Effects on molecular orientation and phase transition of addition of carbon nanotubes into liquid crystalline matrix

For practical guest–host applications, it is important to choose dyes with a high ability of orientation in the liquid crystal (LC) matrix. In this experimental work, two different azo-structured dyes (disperse yellow 3 and 7) were separately doped to each of two different nematic LCs (E7 and ZLI-1132). Their solubilities, textures, phase transition temperatures and order parameters were determined. At the second stage, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in a small amount were separately added to each of these solutions, and the experiments were repeated as similar to the previous ones. The solubilities of dyes in the LC E7 were lower than those of ZLI-1132. Moreover, the highest order parameter value was attained with yellow 7 dye in ZLI-1132 nematic host. Co-use of nanoparticles (CNTs) as dopant resulted in notable increases in order parameters. These dyes and CNTs did not significantly destabilise the mesomorphic phase of nematic hosts. An appreciable change in textures was not monitored with addition of dopant(s). In addition, it was observed that the narrowing on the temperature range of the LC did not take place with the addition of dopants to the crystal; on the contrary, an increase was recorded.     

Very sensitive differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of 4-nitrophenol at poly (diphenylamine)/multi-walled carbon nanotube-β-cyclodextrin-modified glassy carbon electrode

In this work, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with poly (diphenylamine)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes-β-cyclodextrin (PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD) film was constructed and used for the determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). Diphenylamine was successfully electropolymerised onto MWCNT-β-CD-modified GCE by cyclic voltammetry in monomer solution and 5 mol L^?1 H₂SO₄. The surface morphology of PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD film was characterised using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After adsorption of 4-NP on PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD at 0.2 V for 150 s, it showed a well-defined reduction peak in phosphate buffer solution at pH = 7. The PDPA/MWCNT-β-CD film enhanced the reduction peak current due to the complex formation between β-CD and 4-NP, presence of conductive polymer film as electron transfer mediator and also ability of MWCNTs for strong adsorptive and catalytic effect. Peak current increased linearly with 4-NP concentration in the range of 0.1 to 13.9 µg L^?1. The detection limit was obtained as 0.02 µg L^?1, which is better than other reported detection limits for the determination of 4-NP. The results showed that modified electrode has good sensitivity and selectivity. This sensor was used for the determination of 4-NP in water samples.     

Highly sensitive ion preconcentration method based on flow sorbent extraction using multiwall carbon nanotubes

In this work a solid phase on-line uranium ion preconcentration system coupled with spectrophotometry has been developed. The method is based on uranyl ion preconcentration at pH 3.75 onto multiwall carbon nanotubes treated with HNO₃. After preconcentration, the uranyl ions are eluted with 0.32?mol?L^?1HCl followed by reaction with 3,6-bis[(2-arsonophenyl)-azo]-4,5-dihydroxy-2,7-naphthalendisulfonic acid 0.08%[w/v] (Arsenazo III), which had maximum monitored absorbance of 650?nm. Effects of the pertinent experimental parameters on the system were investigated by means of 2^6?2 fractional factorial design, while optimization was carried out using the Doehlert matrix. Under optimized conditions, detection and quantification limits were found to be 0.21 and 0.7?µg?L^?1, respectively. The analytical curve ranged from 5 to 150?µg?L^?1 (r?=?0.998), while the relative standard deviations (RSD) were 3.27 and 2.56% for the respective uranium concentrations of 10 and 100?µg?L^?1 (n?=?10). The features obtained for the on-line preconcentration system were: preconcentration factor of 228, concentration efficiency of 57?min^?1, consumption index of 0.13?mL and sample throughput of 15?h^?1. In order to assess the accuracy of the proposed method, addition and recovery studies were carried out on spring water samples from different sources and synthetic seawater with satisfactory results ranging from 94.85 up to 103.65%.     

径向电场对纳米管中水分子通量的影响

水分子在纳米通道中的运动对于生命活动、纳米器件的设计等都有着重要的意义. 现在已经证实, 在(6,6)的碳纳米管中, 水分子会以单分子水链的形式协同通过碳纳米管. 但是如何控制水分子的流量仍然是一个困难的课题. 本文研究了在径向电场作用下, 碳纳米管中水分子通量的变化趋势和碳纳米管的开关行为.发现在碳纳米管两端存在200 MPa的压力差时, 电场强度从1 V·nm^-1增加到3 V·nm^-1, 水分子通量线性减小. 当径向电场强度增加到3 V·nm^-1时, 碳纳米管处于关闭状态, 水分子无法通过碳纳米管. 进一步, 我们发现水偶极与碳纳米管管轴夹角的平均值的概率分布和翻转频率都与水分子在纳米管中的个数有很大关系.     

