Cu,N codoped carbon nanosheets encapsulating ultrasmall Cu nanoparticles for enhancing selective 1,2-propanediol oxidation

In the selective oxidation of biomass-based 1,2-propanediol(PDO)with oxygen as the terminal oxidant,it is challenging to improve the lactic acid(LA)selectivity for nonnoble metal nanoparticles(NPs)due to their limited oxygen reduction rate and easy C-C cleavage.Given the high economic feasibility of nonnoble metals,i.e.,Cu,in this work,copper and nitrogen codoped porous carbon nanosheets encapsulating ultrafine Cu nanoparticles(Cu@Cu-N-C)were developed to realize highly selective of PDO oxidation to LA.The carbon-encapsulated ultrasmall Cu^(0)NPs in Cu@Cu-N-C have high PDO dehydrogenation activity while N-coordinated Cu(Cu-N)sites are responsible for the high oxygen reduction efficacy.Therefore,the performance of catalytic PDO conversion to LA is optimized by a proposed pathway of PDO→hydroxylacetone→lactaldehyde→LA.Specifically,the enhanced LA selectivity is 88.5%,and the PDO conversion is up to 75.1%in an O_(2)-pressurized reaction system(1.0 MPa O_(2)),superior to other Cu-based catalysts,while in a milder nonpressurized system(O_(2)flow rate of 100 mL min-1),a remarkable LA selectivity(94.2%)is obtained with 39.8%PDO conversion,2.2 times higher than that of supported Au nanoparticles(1%Au/C).Moreover,carbon encapsulation offers Cu@Cu-N-C with strong leaching resistance for better recycling.

N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon as a multifunctional support of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles for hydrogenation of nitroarenes

Due to the advantages of high surface areas, large pore volumes and pore sizes, abundant nitrogen content that favored the metal-support interactions, N-doped ordered mesoporous carbons are regarded as a kind of fascinating and potential support for the synthesis of effective supported cat-alysts. Here, a N-doped ordered mesoporous carbon with a high N content （9.58 wt%）, high surface area （417 m^2/g）, and three-dimensional cubic structure was synthesized successfully and used as an effective support for immobilizing Pt nanoparticles （NPs）. The positive effects of nitrogen on the metal particle size enabled ultrasmall Pt NPs （about 1.0 ± 0.5 nm） to be obtained. Moreover, most of the Pt NPs are homogeneously dispersed in the mesoporous channels. However, using the ordered mesoporous carbon without nitrogen as support, the particles were larger （4.4 ± 1.7 nm） and many Pt NPs were distributed on the external surface, demonstrating the important role of the nitrogen species. The obtained N-doped ordered mesoporous material supported catalyst showed excellent catalytic activity （conversion 100%） and selectivity （〉99%） in the hydrogenation of halogenated nitrobenzenes under mild conditions. These values are much higher than those achieved using a commercial Pt/C catalyst （conversion 89% and selectivity 90%）. This outstanding catalytic perfor-mance can be attributed to the synergetic effects of the mesoporous structure, N-functionalized support, and stabilized ultrasmall Pt NPs. Moreover, such supported catalyst also showed excellent catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of other halogenated nitrobenzenes and nitroarenes. In addition, the stability of the multifunctional catalyst was excellent and it could be reused more than 10 times without significant losses of activity and selectivity. Our results conclusively show that a N-doped carbon support enable the formation of ultrafine metal NPs and improve the reaction ac-tivity and selectivity.

Characterization of carbon encapsulated Fe-nanoparticles prepared by confined arc plasma

Carbon encapsulated Fe nanoparticles were successfully prepared via confined arc plasma method. The composition, morphology, microstructure, specific surface area and particle size of the product were characterized via X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller N2 adsorption. The experiment results show that the carbon encapsulated Fe nanoparticles have clear core-shell structure. The core of the particles is body centered cubic Fe, and the shell is disorder carbons. The particles are in spherical or ellipsoidal shapes. The particle size of the nanocapsules ranges from 15 to 40 nm, with the average value of about 30 nm. The particle diameter of the core is 18 nm, the thickness of the shells is 6-8 nm, and the specific surface area is 24 m2/g.

