Copper nanoparticles seeded functionalized‐PVC plastic surface for electroless nickel deposition

A novel and facile activation process for electroless nickel deposition was developed. The semi‐interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel biofilm was used to functionalize the inert poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) surface, and then Cu nanoparticles, which can initial the subsequent electroless nickel deposition successfully seeded on the functionalized‐PVC surface. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the hydrogel film provided the PVC surface with amino groups and Cu nanoparticles of 20–50 nm in size could be functioned as the catalytic nuclei for the subsequent electroless metal deposition on PVC plastic. It can be concluded that the novel Cu activation was effective for the nickel deposition on PVC surface, because of more chemisorption sites for Cu nanoparticles generated on PVC surface. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Surface modification of spherical nickel hydroxide for nickel electrodes

Electroless cobalt plating on spherical nickel hydroxide is tested in order to improve the conductivity of Ni(OH)₂ and the capacity of the electrode. The factors affecting the process of electroless cobalt plating are cobalt solution, temperature and pH, etc. The effects have been examined and the optimum process parameters have been obtained. The nickel hydroxide electrode which is made by nickel hydroxide deposited cobalt has excellent performance, the results showing that electroless cobalt plating on the surface of spherical nickel hydroxide particles is an effective method for modifying electrodes.     

Synthesis of nickel metal nanoparticles via a chemical reduction of nickel ammine and alkylamine complexes by hydrazine

Nickel nanoparticles were prepared from their coordination compounds, such as [Ni(NH₃)₆]Cl₂, [Ni(N₂H₄)₂Cl₂], [Ni(HNEt₂)₆]Cl₂, and [Ni(H₂NBu)₆]Cl₂ in aqueous solution by chemical reduction. The reaction of nickel ammine and alkylamine complexes with hydrazine monohydrate as a reducing agent was carried out at 90 °C and pH = 10–12. Depending on the influencing parameters such as oxidizing agent, pH, and temperature, the hydrazine reaction can be carried out in different pathways. The chemical reduction method is a simple procedure and also is the best one in the controlling of composition, size, and shape of Ni powder. The reduction of nickel complexes into the metallic Ni powder occurs via the dissociation of complexes and reduction by hydrazine in alkaline solution. Therefore, complexing agents have the most effect on the reduction reaction. The results show that, when the ligands in complexes were changed from ammine to diethylamine and butylamine, respectively, the crystalline size and morphology of nickel metal nanoparticles are changed. The chemical reduction of nickel complexes into metallic nickel can be accompanied with a change in the crystalline system. The pure nickel crystalline has a face-centered cubic structure. The nickel nanoparticles were characterized using IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer analyses.     

Preparation and characterization of size-controlled silver nanoparticles decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their electrocatalytic reduction properties for hydrogen peroxide

The well dispersed and size-controlled Ag nanoparticles decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were synthesized by a simple chemical plating method. The oxidized MWCNT surfaces could get a more controlled and specific nucleation of Ag nanoparticles. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry. Randles-Sevcik plot suggested that the reaction of the nanocomposites in alkaline solution was a diffusion-controlled process. The electrocatalytic reduction property toward H₂O₂ was also studied.     

Reinforced nickel and nickel-platinum catalysts for performing the thermally coupled reactions of methane steam reforming and hydrogen oxidation

The formation of composite nickel and nickel-platinum catalysts reinforced with steel gauze was studied. The catalysts were prepared by sintering powdered nickel metal and a supported nickel catalyst (GIAP-3 or NIAP-18) with a chromium oxide additive in the case of nickel-containing composite catalysts or by sintering powdered nickel, aluminum, and a supported platinum catalyst in the case of catalysts containing nickel-platinum. With the use of electron microscopy, mercury porosimetry, and X-ray electron probe microanalysis, it was found that a metal matrix, in the pores of which supported catalyst particles were distributed, was formed in the composite catalysts. The reinforced nickel catalysts prepared were active in the reaction of methane steam reforming, and the catalysts containing nickel-platinum were active in the reaction of hydrogen oxidation. An increase in the activity of reinforced nickel catalysts in the course of the reaction was found. It is believed that the increase of the activity was due to the reduction of nickel oxide from an inactive difficult-to-reduce oxide film containing nickel and chromium oxides under the action of the reaction atmosphere.     

