Carbon-based nanomaterials cause toxicity by oxidative stress to the liver and brain in Sprague-Dawley rats

Carbon-based nanomaterials have important research significance in various disciplines,such as composite materials,nanoelectronic devices,biosensors,biological imaging,and drug delivery.Recently,the human and ecological risks associated with carbon-based nanomaterials have received increasing attention.However,the biological safety of carbon based nanomaterials has not been systematically studied.In this study,we used different types of carbon materials,namely,graphene oxide(GO),single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWCNTs),and multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs),as models to observe their distribution and oxidative damage in vivo.The results of Histopathological and ultrastructural examinations indicated that the liver and lungs were the main accumulation targets of these nanomaterials.SR-μ-XRF analysis revealed that SWCNTs and MWCNTs might be present in the brain.This shows that the three types of carbon-based nanomaterials could cross the gas-blood barrier and eventually reach the liver tissue.In addition,SWCNTs and MWCNTs could cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the cerebral cortex.The increase in ROS and MDA levels and the decrease in GSH,SOD,and CAT levels indicated that the three types of nanomaterials might cause oxidative stress in the liver.This suggests that direct instillation of these carbon-based nanomaterials into rats could induce ROS generation.In addition,iron(Fe)contaminants in these nanomaterials were a definite source of free radicals.However,these nanomaterials did not cause obvious damage to the rat brain tissue.The deposition of selenoprotein in the rat brain was found to be related to oxidative stress and Fe deficiency.This information may support the development of secure and reasonable applications of the studied carbon-based nanomaterials.

Carbon-based derivatives from metal-organic frameworks as cathode hosts for Li–S batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries(Li–S batteries) are promising candidates for the next generation high-energy rechargeable Li batteries due to their high theoretical specific capacity(1672 m Ahg-1) and energy density(2500 Wh kg-1). The commercialization of Li–S batteries is impeded by several key challenges at cathode side, e.g. the insulating nature of sulfur and discharged products(Li2S 2 and Li2S), the solubility of long-chain polysulfides and volume variation of sulfur cathode upon cycling. Recently, the carbonbased derivatives from metal-organic frameworks(MOFs) has emerged talent in their utilization as cathode hosts for Li–S batteries. They are not only highly conductive and porous to enable the acceleration of Li +/e-transfer and accommodation of volumetric expansion of sulfur cathode during cycling, but also enriched by controllable chemical active sites to enable the adsorption of polysulfides and promotion of their conversion reaction kinetics. In this review, based on the types of MOFs(e.g. ZIF-8, ZIF-67, Prussian blue, Al-MOF, MOF-5, Cu-MOF, Ni-MOF), the synthetic methods, formation process and morphology, structural superiority of MOFs-derived carbon frameworks along with their electrochemical performance as cathode host in Li–S batteries are summarized and discussed.

Carbon-Based MOF Derivatives:Emerging Efficient Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Agents

To tackle the aggravating electromagnetic wave(EMW)pollution issues,high-efficiency EMW absorption materials are urgently explored.Metal-organic framework(MOF)derivatives have been intensively investigated for EMW absorption due to the distinctive components and structures,which is expected to satisfy diverse application requirements.The extensive developments on MOF derivatives demonstrate its significantly important role in this research area.Particularly,MOF derivatives deliver huge performance superiorities in light weight,broad bandwidth,and robust loss capacity,which are attributed to the outstanding impedance matching,multiple attenuation mechanisms,and destructive interference effect.Herein,we summarized the relevant theories and evaluation methods,and categorized the state-of-the-art research progresses on MOF derivatives in EMW absorption field.In spite of lots of challenges to face,MOF derivatives have illuminated infinite potentials for further development as EMW absorption materials.

Multifunctional roles of carbon-based hosts for Li-metal anodes:A review

With its high theoretical capacity,lithium(Li)metal is recognized as the most potential anode for realizing a high-performance energy storage system.A series of questions(severe safety hazard,low Coulombic efficiency,short lifetime,etc.)induced by uncontrollable dendrites growth,unstable solid electrolyte interface layer,and large volume change,make practical application of Li-metal anodes still a threshold.Due to their highly appealing properties,carbon-based materials as hosts to composite with Li metal have been passionately investigated for improving the performance of Li-metal batteries.This review displays an overview of the critical role of carbon-based hosts for improving the comprehensive performance of Li-metal anodes.Based on correlated mainstream models,the main failure mechanism of Li-metal anodes is introduced.The advantages and strategies of carbon-based hosts to address the corresponding challenges are generalized.The unique function,existing limitation,and recent research progress of key carbon-based host materials for Li-metal anodes are reviewed.Finally,a conclusion and an outlook for future research of carbon-based hosts are presented.This review is dedicated to summarizing the advances of carbon-based materials hosts in recent years and providing a reference for the further development of carbonbased hosts for advanced Li-metal anodes.

