Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow Strontium Carbonate Pompons by Composite Soft Template Method

The hollow strontium carbonate pompons was synthesized for the first time by a controlled reaction precipitation method with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate(SDBS)and polyvinyl pyrrolidone(PVP)work together as template.The sampled particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement,X-ray diffraction(XRD),Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy(EDX),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry(TGA-DSC),etc.It is shown that the assynthesized hollow strontium carbonate pompons with the size of about 2μm consist of flake-like particles under the optimal reaction conditions.The formation mechanism of hollow strontium carbonate pompons was preliminarily explored.

Highly ordered TiO_2 nano-pore arrays fabricated from a novel polymethylmethacrylate/polydimethylsiloxane soft template

A novel soft polymer template containing a double-layer structure,which includes a thin layer of polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA)used as a pattern layer and a thicker layer of polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)used as a back layer,was fabricated from a replica molding process.Anodic aluminum oxide(AAO)template was used as the replica mold to be replicated to the polymethylmethacrylate layer by a thermal infiltration process under a vacuum condition.Results indicate that PMMA/PDMS soft templates with different sizes could be easily fabricated from the as-prepared AAO replica mold.The PMMA/PDMS soft templates were then employed to imprint a TiO_2 gel for achieving TiO_2 nano-pore arrays.After the imprinting process,the PDMS layer was firstly peeled off and the PMMA layer was then removed into acetonitrile,which can avoid any demolding problems like damages or distortions.The TiO_2 nano-pore arrays with the crystalline of anatase could be obtained at a heat treatment temperature of 450°C.

Fabrication and properties of high efficiency luminescent nanorods EuPO_4·H_2O by soft template method

Europium orthophosphate monohydrate （EuPO4·H2O） nanorods with typical dimensions of about 10-30 nm in diameter and 300-500 nm in length were prepared by using the soft template method. The effects of using diethylene glycol （DEG） and polyethylene glycol （PEG） polymers as well as the pH values on the size, crystalline structure and morphology of EuPO4·H2O nanorods were investigated. Field emission scanning electron microscopy （FESEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD） data of the prepared samples were elucidated. The nanorods were highly uniform and their mean length was reduced by using DEG and PEG as soft template agents. For all prepared samples, the rhabdophanetype hexagonal EuPO4·H2O was the dominated phase. The photoluminescence （PL） spectroscopy measurements of EuPO4·H2O nanorods revealed that, under UV excitation, EuPO4·H2O nanorods exhibited strong luminescence with narrow bands corresponding to the intra-4f transitions of ^5D0→^7Fj （j=1, 2, 3, 4） of Eu^3＋ ions. The peaks were found at 594 nm （^5D0→^7F1）, 619 nm （^5D0→^7F2）, 652 nm （^5D0→^7F3）, and 697 nm （^5D0→^7F4）, with the strongest emission at 594 nm.

Synthesis of Hollow Three-Dimensional Channels LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_4 Microsphere by PEO Soft Template Assisted with Solvothermal Method

A appropriate size with three-dimension(3 D) channels for lithium diffusion plays an important role in constructing highperforming LiNi_(0.5)Mn_(1.5)O_4(LNMO) cathode materials, as it can not only reduce the transport path of lithium ions and electrons, but also reduce the side effects and withstand the structural strain in the process of repetitive Li~+ intercalation/deintercalation. In this work, an e fficient method for designing the hollow LNMO microsphere with 3 D channels structure by using polyethylene oxide(PEO) as soft template agent assisted solvothermal method is proposed. Experimental results indicate that PEO can make the reagents mingle evenly and nucleate slowly in the solvothermal process, thus obtaining a homogeneous distribution of carbonate precursors. In the final LNMO products, the hollow 3 D channels structure obtained by the decomposition of PEO and carbonate precursor in the calcination can provide abundant electroactive zones and electron/ion transport paths during the charge/discharge process, which benefits to improve the cycling performance and rate capability. The LNMO prepared by adding 1 g PEO possesses the most outstanding electrochemical performance, which presented an excellent discharge capacity of 143.1 mAh g~(-1) at 0.1 C and with a capacity retention of 92.2% after 100 cycles at 1 C. The superior performance attributed to the 3 D channels structure of hollow microspheres, which provide uninterrupted conductive systems and therefore achieve the stable transfer for electron/ion.