Size-control growth of thermally stable Au nanoparticles encapsulated within ordered mesoporous carbon framework

Simultaneously controlling the size of Au nanoparticles and immobilizing their location to specific active sites while hindering migration and sintering at elevated temperatures is a current challenge within materials chemistry.Typical methods require the use of protecting agents to control the properties of Au nanoparticles and therefore it is difficult to decouple the influence of the protecting agent and the support material.By functionalizing the internal surface area of mesoporous carbon supports with thiol groups and implementing a simple acid extraction step,we are able to design the resulting materials with precise control over the Au nanoparticle size without the need for the presence of any protecting group,whilst simultaneously confining the nanoparticles to within the internal porous network.Monodispersed Au nanoparticles in the absence of protecting agents were encapsulated into ordered mesoporous carbon at various loading levels via a coordination-assisted self-assembly approach.The X-ray diffractograms and transmission electron microscopy micrographs show that the particles have controlled and well-defined diameters between 3 and 18 nm at concentrations between 1.1 and 9.0 wt%.The Au nanoparticles are intercalated into the pore matrix to different degrees depending on the synthesis conditions and are stable after high temperature treatment at 600 °C.N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms show that the Au functionalized mesoporous carbon catalysts possess high surface areas（1269–1743 m^2/g）,large pore volumes（0.78–1.38 cm^3/g）and interpenetrated,uniform bimodal mesopores with the primary larger mesopore lying in the range of 3.4–5.7 nm and the smaller secondary mesopore having a diameter close to 2 nm.X-ray absorption near extended spectroscopy analysis reveals changes to the electronic properties of the Au nanoparticles as a function of reduced particle size.The predominant factors that significantly determine the end Au nanoparticle size is both the thiol group concentration and subjecting the as-made materials to an additional concentrated sulfuric acid extraction step.

Pt nanoparticles entrapped in ordered mesoporous carbons:An efficient catalyst for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitrobenzene and its derivatives

Pt nanoparticles entrapped in ordered mesoporous CMK-3 carbons with p6mm symmetry were prepared using a facile impregnation method, and the resulting materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed in the CMK-3 with 43.7% dispersion. The Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was an effective catalyst for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of nitrobenzene and its derivatives under the experimental conditions studied here. The Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was more active than commercial Pt/C catalyst in most cases. A highest turnover frequency of 43.8 s-1 was measured when the Pt/CMK-3 catalyst was applied for the hydrogenation of 2-methyl-nitrobenzene in ethanol under optimal conditions. It is worthy of note that the Pt/CMK-3 catalyst could be recycled easily, and could be reused at least fourteen times without any loss in activity or selectivity for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in ethanol.

Yolk-shell Si/C composites with multiple Si nanoparticles encapsulated into double carbon shells as lithium-ion battery anodes

The conceptual design of yolk-shell structured Si/C composites is considered to be an effective way to improve the recyclability and conductivity of Si-based anode materials. Herein, a new type of yolk-shell structured Si/C composite (denoted as TSC-PDA-B) has been intelligently designed by rational engineering and precise control. In the novel structure, the multiple Si nanoparticles with small size are successfully encapsulated into the porous carbon shells with double layers benefiting from the strong etching effect of HF. The TSC-PDA-B product prepared is evaluated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The TSC-PDA-B product exhibits an excellent lithium storage performance with a high initial capacity of 2108 mAh g^-1 at a current density of 100 mA g^-1 and superior cycling performance of 1113 mAh g^-1 over 200 cycles. The enhancement of lithium storage performance may be attributed to the construction of hybrid structure including small Si nanoparticles, high surface area, and double carbon shells, which can not only increase electrical conductiv让y and intimate electrical contact with Si nanoparticles, but also provide built-in buffer voids for Si nanoparticles to expand freely without damaging the carbon layer. The present findings can provide some scientific insights into the design and the application of advanced Si-based anode materials in energy storage fields.

Enhanced hydrogen evolution reaction over molybdenum carbide nanoparticles confined inside single-walled carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes(CNTs) have shown as unique nanoreactors to tune the catalytic activity of confined nano-catalysts. Here we report that the catalytic performance of molybdenum carbide nanoparticles(MoC_x NPs) for the hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) process can be enhanced by encapsulation within single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWNTs) with a diameter of 1–2 nm. The catalyst with MoC_x NPs located on the interior surface of SWNTs(MoCx@SWNTs) exhibits a lower onset over-potential and a smaller Tafel slope than the one with MoC_x NPs attached on the exterior surface(MoCx/SWNTs). This is likely attributed to the much smaller particle size and the more reduced states of the confined MoC_x NPs, as well as the larger specific surface area of MoCx@SWNTs compared with Mo Cx/SWNTs. In addition, the electronic structure of the confined MoC_x NPs might be modified by the confinement effects of SWNTs, and hence the adsorption free energy of H atoms on the confined MoC_x NPs, which could also contribute to their higher performance. These results suggest that the SWNTs can be further explored for constructing novel catalysts with beneficial catalytic performance.

