GO/PVA nanocomposites with significantly enhanced mechanical properties through metalion coordination

In this study, a simple and efficient way is demonstrated to create strong interfacial interaction between graphene oxide(GO) filler and poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) matrix through metal ion coordination. The coordination bonding provides efficient load transfer during the tensile process, and enhances the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites significantly. After being coordinated with Cu(Ⅱ) ions, GO/PVA composites show much higher Young's moduli and yield stresses than pure PVA and noncoordinated GO/PVA. UV–vis and FTIR spectra are performed to confirm the successful coordination between GO and PVA. Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt(EDTA-2 Na) is used to confirm the important role of coordination in enhancing the composites. This research provides a new approach to manufacture polymer-matrix nanocomposites with significantly improved mechanical performances.     

Surface modulated hierarchical graphene film via sulfur and phosphorus dual-doping for high performance flexible supercapacitors

The steam-assistant heteroatoms of sulfur and phosphorus dual-doped graphene film fabricated via an ice-template and thermal-activation approach demonstrates an excellent pseudocapacitive behavior in flexible electrochemical capacitors.     

Light-induced interaction between graphene and magnetic film in a cavity

An interaction mechanism between graphene and magnetic film in cavity is presented in this work. The pseudospin in graphene can indirectly interact with the spins in magnetic film by the media of a circularly polarized photons under the conditions of high temperature and intense laser field. The interaction energy as well as the average values of pseudospin and spin components are calculated according to a generating functional approach. This interaction mechanism provides a scheme of detecting the pseudospin polarization effect.     

Electron transfer at different electrode materials: Metals,semiconductors, and graphene

Electron transfer reactions are the most important processes at electrochemical interfaces. They are determined by the interplay between the interaction of the reactant with the solvent and the electronic levels of the electrode surface. Theoretical treatments only based on Density Functional Theory calculations are not sufficient. This review emphasizes mainly the effect of the electronic structure of the electrode material on electron transfer under different kinetic regimes. Our goal is to understand experimental results in the framework of a theory valid for arbitrary strengths of electronic coupling.     

石墨烯/正十八烷微胶囊的制备与及其热性能研究

以石墨烯/正十八烷为芯材,三聚氰胺-尿素-甲醛树脂(MUF)为壁材,苯乙烯马来酸酐共聚物(SMA)为乳化剂,采用乳液聚合法制备相变微胶囊.系统研究了石墨烯对于正十八烷微胶囊性能的影响.采用场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)、傅里叶变换红外光谱分析仪(FTIR)、拉曼光谱仪、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、Hot Disk热常数分析仪、示差扫描量热仪(DSC)和热重分析仪(TGA)对相变微胶囊的外貌形态、晶型结构和热性能进行表征和分析.结果表明,微胶囊呈圆球形且光滑,粒径约为1~30μm.当石墨烯添加量为0.1 g时,微胶囊的形貌无明显变化.当加入过量石墨烯时,微胶囊出现了明显的团聚现象.XRD测试表明,包覆于微胶囊中的石墨烯没有使微胶囊的结晶峰位置发生明显的偏移,这对于微胶囊的实际应用是有利的.微胶囊的相变热焓和包覆率随着石墨烯的加入而不断减小,但芯材的过冷现象得到了明显的改善.石墨烯对于微胶囊传热性能的提升有着显著的效果.当石墨烯的添加量为0.2 g时,微胶囊的导热系数为0.092 W·m-1·K-1,与纯微胶囊相比提高了约51%,这说明石墨烯改善了传统相变微胶囊的传热性能,提升了相变微胶囊的应用性能.     

Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam composite as binder-free anode for a direct glucose fuel cell unit

Fabrication of electrocatalyst for direct glucose fuel cell (DGFC) operation involves destructive preparation methods with the use of stabilizer like binder, which may cause activity depreciation. Binder-free electrocatalytic electrode becomes a possible solution to the above problem. Binder-free bimetallic Pd-Pt loaded graphene aerogel on nickel foam plates with different Pd/Pt ratios (1:2.32, 1:1.62, and 1:0.98) are successfully fabricated through a green one-step mild reduction process producing a Pd-Pt/GO/nickel form plate (NFP) composite. Anode with the binder-free electrocatalysts exhibit a strong activity in a batch type DGFC unit under room temperature. The effects of glucose and KOH concentrations, and the Pd/Pt ratios of the electrocatalyst on the DGFC performance are also studied. Maximum power density output of 1.25 mW cm⁻² is recorded with 0.5 M glucose/3 M KOH as the anodic fuel, and Pd₁Pt_0.98/GA/NFP as catalyst, which is the highest obtained so far among other types of electrocatalyst.     

Synthesis of the polyethylene glycol solid-solid phase change materials with a functionalized graphene oxide for thermal energy storage

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a phase change material possesses three obstacles, such as leakage, low thermal conductivity and low thermal stability. A novel solid-solid phase change material (PCM) based on functionalized graphene oxide (GO), Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was prepared, and the three obstacles of PEG as a PCM was solved in one and the same material. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman and Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG-IR) were used to study the properties of supporting material and composite PCM (CPCM). The results indicated that the PEG was grafted on the surface of the supporting material; Compared with pure PEG, the latent heat of CPCM with 9.6 wt% supporting material decreased only 5.3%, however, the thermal conductivity of CPCM increased 111% and the heat peak release rate of CPCM decreased 33.4%.     

The hyperconjugation effect on the graphene counterparts based on silicon and germanium

Bending of the A = A (A of the group IVA) double bond neighboring is rationalized by the hyperconjugation phenomenon analysis. The bending is also observed for the high sized linear, cyclic or graphene-like compounds that imply the conjugated double bonds. The electronic delocalization takes place between occupied σ(π) and unoccupied π*(σ*) orbitals especially for compound implying Si and Ge atoms. Leading to rippled structure, this phenomenon affects the silicene and germane thickness sheets and probably would have some consequences on the properties of such compounds when they will be involved in the industries in the future. However we introduce a new parameter to assess the thickness of graphenic structures when the hyperconjugation takes place in the bonding framework. The study has been undertaken at high levels of theory like B3LYP/6-311 + G(3df,2p).     

Application of Graphene as a Sorbent for Simultaneous Preconcentration and Determination of Trace Amounts of Cobalt and Nickel in Environmental Water and Vegetable Samples

A new method using a column packed with graphene as adsorbent was developed for the preconcentration of trace amounts of cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) prior to their determinations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Several factors influencing the extraction efficiency of Co and Ni and their subsequent determinations, such as pH, amounts of the chelating agent, flow rates of sample and eluent solution, eluent type and its volume, breakthrough volume, and adsorption capacity were established. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs were linear in the range of 4.0‐200.0 μg L^?1 and 5.0‐200.0 μg L^?1 with detection limits of 0.36 μg L^?1 and 0.51 μg L^?1 for Co and Ni, respectively. Good relative standard deviations for ten determinations of 100.0 μg L^?1 of Co and Ni were 3.2 and 3.6%, respectively. The results for determination of Co and Ni in tap water, river water, sea water, vegetable and spiked samples have demonstrated the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method. To validate the proposed method, three certified reference materials of environment water (GSBZ 50030‐94 and GSB 07‐1186‐2000) and tomato leaf (GSBZ 51001‐94) were analyzed, and the determined values were in good agreement with the certified values.     

Effective mass and band gap of strained graphene

The effective mass of strained graphene is investigated by tight-binding and density-functional theory calculations. For graphene strained in the zigzag direction, we find a strong anisotropy in the effective mass near the gap opening, with an abrupt increase of the effective mass at the critical strain in one direction and a smooth variation perpendicular to it. There is no band-gap opening for isotropic strain, but at an expansive strain of about 28%, the lower edge of the s-band reaches the Fermi level and makes the graphene metallic.