Substitute of Expensive Pt with Improved Electrocatalytic Performance and Higher Resistance to CO Poisoning for Methanol Oxidation: the Case of Synergistic Pt-Co_3O_4 Nanocomposite

In this paper, Pt-Co_3O_4 nanocomposite was synthesized by a sol gel process combined with electrodeposition method. Its electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation was investigated at room temperature using cyclic voltammetry(CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS) and current density time curve. It is found that the resultant Pt-Co_3O_4 catalysts with minute amount of Pt exhibite attractive electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction(MOR) but with a high resistance CO poisoning due to the synergistic effects from Pt and Co_3O_4. Together with the low manufacturing cost of Co_3O_4, the reported nanostructured Pt-Co_3O_4 catalyst is expected to be a promising electrode material for direct methanol fuel cells(DMFC).

Magnetic Fe_3O_4-Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites-Based Electrochemical Biosensing

An electrochemical biosensing platform was developed based on glucose oxidase(GOx)/Fe3O4-reduced graphene oxide(Fe3O4-RGO) nanosheets loaded on the magnetic glassy carbon electrode(MGCE).With the advantages of the magnetism, conductivity and biocompatibility of the Fe3O4-RGO nanosheets, the nanocomposites could be facilely adhered to the electrode surface by magnetically controllable assembling and beneficial to achieve the direct redox reactions and electrocatalytic behaviors of GOx immobilized into the nanocomposites. The biosensor exhibited good electrocatalytic activity, high sensitivity and stability. The current response is linear over glucose concentration ranging from 0.05 to 1.5 m M with a low detection limit of0.15 μM. Meanwhile, validation of the applicability of the biosensor was carried out by determining glucose in serum samples. The proposed protocol is simple, inexpensive and convenient, which shows great potential in biosensing application.

Absorption performance of DMSA modified Fe_3O_4@SiO_2 core/shell magnetic nanocomposite for Pb^(2+) removal

The purpose of this study is to explore the adsorption performance of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA)modified Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic nanocomposite(Fe3O4@SiO2@DMSA)for Pb2+ions removal from aqueous solutions.The effects of solution pH,initial concentration of Pb2+ions,contact time,and temperature on the amount of Pb2+adsorbed were investigated.Adsorption isotherms,adsorption kinetics,and thermodynamic analysis were also studied.The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of the Fe3O4@SiO2@DMSA composite is 50.5 mg/g at 298 K,which is higher than that of Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic nanoparticles.The adsorption process agreed well with Langmuir adsorption isotherm models and pseudo second-order kinetics.The thermodynamic analysis revealed that the adsorption was spontaneous,endothermic and energetically driven in nature.

Enhanced Fenton,photo-Fenton and peroxidase-like activity and stability over Fe_3O_4/g-C_3N_4 nanocomposites

We prepared the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanoparticles(NPs)through a simple electrostatic self‐assembly method with a3:97weight ratio to investigate their Fenton,photo‐Fenton and oxidative functionalities besides photocatalytic functionality.We observed an improvement of the Fenton and photo‐Fenton activities of the Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites.This improvement was attributed to efficient charge transfer between Fe3O4and g‐C3N4at the heterojunctions,inhibition of electron‐hole recombination,a high surface area,and stabilization of Fe3O4against leaching by the hydrophobic g‐C3N4.The obtained NPs showed a higher degradation potential for rhodamine B(RhB)dye than those of Fe3O4and g‐C3N4.As compared to photocatalysis,the efficiency of RhB degradation in the Fenton and photo‐Fenton reactions was increased by20%and90%,respectively.Additionally,the horseradish peroxidase(HRP)activity of the prepared nanomaterials was studied with3,3,5,5‐tetramethylbenzidinedihydrochloride(TMB)as a substrate.Dopamine oxidation was also examined.Results indicate that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites offers more efficient degradation of RhB dye in a photo‐Fenton system compared with regular photocatalytic degradation,which requires a long time.Our study also confirmed that Fe3O4/g‐C3N4nanocomposites can be used as a potential material for mimicking HRP owing to its high affinity for TMB.These findings suggest good potential for applications in biosensing and as a catalyst in oxidation reactions.

