Room Temperature Synthesis of Vertically Aligned Amorphous Ultrathin NiCo-LDH Nanosheets Bifunctional Flexible Supercapacitor Electrodes

Developing a simple scalable method to fabricate electrodes with high capacity and wide voltage range is desired for the real use of electrochemical supercapacitors.Herein,we synthesized amorphous NiCo-LDH nanosheets vertically aligned on activated carbon cloth substrate,which was in situ transformed from Co-metal-organic framework materials nano-columns by a simple ion exchange process at room temperature.Due to the amorphous and vertically aligned ultrathin structure of NiCo-LDH,the NiCo-LDH/activated carbon cloth composites present high areal capacities of 3770 and 1480 mF cm^(-2)as cathode and anode at 2 mA cm^(-2),and 79.5%and 80%capacity have been preserved at 50 mA cm^(-2).In the meantime,they all showed excellent cycling performance with negligible change after>10000 cycles.By fabricating them into an asymmetric supercapacitor,the device achieves high energy densities(5.61 mWh cm^(-2)and 0.352 mW cm^(-3)).This work provides an innovative strategy for simplifying the design of supercapacitors as well as providing a new understanding of improving the rate capabilities/cycling stability of NiCo-LDH materials.

Room temperature quantum anomalous Hall insulator in honeycomb lattice, RuCS_(3), with large magnetic anisotropy energy

The quantum anomalous Hall(QAH) effect has attracted enormous attention since it can induce topologically protected conducting edge states in an intrinsic insulating material. For practical quantum applications, the main obstacle is the non-existent room temperature QAH systems, especially with both large topological band gap and robust ferromagnetic order. Here, according to first-principles calculations, we predict the realization of the room temperature QAH effect in a two-dimensional(2D) honeycomb lattice, RuCS_(3) with a non-zero Chern number of C = 1. Especially, the nontrivial topology band gap reaches up to 336 me V for RuCS_(3). Moreover, we find that RuCS_(3) has a large magnetic anisotropy energy(2.065 me V) and high Curie temperature(696 K). We further find that the non-trivial topological properties are robust against the biaxial strain. The robust topological and magnetic properties make RuCS_(3) have great applications in room temperature spintronics and nanoelectronics.

Composite polymer electrolyte reinforced by graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets for room-temperature all-solid-state lithium batteries

By virtue of the flexibility and safety, polyethylene oxide(PEO) based electrolytes are regarded as an appealing candidate for all-solid-state lithium batteries. However, their application is limited by the poor ionic conductivity at room temperature, narrow electrochemical stability window and uncontrolled growth of lithium dendrite. To alleviate these problems, we introduce the ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets(GCN) as advanced nanofillers into PEO based electrolytes(GCN-CPE). Benefiting from the high surface area and abundant surface N-active sites of GCN, the GCN-CPE displays decreased crystallinity and enhanced ionic conductivity. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared and chronoamperometry studies indicate that GCN can facilitate Li+migration in the composite electrolyte. Additionally, the GCN-CPE displays an extended electrochemical window compared with PEO based electrolytes. As a result, Li symmetric battery assembled with GCN-CPE shows a stable Li plating/stripping cycling performance, and the all-solid-state Li/LiNi_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)O_(2)(NCM622) batteries using GCN-CPE exhibit satisfactory cyclability and rate capability in a voltage range of 3-4.2 V at 30 ℃.

NaH doped TiO_(2)as a high-performance catalyst for Mg/MgH_(2)cycling stability and room temperature absorption

This paper presents the catalytic effect of NaH doped nanocrystalline TiO_(2)(designated as NaTiOxH)in the improvement of MgH_(2)hydrogen storage properties.The catalyst preparation involves ball milling NaH with TiO_(2)for 3 hr.The addition of 5 wt%NaTiOxH powder into MgH_(2)reduces its operating temperature to∼185℃,which is∼110℃lower than the additive-free as-milled MgH_(2).The composite remarkably desorbs∼7.2 wt%H_(2)within 15 min at∼290℃and reabsorbs∼4.5 wt%H_(2)in 45 min at room temperature under 50 bar H_(2).MgH_(2)dehydrogenation is activated at 57 kJ/mol by the catalyst.More importantly,the addition of 2.5 wt%NaTiOxH catalyst aids MgH_(2)to reversibly produce∼6.1 wt%H_(2)upon 100 cycles within 475 hr at 300℃.Microstructural investigation into the catalyzed MgH_(2)composite reveals a firm contact existing between NaTiOxH and MgH_(2)particles.Meanwhile,the NaTiOxH catalyst consists of catalytically active Ti_(3)O_(5),and“rod-like”Na_(2)Ti_(3)O_(7)species liberated in-situ during preparation;these active species could provide multiple hydrogen diffusion pathways for an improved MgH_(2)sorption process.Furthermore,the elemental characterization identifies the reduced valence states of titanium(Ti<4+)which show some sort of reversibility consistent with H_(2)insertion and removal.This phenomenon is believed to enhance the mobility of Mg/MgH_(2)electrons by the creation and elimination of oxygen vacancies in the defective(TiO_(2-x))catalyst.Our findings have therefore moved MgH_(2)closer to practical applications.