Production of gasoline range hydrocarbons from methanol on hierarchical ZSM-5 and Zn/ZSM-5 catalyst prepared with soft second template

Nano hierarchical mesoporous ZSM-5 catalysts were prepared with cationic dimethyldiallyl ammonium chloride acrylamide copolymer（PDDA） as a soft second template. Using ZSM-5 catalyst as a matrix,Zn/ZSM-5 catalysts were also obtained by the wet impregnation method. The effect of the PDDA amount and Zn loadings on the properties of the catalysts,including crystallinity,morphology,textural properties,acid nature and catalytic activity in MTG reaction,was investigated by XRD,FESEM,TEM,Nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms and NH3-TPD method,respectively. The MTG reaction was performed in a fixed bed reactor,and the result revealed that the nano hierarchical ZSM-5 catalyst prepared with a PDDA/Si molar ratio of 0.070 possesses longer stable phase of 70 h with a liquid hydrocarbon selectivity of 29.8%.Zn/ZSM-5 catalyst with a Zn/ZSM-5 ratio of 0.07 wt.% shows the highest liquid hydrocarbon selectivity,reaching 62.5%.

Template synthesis of MnO_2/CNT nanocomposite and its application in rechargeable lithium batteries

Nanostructured MnO2/CNT composite was synthesized by a soft template approach in the presence of Pluronic P123 surfactant. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the sample consists of poor crystalline α-MnO2 nanorods with a diameter of about 10 nm and a length of 30-50 nm, which absorb on the carbon nanotubes. The electrochemical properties of the product as cathode material for Li-MnO2 cell are evaluated by galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. Compared with pure MnO2 electrode, the MnO2/CNT composite delivers a much larger initial capacity of 275.3 mA-h/g and better rate and cycling performance.

Mesoporous polymers:soft-template self-assembly synthesis and applications

Mesoporous polymers combine the advantages of polymer materials(abundant polar functional groups,lightweight,flexibility,and processability)and mesoporous structures(high specific surface area,adjustable pore structure,and large pore volume);hence,they have great application potential in sensing,adsorption,catalysis,energy storage,biomedicine,etc.Currently,developing advanced synthetic strategies for mesoporous polymers and investigating their intrinsic applications have become hot research topics.Soft-template-based self-assembly is regarded as a promising approach for synthesizing mesoporous polymers.This work reviews recent progress in the synthetic strategy for producing various mesoporous polymers using soft-template selfassembly,focusing on the synthesis of conductive polymers,phenol-based polymers,and resin-based polymers and their potential applications.Finally,perspectives on future applications of mesoporous polymers,along with a few challenges that need to be resolved,are also discussed in this review.

Preparation of Hollow Silica Microspheres via Poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）

Core-shell structured SiO2/poly（N-isopropylacrylamide） （SiO2/PNIPAM） microspheres were successfully fabricated through hydrolysis and condensation reaction of tertraethyl orthosilicate （TEOS） on the surface of PNIPAM template at 50 ~C. The PNIPAM template can be easily removed by water at room temperature so that SiO2 hollow microspheres were finally obtained. The transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope observations indicated that SiO2 hollow microspheres with an average diameter of 150 nm can be formed only if there are enough concentration of PNIPAM and TEOS, and the hy- drolysis time of TEOS. FTIR analysis showed that part of PNIPAM remained on the wall of SiO2 because of the strong interaction between PNIPAM and silica. This work provides a clean and efficient way to prepare hollow microspheres.

Characterization and catalytic activity of soft-templated Ni0-CeO_(2) mixed oxides for CO and CO_(2) co-methanation

Nanosized NiO,CeO_(2) and NiO-CeO_(2) mixed oxides with different Ni/Ce molar ratios were prepared by the soft template method.All the samples were characterized by different techniques as to their chemical composition,structure,morphology and texture.On the catalysts submitted to the same reduction pretreatment adopted for the activity tests the surface basic properties and specific metal surface area were also determined.NiO and CeO_(2) nanocrystals of about 4 nm in size were obtained,regardless of the Ni/Ce molar ratio.The Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results proved the formation of defective sites at the NiO-CeO_(2) interface,where Ni species are in strong interaction with the support.The microcalorimetric and Fourier transform infrared analyses of the reduced samples highlighted that,unlike metallic nickel,CeO_(2) is able to effectively adsorb CO_(2),forming carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.After reduction in H2 at 400°C for 1 h,the catalytic performance was studied in the CO and CO_(2) co-methanation reaction.Catalytic tests were performed at atmospheric pressure and 300°C,using CO/CO_(2)/H_(2) molar compositions of 1/1/7 or 1/1/5,and space velocities equal to 72000 or 450000 cm^(3)∙h^(-1)∙gcat^(-1).Whereas CO was almost completely hydrogenated in any investigated experimental conditions,CO_(2) conversion was strongly affected by both the CO/CO_(2)/H_(2) ratio and the space velocity.The faster and definitely preferred CO hydrogenation was explained in the light of the different mechanisms of CO and CO_(2) methanation.On a selected sample,the influence of the reaction temperature and of a higher number of space velocity values,as well as the stability,were also studied.Provided that the Ni content is optimized,the NiCe system investigated was very promising,being highly active for the CO_(x) co-methanation reaction in a wide range of operating conditions and stable(up to 50 h)also when submitted to thermal stress.