Colorectal cancer lymph node staining by activated carbon nanoparticles suspension in vivo or methylene blue in vitro

AIM:To investigate whether activated carbon nanoparticles suspension(ACNS) or methylene blue(MB) can increase the detected number of lymph nodes in colorectal cancer.METHODS:Sixty-seven of 72 colorectal cancer patients treated at our hospital fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study which was conducted from December 2010 to February 2012.Seven patients refused to participate.Eventually,60 patients were included,and randomly assigned to three groups(20 in each group):ACNS group(group A),MB group(group B) and non-stained conventional surgical group(group C).In group A,patients received subserosal injection of 1 mL ACNS in a 4-quadrant region around the mass.In group B,the main artery of specimen was identified and isolated after the specimen was removed,and 2 mL MB was slowly injected into the isolated,stretched and fixed vessel.In group C,no ACNS and MB were injected.All the mesentery lymph nodes were isolated and removed systematically by visually inspecting and palpating the adipose tissue.RESULTS:No difference was observed among the three groups in age,gender,tumor location,tumor diameter,T-stage,degree of differentiation,postoperative complications and peritoneal drainage retention time.The total number of detected lymph nodes was 535,476 and 223 in the three groups,respectively.The mean number of detected lymph nodes per patient was significantly higher in group A than in group C(26.8 ± 8.4 vs 12.2 ± 3.2,P < 0.001).Similarly,there were significantly more lymph nodes detected in group B than in group C(23.8 ± 6.9 vs 12.2 ± 3.2,P < 0.001).However,there was no significant difference between group A and group B.There were 50,46 and 32 metastatic lymph nodes dissected in 13 patients of group A,10 patients of group B and 11 patients of group C,without significant differences among the three groups.Eleven of the 60 patients had insufficient number of detected lymph nodes(< 12).Only one patient with T 4a rectal cancer had 10 lymph nodes detected in group B,the other 10 patients were all from group C.Based on the different diameter categories,the number of detected lymph nodes in groups A and B was significantly higher than in group C.However,there was no statistically significant difference between group A and group B.The metastatic lymph nodes were not significant different among the three groups.Similarly,tumor location,T stage and tumor differentiation did not affect the staining results.Body mass index was a minor influencing factor in the two different staining methods.The stained lymph nodes can easily be identified from the mesenteric adipose tissues,and the staining time for lymph nodes was not significantly different compared with unstained group.None of the patients in groups A and B had drug-related complications.CONCLUSION:Both activated carbon nanoparticles suspension in vivo and methylene blue in vitro can be used as tracers to increase the detected number of lymph nodes in colorectal cancer.

Novel Hybrid Nanoparticles of Vanadium Nitride/Porous Carbon as an Anode Material for Symmetrical Supercapacitor

Hybrid materials of vanadium nitride and porous carbon nanoparticles(VN/PCNPs) were fabricated by a facile pyrolysis process of vanadium pentoxide(V_2O_5) xerogel and melamine at relatively low temperature of 800 °C for supercapacitor application. The effects of the feed ratio of V_2O_5 to melamine(r), and nitrogen flow rate on the microstructure and electrochemical performance were also investigated. It was found that the size of the as-synthesized nanoparticles is about 20 nm. Both r value and N_2 flow rate have enormous impacts on morphology and microstructure of the nanoparticle, which correspondingly determined the electrochemical performance of the material. The VN/C hybrid nanoparticles exhibited high capacitive properties, and a maximum specific capacitance of 255.0 Fg^(-1) was achieved at a current density of 1.0 Ag^(-1) in 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte and the potential range from 0 to -1.15 V. In addition,symmetrical supercapacitor fabricated with the as-synthesized VN/PCNPs presents a high specific capacitance of 43.5 F g^(-1) at 0.5 A g^(-1) based on the entire cell, and an energy density of 8.0 Wh kg^(-1) when the power density was 575 W kg^(-1). Even when the power density increased to 2831.5 W kg^(-1), the energy density still remained 6.1 Wh kg^(-1).

