A novel route for the synthesis of nanocomposite tungsten carbide–cobalt using a biopolymer as a carbon source

A new synthetic route to nanoparticulate tungsten carbide–cobalt is demonstrated, using a sol–gel approach in an aqueous solution containing a biopolymer. On calcination, the biopolymer was found to act both as a source of carbon and also as an anti-sintering, structure-directing template. By keeping the tungsten carbide phase nanoparticulate, the hardness was found to be commensurate with that seen in more traditional ‘heat and beat’ syntheses. This research was supported by the Royal Society through their University Research Fellowship scheme.     

简便方法制备氮掺杂的碳球用作高效非金属氧还原催化剂（英文）

随着人们环保意识的不断增强,社会对清洁能源的需求也日益增加.燃料电池具有效率高,燃料来源丰富,可直接将化学能转化成电能且污染小等优点,因而受到了广泛关注.然而,燃料电池的阴极氧还原反应(ORR)速率较慢,成为提高燃料电池整体效率的制约因素.因此,开发高性能的ORR催化剂,加快ORR反应速率具有非常重要的意义.目前,Pt基催化剂被认为是活性最好的商用ORR电催化剂.尽管此类催化剂具有较高的催化活性和良好的稳定性,但Pt的储量有限,价格高昂,抗燃料毒化性能差,限制了其大规模应用.近年来,为了减小Pt的用量,降低催化剂成本,人们除了致力于研究贵金属合金催化剂及非贵金属催化剂外,还把目光聚焦在了非金属催化剂,特别是碳及其复合材料的研究上.在众多碳材料中,碳球因具有良好的表面渗透性和较高的机械稳定性而被广泛应用于催化、吸附、药物输送和能量存储及转化等领域中.然而,碳球的表面化学惰性较强,比表面积较低,使其部分应用受到了限制.因此,人们采用了多种方法来调控碳球的物理化学性质.其中,向碳材料中掺入杂原子,尤其是氮原子的方法广受青睐.因为杂原子的掺入会显著增强作为主体的碳原子给电子的能力和表面吸附性质,从而对ORR表现出优异的催化活性和稳定性.本文以蔗糖作为碳源,三聚氰胺作为氮源,采用水热法及高温热解法制备了一系列氮掺杂的生物质碳球.并对氮掺杂量及热解温度进行了优化.结果表明,石墨化程度及石墨氮含量的提高,能有效地提高催化剂的活性.在优化了的条件下得到的催化剂N0.1C1.9S-900,表现出了比商业Pt/C催化剂更好的ORR催化性能.在0.1 mol/L KOH中,该催化剂催化ORR的起始电位和半波电位分别为–22.6和–133.6 mV(vs.Ag/AgCl),极限电流密度为4.6 mA/cm~2,分别比商业Pt/C高出7.2 mV,5.9 mV和0.2 mA/cm~2.同时,在经过30000 s的稳定性测试中,N0.1C1.9S-900催化剂的电流损失也远低于Pt/C,表明该催化剂具有良好的稳定性.此外,在抗甲醇毒化实验中,相比于商业Pt/C,N0.1C1.9S-900催化剂对甲醇有更好的耐受性.另外,该催化剂催化的ORR属于高效的4e~–途径.可见,该催化剂作为燃料电池的阴极氧还原反应催化剂具有广阔的前景.     

A facile template approach for the synthesis of mesoporous Fe3C/Fe-Ndoped carbon catalysts for efficient and durable oxygen reduction reaction

Layer-structured FeOCl was used as a novel inorganic template and the Fe doping source for the facile synthesis of three-dimensional polypyrrole structures which can be converted into mesoporous Fe₃C/Fe-N-doped carbon catalysts for efficient and robust oxygen reduction reaction.     

溶剂热法制备磷掺杂碳纳米管作为氧气还原和氧气析出反应双功能电催化剂的研究

对氧气还原(ORR)和氧气析出(OER)反应都具有催化活性的双功能催化剂在金属-空气电池中起着关键作用.本文通过溶剂热反应,一步原位合成了磷掺杂碳纳米管(P-CNT).旋转环盘电极测试表明磷掺杂能够明显提高碳纳米管的催化活性,P-CNT在碱性电解质中对ORR和OER都具有优异的催化活性.P-CNT对ORR的催化还原为近4电子反应,可与商业催化剂Pt/C(20 wt%)相比;而其对OER的催化活性则高于Pt/C(20 wt%).此外,P-CNT的长期稳定性优于Pt/C(20 wt%).P-CNT对ORR和OER的高催化活性和稳定性主要归因于磷对碳的掺杂以及磷与碳间强的化学键合.     