Iron Fibers Arrays Prepared by Electrodepositing in Reverse Liquid Crystalline

Ordered iron fiber arrays were electrodeposited on the surface of zinc foils using ＂FeSO4 solution-sodium caprylate-Decanol＂ 3-component reverse hexagonal liquid crystal as soft templates. The structure of the soft templates and the synthesized iron ,fibers were characterized by polarizing microscopy, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis etc. The experimental results shou that the synthesized iron fibers with a crystal phase grew up in the form of fiber clusters of about 200 nm along the direction perpendicular to the cathode surface. Each cluster was composed of several tens of fibers. The fibers had almost the same length of more than 10μm with a diameter of about 50 nm.

Effect of Electrolyte Nature on Micellar Soft-Template Electropolymerization in Organic Solvent to Form Nanoporous Polymer Films with a Bioinspired Strategy

Here,using a bioinspired approach,the soft-template electropolymerization of naphtho[2,3-b]thieno[3,4-e][1,4]dioxine(NaphDOT)was conducted in dichloromethane with different water content,and using different supporting electrolytes.The role of the electrolytes in the formation of reverse micelles that constitutes the soft template is investigated.The reverse micelles stabilized by the electrolyte and the monomer were observed by TEM and related to the various porous nanostructures of the obtained polymer films.We show that the nature of the electrolyte is not only fundamental for the formation of reverse micelles and thus porous nanostructures,but also plays a huge role in the good deposition of the oligomers upon the soft template.Surfaces with nanostructures such as nanotubes,nanorings or nanomembranes were realized.

Facile construction of quasi 1D trimanganese tetraoxide nanostructures via soft templating

Self-assembly of nanocrystals can not only lead to a better understanding of inter-particle acting force, but also enable rational building of complex and functional materials for future nanodevices. Here by utilizing polyvinylpyrrolidone （PVP） as the as capping and structure directing agents, hierarchical Mn304 architectures involving coil-like nanorings, hexagonal nanoframes, and nanodisks are conveniently synthesized by a one-pot solution method. The sophisticated assemblies are proven to be me- diated by the PVP soft templates formed at varied concentrations. The driving forces of self-assembled complex nanostructures and the unique role of PVP concentration are discussed. Magnetic properties of the as assembled Mn3O4 rings are also studied by a SQUID system, which shows the typical side effect of Curie temperature.

Bowl-shaped NiCo2O4 nanosheet clusters as electrode materials for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

The development of transition metal oxidebased electrode materials with proper controlled structures is highly desirable for high-performance supercapacitors.However,it remains a major challenge.Here,we present the first synthesis of bowl-like Ni Co2O4nanosheet clusters through a simple soft template guided hydrothermal strategy.The resulting bowl-like clusters consist of numerous Ni Co2O4nanosheets with an average thickness of 19 nm and possess a mean diameter of 1μm along with a specific surface area of40 m2g^-1.Remarkably,serving as an electrode material in a three-electrode system,the bowl-like Ni Co2O4nanosheet clusters exhibit a high specific capacity of 1068 F g^-1at a current density of 1 A g^-1and excellent cycling stability with90%capacitance retention after 5000 charge-discharge cycles.Meanwhile,an asymmetric supercapacitor(ASC)assembled with the Ni Co2O4clusters and activated carbon(AC)as the two electrodes exhibits a high specific capacitance of 129 F g^-1at 1 A g^-1,along with a high energy density of 33 W h kg^-1at a power density of 0.66 k W kg^-1.Such performance is superior to those of many commercial supercapacitors.This study opens a new avenue for the construction of ordered complex particles with controlled architectures for energy storage and conversion applications.

Fabrication and characterization of YVO_4:Eu^(3+) nanomaterials by the microwave technique

Fabrication and characterization of YVO4：Eu^3＋ nanophosphors prepared by microwave （MW） irradiation assisted soft template synthesis were reported. The effects of synthesis conditions such as different powers of MW irradiation, pH values and concentration of reac- tion materials on properties of nanophosphor were also investigated to obtain the controllable size, morphology and high luminescence efficiency. Morphology, crystalline structure, and optical properties were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy （FE-SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The results showed that YVOa：Eu^3＋ nanophosphors were obtained by using diethyleneglycol （DEG） as soft template, with pH values in the range of 4 to 12, upon microwave irradiation from 300 to 900 W, at temperature of 80 ℃. The high fluorescent YVOa：Eu^3＋ nanocrystals obtained with size from 15 nm down to 8 nm are more effective to develop an ultrahigh sensitive fluorescent label for biomolecule, cell and tissue.