Reaction Kinetics of Biodiesel Synthesis from Waste Oil Using a Carbon-based Solid Acid Catalyst

The kinetics of simultaneous transesterification and esterification with a carbon-based solid acid catalyst was studied.Two solid acid catalysts were prepared by the sulfonation of carbonized vegetable oil asphalt and petroleum asphalt.These catalysts were characterized on the basis of elemental analysis,acidity site concentration,the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller（BET）surface area and pore size.The kinetic parameters with the two catalysts were determined,and the reaction system can be described as a pseudo homogeneous catalyzed reaction.All the forward and reverse reactions follow second order kinetics.The calculated concentration values from the kinetic equations are in good agreement with experimental values.

Structure and denitration performance of carbon-based catalysts prepared from Cu-BTC precursor

Using Cu-BTC prepared by hydrothermal method as precursor, carbon-based catalysts were obtained as model materials for low-temperature DeNO_x. These catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffractometry（XRD）, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry（EDS）. The results showed that all carbon-based catalysts held the octahedron shape of Cu-BTC in most parts, and they mainly consisted of face-centered cubic copper. CuO_x/C exhibited excellent catalytic activity, and such catalytic activity was further improved with the introduction of Ag. The catalyst with a Cu to Ag mole ratio of 6：1 and an activated temperature of 600 °C showed the best catalytic performance, and its catalytic denitration rate reached 100% at a temperature as low as 235 °C. During the catalytic reaction process, Cu~＋ mainly played a catalytic role.

Carbon-Based Flexible and All-Solid-State Micro-supercapacitors Fabricated by Inkjet Printing with Enhanced Performance

By means of inkjet printing technique, flexible and all-solid-state micro-supercapacitors(MSCs) were fabricated with carbon-based hybrid ink composed of graphene oxide(GO,98.0vol.%) ink and commercial pen ink(2.0vol.%). A small amount of commercial pen ink was added to effectively reduce the agglomeration of theGO sheets during solvent evaporation and the following reduction processes in which the presence of graphite carbon nanoparticles served as nano-spacer to separate GO sheets. The printed device fabricated using the hybrid ink,combined with the binder-free microelectrodes and interdigital microelectrode configuration, exhibits nearly 780%enhancement in areal capacitance compared with that of pure GO ink. It also shows excellent flexibility and cycling stability with nearly 100% retention of the areal capacitance after 10,000 cycles. The all-solid-state device can be optionally connected in series or in parallel to meet the voltage and capacity requirements for a given application.This work demonstrates a promising future of the carbonbased hybrid ink for directly large-scale inkjet printing MSCs for disposable energy storage devices.

Composition Optimization and Microstructure Design in MOFs-Derived Magnetic Carbon-Based Microwave Absorbers:A Review

Magnetic carbon-based composites are the most attractive candidates for electromagnetic(EM)absorption because they can terminate the propagation of surplus EM waves in space by interacting with both electric and magnetic branches.Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)have demonstrated their great potential as sacrificing precursors of magnetic metals/carbon composites,because they provide a good platform to achieve high dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in carbon matrix.Nevertheless,the chemical composition and microstructure of these composites are always highly dependent on their precursors and cannot promise an optimal EM state favorable for EM absorption,which more or less discount the superiority of MOFs-derived strategy.It is hence of great importance to develop some accompanied methods that can regulate EM properties of MOFs-derived magnetic carbon-based composites e ectively.This review comprehensively introduces recent advancements on EM absorption enhancement in MOFs-derived magnetic carbon-based composites and some available strategies therein.In addition,some challenges and prospects are also proposed to indicate the pending issues on performance breakthrough and mechanism exploration in the related field.

Wet carbon-based solid acid/NaNO_3 as a mild and efficient reagent for nitration of aromatic compound under solvent free conditions

Nitro aromatic compound can be obtained in high yields via nitration of aromatic compound with wet carbon-based solid acid and NaNO_3 under solvent free oxidation at room temperature.

