Electrically conducting electrospun silk membranes fabricated by adsorption of carbon nanotubes

We present a simple method of obtaining electrically conducting electrospun silk non-woven membranes consisting of nanofibers with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) adsorbed on their surface. Nanofibrous membranes with fibroin diameters of 460 ± 40 nm were formed from aqueous Bombyx mori fibroin solution by electrospinning. The MWCNTs adhered well to the surface of the highly porous silk nanofibrous membranes when Triton X-100 was used as the surfactant for the dispersion of the MWCNTs in aqueous media. The electrical conductivity of the membranes was 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm due to the presence of the MWCNTs on their surface. In addition, the strong interaction between the MWCNTs and nanofibers keeps them from separating each other, even after ultrasonication. The combination of the high conductivity of the membranes and the simple process used to fabricate them could lead to significant advances in the development of new materials, such as electromagnetic interference shielding or electrostatic dissipation membranes.     

Renewable sol-gel carbon ceramic electrodes modified with a Ru-complex for the amperometric detection of l-cysteine and glutathione

A renewable three-dimensional chemically modified carbon ceramic electrode containing Ru [(tpy)(bpy)Cl] PF₆ was constructed by sol-gel technique. It exhibits an excellent electro-catalytic activity for oxidation of l-cysteine and glutathione at pH range 2-8. Cyclic voltammetry was employed to characterize the electrochemical behavior of the chemically modified electrode. The electrocatalytic behavior is further exploited as a sensitive detection scheme for l-cysteine and glutathione by hydrodynamic amperometry. Optimum pH value for detection is 2 for both l-cysteine and glutathione. The catalytic rate constants for l-cysteine and glutathione were determined, which were about 2.1×10³ and 2.5×10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. Under the optimized condition the calibration curves are linear in the concentration range 5-685 and 5-700 μM for l-cysteine and glutathione determination, respectively. The detection limit (S/N=3) and sensitivity is 1 μM, 5 nA/μM for l-cysteine and 1 μM, 7.8 nA/μM for glutathione. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for the amperogram's currents with five injections of l-cysteine or glutathione at concentration range of linear calibration is <1.5%. The advantages of this amperometric detector are: high sensitivity, good catalytic effect, short response time (t<3 s), remarkable long-term stability, simplicity of preparation and reproducibility of surface fouling (RSD for six successive polishing is 3.31%). This sensor can be used as a chromatographic detector for analysis of l-cysteine and glutathione.     

碳纳米管电极超大容量离子电容器交流阻抗特性

采用碳纳米管作为超大容量离子电容器的电极材料,应用交流阻抗频谱法,研究了超大容量离子电容器的频率响应特性.结果表明,用碳纳米管块作电极,超大容量离子电容器在频率250 mHz以下出现“电荷饱和”；而用活性炭块作电极, 超大容量离子电容器在频率为100 mHz时仍未出现“电荷饱和”,这说明碳纳米管电极超大容量离子电容器的频率响应特性优于活性炭电极超大容量离子电容器的频率响应特性.上述两类超大容量离子电容器的阻抗谱中均出现倾角约为45°的直线段,其相位角均远小于理想电容器的相位角90°.     

Comparative EIS study of a paste electrode containing zinc powder in neutral and near neutral solutions

The corrosion and passivation of Zn powder particles dispersed in a paste electrode immersed in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ and 5×10^–3 M Na₂HPO₄ solutions were studied mainly by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The role played by diffusion in the mechanism of anodic oxidation of zinc powder particles has been shown. It was demonstrated that the anodic reactionof Zn powder in neutral or near neutral media involves at least two adsorbed intermediates. By simulating the porous structure of the electrode, some information about porous nature of zinc electrode could be extracted. Electronic Publication     

A new approach to the design of surface treatments for reinforcing agents

A new approach for design of improved interfacial bonding between carbon fibers and polymeric matrices is described. In this method the affinity of surface-treated carbon fibers to various polymer matrices is simulated by analyzing the adsorption characteristics of model compounds, typical of the polymer units, onto very high surface area carbon fibers. The affinity can be evaluated by the use of Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) to measure adsorption–desorption characteristics. Since high surface area, activated carbon fibers (ACF) can be chemically treated to obtain acidic, basic, nonpolar or highly polar surfaces, it should be possible to assess the interactions of chemically modified surfaces with model compounds such as methanol (MeOH), acetone, dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylether, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water. Some preliminary results are presented, indicating that surface treatments for carbon fibers other than oxidation may lead to enhanced bonding with polymeric matrices.     

