Self-Assembly Approach Towards MoS2-Embedded Hierarchical Porous Carbons for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Transition metal-based nanoparticle-embedded carbon materials have received increasing attention for constructing next-generation electrochemical catalysts for energy storage and conversion. However, designing hybrid carbon materials with controllable hierarchical micro/mesoporous structures, excellent dispersion of metal nanoparticles, and multiple heteroatom-doping remains challenging. Here, a novel pyridinium-containing ionic hypercrosslinked micellar frameworks (IHMFs) prepared from the core–shell unimicelle of s-poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(4-bromomethyl) styrene (s-PtBA-b-PBMS) and linear poly(4-vinylpyridine) were used as self-sacrificial templates for confined growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) inside cationic IHMFs through electrostatic interaction. After pyrolysis, MoS₂-anchored nitrogen-doped porous carbons possessing tunable hierarchical micro/mesoporous structures and favorable distributions of MoS₂ nanoparticles exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction as well as small Tafel slope of 66.7 mV dec⁻¹, low onset potential, and excellent cycling stability under acidic condition. Crucially, hierarchical micro/mesoporous structure and high surface area could boost their catalytic hydrogen evolution performance. This approach provides a novel route for preparation of micro/mesoporous hybrid carbon materials with confined transition metal nanoparticles for electrochemical energy conversion.     

Self‐assembly of metal–organic framework thin films containing metalloporphyrin and their photocatalytic activity under visible light

With [5,10,15,20‐tetra(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin]Mn(III) and sterically controlled 2,2¢‐dimethyl‐4,4¢‐pyridine as the main raw materials, metal–organic framework thin films containing metalloporphyrin (MnPor‐MOF) with catalytically active sites were built up on functionalized quartz glass surfaces using a layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly method. Retaining active catalytic sites and having a porous reticular structure, the MnPor‐MOF films possessed remarkable photocatalytic activity for oxidative degradation of methylene blue in the presence of hydrogen peroxide under visible‐light irradiation. Most meaningfully, the MnPor‐MOF films were highly stable and simply and conveniently reusable, and are thus a potentially new organic material for photocatalytic wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Development and assessment of an intrusive polynomial chaos expansion-based continuous adjoint method for shape optimization under uncertainties

This article contributes to the development of methods for shape optimization under uncertainties, associated with the flow conditions, based on intrusive Polynomial Chaos Expansion (iPCE) and continuous adjoint. The iPCE to the Navier–Stokes equations for laminar flows of incompressible fluids is developed to compute statistical moments of the Quantity of Interest which are, then, compared with those obtained through the Monte Carlo method. The optimization is carried out using a continuous adjoint-enabled, gradient-based loop. Two different formulations for the continuous adjoint to the iPCE PDEs are derived, programmed, and verified. Intrusive PCE methods for the computation of the statistical moments require mathematical development, derivation of a new system of governing equations and their numerical solution. The development is presented for a chaos order of two and two uncertain variables and can be used as a guide to those willing to extend this development to a different set of uncertain variables or chaos order. The developed method and software, programmed in OpenFOAM, is applied to two optimization problems pertaining to the flow around isolated airfoils with uncertain farfield conditions.     

Covalent Organic Frameworks(COFs) for Sequestration of99TcO4–

Covalent organic frameworks(COFs), as a class of crystalline porous materials with periodic lattices and porous structures, have received extensive attention in the fields of gas storage and separation, energy storage, catalysis and optoelectronics and so on. However, COFs are still in their infancy in the field of nuclear waste treatment, especially for sequestration of long-live problematic radionuclides, such as ⁹⁹Tc. Battle of decontamination of pertechnetate(TcO₄^–), a main existence of ⁹⁹Tc under aerobic environments, is far from finished. In this review, recent progresses of COFs and some relative materials in the sequestration of pertechnetate, and perspective on surmounting the unmet issues are elucidated.     