Wet carbon-based solid acid/potassium permanganate as an efficient heterogeneous reagents for oxidation of alcohols under mild conditions

Wet carbon-based solid acid and potassium permanganate were used as new reagents for oxidation of alcohols to their corresponding aldehydes and ketones in heterogeneous mixtures. The experiments were done moderately at mild condition and high yields in suitable times were obtained.

Photo-rechargeable batteries and supercapacitors:Critical roles of carbon-based functional materials

As a clean and renewable energy source,solar energy is a competitive alternative to replace conventional fossil fuels.Nevertheless,its serious fluctuating nature usually leads to a poor alignment with the actual energy demand.To solve this problem,the direct solar-to-electrochemical energy conversion and storage have been regarded as a feasible strategy.In this context,the development of high-performance integrated devices based on solar energy conversion parts(i.e.,solar cells or photoelectrodes)and electrochemical energy storage units(i.e.,rechargeable batteries or supercapacitors[SCs])has become increasingly necessary and urgent,in which carbon and carbon-based functional materials play a fundamental role in determining their energy conversion/storage performances.Herein,we summarize the latest progress on these integrated devices for solar electricity energy conversion and storage,with special emphasis on the critical role of carbon-based functional materials.First,principles of integrated devices are introduced,especially roles of carbon-based materials in these hybrid energy devices.Then,two major types of important integrated devices,including photovoltaic and photoelectrochemicalrechargeable batteries or SCs,are discussed in detail.Finally,key challenges and opportunities in the future development are also discussed.By this review,we hope to pave an avenue toward the development of stable and efficient devices for solar energy conversion and storage.

Harness High-Temperature Thermal Energy via Elastic Thermoelectric Aerogels

Despite notable progress in thermoelectric(TE)materials and devices,developing TE aerogels with high-temperature resistance,superior TE performance and excellent elasticity to enable self-powered high-temperature monitoring/warning in industrial and wearable applications remains a great challenge.Herein,a highly elastic,flame-retardant and high-temperature-resistant TE aerogel,made of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/single-walled carbon nanotube(PEDOT:PSS/SWCNT)composites,has been fabricated,displaying attractive compression-induced power factor enhancement.The as-fabricated sensors with the aerogel can achieve accurately pressure stimuli detection and wide temperature range monitoring.Subsequently,a flexible TE generator is assembled,consisting of 25 aerogels connected in series,capable of delivering a maximum output power of 400μW when subjected to a temperature difference of 300 K.This demonstrates its outstanding high-temperature heat harvesting capability and promising application prospects for real-time temperature monitoring on industrial high-temperature pipelines.Moreover,the designed self-powered wearable sensing glove can realize precise wide-range temperature detection,high-temperature warning and accurate recognition of human hand gestures.The aerogel-based intelligent wearable sensing system developed for firefighters demonstrates the desired self-powered and highly sensitive high-temperature fire warning capability.Benefitting from these desirable properties,the elastic and high-temperature-resistant aerogels present various promising applications including self-powered high-temperature monitoring,industrial overheat warning,waste heat energy recycling and even wearable healthcare.

Highly Porous Yet Transparent Mechanically Flexible Aerogels Realizing Solar-Thermal Regulatory Cooling

The demand for highly porous yet transparent aerogels with mechanical flexibility and solar-thermal dual-regulation for energy-saving windows is significant but challenging.Herein,a delaminated aerogel film(DAF)is fabricated through filtration-induced delaminated gelation and ambient drying.The delaminated gelation process involves the assembly of fluorinated cellulose nanofiber(FCNF)at the solid-liquid interface between the filter and the filtrate during filtration,resulting in the formation of lamellar FCNF hydrogels with strong intra-plane and weak interlayer hydrogen bonding.By exchanging the solvents from water to hexane,the hydrogen bonding in the FCNF hydrogel is further enhanced,enabling the formation of the DAF with intra-layer mesopores upon ambient drying.The resulting aerogel film is lightweight and ultra-flexible,which pos-sesses desirable properties of high visible-light transmittance(91.0%),low thermal conductivity(33 mW m^(-1) K^(-1)),and high atmospheric-window emissivity(90.1%).Furthermore,the DAF exhibits reduced surface energy and exceptional hydrophobicity due to the presence of fluorine-containing groups,enhancing its durability and UV resistance.Consequently,the DAF has demonstrated its potential as solar-thermal regulatory cooling window materials capable of simultaneously providing indoor lighting,thermal insulation,and daytime radiative cooling under direct sunlight.Significantly,the enclosed space protected by the DAF exhibits a temperature reduction of 2.6℃ compared to that shielded by conventional architectural glass.

