Electro-sorption of ammonium ion onto nickel foam supported highly microporous activated carbon prepared from agricultural residues (dried Luffa cylindrica)

An electrode made of loofah sponge derived activated carbon supported on nickel foam (AC/Ni) was successfully fabricated and used to remove ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) from aqueous solution. A multilayer adsorption isotherm was used to describe ammonium electro-sorption on AC/Ni electrodes at different temperature, initial NH₄⁺ concentration, and electrical field. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) results suggested that the electrical capacitance of AC/Ni electrodes, with the AC being prepared without preheating (OAC) or with low temperature heating (i.e., 300 AC), were higher than those prepared at high preheating temperature (i.e., 400 AC and 500 AC). Increasing the electro-sorption temperature from 10 to 50 °C decreased the monolayer NH₄⁺ adsorption capacity from 5 to ca. 2-3 mg-N g^-1, respectively. Background electrolyte, namely, sodium sulfate, exhibited significant competitive effect on the adsorption of ammonium ion at sodium ion concentration > 10^-2 M. The activation energy and heat of adsorption were 9-23.2 kJ mol^-1 and -3.7--10.7 kJ mol^-1, respectively, indicating a physisorption and exothermic adsorption characteristics. Based on the kinetics and thermodynamics analysis, there was slight increase in the activation energy with elevating preheating temperature, which increased the quantity of micro-pores and surface heterogeneity of the AC materials. Overall, results clearly demonstrated that carbon pyrolysis played a role on the capacitive charging behaviors of electrodes and the efficiency of NH₄⁺ electro-sorption on the AC/Ni electrodes.

Electrocatalysis of Lindane Using Antimony Oxide Nanoparticles Based-SWCNT/PANI Nanocomposites

This work describes the chemical synthesis of antimony oxide nanoparticles (AONPs), polyaniline (PANI), acid functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (fSWCNTs), and the nanocomposite (AONP-PANI-SWCNT) as catalyst for the trace detection of lindane. Successful synthesis of the nanomaterials was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used for investigating the electrochemical behavior of the modified electrodes in the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide ([Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻/[Fe(CN)₆]³⁻) redox probe. GCE-AONP-PANI-SWCNT exhibited faster electron transport properties as well as higher electroactivity as compared to bare-GCE, GCE-AONPs, GCE-PANI, and GCE-SWCNT electrodes. Electrocatalytic studies further showed that GCE-AONP-PANI-SWCNT modified electrode was stable (after 20 scans) with only a small current drop in lindane (0.57%). The GCE-AONP-PANI-SWCNT electrode with low detection limit of 2.01 nM performed better toward the detection of lindane as compared to other studies in literature. The GCE-AONP-PANI-SWCNT electrode is highly selective toward the detection of lindane in the presence of various organic and inorganic interfering species. Real sample analysis of river water and tap water samples using the developed sensor gave satisfactory percentage recoveries therefore confirming the potential of the proposed sensor for practical application.

Immobilization of Polymeric Luminophor on Nanoparticles Surface

Polymeric luminophors with reduced toxicity are of the priorities in the production of lighting devices, sensors, detectors, bioassays or diagnostic systems. The aim of this study was to develop a method of immobilization of the new luminophor on a surface of nanoparticles and investigation of the structure of the grafted layer. Monomer 2,7-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxypropoxy)naphthalene (2,7-NAF.DM) with luminophoric properties was immobilized on silica and carbon nanotubes in two ways: mechanical mixing with previously obtained polymer and by in situ oligomerization with chemisorption after carrier's modification with vinyl groups. The attached polymeric (or oligomeric) surface layer was studied using thermal and spectral techniques. Obtained results confirm the chemisorption of luminophor on the nanotubes and silica nanoparticles at the elaborated synthesis techniques. The microstructure of 2,7-NAF.DM molecules after chemisorption was found to be not changed. The elaborated modification approach allows one to obtain nanoparticles uniformly covered with polymeric luminophor.

Molecular Transformation, Diffusion, and Assembling into Three-Dimensional Freestanding Tube Arrays via a Triphasic Reaction

Converting nitrobenzene to freestanding polyaniline tube arrays has been successfully carried out in a "water-oil-water" triphasic reaction system, where catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline and aniline polymerization reactions were synergistically integrated. With optimized control over molecular diffusion and reaction at separate solid/liquid and liquid/liquid interfaces, polyaniline nanostructures could be synthesized with different morphologies. The paired molecular diffusion and reaction rate is revealed as the dominating factor that determines the feasibility of the reaction system to produce a patterned array structure. Slow molecular diffusion leads to a better ordered three-dimensional (3D) assembling structure. This work demonstrates a new approach to control 3D assembling structures with integrated control on diffusion and reaction across multiple liquid/liquid interfaces.

Polynaphthoxazine-based 1D carbon nano-materials: electrospun fabrication, characterization and electrochemical properties

Polynaphthoxazine-based 1D carbon nano-materials were fabricated by a single-nozzle electrospinning process in a mixed polymer solution followed by curing and carbonization.