Phase diagrams of non-ionic microemulsions containing reducing agents and metal salts as bases for the synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles

Phase diagrams of microemulsions containing metal salt(s) and reducing agent, respectively, were studied in detail. The microemulsions were based on non-ionic surfactants, namely pure tetraethyleneglycol monododecylether, C₁₂E₄, and technical grade Brij30. We studied the influence of the metal salts H₂PtCl₆, Pb(NO₃)₂, Bi(NO₃)₃, H₂PtCl₆ + Pb(NO₃)₂ (1:1 mixture), and H₂PtCl₆ + Bi(NO₃)₃ (1:1 mixture) as well as of the reducing agent NaBH₄ on the location of the phase boundaries. The focus was on the water emulsification failure boundary (wefb) where the aqueous phase forms spherical droplets. The temperature shifts of the wefb, which were caused by the presence of the salt(s), are directly related with the shift of the clouding points of the corresponding oil-free systems. The location of the wefb is affected in a complex manner by the pH (the lower the pH the higher the temperature at which the wefb occurred), the ionic strength and by specific salting-in or salting-out effects of the electrolyte ions. The desired overlap of the wefb of the microemulsions containing the metal salt(s) and the reducing agent, respectively, could be achieved by adding NaOH to the C₁₂E₄-based microemulsions and by titrating 1-octanol to the Brij30-based microemulsions, respectively.     

Paper-derived cobalt and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanotube@porous carbon as a nonprecious metal electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a vitally important process in fuel cells. The development of high-performance and low-cost ORR electrocatalysts with outstanding stability is essential for the commercialization of the electrochemical energy technology. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of cobalt (Co) and nitrogen (N) co-doped carbon nanotube@porous carbon (Co/N/CNT@PC-800) electrocatalyst through a one-step pyrolysis of waste paper, dicyandiamide, and cobalt(II) acetylacetonate. The surface of the hierarchical porous carbon supported a large number of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which were derived from dicyandiamide through the catalysis of Co. The addition of Co resulted in the formation of a hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure, which was beneficial for the exposure of active sites and rapid transportation of ORR-relevant species (O₂, H⁺, OH^?, and H₂O). The doped N and Co formed more active sites to enhance the ORR activity of the electrocatalyst. The Co/N/CNT@PC-800 material exhibited optimal ORR performance with an onset potential of 0.005 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a half-wave potential of –0.173 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Meanwhile, the electrocatalyst showed an excellent methanol tolerance and a long-term operational durability than that of Pt/C, as well as a quasi-four-electron reaction pathway. The low-cost and simple synthesis approach makes the Co/N/CNT@PC-800 a prospective electrocatalyst for the ORR. Furthermore, this work provides an alternative approach for exploring the use of biomass-derived electrocatalysts for renewable energy applications.     

Synthesis, molecular structure and properties of the [H6-nNi30C4(CO)34(CdCl)2]n- (n=3-6) bimetallic carbide carbonyl cluster: a model for the growth of noncompact interstitial metal carbides

Reaction of the [Ni(9)C(CO)(17)](2-) dianion with CdCl(2)2.5 H(2)O in THF affords the novel bimetallic Ni--Cd carbide carbonyl clusters [H(6-n)Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(micro(5)-CdCl)(2)](n-) (n=3-6), which undergo several protonation-deprotonation equilibria in solution depending on the basicity of the solvent or upon addition of acids or bases. Although the occurrence in solution of these equilibria complicates the pertinent electrochemical studies on their electron-transfer activity, they clearly indicate that the clusters [H(6-n)Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(micro(5)-CdCl)(2)](n-) (n=3-6), as well as the structurally related [H(6-n)Ni(34)C(4)(CO)(38)](n-) (n=4-6), undergo reversible or partially reversible redox processes and provide circumstantial and unambiguous evidence for the presence of hydrides for n=3, 4 and 5. Three of the [H(6-n)Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(micro(5)-CdCl)(2)](n-) anions (n=4-6) have been structurally characterized in their [NMe(3)(CH(2)Ph)](4)[H(2)Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(CdCl)(2)]2 COMe(2), [NEt(4)](5)[HNi(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(CdCl)(2)]2 MeCN and [NMe(4)](6)[Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(CdCl)(2)]6 MeCN salts, respectively. All three anions display almost identical geometries and bonding parameters, probably because charge effects are minimized by delocalization over such a large metal carbonyl anion. Moreover, the Ni(30)C(4) core in these Ni-Cd carbide clusters is identical within experimental error to those present in the [HNi(34)C(4)(CO)(38)](5-) and [Ni(35)C(4)(CO)(39)](6-) species, suggesting that the stepwise assembly of their nickel carbide cores may represent a general pathway of growth of nickel polycarbide clusters. The fact that the [H(6-n)Ni(30)C(4)(CO)(34)(micro(5)-CdCl)(2)](n-)(n=4-6) anions display two valence electrons more than the structurally related [H(6-n)Ni(34)C(4)(CO)(38)](n-) (n=4-6) species has been rationalized by extended Hückel molecular orbital (EHMO) analysis.     