Preparation and Characterization of Superparamagnetic Fe_3O_4/CNTs Nanocomposites Dual-drug Carrier

Fe3O4/carbon nanotubes（Fe3O4/CNTs） nanocomposites were prepared by polylol hightemperature decomposition of the precursor ferric chloride and CNTs in liquid triethylene glycol.After surface modification with hexanediamine,folate was covalently linked to the amine group of magnetic Fe3O4/CNTs nanocomposites.The products were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy,transmission electron microscopy,and vibrating sample magnetometry.Then Fe3O4/CNTs were used as a dual-drug carrier to co-delivery of the hydrophilic drug epirubicin hydrochloride and hydrophobic drug paclitaxel.The results indicated that the Fe3O4/CNTs had a favorable release property for epirubicin and paclitaxel,and thus had potential application in tumor-targeted combination chemotherapy.

Structures and magnetic properties of nanocomposite CoFe_2O_4-BaTiO_3 fibers by organic gel-thermal decomposition process

The nanocomposite xCoFe2O4-(1-x)BaTiO3(x=0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5,molar fraction) fibers with fine diameters and high aspect ratios(length to diameter ratios) were prepared by the organic gel-thermal decomposition process from citric acid and metal salts.The structures and morphologies of gel precursors and fibers derived from thermal decomposition of the gel precursors were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy.The magnetic properties of the nanocomposite fibers were measured by vibrating sample magnetometer.The nanocomposite fibers consisting of ferrite(CoFe2O4) and perovskite(BaTiO3) are formed at the calcination temperature of 900 ℃ for 2 h.The average grain sizes of CoFe2O4 and BaTiO3 in the nanocomposite fibers increase from 25 to 65 nm with the calcination temperature from 900 to 1 180 ℃.The single fiber constructed from these nanograins of CoFe2O4 and BaTiO3 has a necklace-like morphology.The saturation magnetization of the nanocomposite 0.4CoFe2O4-0.6BaTiO3 fibers increases with the increase of CoFe2O4 grain size,while the coercivity reaches a maximum value when the average grain size of CoFe2O4 is around the critical single-domain size of 45 nm obtained at 1 000 ℃.The saturation magnetization and remanence of the nanocomposite xCoFe2O4-(1-x)BaTiO3(x=0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5) fibers almost exhibit a linear relationship with the molar fraction of CoFe2O4 in the nanocomposites.

Synthesis of Fe_3O_4-coated silica aerogel nanocomposites

Fe3O4:SiO2 nanocomposite powders were synthesized by a two-step process,which included the precipitation of FeCl2 and FeCl3 and the gelation of silicic acid solution derived from water glass.At first,Fe3O4 nanoparticles having a crystallite size of 20 nm were obtained by controlling the ratio of Fe(II) and Fe(III) precursors.In the second step,Fe3O4 particles were embedded in SiO2 matrix by the hydrolysis and subsequent condensation of the silicic acid solution containing Fe3O4 particles.It was found that the Fe3O4 nanoparticles homogenously disperse in the SiO2 matrix.The Fe3O4:SiO2 nanocomposite exhibited an enhanced thermal stability against oxidation compared with pure Fe3O4.FT-IR analysis indicates the presence of the Si-O-Fe bond in the Fe3O4:SiO2 (1:10,mole fraction) nanocomposite.

The design and fabrication of Co3O4/Co3V2O8/Ni nanocomposites as high-performance anodes for Li-ion batteries

The CoO/CoVO/Ni nanocomposites were rationally designed and prepared by a two-step hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent annealing treatment. The one-dimensional（1D） CoOnanowire arrays directly grew on Ni foam, whereas the 1D CoVOnanowires adhered to parts of CoOnanowires.Most of the hybrid nanowires were inlayed with each other, forming a 3D hybrid nanowires network.As a result, the discharge capacity of CoO/CoVO/Ni nanocomposites could reach 1201.8 mAh/g after100 cycles at 100 mA/g. After 600 cycles at 1 A/g, the discharge capacity was maintained at 828.1 mAh/g.Moreover, even though the charge/discharge rates were increased to 10 A/g, it rendered reversible capacity of 491.2 mAh/g. The superior electrochemical properties of nanocomposites were probably ascribed to their unique 3D architecture and the synergistic effects of two active materials. Therefore, such CoO/CoVO/Ni nanocomposites could potentially be used as anode materials for high-performance Li-ion batteries.

