A highly N-doped carbon phase "dressing" of macroscopic supports for catalytic applications

© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015. The straightforward "dressing" of macroscopically shaped supports (i.e. β-SiC and α-Al2O3) with a mesoporous and highly nitrogen-doped carbon-phase starting from food-processing raw materials is described. The as-prepared composites serve as highly efficient and selective metal-free catalysts for promoting industrial key-processes at the heart of renewable energy technology and environmental protection

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes decorated silicon carbide as a metal-free catalyst for partial oxidation of H(2)S

Abstract not availableCuong Duong-Viet, Lai Truong-Phuoc, Tung Tran-Thanh, Jean-Mario Nhut, Lam Nguyen-Dinh, Izabela Janowska, Dominique Begin, Cuong Pham-Hu

A few-layer graphene-graphene oxide composite containing nanodiamonds as metal-free catalysts

We report a high yield exfoliation of few-layer-graphene (FLG) with up to 17% yield from expanded graphite, under 5 h sonication time in water, using graphene oxide (GO) as a surfactant. The aqueous dispersion of GO attached FLG (FLG–GO), with less than 5 layers, is used as a template for further decoration of nanodiamonds (NDs). The hybrid materials were self-organized into 3D-laminated nanostructures, where spherical NDs with a diameter of 4–8 nm are homogeneously distributed on the surface of the FLG–GO complex (referred to as FLG–GO@NDs). It was found that GO plays a dual role, it (1) mediated exfoliation of expanded graphite in aqueous solution resulting in a FLG–GO colloid system, and (2) incorporated ND particles for the formation of composites. A high catalytic performance in the dehydrogenation of ethyl-benzene on FLG–GO@ND metal-free catalyst is achieved; 35.1% of ethylbenzene conversion and 98.6% styrene selectivity after a 50 h reaction test are observed which correspond to an activity of 896 mmolST gcatalyst−1 h−1, which is 1.7 and 5 times higher than those of the unsupported NDs and traditional catalysts, respectively. The results demonstrate the potential of the FLG–GO@ND composite as a promising catalyst for steam-free industrial dehydrogenation applications.Tung Tran Thanh, Housseinou Ba, Lai Truong-Phuoc, Jean-Mario Nhut, Ovidiu Ersen, Dominique Begin, Izabela Janowska, Dinh Lam Nguyen, Pascal Grangerd and Cuong Pham-Hu

A smart fully integrated micromachined separator with soft magnetic micro-pillar arrays for cell isolation

Skjema for soknad om FoU-stipend og kompetanseheving pa Hogskolen i Vestfold; Skjema for institusjonenes innstilling av soknader om sma driftsmidler Hogskolen i Vestfold [176641]; Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, China [2007J0032]; NationalA smart fully integrated micromachined separator with soft magnetic micro-pillar arrays has been developed and demonstrated, which can merely employ one independent lab-on-chip to realize cell isolation. The simulation, design, microfabrication and test for the new electromagnetic micro separator were executed. The simulation results of the electromagnetic field in the separator show that special soft magnetic micro-pillar arrays can amplify and redistribute the electromagnetic field generated by the micro-coils. The separator can be equipped with a strong magnetic field to isolate the target cells with a considerably low input current. The micro separator was fabricated by micro-processing technology. An electroplating bath was hired to deposit NiCo/NiFe to fabricate the micro-pillar arrays. An experimental system was set up to verify the function of the micro separator by isolating the lymphocytes, in which the human whole blood mixed with Dynabeads (R) FlowComp Flexi and monoclonal antibody MHCD2704 was used as the sample. The results show that the electromagnetic micro separator with an extremely low input current can recognize and capture the target lymphocytes with a high efficiency, the separation ratio reaching more than 90% at a lower flow rate. For the electromagnetic micro separator, there is no external magnetizing field required, and there is no extra cooling system because there is less Joule heat generated due to the lower current. The magnetic separator is totally reusable, and it can be used to separate cells or proteins with common antigens