Planting of bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene) nickel upon silica to harvest NiO (<5 nm) nanoparticles in a silica matrix

Bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene) nickel [Ni(COD)₂] was employed as a nickel precursor to prepare nickel oxide nanoparticles upon high‐surface‐area mesoporous silica. Under protection of argon, Ni(COD)₂ was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to react with surface silanols of mesoporous silica SBA‐15, which formed a black powder after completion of the surface reaction. Calcination of the powder produced ultrafine NiO inside the mesoporous silica matrix, which was evidenced by X‐ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption–desorption, transmission electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The thermogravimetric analysis suggests that NiO formation is a result of surface nickel species calcination, whereas structural characterization clearly show that NiO nanoparticles of <5 nm are evenly distributed inside the silica SBA‐15 matrix and mesoporosity is well preserved upon calcinations and NiO formation. The surface reaction between Ni(COD)₂ and surface silanols was found for the first time, and the method used here may be extended conveniently to prepare other metal oxide nanoparticles upon high‐surface‐area supports as well. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

石墨烯负载的金属氧化物纳米颗粒的可控制备及催化性能

采用直接浸渍法、过氧化氢均相氧化沉积法和氨水催化水解法制备了石墨烯负载的铁、钴、镍金属氧化物纳米颗粒.研究了三种沉积方法对颗粒尺寸分布的影响;采用透射电子显微镜、傅里叶变换红外光谱、X射线衍射和X射线光电子能谱表征了催化剂的形貌与结构.用过氧化氢均相氧化沉淀法可制得粒径分布最均匀的纳米颗粒.过氧化氢的氧化作用可使石墨烯表面的氧化基团含量最大化,为纳米颗粒提供了足够的吸附与成核点.氨水加速了金属离子的水解与成核,导致纳米颗粒的粒径增大与不均.以苯甲醇氧化为探针反应考察了催化剂的性能.催化剂的活性按以下顺序逐渐下降:过氧化氢辅助沉积法>直接浸渍法>氨水催化水解法,与纳米颗粒尺寸增长趋势一致.纳米催化剂颗粒尺寸与其活性的良好关联性显示,发展石墨烯负载尺寸可控的纳米催化剂的方法具有重要意义.     

Thermal and plasma synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles from MOFs with SERS characterization

Aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃) nanoparticles were synthesized by thermolysis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Further O₂ plasma treatment is required to obtain high crystalline quality metal oxides. The composition and morphology of metal oxide nanoparticles were confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy characterization, respectively. The quality of synthesized metal oxides was also examined by observing the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of methyl orange adsorbed on Al₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃. The observed SERS effect can be ascribed to charge-transfer (CT) resonance effect between methyl orange and metal oxide surfaces. UV–vis absorption spectra and DFT calculations of metal oxide- methyl orange complexes have confirmed that the observed SRS effect is due to CT resonance between the metal oxide nanoparticles and the adsorbed methyl orange molecules.     

Effects of catalyst introduction methods using PAMAM dendrimers on selective electroless nickel deposition on polyelectrolyte multilayers

We studied the effects of catalyst introduction methods using poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers on the nickel patterning of polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM)-coated substrates. Three different approaches to palladium catalyst introduction using microcontact printing as the patterning technique were utilized and compared. The catalyst introduction methods are (1) direct catalyst stamping, (2) directed assembly using PAMAM dendrimer stamping, and (3) catalyst encapsulation and reduction to nanoparticles within PAMAM dendrimers before stamping. After patterning, the sample surfaces were placed in an electroless bath where nickel was selectively plated onto the patterns. The patterned surfaces were characterized using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The metal plating rates on different homogeneous surfaces that simulate the patterned surfaces were measured using a quartz crystal microbalance. In addition, the effect of PEM film thickness (i.e., number of bilayers) on the selectivity of nickel patterning was investigated.     