Synthesis of Polyaniline-Fe_3O_4 Nanocomposites and Their Conductivity and Magnetic Properties

By using inorganic Fe3O4 nanoparticles of different content as nucleation sites, PAn-Fe3O4 nanorods were successfully synthesized through a simple, conventional, and inexpensive one-step in-situ polymerization method. The TEM images revealed the size and morphology of the resultant nanocomposite. The EDS pattern confirmed the existence of Fe3O4 in the composite. The FT-IR spectral analysis confirmed the formation of PAn encapsulated Fe3O4 nanocomposite. With the content of Fe3O4 increasing, the conductivity of the nanocomposites gradually decreases, meanwhile, the saturation magnetization increases and reveals a super paramagnetic behavior. With controllable electrical, magnetic, and electromagnetic properties, the well-prepared nanocomposites may have the potential applications in chemical sensors, catalysis, microwave absorbing, and electro-magneto-rheological fluids, etc.

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic and luminescent Fe_3O_4/CdTe nanocomposites using aspartic acid as linker

In this study,the preparation of a new kind of magnetic and luminescent Fe3O4/CdTe nanocomposites was demonstrated. Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles were first synthesized by hydrothermal coprecipitation of ferric and ferrous ions,followed by the modification of their surfaces with tetramethylammonium hydroxide（TMAOH） and the chemical activation with aspartic acid.The surface-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles were then covalently coated with CdTe quantum dots（QDs）,which were modified with mercaptoacetic acid（MPA）,to form the Fe3O4/CdTe magnetic and luminescent nanocomposites through the coordination of the amino groups on the surfaces of Fe3O4 and the carboxyl groups on CdTe QDs.The structure and properties of as-synthesized nanocomposites were characterized.It was indicated that the nanocomposites possessed structure with an average diameter of 40- 50 nm,yellow-green emission feature and room temperature ferro-magnetism.Both the fluorescence and UV-vis absorption spectra of the nanocomposites showed a blue shift comparing with those of CdTe QDs.The mechanism of the blue shift was presented.The nanocomposites retained the ferromagnetic property with a saturation magnetization of 8.9 emu/g.

Coherent Mn3O4-carbon nanocomposites with enhanced energy-storage capacitance

Nanostructured Mn3O4 was introduced to activated C （AC） by a novel sonochemical reaction, and the resulting nanocomposites were examined as supercapacitor electrodes. The sonication not only catalyzed the redox reaction but also promoted the diffusion of the precursors, causing the formation of coherent nanocomposites with Mn3O4 nanoparticles grown and uniformly distributed inside the mesopores of the AC. In addition, the extreme local condition in the sonochemical synthesis yielded an excessive amount of divalent manganese ions and oxygen vacancies. This novel microstructure endowed the sample with a superior performance, including a specific capacitance of 150 F/g compared with the value of 93 F/g for AC at a charge/discharge rate of 100 mA/g. A Li-ion capacitor delivered an energy density of 68 Wh/kg, compared with 41 Wh/kg for the AC capacitor at a power density of 210 W/kg.

Magnetically recoverable Fe3O4@polydopamine nanocomposite as an excellent co-catalyst for Fe^3+ reduction in advanced oxidation processes

Advanced oxidation processes are widely applied to removal of persistent toxic substances from wastewater by hydroxyl radicals(·OH),which is generated from hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)decomposition.However,their practical applications have been hampered by many strict conditions,such as iron sludge,rigid pH condition,large doses of hydrogen peroxide and Fe^2+,etc.Herein,a magnetically recyclable Fe3O4@polydopamine(Fe3O4@PDA)coreshell nanocomposite was fabricated.As an excellent reducing agent,it can convert Fe^3+to Fe^2+.Combined with the coordination of polydopamine and ferric ions,the production of iron sludge is inhibited.The minimum concentration of hydrogen peroxide(0.2 mmol/L and Fe^2+(0.18 mmol/L))is 150-fold and 100-fold lower than that of previous reports,respectively.It also exhibits excellent degradation performance over a wide pH range from 3.0 to 9.0.Even after the tenth recycling,it still achieves over 99%degradation efficiency with the total organic carbon degradation rate of 80%,which is environmentally benign and has a large economic advantage.This discovery paves a way for extensive practical application of advanced oxidation processes,especially in environmental remediation.

Formation and vanishment of the intragranular microstructure in Si_2N_2O/Si_3N_4 nanocomposites

Si2N2O/Si3N4 nanocomposites were fabricated by liquid phase sintering of amorphous nano-sized silicon nitride powders.The intragranular microstructure was observed and researched.Intragranular microstructure's β-Si3N4 was formed in Si2N2O matrix at the sintering temperature higher than 1650°C.It was discovered that intragranular microstructure could also disappear by transformation during high temperature annealing.Two possible mechanisms of the disappearance of intragranular microstructure were given.The effect of intragranular microstructure on main mechanical properties was also investigated.