Loading uniform Ag_(3)PO_(4)nanoparticles on three-dimensional peony-like WO_(3)for good stability and excellent selectivity towards NH_(3)at room temperature

A heterojunction structure design is a very good method for improving the properties of semiconductors in many research fields.This method is employed in the present study to promote the gas-sensing performance of Ag_(3)PO_(4)nanocomposites at room temperature(25℃).A nanocomposite of Ag_(3)PO_(4)nanoparticles and three-dimensional peony-like WO_(3)(WO_(3)/Ag_(3)PO_(4))was successfully prepared by the precipitation method.The crystalline phases were analyzed by xray diffraction and the microstructure was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The chemical bonding states were analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The gas-sensing performance of WO_(3)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)sensors was systematically explored at room temperature.The composite sensors possessed a higher response and lower detection limit(1 ppm)to NH_(3)than those made of a single type of material;this is ascribed to the synergistic effect achieved by the heterojunction structure.Among the different composite sensors tested,gas sensor A5W5(Ag_(3)PO_(4):WO3mass ratio of 5:5)displayed the highest response to NH_(3)at room temperature.Interestingly,the A5W5 gas sensor exhibited relatively good stability and excellent selectivity to NH_(3).The A5W5 sensor also displayed a relatively good response under high humidity.The gas-sensing mechanism of the WO_(3)/Ag_(3)PO_(4)sensors is explained in detail.Taken together,the as-prepared sensor is highly efficient at detecting NH_(3)and could be suitable for practical applications.In addition,this study also provides a new method for developing Ag_(3)PO_(4)-based sensors in the gas-sensing field.

Environmentally Friendly Room Temperature Synthesis of 1-Tetralone over Layered Double Hydroxide-Hosted Sulphonato-Salen-Nickel(II) Complex

1-Tetralone, a useful synthetic intermediate in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and dyes, can be prepared by liquid phase catalytic oxidation of tetralin. Selective oxidation of tetralin to 1-tetralone is still a big challenge with low-temperature processes using environmentally friendly routes even after decades of research. Herein, we demonstrate room-temperature oxidation of tetralin to 1-tetralone over layered double hydroxide-hosted sulphonato-salen-nickel(II) complex, LDH-[Ni-salen]. The layered double hydroxide-hosted sulphonato-salen-nickel(II) compound was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and elemental analysis. The theoretical calculations of free sulphonato-salen-nickel(II) complex using Density Functional Theory/CAM-B3LYP at the 6-311++ G(d,p) level of theory were also used to determine the orientation of the Ni-salen compound within the layered structure. The immobilized compound, LDH-[Ni-salen] was found to be an effective reusable catalyst for the oxidation of tetralin to 1-tetralone using a combination of trimethylacetaldehyde and molecular oxygen (14.5 psi) and at 25&deg;C. At 45.5% conversion, tetralin was converted to 1-tetralone with 77.2% selectivity at room temperature and atmospheric pressure after 24 h. The catalyst recycles test and hot filtration experiment showed that oxidation proceeded through Ni(II) sites in LDH-[Ni-salen]. The catalysts were reused several times without losing their catalytic activity and selectivity. The present results may provide a convenient strategy for the preparation of 1-tetralone using layered double hydroxide-based heterogeneous catalyst at ambient temperature for industrial application in near future.

Development of permanent magnetic refrigerator at room temperature

A reciprocating magnetic refrigerator was developed based on the active magnetic regeneration technology. Rare earth metal Gd and intermetallic compound LaFe11.2Co0.7Si1.1 were used as the magnetic operating materials in the machine. The particles of the magnetic operating materials, with diameter of 0.5-2 mm and total mass of 950 g, were mounted in the cooling bed. A magnetic field was assembled using NdFeB rare earth permanent magnets. It had the magnetic field space of Φ 34×200 and the magnetic induction of 1.5 T. The water at pH=10 is used as a heat transfer fluid. When the ambient temperature is 296 K, a temperature span of 18 K was achieved after operation of 45 min at a frequency of 0.178 Hz. The temperature span and the output power increase significantly with the increasing velocity of heat transfer.