FeCl3模板辅助法由质子盐制备氮、硫、铁三掺杂碳纳米片及其催化氧还原反应

作为一种新型能源技术,燃料电池具有能源转化效率高、燃料可再生、运行安全清洁等优点,因而在应对全球持续增长的能源、环境问题方面受到广泛的研究.但是,燃料电池的阴极氧还原反应(ORR)存在动力学缓慢的固有特性,其反应过电位高,需要在催化剂的辅助下才能顺利发生反应并提供足够的电极电势.目前ORR催化性能最优的是铂基催化剂,但其存在着资源稀缺、价格昂贵、循环寿命差等缺陷,这也是制约燃料电池商业化应用的主要因素.因而要想实现燃料电池的大规模应用,寻找新的可替代铂基催化剂、且储量丰富、价格低廉的优秀ORR催化剂成为了研究的热点.近几年来,杂原子掺杂的碳材料以其价格低、催化性能卓越、优异的稳定性和抗甲醇性能等优点,逐渐发展成为最有前景的ORR催化剂.本文以FeCl3为模板和铁源,质子盐对苯二胺(PPS)为碳、氮、硫源,采用简单的一步中和法制备氮、硫、铁三掺杂的二维介孔碳纳米片催化剂(NSFC).TEM和BET结果显示,FeCl3不仅起到了二维模板的作用,同时在热处理过程中与无定形碳发生作用形成了丰富的介孔,大大提高了材料的比表面积和结构开放性,为ORR反应提供了反应场所.XPS结果显示,质子盐中和合成法不仅有效地简化了NSFC的合成步骤,而且能够灵活地控制材料的元素组成,实现了氮和硫的原位掺杂,有效构筑了杂原子掺杂活性位;同时FeCl3也为催化剂材料引入了Fe元素,进而形成催化活性更加优异的Fe-Nx活性位.电化学测试结果表明,通过调整FeCl3和PPS的比例,NSFC-3催化剂材料在结构形貌和表面功能达到了同时最优化,获得了与商业30 wt%Pt/C可比的催化性能,其起始电位和极限电流密度分别达到了–0.03 V和5.05 mA/cm2,同时NSFC-3具有优于商业30 wt%Pt/C的催化选择性、稳定性和抗甲醇性能.这源于稳定的二维纳米片层结构、丰富的表面介孔结构、大的比表面积和活性位点暴露率以及多种催化活性位点的协同催化效应.     

Catalysis by Amberlite IR-120 resin: a rapid and green method for the synthesis of phenols from arylboronic acids under metal, ligand, and base-free conditions

A clean process has been developed for the ipso-hydroxylation of aryl and heteroaryl boronic acids to the corresponding phenols using commercially available and recyclable Amberlite IR-120 resin and aqueous hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent. The ion-exchange sulfonic acid resin catalyst could be readily recycled by filtration and directly reused at least four times without any significant loss of activity.     

Iodine as a mild and versatile reagent for the synthesis of 1,3-dioxane derivatives via the Prins reaction

Iodine is found to be an effective reagent for the cross-coupling of olefins with aldehydes under mild conditions to produce 4-substituted 1,3-dioxane derivatives in excellent yields and in short reaction times with high selectivity. The use of iodine makes this procedure simple, convenient, cost-effective and practical. This method works not only with formaldehyde but also with acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde.     

A facile and rapid route for the synthesis of novel 1,5-substituted tetrazole hydantoins and thiohydantoins via a TMSN3-Ugi/RNCX cyclization

This Letter describes novel methodology for the rapid assembly of new and biologically appealing 1,5-substituted tetrazole-hydantoins and thiohydantoins. The product of a TMSN₃-Ugi multi-component reaction is treated with an excess of isocyanate or isothiocyanate to generate the final scaffold in moderate to good yields. The applicability of this solution phase methodology to the preparation of a small collection of compounds is discussed.     

DABCO as a mild and efficient catalytic system for the synthesis of highly substituted imidazoles via multi-component condensation strategy

A simple and efficient protocol for the synthesis of highly substituted imidazoles is developed through the condensation of 1,2-dicarbonyl compound, aldehyde, and ammonium acetate or amine via multi-component condensation strategy. The present method gives good to excellent yields of substituted imidazoles.     