Preparation of MnO2-impregnated carbon-coated Fe3O4 nanocomposites and their application for bovine serum albumin adsorption

MnO2-impregnated carbon-coated Fe3 O4(Fe3O4/C/MnO2)nanocomposites with a good core-shell structure were prepared by direct oxidation of carbon-coated Fe3 O4(Fe3O4/C)microspheres with KMnO4 in alkaline solution and applied to adsorb bovine serum albumin(BSA).X-ray diffraction(XRD),transmission electron microscope(TEM),Fourier transform infrared spectrometer(FTIR),vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM)and thermogravimetric analyzer(TGA)tests show that Fe3O4/C microspheres were newly functionalized via the oxidation by KMnO4.Fe3O4/C/MnO2 nanocomposites exhibit a higher adsorption capacity for BSA than Fe3O4/C microspheres and the maximum adsorption of BSA on them occurs at pH 4.7,which is the isoelectric point of BSA.Langmuir isotherm model describes the adsorption of BSA better than Freundlich model and Temkin model,and the kinetics data fit well with the pseudo-second-order model.

Enhanced dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol by recoverable Ni/Fe–Fe_3O_4 nanocomposites

Ni/Fe-Fe3O4 nanocomposites were synthesized for dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol （2,4-DCP）. The effects of the Ni content in Ni/Fe-Fe3O4 nanocomposites, solution pH, and common dissolved ions on the dechlorination efficiency were investigated, in addition to the reusability of the nanocomposites. The results showed that increasing content of Ni in Ni/Fe-FesO4 nanocomposites, from 1 to 5 wt.%, greatly increased the dechlorination efficiency; the Ni/Fe-Fe3O4 nanocomposites had much higher dechlorination efficiency than bare Ni/Fe nanoparticles. Ni content of S wt.% and initial pH below 6.0 was found to be the optimal conditions for the catalytic dechlorination of 2,4-DCP. Both 2,4-DCP and the intermediate product 2-chlorophenol （2-CP） were completely removed, and the concentra- tion of the final product phenol was close to the theoretical phenol production from complete dechlorination of 20 mg/L of 2,4-DCP, after 3 hr reaction at initial pH value of 6.0, 3 g/L Ni/Fe-Fe3O4, S wt.% Ni content in the composite, and temperature of 22℃ 2,4-DCP dechlorination was enhanced by C1- and inhibited by NO3- and SO42-. The nanocomposites were easily separated from the solution by an applied magnetic field. When the catalyst was reused, the removal efficiency of 2,4-DCP was almost 100% for the first seven uses, and gradually decreased to 75% in cycles 8-10. Therefore, the Ni/Fe-Fe3O4 nanocomposites can be considered as a potentially effective tool for remediation of Pollution bv 2.4-DCP.

Soft template PEG-assisted synthesis of Fe_3O_4@C nanocomposite as superior anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Carbon-encapsulated Fe3O4 composites were successfully fabricated via hydrothermal method and ex- amined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The Fe3O4@C nanocomposite as an anode material with novel structure demonstrated excellent electrochemical performance, with enhanced specific reversible current density of 50 mA/g capacity （950 mAh/g at the after 50 cycles）, remarkable rate capability （more than 650 mAh/g even at the current density of 1,000 mAJg） and good cycle ability with less capacity fading （2.4 % after 50 cycles）. Two factors have been attributed to the ultrahigh electrochemical perfor- mance： Firstly, the 30- to 50-nm spherical structure with a short diffusion pathway and the amorphous carbon layer could not only provide extra space for buffering the volumetric change during the continuous charging-dis- charging but also improve the whole conductivity of the Fe3O4@C nanocomposite electrode; secondly, the syner- gistic effects of Fe304 and carbon could avoid Fe304 direct exposure to the electrolyte and maintain the structural stabilization of Fe3O4@C nanocomposite. It was suggested that the Fe3O4@C nanocomposite could be suitable as analternative anode for lithium-ion batteries with a high ap- plication potential.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLY(ε-CAPROLACTONE)/Fe_3O_4 NANOCOMPOSITES BY IN SITU POLYMERIZATION