Ultra-broadband microwave absorber and high-performance pressure sensor based on aramid nanofiber,polypyrrole and nickel porous aerogel

Electronic devices have become ubiquitous in our daily lives,leading to a surge in the use of microwave absorbers and wearable sensor devices across various sectors.A prime example of this trend is the aramid nanofibers/polypyrrole/nickel(APN)aerogels,which serve dual roles as both microwave absorbers and pressure sensors.In this work,we focused on the preparation of aramid nanofibers/polypyrrole(AP15)aerogels,where the mass ratio of aramid nanofibers to pyrrole was 1:5.We employed the oxidative polymerization method for the preparation process.Following this,nickel was thermally evaporated onto the surface of the AP15 aerogels,resulting in the creation of an ultralight(9.35 mg·cm^(-3)).This aerogel exhibited a porous structure.The introduction of nickel into the aerogel aimed to enhance magnetic loss and adjust impedance matching,thereby improving electromagnetic wave absorption performance.The minimum reflection loss value achieved was-48.7 dB,and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth spanned 8.42 GHz with a thickness of 2.9 mm.These impressive metrics can be attributed to the three-dimensional network porous structure of the aerogel and perfect impedance matching.Moreover,the use of aramid nanofibers and a three-dimensional hole structure endowed the APN aerogels with good insulation,flame-retardant properties,and compression resilience.Even under a compression strain of 50%,the aerogel maintained its resilience over 500 cycles.The incorporation of polypyrrole and nickel particles further enhanced the conductivity of the aerogel.Consequently,the final APN aerogel sensor demonstrated high sensitivity(10.78 kPa-1)and thermal stability.In conclusion,the APN aerogels hold significant promise as ultra-broadband microwave absorbers and pressure sensors.

Multifunctional Integrated Organic-Inorganic-Metal Hybrid Aerogel for Excellent Thermal Insulation and Electromagnetic Shielding Performance

Vehicles operating in space need to withstand extreme thermal and electromagnetic environments in light of the burgeoning of space science and technology.It is imperatively desired to high insulation materials with lightweight and extensive mechanical properties.Herein,a boron-silica-tantalum ternary hybrid phenolic aerogel(BSiTa-PA)with exceptional thermal stability,extensive mechanical strength,low thermal conductivity(49.6 mW m^(-1)K^(-1)),and heightened ablative resistance is prepared by an expeditious method.After extremely thermal erosion,the obtained carbon aerogel demonstrates noteworthy electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding performance with an efficiency of 31.6 dB,accompanied by notable loading property with specific modulus of 272.8 kN·m kg^(-1).This novel design concept has laid the foundation for the development of insulation materials in more complex extreme environments.

Recent Advances in Carbon-Based Current Col lectors/Hosts for Alkali Metal Anodes

The urgent demand for high-energy-density storage systems evokes the research upsurge on the alkali metal batteries with high theoretical capacities.However,the utilization of alkali metal anodes,including Li,Na,and K,is significantly hindered by notorious dendrite growth,undesirable corrosion,and unstable solid electrolyte interface.In order to resolve these issues,the carbon materials for the rational design of current collector/host that can regulate the plating/stripping behavior of alkali metal have been exploited.These carbon-based current collectors/hosts are featured with many pivotal advantages,including mechanical integrity to accommodate the volume change,superior electronic/ionic conductivity,large available surface area,and rich functionalization chemistries to increase the affinity to alkali metal.In this review,the recent progress on various dimensional carbon-based current collectors/hosts with different chemical components in stabilizing the alkali metal anodes through the regulation of initial deposition and subsequent growth behavior during plating/stripping process is provided.The nanostructured carbon scaffolds with self-affinity to alkali metals,as well as the carbon frameworks with internal/external affinitive sites to alkali metals,catalogued by various dimensions,are discussed in this review.Therefore,these appealing strategies based on the carbon-based current collectors/hosts can provide a paradigm for the realization of high-energy-density alkali metal batteries.