Facile synthesis of poly(ionic liquid)‐bonded magnetic nanospheres as a high‐performance sorbent for the pretreatment and determination of phenolic compounds in water samples

Poly(ionic liquid)‐bonded magnetic nanospheres were easily synthesized and applied to the pretreatment and determination of phenolic compounds in water samples, which have detrimental effects on water quality and the health of living beings. The high affinity of poly(ionic liquid)s toward the target compounds as well as the magnetic behavior of Fe₃O₄ were combined in this material to provide an efficient and simple magnetic solid‐phase extraction approach. The adsorption behavior of the poly(ionic liquid)‐bonded magnetic nanospheres was examined to optimize the synthesis. Different parameters affecting the magnetic solid‐phase extraction of phenolic compounds were assessed in terms of adsorption and recovery. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed method showed excellent detection sensitivity with limits of detection in the range of 0.3–0.8 ng/mL and precision in the range of 1.2–3.3%. This method was also applied successfully to the analysis of real water samples; good spiked recoveries over the range of 82.5–99.2% were obtained.     

Convenient method for the synthesis of phthalazinones via carbonylation of 2-bromobenzaldehyde using Co2(CO)8 as a CO source

A simple one-pot synthesis of phthalazinones by the condensation and intra-molecular carbonylative cyclization of 2-bromobenzaldehydes with hydrazines is reported. This method utilizes solid Co₂(CO)₈ as carbonyl source making it readily accessible in small-scale laboratory applications.     

Merrifield resin supported phenanthroline-Cu(I): a highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of 2-aminobenzothiazoles via the reaction of 2-haloanilines with isothiocyanates

A novel Merrifield resin supported phenanthroline-Cu(I) complex has been developed and used as a highly efficient and recyclable catalyst in the reaction of 2-halobenzenamines with isothiocyanates for the synthesis of 2-aminobenzothiazoles. The reactions were applicable to a variety of 2-halobenzenamines and isothiocyanates, and generated the corresponding 2-aminobenzothiazoles in good yields under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the catalyst was quantitatively recovered from the reaction mixture by a simple filtration and reused for ten cycles with almost consistent activity.     

Magnetic porous carbon derived from a Zn/Co bimetallic metal–organic framework as an adsorbent for the extraction of chlorophenols from water and honey tea samples

A novel magnetic porous carbon derived from a bimetallic metal–organic framework, Zn/Co‐MPC, was prepared by introducing cobalt into ZIF‐8. Magnetic porous carbon that possesses magnetic properties and a large specific surface area was firstly fabricated by the direct carbonization of Zn/Co‐ZIF‐8. The prepared magnetic porous carbon material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared magnetic porous carbon was used as a magnetic solid‐phase extraction adsorbent for the enrichment of chlorophenols from water and honey tea samples before high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis. Several experimental parameters that could influence the extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, good linearities (r > 0.9957) for all calibration curves were obtained with low limits of detection, which are in the range of 0.1–0.2 ng mL^?1 for all the analytes. The results showed that the prepared magnetic porous carbon had an excellent adsorption capability toward the target analytes.     

Co2(CO)8 as a convenient in situ CO source for the direct synthesis of benzamides from aryl halides (Br/I) via aminocarbonylation

A fast, mild, and functional group tolerant method for the direct synthesis of benzamides from aryl halides (Br, I) via aminocarbonylation, using solid Co₂(CO)₈ as a convenient CO source, has been demonstrated. The developed method is applicable to a wide variety of 1° and cyclic and acyclic 2° amines. Nitro substituted (o, m and p) aryl halides have easily been converted to the corresponding benzamides, without the reduction of the nitro group, in high yields using this in situ carbonylation methodology under microwave irradiation.     

2-Methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) as a versatile green solvent for the synthesis of amphiphilic copolymers via ROP,FRP, and RAFT tandem polymerizations

2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MeTHF) is a readily available, inexpensive, neoteric, bio-based solvent. It has been adopted across a wide range of chemical processes including the batch manufacture of fine chemicals, enzymatic polycondensations and ring opening polymerizations. To reduce the environmental burden related to the synthesis of pharmaceutical-grade polymers based on lactide and caprolactone, we envisaged the use of 2-MeTHF. For the first time, we combined a series of metal-free and enzymatic ROPs with free radical and controlled RAFT polymerizations (carried out separately and in tandem) in 2-MeTHF, in order to easily tune the chemistry and the architecture of the final polymers. After a simple purification, the amphiphilic polymers were formulated into nanoparticles and tested for their cytocompatibility in three model cell lines, to assess their application as potential polymeric excipients for nanomedicines.