聚苯胺修饰超微盘电极上镉(Ⅱ)的表面络合吸附波

用直径7 μm的碳纤维组合成超微圆盘电极,以聚苯胺修饰电级.以阶梯扫描法、循环伏安法、双阶跃计时电量法和交流阻抗法等,研究了Cd2＋在该电极上的表面络合吸附特性和电极过程.在循环伏安图上出现两个还原峰,实验和理论都证明,由于电极表面的聚苯胺对Cd2＋的特性吸附,形成电活性的表面吸附态络合物.因此,这种表面络合物首先被还原,形成峰电位－0.90 V处的表面络合吸附波,还原峰电位比Cd2＋直接还原电位（－0.98 V）正移,循环反扫时,氧化波无峰形.根据实验数据推测了电极过程的反应机理,证实该还原波具有扩散和表面反应同时控制的表面络合吸附波的特性.理论计算与实验基本一致,并求得了表面吸附态配合物的形成常数、吸附量和表面络合反应的动力学参数.实验还证实,在峰电位－1.06 V 处的还原波,是Cd2＋的表面吸附还原态诱导而产生的催化氢波.     

Solar-Driven Artificial Carbon Cycle

Constituting the artificial carbon cycle,for example,through recycling CO₂ and converting CH₄ to value-added fuels and chemicals with solar energy,offers a sustainable future for humankind to tackle the global environmental issues and energy crisis.However,significant bottlenecks remain in such photocatalytic conversion,mainly related to the reaction activity and product selectivity.Herein,we share our efforts and systematic research progress on addressing the double bottlenecks for achieving solar-driven artificial carbon cycle,with specifically focusing on the photocatalytic CO₂ and CH₄ conversion.We further elucidate the common fundamentals behind various designed photocatalytic materials systems.Toward future development,we highlight the opportunities and challenges in the research field.     

Structure and protonation of some indolizine derivatives studied by ab initio MO calculations

Some gauge invariant atomic orbitals-coupled-perturbed Hartree-Fock (GIAO-CPHF) calculations were performed for seven indolizine derivatives and their monoprotonated forms. Chemical shift, molecular geometry, and charge distribution data are reported for each molecule. The calculations support the results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy measurements showing that protonation occurs preferentially at N1. The good agreement between the calculated and observed ¹³C and ¹⁵N chemical shifts show that such calculations can be used for chemical shift assignment purposes. Cation structures and probable sites for electrophilic reaction or second protonation are also discussed.     

CnBδ(δ=0, ±1; n =1～6)团簇的结构、稳定性和光谱

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)的B3LYP方法,在6-31G*和6-311＋G(3df)水平上对C_nB(n=1～6)团簇及其阴离子和阳离子的几何构型和电子结构进行了优化和振动频率计算.得到了C_nB(n=1～6)团簇的电离能,绝热电子亲合势以及C_nB^δ(δ=0,±1)团簇的能隙.结果表明C_nB^－(n=1～6)团簇的基态构型均为线形,这与等电子的C_n簇合物的结构是一致的; C_nB(n=1～6)团簇的基态构型中,除C₂B为不对称的三角形,C₆B为具有C_2v对称性的环状结构外,其余均为线形结构.阳离子团簇中n=2、3、6的基态结构具有C_2v对称性外,其它几个均为线形结构.从几何参数和振动频率上发现,采用密度泛函B3LYP方法在6-311＋G(3df)和6-31G*两种基组上计算得到的键长参数和振动频率非常接近,说明B3LYP方法在计算C_nB簇合物结构参数上对于基组的选择是不太敏感的.通过对C_nB(n=1～6)的光电子能谱性质的研究发现,C₄B容易获得一个电子形成阴离子团簇,但失去一个电子是很困难的,这与实验上观测到的结果非常吻合.     

Ni／γ—Al2O3,Ni／MgO,Ni／SiO2催化剂上甲烷与二氧化碳重整反应的研究

采用ＸＲＤ，ＵＶ－ＤＲＳ，ＸＰＳ，ＴＰＲ，Ｈ２－Ｏ２滴定和吡啶吸附－红外光谱等技术，研究了负载于具有不同酸碱性的γ－Ａｌ２Ｏ３，ＳｉＯ２，Ｍｇｏ载体上的镍催化剂表面物理化学性质，及其对甲烷与二氧化碳重整制取合成气反应催化活性的影响。结果表明，在上述负载型镍催化剂上，影响重整反应活性和积炭量的主要原因不是催化剂表面酸碱性，而是金属镍在催化剂表面的分散度。