In situ synthesis of palladium nanoparticles on multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their electroactivity for ethanol oxidation

Pd nanoparticles(Pd-NPs)were prepared and directly anchored on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs)in the absence of chemical reduction agent,where MWCNTs were used as both the chemical reduction agent and the support substrate of Pd-NPs.Effect of various surfactants on the in situ deposition of PdNPs on MWCNTs was investigated.When MWCNTs were modified with a cationic surfactant(hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide,CTAB),the amount of the Pd-NPs(Pd-NP/CTAB-MWCNT)generated by such an in situ deposition method gets a notable increase,and the size of the as-synthesized Pd-NPs becomes smaller,compared with those in the absence of any surfactant(Pd-NP/MWCNT)or in the presence of an anionic surfactant SDS(Pd-NP/SDS-MWCNT)and a neutral surfactant OP(PdNP/OP-MWCNT).Results show that the MWCNTs modified with CTAB are propitious to the in situ reduction of Pd2?.Among the prepared catalysts,Pd-NP/CTABMWCNT displays the highest electroactivity for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media.

Lymph Node Mapping with Carbon Nanoparticles and the Risk Factors of Lymph Node Metastasis in Gastric Cancer

The study aimed to examine the applicability of carbon nanoparticles as a tracer for lymph node mapping and the related factors of lymph node and No.8p subgroup metastasis in patients with gastric cancer.Clinical data of 50 patients with gastric cancer,who had not received treatment preoperatively and underwent gastrectomy in Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery,Wuhan Union Hospital,between October 2014 and August 2015,were retrospectively analyzed.These patients were found to have no distant metastasis preoperatively.Thirty-five out of 50 patients were subjected to lymphatic mapping technique using carbon nanoparticles as the tracer,and the rest 15 cases did not experience the lymphatic mapping and served as controls.The sensitivity,specificity,false positive rate and false negative rate were calculated according to the number of lymph nodes,and the staining and metastasis condition of lymph nodes.The diagnostic value of carbon nanoparticles on metastatic lymph nodes was evaluated.The relationship between the metastasis of lymph nodes or subgroup No.8p lymph nodes and clinicopathologic features was analyzed by χ^2-test or Fisher＇s exact test.All patients underwent D2 surgery（lymph node dissection including all the group 1 and group 2 nodes） plus the dissection of the subgroup No.8p lymph nodes.It was found that the average number of harvested lymph nodes in lymphatic mapping technique group（45.7±14.5） was greater than that in control group（39.2±11.7）,but the difference was not significantly different（P=0.138〉0.05）.The success rate,the accuracy,sensitivity,specificity and false negative rate was 97%,57%,28%,62% and 72% respectively.The metastasis of lymph nodes was correlated to the depth of cancer invasion（T stage）（P=0.004〈0.05）,and the metastasis of No.8p lymph nodes was correlated to the extent of lymph node involvement（N stage）（P=0.007〈0.05）.Six cases had lymph node metastasis in subgroup No.8p,and their TNM stages and clinical stages were as follows：T1N2M0 ⅡA,T3N3M0 ⅢB,T4 a N3M0 ⅢC,T4 a N3M0 ⅢC,T4 a N3M0 ⅢC,and T4 b N3M0 ⅢC.In conclusion,our study indicated that carbon nanoparticles failed to show good selectivity for metastatic lymph nodes;the result of lymphatic mapping does not achieve a satisfactory performance;the incidence of lymph node metastasis may increase,accompanying with the increase of the depth of cancer invasion;No.8p lymph node metastasis tends to occur for gastric carcinoma patients with the extent of lymph node metastasis over N2 stage.

Ammonia-treatment assisted fully encapsulation of Fe_2O_3 nanoparticles in mesoporous carbons as stable anodes for lithium ion batteries

To improve the initial coulombic efficiency and bulk density of ordered mesoporous carbons, active Fe203 nanoparticles were introduced into tubular mesopore channels of CMK-5 carbon, which possesses high specific surface area （〉1700 m2.g-1） and large pore volume （〉1.8 cm3-g-1）. Fine Fe203 nanoparticles with sizes in the range of 5-7 nm were highly and homogenously encapsulated into CMK-5 matrix through ammonia-treatment and subsequent pyrolysis method. The Fe203 loading was carefully tailored and designed to warrant a high Fe203 content and adequate buffer space for improving the electrochemical performance. In particular, such Fe203 and mesoporous carbon composite with 47 wt% loading exhibits a considerably stable cycle performance （683 mAh.g-1 after 100 cycles, 99% capacity retention against that of the second cycle） as well as good rate capability. The fabrication strategy can effectively solve the drawback of single material, and achieve a high-performance lithium electrode material.

