The Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Using an Fe-Co/CaCO3 Catalyst

ACVDmethod was used to prepare high-quality nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs) using acetonitrile as the nitrogen and carbon source and acetylene as a carbon source over an Fe-Co/CaCO3 catalyst in the temperature range 700–850 °C. This represents a continuation of earlier work in which Fe-Co on CaCO3 was used to make undoped carbon nanotubes. The effect of synthesis parameters (growth temperature and CH3CN vaporization temperature) on the yield, size, quality, morphology and thermal stability of the N-MWCNTs was studied. The resulting materials were characterized by TEM,SEM, TGA, BET, XPS, CN elemental analysis and Raman spectroscopy. TEM analysis revealed that the nanotubes exhibit bamboo-like structures with rough surfaces and a relatively uniform diameter. The bamboo compartment distance decreased with increase in synthesis temperature due to the increased nitrogen content inN-MWCNTs. The SEM examination showed that at high synthesis temperatures carbon spheres (CSs) with chain-like morphology and large sizes were also formed along with the N-MWCNTs. The XPS and CN elemental analysis revealed that nitrogen atoms were successfully doped into the carbon walls. The amount of nitrogen incorporated in the N-MWCNTs varied with increasing growth time and CH3CN vaporization temperature.Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, CVD synthesis, nitrogen doping, acetonitrile, Fe-Co/CaCO3 catalyst PDF and supplemetary file attached

Graphene and Beyond: Recent Advances in Two-Dimensional Materials Synthesis, Properties, and Devices

Since the isolation of graphene in 2004, two-dimensional (2D) materials research has rapidly evolved into an entire subdiscipline in the physical sciences with a wide range of emergent applications. The unique 2D structure offers an open canvas to tailor and functionalize 2D materials through layer number, defects, morphology, moir\ue9 pattern, strain, and other control knobs. Through this review, we aim to highlight the most recent discoveries in the following topics: theory-guided synthesis for enhanced control of 2D morphologies, quality, yield, as well as insights toward novel 2D materials; defect engineering to control and understand the role of various defects, including in situ and ex situ methods; and properties and applications that are related to moir\ue9 engineering, strain engineering, and artificial intelligence. Finally, we also provide our perspective on the challenges and opportunities in this fascinating field

Hydrodynamic slip can align thin nanoplatelets in shear flow

The large-scale processing of nanomaterials such as graphene and MoS2 relies on understanding the flow behaviour of nanometrically-thin platelets suspended in liquids. Here we show, by combining non-equilibrium molecular dynamics and continuum simulations, that rigid nanoplatelets can attain a stable orientation for sufficiently strong flows. Such a stable orientation is in contradiction with the rotational motion predicted by classical colloidal hydrodynamics. This surprising effect is due to hydrodynamic slip at the liquid-solid interface and occurs when the slip length is larger than the platelet thickness; a slip length of a few nanometers may be sufficient to observe alignment. The predictions we developed by examining pure and surface-modified graphene is applicable to different solvent/2D material combinations. The emergence of a fixed orientation in a direction nearly parallel to the flow implies a slip-dependent change in several macroscopic transport properties, with potential impact on applications ranging from functional inks to nanocomposites.Energy Technolog

Independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene, and improved complementary feeding, on child stunting and anaemia in rural Zimbabwe: a cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Child stunting reduces survival and impairs neurodevelopment. We tested the independent and combined effects of improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) on stunting and anaemia in in Zimbabwe. METHODS: We did a cluster-randomised, community-based, 2 × 2 factorial trial in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Clusters were defined as the catchment area of between one and four village health workers employed by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care. Women were eligible for inclusion if they permanently lived in clusters and were confirmed pregnant. Clusters were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to standard of care (52 clusters), IYCF (20 g of a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement per day from age 6 to 18 months plus complementary feeding counselling; 53 clusters), WASH (construction of a ventilated improved pit latrine, provision of two handwashing stations, liquid soap, chlorine, and play space plus hygiene counselling; 53 clusters), or IYCF plus WASH (53 clusters). A constrained randomisation technique was used to achieve balance across the groups for 14 variables related to geography, demography, water access, and community-level sanitation coverage. Masking of participants and fieldworkers was not possible. The primary outcomes were infant length-for-age Z score and haemoglobin concentrations at 18 months of age among children born to mothers who were HIV negative during pregnancy. These outcomes were analysed in the intention-to-treat population. We estimated the effects of the interventions by comparing the two IYCF groups with the two non-IYCF groups and the two WASH groups with the two non-WASH groups, except for outcomes that had an important statistical interaction between the interventions. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01824940. FINDINGS: Between Nov 22, 2012, and March 27, 2015, 5280 pregnant women were enrolled from 211 clusters. 3686 children born to HIV-negative mothers were assessed at age 18 months (884 in the standard of care group from 52 clusters, 893 in the IYCF group from 53 clusters, 918 in the WASH group from 53 clusters, and 991 in the IYCF plus WASH group from 51 clusters). In the IYCF intervention groups, the mean length-for-age Z score was 0·16 (95% CI 0·08-0·23) higher and the mean haemoglobin concentration was 2·03 g/L (1·28-2·79) higher than those in the non-IYCF intervention groups. The IYCF intervention reduced the number of stunted children from 620 (35%) of 1792 to 514 (27%) of 1879, and the number of children with anaemia from 245 (13·9%) of 1759 to 193 (10·5%) of 1845. The WASH intervention had no effect on either primary outcome. Neither intervention reduced the prevalence of diarrhoea at 12 or 18 months. No trial-related serious adverse events, and only three trial-related adverse events, were reported. INTERPRETATION: Household-level elementary WASH interventions implemented in rural areas in low-income countries are unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia and might not reduce diarrhoea. Implementation of these WASH interventions in combination with IYCF interventions is unlikely to reduce stunting or anaemia more than implementation of IYCF alone. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, UK Department for International Development, Wellcome Trust, Swiss Development Cooperation, UNICEF, and US National Institutes of Health.The SHINE trial is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1021542 and OPP113707); UK Department for International Development; Wellcome Trust, UK (093768/Z/10/Z, 108065/Z/15/Z and 203905/Z/16/Z); Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; US National Institutes of Health (2R01HD060338-06); and UNICEF (PCA-2017-0002)

Synthesis and characterization of single wall carbon nanotube-grafted poly(3-hexylthiophene) and their nanocomposites with gold nanoparticles

Please help populate SUNScholar with the full text of SU research output. Also - should you need this item urgently, please send us the details and we will try to get hold of the full text as quick possible. E-mail to [email protected]. Thank you.Journal Articles (subsidised)NatuurwetenskappeChemie & Polimeerwetenska

Synthesis and characterization of single wall carbon nanotube-grafted poly(3-hexylthiophene) and their nanocomposites with gold nanoparticles

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were functionalized via the Prato reaction, by using a combination of N-methylglycine and 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde (2T) or 3-thiophenecarboxaldehyde (3T). Pristine SWCNTs or functionalized SWCNTs were then reacted with 3-hexylthiophene (3HT) in the presence of FeCl3 to produce a composite (P3HT/SWCNT) or copolymers (P3HT-2T-SWCNT and P3HT-3T-SWCNT), containing 3-hexylthiophene units as the main chain and carbon nanotubes as side groups. After that, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using a two-phase, one-pot reaction involving the reduction of HAuCl4 by NaBH4, in the presence of P3HT, P3HT/SWCNT, P3HT-2T-SWCNT or P3HT-3T-SWCNT. This approach generated nanocomposites where AuNPs were stabilized directly with P3HT or P3HT-containing SWCNTs. The characteristics of the ternary nanocomposites were investigated using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.1765564IBSA Project(fellowship Pro-Africa) [490.490/2007-7]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)INEONational Research Foundation (NRF, South Africa)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)IBSA Project(fellowship Pro-Africa) [490.490/2007-7]FAPESP [2009/15428-0