Synthesis of Few-Layer Reduced Graphene Oxide for Lithium-Ion Battery Electrode Materials

We report here a rapid and cost-effective approach to synthesize few-layer reduced graphene oxide (FL-RGO) in graphene oxide solution using EDA as a reducing agent and a cross-linker, and where the resulting FL-RGO was characterized by means of AFM, TEM, XPS, UV–vis, and XRD spectroscopies. A mechanism for forming the FL-RGO via removal of epoxide and hydroxyl groups from GO and stitching of the GO sheets by EDA in a water solution was proposed. FL-RGO was also tested as the electrolyte for a Li⁺-ion battery and showed advantages with a 346 mAh g^–1 capacity at a charge/discharge current density of 1C even after 60 cycles, which is comparable to the theoretical capacity of the graphite (372 mAh g^–1)

A Study on the Degree of Amidoximation of Polyacrylonitrile Fibers and Its Effect on Their Capacity to Adsorb Uranyl Ions

Amidoximation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers was studied by reacting them with hydroxylamine. The chemical structure, mechanical intensity, and morphologies of PAN and amidoximated PAN (AO-PAN) fibers were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tensile tests, dynamic mechanical analysis, and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. A higher degree of amidoximation resulted in a higher conversion ratio (CR) of the nitrile group and a higher density of the amidoxime group, while also reducing the mechanical intensity of the fibers. During amidoximation, a hydrogel layer formed on the fiber surface by bonding with H₂O molecules, increasing the diameter of the AO-PAN fibers. The layer thickness increased as the CR of the AO-PAN fibers’ nitrile group was increased. The hydrogel layer decreased the adsorption capability by hindering the diffusion of uranyl ions to the interior of the AO-PAN fibers. Therefore, a CR of about 10.8% would provide an appropriate balance between the mechanical properties and the adsorption capability

Graphene Oxide Transparent Hybrid Film and Its Ultraviolet Shielding Property

Herein, we first reported a facile strategy to prepare functional Poly­(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hybrid film with well ultraviolet (UV) shielding property and visible light transmittance using graphene oxide nanosheets as UV-absorber. The absorbance of ultraviolet light at 300 nm can be up to 97.5%, while the transmittance of visible light at 500 nm keeps 40% plus. This hybrid film can protect protein from UVA light induced photosensitive damage, remarkably