Bi Nanoparticles Anchored in N-Doped Porous Carbon as Anode of High Energy Density Lithium Ion Battery

A novel bismuth–carbon composite, in which bismuth nanoparticles were anchored in a nitrogen-doped carbon matrix(Bi@NC), is proposed as anode for high volumetric energy density lithium ion batteries(LIBs).Bi@NC composite was synthesized via carbonization of Zn-containing zeolitic imidazolate(ZIF-8) and replacement of Zn with Bi, resulting in the N-doped carbon that was hierarchically porous and anchored with Bi nanoparticles. The matrix provides a highly electronic conductive network that facilitates the lithiation/delithiation of Bi.Additionally, it restrains aggregation of Bi nanoparticles and serves as a buffer layer to alleviate the mechanical strain of Bi nanoparticles upon Li insertion/extraction.With these contributions, Bi@NC exhibits excellent cycling stability and rate capacity compared to bare Bi nanoparticles or their simple composites with carbon. This study provides a new approach for fabricating high volumetric energy density LIBs.

Performance improvement of ionic surfactant flooding in carbonate rock samples by use of nanoparticles

Various surfactants have been used in upstream petroleum processes like chemical flooding. Ultimately, the performance of these surfactants depends on their ability to reduce the interfacial tension between oil and water. The surfactant concentration in the aqueous solution decreases owing to the loss of the surfactant on the rock surface in the injection process. The main objective of this paper is to inhibit the surfactant loss by means of adding nanoparticles. Sodium dodecyl sulfate and silica nanoparticles were used as ionic surfactant and nanoparticles in our experiments, respectively. AEROSIL~？ 816 and AEROSIL~？200 are hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanoparticles. To determine the adsorption loss of the surfactant onto rock samples, a conductivity approach was used. Real carbonate rock samples were used as the solid phase in adsorption experiments. It should be noted that the rock samples were water wet. This paper describes how equilibrium adsorption was investigated by examining adsorption behavior in a system of carbonate sample（solid phase） and surfactant solution（aqueous phase）. The initial surfactant and nanoparticle concentrations were 500–5000 and 500–2000 ppm, respectively. The rate of surfactant losses was extremely dependent on the concentration of the surfactant in the system, and the adsorption of the surfactant decreased with an increase in the nanoparticle concentration. Also, the hydrophilic nanoparticles are more effective than the hydrophobic nanoparticles.

Synthesis and Characteristics of Fe_3C Nanoparticles Embedded in Amorphous Carbon Matrix

We proposed a new way to synthesize a nanocomposite consisted of cementite Fe3C nanoparticles and amorphous carbon by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Transmission electron microscope images show the existence of nanometric dark grains（Fe3C） embedded in a light matrix（amorphous carbon） in the samples. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy experiment exhibit that the chemical bonding state in the films corresponded to sp3/sp2 amorphous carbon, sp^3 C-N（287.3 eV） and C15 in Fe3C（283.5 eV）. With increasing deposition time, the ratio of amorphous carbon increased. The magnetic measurements show that the value of in-lane coercivity increased with increasing carbon matrix concentration（from about 6.56× 10^3 A/m for film without carbon structures to approximately 2.77× 10^4 and 5.81 × 10^4 AJm for nanocomposite films at room temperature and 10 K, respectively）. The values of saturation magnetization for the synthesized nanocomposites were lower than that of the bulk Fe3C （ 140 Am^2/kg）.

Electrochemical determination of vitamin C in the presence of uric acid by a novel TiO_2 nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode

The electrochemical behavior of vitamin C（ascorbic acid or AA） is investigated on the surface of a carbon-paste electrode modified with TiO2 nanoparticles and 2,2＇-（1,2 butanediylbis（nitriloethylidyne））-bis-hydroquinone（BBNBH）.The prepared modified electrode showed an efficient catalytic role in the electrochemical oxidation of AA,leading to remarkable decrease in oxidation overpotential and enhancement of the kinetics of the electrode reaction.This modified electrode exhibits well-separated oxidation peaks for AA and uric acid（UA）.The modified electrode is successfully applied for the accurate determination of AA in pharmaceutical preparations.