A series of magnetic nanoeomposites based on poly（s-caprolactone） （PCL） and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared using a facile in situ polymerization method. The chemical structures of the PCL/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectroscopy. Results of wide-angle X-ray diffraction （WAXD） showed that the incorporation of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles did not affect the crystallization structure of the PCL. Both scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM） were used to characterize the morphology and dispersion of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles within the as-synthesized nanocomposites. Results of differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） and polarizing optical microscopy （POM） showed that the crystallization temperature was raised and the spherulites size decreased by the presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the nanocomposites due to the heterogeneous nucleation effect. The thermal stability of the PCL was depressed by incorporation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles from thermogravimetric analysis （TGA）. The superparamagnetic behavior of the PCL/Fe3O4 nanocomposites was testified by the superconducting quantum interference device （SQUID） magnetometer analysis. The obtained biodegradable nanocomposites will have a great potential in magnetic resonance imaging contrast and targeted drug delivery.

Fe_(3)O_(4)/Cu_(2)O-Ag可回收型SERS基底的制备及性能研究

首先通过水热法合成了Fe_(3)O_(4)纳米花球,并在其表面均匀地修饰了酰胺基功能化的RF(resorcinol-formaldehyde resin)层,再利用原位还原法将Cu_(2)O负载在Fe_(3)O_(4)纳米球表面,最后将Ag纳米颗粒沉积在Fe_(3)O_(4)/Cu_(2)O材料表面,从而制备了Fe_(3)O_(4)/Cu_(2)O-Ag纳米复合材料.采用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、振动样品磁强计(VSM)等手段对Fe_(3)O_(4)/Cu_(2)O-Ag纳米复合材料的形貌、物相组成和磁学性能进行了表征.此外,以多环芳烃类污染物芘(Pyr)为目标物,对Fe_(3)O_(4)/Cu_(2)O-Ag材料的实际SERS检测性能进行了讨论和分析.结果表明,该纳米复合材料具有优异的SERS活性和磁响应能力,为环境中多种污染物的检测提供了高效低成本的新选择.

An efficientfficient, controllable and facile two-step synthesis strategy： Fe3O4@RGO composites with various Fe3O4 nanoparticles and their supercapacitance properties

An efficient, controllable, and facile two-step synthetic strategy to prepare graphene-based nanocomposites is proposed. A series of Fe3O4-decorated reduced graphene oxide （Fe3O4@RGO） nanocomposites incorporating Fe3O4 nanocrystals of various sizes were prepared by an ethanothermal method using graphene oxide （GO） and monodisperse Fe3O4 nanocrystals with diameters ranging from 4 to 10 nm. The morphologies and microstructures of the as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that GO can be reduced to graphene during the ethanothermal process, and that the Fe3O4 nanocrystals are well dispersed on the graphene sheets generated in the process. The analysis of the electrochemical properties of the Fe3O4@RGO materials shows that nanocomposites prepared with Fe3O4 nanocrystals of different sizes exhibit different electrochemical performances. Among all samples, FegO4@RGO prepared with Fe3O4 nanocrystals of 6 nm diameter possessed the highest specific capacitance of 481 F/g at 1 A/g, highlighting the excellent capability of this material. This work illustrates a promising route to develop graphene-based nanocomposite materials with a wide range of potential applications.

Luminescent and magnetic properties of multifunctional europium(Ⅲ) complex based nanocomposite

The luminescent rare earth(RE)complex based multifunctional nanocomposites offer new potential applications of multimodal imaging(magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),fluorescent bioimaging,etc.)that can be associated with therapeutic activities.In this study,we report some results obtained with novel multifunctional Fe3O4/Si-amine/Eu(NTA)3 nanocomposites that are composed of europium(Ⅲ)complex with 1-(2-naphthoyl)-3,3,3-trifluoroacetone ligands(NTA)(Eu(NTA)3)and superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles.These nanocomposites were functionalized with an amine group for biomedicine application.The multifunctional Fe3O4/Si-amine/Eu(NTA)3 nanocomposites exhibit both good magnetic behavior of Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a core and strong fluorescent property of europium(Ⅲ)complex.Their characterizations were analyzed by XRD,SEM,EDX and FTIR spectra.The optical properties were studied in detail by UV-VIS spectra and luminescent emission spectra.The magnetic property was estimated by VMS.The effect of concentrations of luminescent Eu(NTA)3 complex on luminescent and magnetic properties is discussed.