Phytochemical fabrication,characterization, and antioxidant application of copper and cobalt oxides nanoparticles using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sesbania sesban</Emphasis> plant

In this work, an ecofriendly and economic strategy for synthesize of CuO and Co₃O₄ were developed using extracted Sesbania sesban solution (ESS) as a reducing and stabilizing agent, and bioreactor. These novel nano metal oxides (NMOs) were characterized by high-resolution-transmission electron microscopy (TEM), EDAX thermo gravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Morphology and size of them were investigated by TEM and the average sizes of for spherical CuO and Co₃O₄ nanoparticles are 20–40 and 15–30 nm, respectively. The XRD and EDAX confirmed the high purity for NMOs. The thermal behaviors of the NMOs exhibited good crystallographic stability within the investigated temperature range. The antioxidant and antibacterial activities of NMOs were investigated and compared to manganese(III) meso-tetraphenylporphyrin complex/Ag nanocomposite (Ag/P nanocomposite) synthesizing by ESS. The results obtained from this work showed that copper(II) oxide, cobalt oxide nanoparticles, and Ag/P nanocomposite have DPPH scavenging activity. On the other hand, NMOs have no antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacterial strains. Cobalt oxide nanoparticles have antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, while Ag/P nanocomposite showed the antibacterial activities against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains.     

High-electromagnetic-shielding cotton fabric prepared using multiwall carbon nanotubes/nickel–phosphorus electroless plating

High-electromagnetic-shielding cotton fabric (CF) was prepared using carboxyl-functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH)/nickel–phosphorus (Ni-P) electroless plating. Firstly, MWCNTs-COOH was loaded on CF used to chelate the metal catalyst followed by electroless plating to impart outstanding electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding properties. The intermediate MWCNTs-COOH layer not only improves the bonding strength via the chelating effect, but also can be used as a conductive material. This synergistic action of MWCNTs-COOH and Ni-P layer can work together to improve the electromagnetic interference shielding performance. The features of Ni-P/MWCNTs-COOH/CF were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The resulting Ni-P/MWCNTs-COOH/CF fabrics show high surface resistance of 1.66 Ω sq⁻¹ and robust electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of 40.2 dB. Furthermore, benefiting from the strong interface interaction, the as-prepared composite fabrics retain stable performances after undergoing a series of physical and chemical tests, confirming promising practical applications even under harsh conditions.     

Intercalating lithium into the lattice of silver nanoparticles boosts catalytic hydrogenation of carbon–oxygen bonds

Coinage metal nanoparticles with high dispersion can serve as highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts. However, owing to their low melting point, poor thermal stability remains a major obstacle towards their application under reaction conditions. It is a common practice to use porous inorganic templates such as mesoporous silica SBA-15 to disperse Ag nanoparticles (NPs) against aggregation but their stability is far from satisfactory. Here, we show that the catalytic activity for hydrogenation of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) to methyl glycolate (MG) over Ag NPs dispersed on SBA-15 silica can be further promoted by incorporation of alkali metal ions at small loading, which follows the inverse order of their cationic size: Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ > Rb⁺. Among these, 5Ag₁–Li_0.05/SBA-15 can double the MG yield compared to pristine 5Ag/SBA-15 under identical conditions with superior thermal stability. Akin to the effect of an ionic surfactant on stabilization of a micro-emulsion, the cationic charge of an alkali metal ion can maintain dispersion and modulate the surface valence of Ag NPs. Interstitial Li in the octahedral holes of the face center packed Ag lattice is for the first time confirmed by X-ray pair distribution function and electron ptychography. It is believed that this interstitial-stabilization of coinage metal nanoparticles could be broadly applicable to multi-metallic nanomaterials for a broad range of C–O bond activating catalytic reactions of esters.

Coinage metal nanoparticles with high dispersion can serve as highly efficient heterogeneous catalysts.     