Plasma-assisted aerogel interface engineering enables uniform Zn^(2+)flux and fast desolvation kinetics toward zinc metal batteries

The poor reversibility of Zn anodes induced by dendrite growth,surface passivation,and corrosion,severely hinders the practical applicability of Zn metal batteries.To address these issues,a plasmaassisted aerogel(PAG)interface engineering was proposed as efficient ion transport modulator that can simultaneously regulate uniform Zn^(2+)flux and desolvation behavior during battery operation.The PAG with ordered mesopores acted as an ion sieve to homogenize Zn deposition and accelerate Zn^(2+)flux,which is favorable for corrosion resistance and dendrite suppression.Importantly,the plasma-assisted aerogel with abundant hydrophilic groups can facilitate the desolvation kinetics of Zn^(2+)due to the multiple hydrogen-bonding interaction with the activated water molecules,thus accelerating the Zn^(2+)migration kinetics.Consequently,the Zn/Zn cell assembled with PAG-modified separator demonstrates stable plating and stripping behavior(over 1400 h at 1 mA cm^(-2))and high Coulombic efficiency(99.8%at1 mA cm^(-2)after 1100 cycles),and the Zn‖MnO_(2)full cell shows excellent long-term cycling stability and maintains a high capacity of 154.9 mA h g^(-1)after 1000 cycles at 1 A g^(-1).This study provides a feasible approach for the large-scale fabrication of aerogel functionalized separators to realize ultra-stable Zn metal batteries.

Enhancing the cycling stability of Na-ion batteries by bonding MoS2 on assembled carbon-based materials

Room temperature Na-ion batteries(SIBs) show great potential for use as renewable energy storage systems.However, the large-scale application of SIBs has been hindered by the lack of an ideal SIBs anode material. We synthesized MoS2 on carbonized graphene-chitosan(G-C) using the hydrothermal method. The strong interaction between the MoS2 and the G-C greatly improved the electron transport rate and maintained the structural stability of the electrode, which lead to both an excellent rate capability and long cycle stability. The G-C monolith was proven to enhance the electrical conductivity of the composites and served as a matrix for uniformly dispersing active MoS2 nanosheets(NSs), as well as being a buffer material to adapt to changes in volume during the cycle.Serving as an anode material for SIBs, the MoS2-G-C electrode showed good cycling stability(527.3mAh g-1 at100 m A g-1 after 200 cycles), excellent rate capability, and a long cycle life(439.1 m Ah g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 200 cycles).

Long-Chain Gemini Surfactant-Assisted Blade Coating Enables Large-Area Carbon-Based Perovskite Solar Modules with Record Performance

Carbon-based perovskite solar cells show great potential owing to their low-cost production and superior stability in ambient air.However,scaling up to high-efficiency carbon-based solar modules hinges on reliable deposition of uniform defect-free perovskite films over large areas,which is an unsettled but urgent issue.In this work,a long-chain gemini surfactant is introduced into perovskite precursor ink to enforce self-assembly into a network structure,considerably enhancing the coverage and smoothness of the perovskite films.The long gemini surfactant plays a distinctively synergistic role in perovskite film construction,crystallization kinetics modulation and defect passivation,leading to a certified record power conversion efficiency of 15.46%with Voc of 1.13 V and Jsc of 22.92 mA cm^(-2)for this type of modules.Importantly,all of the functional layers of the module are printed through a simple and high-speed(300 cm min^(-1))blade coating strategy in ambient atmosphere.These results mark a significant step toward the commercialization of all-printable carbon-based perovskite solar modules.

Highly Aligned Graphene Aerogels for Multifunctional Composites

Stemming from the unique in-plane honeycomb lattice structure and the sp^(2)hybridized carbon atoms bonded by exceptionally strong carbon–carbon bonds,graphene exhibits remarkable anisotropic electrical,mechanical,and thermal properties.To maximize the utilization of graphene’s in-plane properties,pre-constructed and aligned structures,such as oriented aerogels,films,and fibers,have been designed.The unique combination of aligned structure,high surface area,excellent electrical conductivity,mechanical stability,thermal conductivity,and porous nature of highly aligned graphene aerogels allows for tailored and enhanced performance in specific directions,enabling advancements in diverse fields.This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in highly aligned graphene aerogels and their composites.It highlights the fabrication methods of aligned graphene aerogels and the optimization of alignment which can be estimated both qualitatively and quantitatively.The oriented scaffolds endow graphene aerogels and their composites with anisotropic properties,showing enhanced electrical,mechanical,and thermal properties along the alignment at the sacrifice of the perpendicular direction.This review showcases remarkable properties and applications of aligned graphene aerogels and their composites,such as their suitability for electronics,environmental applications,thermal management,and energy storage.Challenges and potential opportunities are proposed to offer new insights into prospects of this material.