Ferrocene functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes as supercapacitor electrodes

Modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) functionalized by a redox-active ferrocene (Fc-MWCNTs) were successfully synthesized to enhance the electrochemical performance of MWCNTs for supercapacitor application. The ferrocene moieties were attached to the surface of MWCNTs via a thiourea linker with anions-interacting capability. The Fc-MWCNTs were characterized using XPS, FTIR, SEM, TGA, DTG, and XRF methods. The electrochemical performance details were investigated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The Fc-MWCNTs electrode showed excellent capacity retention (90.8% over 5000 cycles) and a specific capacitance of 50 F g−1 at 0.25 A g−1 that is several times higher as compared to the pristine MWCNTs. The fabricated Fc-MWCNTs is proposed to be a suitable and promising candidate for energy storage material. de

A wide potential window symmetric supercapacitor by TEMPO functionalized MWCNTs

In this paper, we report a simple and effective method to functionalize industrial-grade multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO), via oxidation of MWCNTS and followed by carbodiimide coupling of amino-TEMPO. The effective coupling is confirmed and studied by EPR, HRTEM, BET, XPS, FTIR, TGA and XRD techniques. Electrochemical studies reveal the capacitive enhancement of MWCNTs-TEMPO, where MWCNTs-TEMPO shows capacitance value (66 F g−1 at 0.25 A g−1) that is 5-times higher than that of industrial grade MWCNTs (13.5 F g−1 at 0.25 A g−1). This can be due to the reversible redox reaction of nitroxide radicals on TEMPO that contributes to pseudocapacitance. A symmetrical supercapacitor is assembled with MWCNTs-TEMPO as electrode material and optimized with wide operating voltage (2 V) to produce high energy density of 26.6 Wh kg−1 with high stability (90% capacitance retention over 4000 cycles). The findings propose a facile approach to modify industrial grade MWCNTs as the electrode materials in supercapacitors

Utilizing an Amino Acid Scaffold to Construct Heteroditopic Receptors Capable of Interacting with Salts under Interfacial Conditions

A 4-nitro-L-phenylalanine scaffold was used to construct effective ion pair receptors capable of binding anions in an enhanced manner with the assistance of alkali metal cations. A benzocrown ether was linked to a receptor platform via the amide function so as to support the squaramide function in anion binding and to allow all three NHs to act simultaneously. The binding properties of the receptors were determined using UV-vis, 1H NMR, 2D NMR, and DOSY spectroscopy in MeCN and in the solid state by X-ray measurements. Ion pair receptor 2 was found to interact with the most strongly with salts, and the removal of its key structural elements was shown to hinder the receptor action. The amide proton was recognized to switch from having involvement in an intramolecular hydrogen bond to interacting with anions upon complexation. Apart from carboxylates, which promote deprotonation, and other monovalent salts creating 1:1 complexes with the receptor, more complex equilibria were established upon the complexation of 2 with sulfates. Receptor 2 was shown to be capable of the extraction of ion pairs from the aqueous to organic phase and of the cation-enhanced transport chloride and sulfate anions across a bulk chloroform membrane. These features may open the door for its use in regulating ion concertation under interfacial conditions and acting as a potential drug to treat channelopathies

Fluorescence Recognition of Anions Using a Heteroditopic Receptor: Homogenous and Two-Phase Sensing

In contrast to monotopic receptor 3, the anthracene functionalized squaramide dual-host receptor 1 is capable of selectively extracting sulfate salts, as was evidenced unambiguously by DOSY, mass spectrometry, fluorescent and ion chromatography measurements. The receptors were investigated in terms of anion and ion pair binding using the UV–vis and 1H NMR titrations method in acetonitrile. The reference anion receptor 3, lacking a crown ether unit, was found to lose the enhancement in anion binding induced by the presence of cations. Besides the ability to bind anions in an enhanced manner exhibited by ion pair receptors 2 and 4, changing the 1-aminoanthracene substituent resulted in their exhibiting a lower anion affinity than receptor 1. By using receptor 1 and adjusting the water content in organic phase it was possible to selectively detect sulfates both by “turn-off” and “turn-on” fluorescence, and to do so homogenously and under interfacial conditions. Such properties of receptor 1 have allowed the development of a new type of sensor capable of recognizing and extracting potassium sulfate from the aqueous medium across a phase boundary, resulting in an appropriate fluorescent response in the organic solution