Room Temperature Magnetic Behavior of Sol-Gel Synthesized Mn Doped ZnO

Mn doped ZnO nano-crystallites were synthesized by state of the art sol-gel derived auto- combustion technique. As-burnt powder was investigated with different characterization techniques to explore the properties of Mn doped ZnO dilute magnetic semiconductor. X- ray diffraction measurements indicate that Mn doped ZnO retain wurtzite type hexagonal crystal structure like ZnO. Compositional and morphological studies were carried out by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Temperature dependent resistivity of the sample exhibited the semiconducting behavior of the DMS material. Room temperature magnetic properties determined by vibrating sample magnetometer, revealed the presence of ferromagnetic and diamagnetic contributions in Mn doped ZnO.

Room Temperature Ferromagnetism in Ga1-xHoxN （x=0.0 and 0.05） Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Thin Films

Holmium doped GaN diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films have been prepared by thermal evaporation technique and subsequent ammonia annealing. X-ray diffraction mea- surements reveal all peaks belong to the purely hexagonal wurtzite structure. Surface mor- phology and composition analysis were carried out by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy respectively. The room temperature ferromagnetic proper- ties of Gal-xHoxN （x=0.0, 0.05） films were analyzed using vibrating sample magnetometer at room temperature. Magnetic measurements showed that the undoped films （i.e. GaN） exhibited diamagnetic behavior, while the Ho-doped （Gao.95Hoo.05N） film exhibited a ferro- magnetic behavior.

Structural, Optical and Room Temperature Magnetic Study of Mn₂O₃Nanoparticles

In this work, Mn2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) are prepared by co-precipitation technique. The synthesized sample is characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). The XRD spectrum reveals the cubic structure of Mn2O3 NPs and the lattice parameter is calculated to be 9.4232 ?. Crystallite size (D) is estimated using Debye-Scherer’s formula and is found to be 17.3 nm. A micrograph for the NPs is obtained using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The Mn2O3 nanoparticles are viewed at 7500× magnification and their shape is spherical. D is also measured using TEM and it is 19.1 nm, which is very close to the one obtained from XRD. The elemental contents of the prepared samples are determined using particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE). In addition, the oxygencontent of the sample is obtained using non Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) at 3 MeV proton beam. The sample shows high purity and the RBS technique is more accurate in determining the O-content. The presence of functional groups and the chemical bonding is confirmed by FTIR spectrum. The energy band gap (Eg) is calculated for the NPs using the UV-visible optical spectroscopy between 350 nm and 800 nm and found to be 1.24 eV. The sample shows high absorption in the visible range. The magnetization (VSM) is conducted to the sample and the saturation magnetization (Ms) is calculated as 2.642 emu/g. The hysteresis loop shows antiferromagnetic behavior. The EPR analysis is performed at room temperature for the NPs. The g-factor is calculated from the spectrum and found to be 1.985, and the magnetic field shift occurs at Bo = 350.5 mT. The intensity appeared to be high, which confirms the existence of Mn2+ ions on the surface.

Structure,room-temperature magnetic and optical properties of Mn-doped TiO_2 nano powders prepared by the sol-gel process

TiO2 nano powders with Mn concentration of 0 at%-12 at% were synthesized by the sol-gel process, and were annealed at 500 ℃ and 800 ℃ in air for 2 hrs. X-ray diffraction （XRD） measurements indicate that the Mn-TiO2 nano powders with Mn concentration of 1 at% and 2 at% annealed at 500 and 800 ℃ are of pure anatase and rutile, respectively. The scanning electron microscope （SEM） observations reveal that the crystal grain size increases with the annealing temperature, and the high resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） investigations further indicate that the samples are well crystallized, confirming that Mn has doped into the TiO2 crystal lattice effectively. The room temperature ferromagnetism, which could be explained within the scope of the bound magnetic polaron （BMP） theory, is detected in the Mn-TiO2 samples with Mn concentration of 2 at%, and the magnetization of the powders annealed at 500 ℃ is stronger than that of the sample treated at 800 ℃. The UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectra results demonstrate that the absorption of the TiO2 powders could be enlarged by the enhanced trapped electron absorption caused by Mn doping.