PtM/C (M = Ni,Cu, or Ag) electrocatalysts: effects of alloying components on morphology and electrochemically active surface areas

The microstructures of Pt/C and PtM/C (M?=?Ni, Cu, or Ag) electrocatalysts were studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemically active surface areas of the prepared materials were estimated by cyclic voltammetry in 1 M H₂SO₄. The materials, with metal contents ranging from 30 to 35 wt.%, were synthesized by chemically reducing the metal precursors in water–ethylene glycol solutions. The actual composition of the bimetallic nanoparticles corresponds to a theoretical (1:1) composition for the PtAg/C catalysts, whereas in the PtNi/C and PtCu/C materials, a portion of the alloying component exists in an oxide form. Decreasing the average metallic crystallite sizes from 3.5 to 1.6 nm does not increase the electrochemically active surface area. This apparent contradiction is because a majority of the PtNi and PtCu nanoparticles consist of 2–4 disordered crystallites. In addition, a portion of the PtNi or PtCu nanoparticle surface is covered by nickel or copper oxides, respectively. PtAg nanoparticles, which have a smaller size relative to other bimetallic particles according to the TEM data, are characterized by an intense platinum surface segregation. The agglomeration processes are lowest for the PtAg nanoparticles.     

铝表面前处理及化学沉积镍初期行为

利用开路电位-时间(EOCP-t)曲线,研究铝表面经浸镍和化学预镀镍前处理后,化学沉积镍的初期行为;通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察铝表面经前处理后的表面形貌.结果表明:未经及经前处理的铝表面,化学沉积镍的初期行为都经历去氧化膜、活化、混合控制以及化学沉积过程.经过浸镍和化学预镀镍前处理后的铝表面附着细小的镍颗粒.依据EOCP-t和SEM的最佳实验结果,在含有络合剂和还原剂的碱性预镀镍溶液中,经二次化学预镀镍前处理,成功实现铝基底弱酸性化学镀镍.所获得的化学镀镍层与铝基底结合牢固,呈团颗粒状形貌和非晶态结构.     

Properties of conducting films of electrophoretic concentrates of silver and gold nanoparticles in AOT surfactant

Liquid concentrates of silver and gold nanoparticles with 1–2 M metal concentrations were isolated by electrophoresis in a capacitor-type cell from AOT reverse micellar solutions in n-decane. The electrophoretic concentrates and the starting micellar solutions were characterized by nonaqueous electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy (dynamic light scattering), and spectrophotometry. The hydrodynamic diameter of silver and gold nanoparticles was 13.2 and 8.6 nm, respectively; the ζ-potential was 70 and 13 mV. The drying of the concentrates on glass and silicon substrates and subsequent treatment with a 30% solution of water in ethanol gave mirror conducting Ag, Au, Ag-Au, and Au/Ag films containing on the average 80% metal and 20 wt % AOT. The film structure, morphology, and composition were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersion analysis (EDX).     

An efficient and easily retrievable dip catalyst based on silver nanoparticles/chitosan-coated cellulose filter paper

Re-use of a catalyst is an important task, which is usually achieved by loading it on easily separable supports such as magnetic substrates. However, we demonstrate here the process of easy and fast catalyst separation from a reaction medium by loading it onto an economically feasible and microscopically high surface substrate of filter paper (FP) made up of cellulose microfibers as catalyst support. To achieve the goal, we coated chitosan (CH) on filter paper (CH-FP) to impart a high affinity of the substrate for metal ion absorption. AgNO₃ dissolved in water with a 0.1 M concentration was used as the Ag ion carrier solution, and CH-FP strips with known rectangular dimensions were submerged into it for the metal ion absorption. The metal ion-laden CH-FP strips were dip treated with sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) aqueous solution to prepare Ag-nanoparticle loaded CH-FP (Ag/CH-FP). X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the formation of the Ag/CH-FP hybrid. Ag/CH-FP morphology was examined through scanning electron microscopy analysis, which showed the presence of Ag nanoparticles attached to the cellulose microfibers. The prepared Ag/CH-FP was employed as a dip catalyst for the degradation of nitroarene compounds of 2-nitophenol (2-NP) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by NaBH₄. Remarkably, the rate constants for 4-NP and 2-NP were 3.9 × 10^?3 and 1.7 × 10^?3 s^?1, respectively. In addition, we discussed the ease of the catalyst retrievability from the reaction mixture and its re-usability.     

Synthesis of nickel nanoparticles and carbon encapsulated nickel nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes

Nickel nanoparticles were prepared and uniformly supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by reduction route with CNTs as a reducing agent at 600 °C. As-prepared nickel nanoparticles were single crystalline with a face-center-cubic phase and a size distribution ranging from 10 to 50 nm, and they were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD). These nickel nanoparticles would be coated with graphene layers, when they were exposed to acetylene at 600 °C. The coercivity values of nickel nanoparticles were superior to that of bulk nickel at room temperature.     