TiS2 and ZrS2 single‐ and double‐wall nanotubes: First‐principles study

Hybrid density functional theory has been applied for investigations of the electronic and atomic structure of bulk phases, nanolayers, and nanotubes based on titanium and zirconium disulfides. Calculations have been performed on the basis of the localized atomic functions by means of the CRYSTAL‐2009 computer code. The full optimization of all atomic positions in the regarded systems has been made to study the atomic relaxation and to determine the most favorable structures. The different layered and isotropic bulk phases have been considered as the possible precursors of the nanotubes. Calculations on single‐walled TiS₂ and ZrS₂ nanotubes confirmed that the nanotubes obtained by rolling up the hexagonal crystalline layers with octahedral 1T morphology are the most stable. The strain energy of TiS₂ and ZrS₂ nanotubes is small, does not depend on the tube chirality, and approximately obeys to D^–2 law (D is nanotube diameter) of the classical elasticity theory. It is greater than the strain energy of the similar TiO₂ and ZrO₂ nanotubes; however, the formation energy of the disulfide nanotubes is considerably less than the formation energy of the dioxide nanotubes. The distance and interaction energy between the single‐wall components of the double‐wall nanotubes is proved to be close to the distance and interaction energy between layers in the layered crystals. Analysis of the relaxed nanotube shape using radial coordinate of the metal atoms demonstrates a small but noticeable deviation from completely cylindrical cross‐section of the external walls in the armchair‐like double‐wall nanotubes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

ZnO纳米管有序阵列与Cu2O纳米晶核壳结构的光电化学性能及全固态纳米结构太阳电池研究简

采用电化学方法在铟锡氧化物(ITO)导电玻璃基底上制备了高度有序的ZnO纳米管阵列,然后在ZnO纳米管阵列上电化学沉积Cu2O纳米晶颗粒,获得了一维有序Cu2O/ZnO核壳式纳米阵列结构,通过控制Cu2O纳米晶的沉积电量得到不同厚度的Cu2O壳层,并对该核壳式纳米阵列的形貌和结构进行了分析. 以Cu2O/ZnO一维核壳式纳米阵列结构为光电极组装全固态纳米结构太阳电池,研究了Cu2O壳层厚度对光电极光吸收性能、光电性能以及组装电池光伏性能的影响,优化了电池中对电极材料的喷金厚度. 结果表明,以Cu2O沉积电量为1.5 C的Cu2O/ZnO为光活性层,以4 mA电流下真空镀金20~25 min的铜基底为对电极组装的简易太阳电池最高可获得0.013%的光电转换效率.     

TiO2 nanotube arrays prepared by anodization as an adsorbent in micro‐solid‐phase extraction to preconcentrate and determine nitrogen‐containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water samples

In this study, a simultaneous determination method for nitrogen‐containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including 7‐methylquinoline, acridine, 5,6‐benzoquinoline, carbazole, and 9‐methylcarbazole was developed. This method is based on a micro‐solid phase extraction using TiO₂ nanotube arrays as an adsorbent in combination with HPLC. Some factors that had an effect on the enrichment were optimized, such as sample pH, surfactant concentration, ion strength, type of eluent, equilibrium time, and desorption time. Under the optimized conditions, the linear ranges and LODs were in the range of 0.01–100 and 0.0035–0.81 μg/L, respectively. The precisions of the proposed method were <9.51% (RSD, n = 6). The developed method was validated with four real samples, and the spiked recoveries were in the range of 77–109.6%. All these results demonstrated that this novel micro‐solid‐phase extraction technique was a reliable alternative to conventional preconcentration method for the extraction and analysis of such nitrogen‐containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in complex samples.     

Multi-wall carbon nanotube-supported manganese(III) porphyrin: An efficient and reusable catalyst for the oxidation of alkenes with H2O2 under ultrasonic irradiation

A manganese complex of meso-tetrakis(p-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin immobilized onto functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes has been synthesized and characterized. The catalytic activity of this heterogeneous catalyst was investigated in the oxidation of various olefins with hydrogen peroxide under ultrasonic irradiation. The role of the stoichiometric amounts of acetic anhydride/or acetic acid as an activator that introduces in situ peracetic acid is discussed. This heterogeneous catalyst was highly reusable in the oxidation reactions and reused several times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.     

碳纳米管透明导电薄膜的可控制备

碳纳米管具有优秀的导电性能、 透光性能和十分突出的柔性, 在柔性透明导电薄膜中有着良好的应用前景. 如何制备同时拥有良好导电性能和透光性能的碳纳米管薄膜是这一领域研究的核心问题. 本综述介绍了碳纳米管薄膜的制备方法, 并重点讨论了基于漂浮催化剂化学气相沉积法的碳纳米管薄膜的可控制备. 在生长过程中限制碳纳米管的团聚、 增加碳纳米管的长度、 降低杂质的含量是提高碳纳米管薄膜性能的主要策略.     

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Silylated-salicylaldimine Co(II) and Pd(II) Complexes as Precatalysts in Ethylene Oligomerization

MWCNTs-Co(II) and Pd(II) were prepared through grafting silylated-salicylaldimine Pd(II) and Co(II) on multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs) for ethylene oligomerization. The structures of the two MWCNTs-supported catalysts were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analyses(TGA) and nitrogen adsorption and desorption. And the influence of the supported pattern on the catalytic properties for ethylene oligomerization was investigated. The results revealed that the silylated-salicylaldimine complexes were grafted on the inner and outer surfaces of the carbon nanotubes and the pore size and BET surface area of MWCNTs decreased. Compared with the homogeneous catalysts, the two MWCNTs-supported catalysts had higher selectivity for hexene and 1-hexene in the presence of diethylaluminum chloride(DEAC) with a small molecule size due to confinement effect. MWCNTs-Pd exhi-bited higher activity and higher selectivity for C₈⁺ olefin compared to MWCNTs-Co due to electronic factors. The catalytic activities of MWCNTs-Pd and MWCNTs-Co decreased from 24.18×10⁵g·(mol Pd·h)^–1 and 20.57×10⁵g·(mol Co·h)^–1 to 19.79×10⁵g·(mol Pd·h)^–1 and 13.14×10⁵g·(mol Co·h)^–1 after the third recycle reaction, respectively.