Effects of hierarchical structure on the performance of tin oxide-supported platinum catalyst for room-temperature formaldehyde oxidation

Flower-like tin oxide-supported platinum（Pt/SnOx） with a hierarchical structure was synthesized by a hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD,SEM,TEM,high resolution TEM,XPS and nitrogen adsorption.The flower-like Pt/SnOx microspheres of 1 μm in diameter were composed of staggered petal-like nanosheets with a thickness of 20 nm.Pt nanoparticles（NPs） of 2-3 nm were well dispersed on the SnOx nanosheets.The catalyst was tested in the catalytic oxidation of gaseous formaldehyde（HCHO） at room temperature,and exhibited enhanced activity compared to Pt NPs supported on commercial SnO and ground SnOx.HCHO removal of 87%was achieved over the hierarchical Pt/SnOx after 1 h of reaction,which was 1.5 times that over the ground SnOx-supported Pt（Pt/g-SnOx）,and the high activity was maintained after six recycles,showing the high stability of this catalyst.HCHO decomposition kinetics was modeled as a second order reaction.The reaction rate constant for Pt/SnOx was 5.6 times higher than Pt/g-SnOx.The hierarchical pore structure was beneficial for the diffusion and adsorption of HCHO molecules,and the highly dispersed Pt NPs on the SnOx nanosheets were the active sites for the oxidative decomposition of HCHO into CO2 and H2O.This study provided a promising approach for designing efficient catalysts for indoor HCHO removal at ambient temperature.

Oxidative Desulfurization of Fuel Oil at Room Temperature Catalyzed by Ordered Meso-macroporous HPW/SiO2

A serial of ordered meso-macroporous phosphotungstic acid(HPW) supported on SiO2 nanocomposites were successfully prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method, using monodispersed polystyrene(PS) microspheres and cationic surfactant as structure directing agent. These nanocomposites were used as catalysts for oxidative desulfurization(ODS) of model fuel. The materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), N2 adsorption-desorption isothrem, X-ray diffraction(XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectra(FTIR). The characterization results suggested that the as-prepared material possessed ordered meso-macroporous architectures with Keggin type phosphotungstic acid dispersed homogeneously in SiO2 matrix. Under the selected reaction conditions, dibenzothiophene(DBT) in model fuel can be removed within 2 h at room temperature(30 ℃). In addition, only 1.2% of efficiency lose than the fresh catalyst even after 5 cycles.

Preparation of nano-sized cerium and titanium pyrophosphates via solid-state reaction at room temperature

Nano-sized cerium-titanium pyrophosphates Ce1-xTixP2O7 （with x = 0, 0.2, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9, and 1.0） were obtained by grinding a mixture of Ce（SO4）2·4H2O, Ti（SO4）2, and Na4P2O7·10H2O in the presence of surfactant PEG-400 at room temperature, washing the mixture with water to remove soluble inorganic salts, and drying at 100℃. The products and their calcined samples were characterized using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy （UV-vis）, thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses （TG/DTA）, X-ray powder diffraction （XRD）, and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The results show that nano-sized Ce1-xTixP2O7 behave as an excellent UV-shielding material. Thereinto, the CeP2O7 has the most excellent UV-shielding effect, and the amorphous state of Ce0.8Ti0.2P2O7 can keep at a higher temperature than CeP2O7. Therefore, the stabilization of the amorphous state of the cerium pyrophosphates was carded out by doping titanium. This stabilization is a significant improvement, which enables to apply these amorphous pyrophosphates not only to cosmetics and paints, but also plastics and films.

Room-Temperature Gas Sensors Under Photoactivation:From Metal Oxides to 2D Materials

Room-temperature gas sensors have aroused great attention in current gas sensor technology because of deemed demand of cheap,low power consumption and portable sensors for rapidly growing Internet of things applications.As an important approach,light illumination has been exploited for room-temperature operation with improving gas sensor's attributes including sensitivity,speed and selectivity.This review provides an overview of the utilization of photoactivated nanomaterials in gas sensing field.First,recent advances in gas sensing of some exciting different nanostructures and hybrids of metal oxide semiconductors under light illumination are highlighted.Later,excellent gas sensing performance of emerging two-dimensional materialsbased sensors under light illumination is discussed in details with proposed gas sensing mechanism.Originated impressive features from the interaction of photons with sensing materials are elucidated in the context of modulating sensing characteristics.Finally,the review concludes with key and constructive insights into current and future perspectives in the light-activated nanomaterials for optoelectronic gas sensor applications.