Nanocomposites based on opal matrices and iron subgroup metal nanoparticles

Three-dimensional nanocomposites based on ordered opal matrices (OMs) and metal nanoparticles were prepared by the reduction of salts and oxides of iron subgroup metals (M = Ni, Co, and Fe) and their binary and ternary mixtures with isopropanol in a supercritical state. The effect of the composition of the initial salts (nitrates or chlorides) on the phase composition of OM/M composites was determined. For a binary system of Ni and Co nitrates (1 : 1), the particles of a NiCo solid solution in a cubic modification were formed in an opal matrix after treatment in supercritical isopropanol. For the Ni-Fe and Co-Fe systems, the nanoparticles of solid solutions based on nickel or ??-, ??-cobalt metal and also oxides or an MFe₂O₄ phase with the spinel structure were formed in opal matrices with the use of iron trichloride. The nanoparticles of iron metal and Ni₃Fe, NiFe, and CoFe intermetallic compounds with regular distributions of metal atoms were detected for the first time in addition to spinel phases upon the reduction of composites with Fe, Ni-Fe, and Co-Fe nitrates with supercritical isopropanol. The reduction of composites obtained by the thermal treatment of a ternary mixture of nickel and cobalt nitrates and iron chloride in supercritical isopropanol led to the formation of solid solution nanoparticles based on Ni, Co, and Fe with an fcc structure and an oxide phase with the spinel structure in the voids of opal matrices. In the composite based on an opal matrix and a ternary system of Ni-Co-Fe nitrates (1 : 1 : 1), the complete reduction of spinel phases to the intermetallic phases of Ni₃Fe, NiFe, and CoFe was noted.     

Reactions of nanoparticles inside a polyethylene matrix: Reduction of lead(II) and mercury(II) oxides by supercritical isopropanol

Methods were developed for manufacturing of isolated nanoparticles of lead(II) and mercury(II) oxides produced by the thermal decomposition of metal compounds in a solution-melt of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in mineral oil. The PbO and HgO nanoparticles stabilized in the LDPE matrix were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The metal oxides in the polyethylene matrix were reacted with a supercritical fluid of isopropanol (SCF i-PrOH). The PbO in the nanoparticles was reduced to the metal as a result of the reaction with SCF i-PrOH. When SCF i-PrOH was reacted with the HgO nanoparticles stabilized in the LDPE matrix, the oxide was also reduced to the metal. TEM showed that the nanoparticles were conserved after their reaction with SCF i-PrOH.     

Synthesis and characterization of nickel nanoparticles by hydrazine reduction in ethylene glycol

The synthesis of nickel nanoparticles by the hydrazine reduction of nickel chloride in ethylene glycol at 60 degrees C without soluble polymer as a protective agent was studied. It was found that an appropriate amount of NaOH was necessary for the formation of pure nickel nanoparticles. Also, it was not necessary to perform the reaction under a nitrogen atmosphere. By the analyses of X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and electron diffraction pattern, the resultant particles were characterized to be pure crystalline nickel with a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. By transmission electron microscopy, it was observed that the mean diameter decreased with increasing the ratio of [N2H5OH]/[NiCl2] and approached a constant when [N2H5OH]/[NiCl2]>12. In addition, the resultant nickel nanoparticles could be magnetically recovered and re-dispersed in ethylene glycol without size change and agglomeration. The magnetic measurements indicated they were superparamagnetic with a saturation magnetization of 22 emu/g, a remanent magnetization of 6.4 emu/g, and a coercivity of 0.1 Oe at a mean diameter of 9.2 nm. Also, the magnetization increased with decreasing temperature due to the decrease in thermal energy. All the observed magnetic properties essentially reflected the nanoparticle nature. Furthermore, it was found that hydrazine was catalytically decomposed to hydrogen and nitrogen gases by the resultant nickel nanoparticles. The corresponding decomposition rate at 25 degrees C and 1 atm was 3.1 nmol/(h mg of Ni).