content, accompanied by only a small sacrifice in proton conductivity. Although both the methanol diffusion coefficient and the proton conductivity of composite membranes are lower than those of pure SPEEK and Nafion® 117 membranes, their selectivity (conductivity/methanol diffusion coefficient) are higher. In addition, the composite membranes show excellent stability in aqueous methanol solution. The good thermal and chemical stability, low swelling ratio, excellent mechanical property, low methanol diffusion coefficient, and high selectivity make the use of these composite membranes in DMFCs quite attractive. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2871–2879, 2007     

Inorganic–organic hybrid polymers with pendent sulfonated cyclic phosphazene side groups as potential proton conductive materials for direct methanol fuel cells

A synthetic method is described to produce a proton conductive polymer membrane with a polynorbornane backbone and inorganic–organic cyclic phosphazene pendent groups that bear sulfonic acid units. This hybrid polymer combines the inherent hydrophobicity and flexibility of the organic polymer with the tuning advantages of the cyclic phosphazene to produce a membrane with high proton conductivity and low methanol crossover at room temperature. The ion exchange capacity (IEC), the water swelling behavior of the polymer, and the effect of gamma radiation crosslinking were studied, together with the proton conductivity and methanol permeability of these materials. A typical membrane had an IEC of 0.329 mmol g⁻¹ and had water swelling of 50 wt%. The maximum proton conductivity of 1.13 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature is less than values reported for some commercially available materials such as Nafion. However the average methanol permeability was around 10⁻⁹ cm s⁻¹, which is one hundred times smaller than the value for Nafion. Thus, the new polymers are candidates for low-temperature direct methanol fuel cell membranes.     

Proton and methanol transport behavior of SPEEK/TPA/MCM-41 composite membranes for fuel cell application

This paper reports proton and methanol transport behavior of composite membranes prepared for use in the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The composite membranes were prepared by embedding various proportions (10–30 wt.%) of inorganic proton conducting material (tungstophosphoric acid (TPA)/MCM-41) into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) polymer matrix. The results indicate that the proton conductivity of the membranes increases with increasing loading of solid proton conducting material. The highest conductivity value of 2.75 mS/cm was obtained for the SPEEK composite membrane containing 30 wt.% solid proton conducting material (50 wt.% TPA in MCM-41). The methanol permeability and crossover flux were also found to increase with increasing loading of the solid proton conducting material. Lowest permeability value of 5.7 × 10⁻⁹ cm² s⁻¹ was obtained for composite membrane with 10 wt.% of the solid proton conducting material (40 wt.% TPA in MCM-41). However, all the composite membranes showed higher selectivity (ratio between the proton conductivity and the methanol permeability) compared to the pure SPEEK membrane. In addition, the membranes are thermally stable up to 160 °C. Thus, these membranes have potential to be considered for use in direct methanol fuel cell.     

Dimensionally stable Nafion–polyethylene composite membranes for direct methanol fuel cell applications

Nafion^® impregnated Solupor^®, microporous UHMWPE film, (N-PE), Nafion^®117 (N117) and a membrane prepared using a DE2020 Nafion^® dispersion (DE2020) were characterized with respect to their swelling degree (SD), methanol cross-over, proton conductivity and DMFC performance at various methanol concentrations in order to understand the effect of impregnation of an ion-conductive polymer membrane to the fuel cell performance.     

Ultra-Fast Preparation of Large-Area Graphdiyne-Based Membranes via Alkynylated Surface-Modification for Nanofiltration

Graphdiynes (GDYs), two-dimensional graphene-like carbon systems, are considered as potential advanced membrane material due to their unique physicochemical features. Nevertheless, the scale-up of integrated GDY membranes is technologically challenging, and most studies remain at the theoretical stage. Herein, we report a simple and efficient alkynylated surface-mediated strategy to prepare hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne (HsGDY) membranes on commercial alumina tubes. Surface alkynylation initiates an accelerated surface-confined coupling reaction in the presence of a copper catalyst and facilitates the nanoscale epitaxial lateral growth of HsGDY. A continuous and ultra-thin HsGDY membrane (∼100 nm) can be produced within 15 min. The resulting membranes exhibit outstanding molecular sieving together with excellent water permeances (ca. 1100 L m⁻² h⁻¹ MPa⁻¹), and show a long-term durability in cross-flow nanofiltration, owing to the superhydrophilic surface and hydrophobic pore walls.     

Graphdiyne Oxide Modified NiOx for Enhanced Charge Extraction in Inverted Planar MAPbl3 Perovskite Solar Cells

The interface defects and nickel vacancies of the NiOx lead to interface charge recombination,which limits its application in perovskite solar cells.Here,graphdiyne oxide(GDYO)was added to NiOx as an inorganic hole transporting material.It is found that the average carrier lifetime declined from 29.2 ns to 5.4 ns and the recombination resistance increased significantly after the GDYO adding determined by the time-resolved photoluminescence and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis.We further demonstrated that the GDYO adding to NiOx effectively improved the charge extraction,accelerated the charge transportation and suppressed the charge recombination.Consequently,the optimized NiOx(GDYO)-based cell showed superior performance with a higher fill factor(81.99％)and improved stability with respect to the reference device.This method provides a new method for property regulation of NiOx in inverted planar MAPbl3 perovskite solar cells.