Novel Co_3O_4 Nanoparticles/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Composites with Extraordinary Catalytic Activity for Oxygen Evolution Reaction(OER)

Herein, Co_3O_4 nanoparticles/nitrogen-doped carbon(Co_3O_4/NPC) composites with different structures were prepared via a facile method. Structure control was achieved by the rational morphology design of ZIF-67 precursors, which were then pyrolyzed in air to obtain Co_3O_4/NPC composites. When applied as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction(OER), the M-Co_3O_4/NPC composites derived from the flower-like ZIF-67 showedsuperior catalytic activities than those derived from the rhombic dodecahedron and hollow spherical ZIF-67. The former M-Co_3O_4/NPC composite displayed a small overpotential of 0.3 V, low onset potential of 1.41 V, small Tafel slope of 83 m V dec^(-1), and a desirable stability.(94.7% OER activity was retained after 10 h.) The excellent performance of the flower-like M-Co_3O_4/NPC composite in the OER was attributed to its favorable structure.

Three‑Dimensional Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Spheres Modified with Ultrafine Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Microwave Absorption Properties

Currently,electromagnetic radiation and interference have a significant effect on the operation of electronic devices and human health systems.Thus,developing excellent microwave absorbers have a huge significance in the material research field.Herein,a kind of ultrafine zinc oxide(ZnO)nanoparticles(NPs)supported on three-dimensional(3D)ordered mesoporous carbon spheres(ZnO/OMCS)is prepared from silica inverse opal by using phenolic resol precursor as carbon source.The prepared lightweight ZnO/OMCS nanocomposites exhibit 3D ordered carbon sphere array and highly dispersed ultrafine ZnO NPs on the mesoporous cell walls of carbon spheres.ZnO/OMCS-30 shows microwave absorbing ability with a strong absorption(−39.3 dB at 10.4 GHz with a small thickness of 2 mm)and a broad effective absorption bandwidth(9.1 GHz).The outstanding microwave absorbing ability benefits to the well-dispersed ultrafine ZnO NPs and the 3D ordered mesoporous carbon spheres structure.This work opened up a unique way for developing lightweight and high-efficient carbon-based microwave absorbing materials.

Solvent-Free Synthesis of Ultrafine Tungsten Carbide Nanoparticles-Decorated Carbon Nanosheets for Microwave Absorption

Carbides/carbon composites are emerging as a new kind of binary dielectric systems with good microwave absorption performance.Herein,we obtain a series of tungsten carbide/carbon composites through a simple solvent-free strategy,where the solid mixture of dicyandiamide(DCA)and ammonium metatungstate(AM)is employed as the precursor.Ultrafine cubic WC1-x nanoparticles(3-4 nm)are in situ generated and uniformly dispersed on carbon nanosheets.This configuration overcomes some disadvantages of conventional carbides/carbon composites and is greatly helpful for electromagnetic dissipation.It is found that the weight ratio of DCA to AM can regulate chemical composition of these composites,while less impact on the average size of WC1-x nanoparticles.With the increase in carbon nanosheets,the relative complex permittivity and dielectric loss ability are constantly enhanced through conductive loss and polarization relaxation.The different dielectric properties endow these composites with distinguishable attenuation ability and impedance matching.When DCA/AM weight ratio is 6.0,the optimized composite can produce good microwave absorption performance,whose strongest reflection loss intensity reaches up to-55.6 dB at 17.5 GHz and qualified absorption bandwidth covers 3.6-18.0 GHz by manipulating the thickness from 1.0 to 5.0 mm.Such a performance is superior to many conventional carbides/carbon composites.

Self-Decoration of PtNi Alloy Nanoparticles on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Methanol Electro-Oxidation

A simple one-pot method was developed to prepare Pt Ni alloy nanoparticles,which can be self-decorated on multiwalled carbon nanotubes in [BMIm][BF4] ionic liquid.The nanohybrids are targeting stable nanocatalysts for fuel cell applications.The sizes of the supported Pt Ni nanoparticles are uniform and as small as 1–2 nm.Pt-to-Ni ratio was controllable by simply selecting a Pt Ni alloy target.The alloy nanoparticles with Pt-to-Ni ratio of 1:1 show high catalytic activity and stability for methanol electro-oxidation.The performance is much higher compared with those of both Pt-only nanoparticles and commercial Pt/C catalyst.The electronic structure characterization on the Pt Ni nanoparticles demonstrates that the electrons are transferred from Ni to Pt,which can suppress the CO poisoning effect.