Successive stepwise evolution of host layer‐stacking framework upon the intercalation of mobile vapor guests within side‐chain layers

For the ordered phases of hairy‐rod semiconductive poly(2,5‐bis(3‐tetradecylthiophene‐2‐yl)thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene) (PBTTT) sandwiched in between crystalline platelets of hexamethylbenzene, the successive stepwise evolution of layer‐stacking framework upon guest intercalation has been studied in this research. The direct consequence of the guest intercalation into side‐chain layers is evaluated to cause the lateral shift of thiophene backbones along π–π stacking, resulting in stepwise shift of ultraviolet absorption wavelength. The thermal motions of vapor guests within disordering side‐chain layers subsequently cause progressive expansion of host stacking framework. With the increase in side‐chain length, thicker layers of disordering side chains in liquid crystals (LCs) accommodate additional vapor guests and larger amplitudes of thermal motions of guests, hence promoting the level of reversible d‐spacing change. The mixing between mobile vapor guests and aliphatic side chains is clarified as the mechanism of guest intercalation, which rationalizes successive guest intercalation during heating and the contribution of disordering side‐chain layers. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1448–1456     

High-throughput syntheses of iron phosphite open frameworks in ionic liquids

Three open-framework iron phosphites: Fe^п₅(NH₄)₂(HPO₃)₆ (1), Fe^п₂Fe^♯(NH₄)(HPO₃)₄ (2) and Fe^♯₂(HPO₃)₃ (3) have been synthesized under ionothermal conditions. How the different synthesis parameters, such as the gel concentrations, synthetic times, reaction temperatures and solvents affect the products have been monitored by using high-throughput approaches. Within each type of experiment, relevant products have been investigated. The optimal reaction conditions are obtained from a series of experiments by high-throughput approaches. All the structures are determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by PXRD, TGA and FTIR analyses. Magnetic study reveals that those three compounds show interesting magnetic behavior at low temperature.     

Quantum-corrected finite entropy of noncommutative acoustic black holes

In this paper we consider the generalized uncertainty principle in the tunneling formalism via Hamilton–Jacobi method to determine the quantum-corrected Hawking temperature and entropy for 2+1$2+1$-dimensional noncommutative acoustic black holes. In our results we obtain an area entropy, a correction logarithmic in leading order, a correction term in subleading order proportional to the radiation temperature associated with the noncommutative acoustic black holes and an extra term that depends on a conserved charge. Thus, as in the gravitational case, there is no need to introduce the ultraviolet cut-off and divergences are eliminated.     

A Superacid-catalyzed Synthesis of Fluorescent Covalent Triazine Based Framework Containing Perylene Tetraanhydride Bisimide for Sensing to O-nitrophenol with Ultrahigh Sensitivity

Abstract

A mesoporous covalent triazine framework, PCPDI, was synthesized via an aromatic nitrile trimerization reaction of N,N′-di(4-cyanphenyl)- 3,4,9,10-tetracarboxydiimide (CPDI) by CF₃SO₃H catalyzed at 40?°C and this method avoids the use of noble metal catalyzers or high temperature reaction. PCPDI exhibits high thermal stability and strong fluorescence. The PCPDI shows ultrahigh sensitivity to tracing o-nitrophenol in chloroform with K_SV constant of 1.74?×?10⁵ L mol^?1 and detection limit (LOD) of 1.72?×?10^?11?mol L^?1.     

室温快速合成Ag基金属有机骨架材料用于电催化还原CO2

选择具有强给电子能力的1,2,4-三唑为配体,成功合成了银基金属有机骨架材料(Ag-MOF)并用于电催化还原CO₂反应(CO₂RR)。借助粉末X射线衍射、透射电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜、计时电流法等表征手段对材料的晶体结构、形貌和电催化CO₂RR性能进行了系统的研究。与商品化的纳米Ag颗粒对比,Ag-MOF展现出更优异的电催化CO₂RR产物选择性、催化活性和稳定性,在-0.9 V (vs RHE)时,CO的法拉第效率高达96.1%。当电压为-1.1 V (vs RHE)时,电流密度可达17 mA·cm^-2,且电极可以稳定运行300 min。这说明通过选择合适的配体结构,可以改变催化位点周围的化学环境,从而高效将CO₂转化为目标产物。