La-doped Pt/TiO_2 as an efficient catalyst for room temperature oxidation of low concentration HCHO

Catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde (HCHO) is the most efficient way to purify indoor air of HCHO pollutant. This work investigated rare earth La‐doped Pt/TiO2 for low concentration HCHO oxidation at room temperature. La‐doped Pt/TiO2 had a dramatically promoted catalytic performance for HCHO oxidation. The reasons for the La promotion effect were investigated by N2 adsorption, X‐raydiffraction, CO chemisorption, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and high‐angle annular dark field scanning TEM. The Pt nanoparticle size was reduced to 1.7nm from 2.2 nm after modification by La, which led to higher Pt dispersion, more exposed activesites and enhanced metal‐support interaction. Thus a superior activity for indoor low concentrationHCHO oxidation was obtained. Moreover, the La‐doped TiO2 can be wash‐coated on a cordieritemonolith so that very low amounts of Pt (0.01 wt%) can be used. The catalyst was evaluated in asimulated indoor HCHO elimination environment and displayed high purifying efficiency and stability.It can be potentially used as a commercial catalyst for indoor HCHO elimination.

Synthesis and characterization of CePO_4 nanowires via microemulsion method at room temperature

Uniform CeVO4 nanowires with diameter of about 25 nm were synthesized by the water-in-oil microemulsion method at room temperature from cerous chloride, sodium orthophosphate, sodium chloride, cyclohexane, Triton X-100 and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide （CTAB）. The crystal structure and morphology of the nanowires were characterized by XRD and TEM, respectively. The UV-vis absorption was detected by UV-vis spectrophotometer techniques. The results showed that as-prepared nanowires with the hexagonal phase have obvious quantum confinement effect and semiconductor characteristics. Little sodium chloride could play a positive role on the formation of CePO4 nanowires at room temperature. The size of the nanowires can be controlled through the joining of sodium chloride. C 2009 Yi Bin Yin. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Improvement of strength and ductility synergy in a room-temperature stretch-formable Mg-Al-Mn alloy sheet by twin-roll casting and low-temperature annealing

Strength and ductility synergy in an Mg-3mass%Al-Mn(AM30)alloy sheet was successfully improved via twin-roll casting and annealing at low-temperature.An AM30 alloy sheet produced by twin-roll casting,homogenization,hot-rolling,and subsequent annealing at 170℃ for 64 h exhibits a good 0.2%proof stress of 170 MPa and a large elongation to failure of 33.1%along the rolling direction.The sheet also shows in-plane isotropic tensile properties,and the 0.2%proof stress and elongation to failure along the transverse direction are 176 MPa and 35.5%,respectively.Though the sheet produced by direct-chill casting also shows moderate strengths if the annealing condition is same,the direct-chill casting leads to the deteriorated elongation to failure of 23.9%and 30.0%for the rolling and transverse directions,respectively.As well as such excellent tensile properties,a high room-temperature stretch formability with an Index Erichsen value of 8.3 mm could be obtained in the twin-roll cast sheet annealed at 170℃ for 64 h.The annealing at a higher temperature further improves the stretch formability;however,this results in the decrease of the tensile properties.Microstructure characterization reveals that the excellent combination of strengths,ductility,and stretch formability in the twin-roll cast sheet annealed at the low-temperature annealing is mainly attributed to the uniform recrystallized microstructure,fine grain size,and circular distribution of(0001)poles away from the normal direction of the sheet.

Preparing Nano-ZnS by Solid State Reaction at Room Temperature

ZnS nanoparticles were prepared by using solid-state reaction method at room temperature in agate mortar for the first time. The average particle size was about 20nm. This reaction is affected by the structure of reactant, crystal water and defects.

Recent Progress on Flexible Room-Temperature Gas Sensors Based on Metal Oxide Semiconductor

With the rapid development of the Internet of Things,there is a great demand for portable gas sensors.Metal oxide semiconductors(MOS)are one of the most traditional and well-studied gas sensing materials and have been widely used to prepare various commercial gas sensors.However,it is limited by high operating temperature.The current research works are directed towards fabricating high-performance flexible room-temperature(FRT)gas sensors,which are effective in simplifying the structure of MOS-based sensors,reducing power consumption,and expanding the application of portable devices.This article presents the recent research progress of MOS-based FRT gas sensors in terms of sensing mechanism,performance,flexibility characteristics,and applications.This review comprehensively summarizes and discusses five types of MOS-based FRT gas sensors,including pristine MOS,noble metal nanoparticles modified MOS,organic polymers modified MOS,carbon-based materials(carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives)modified MOS,and two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides materials modified MOS.The effect of light-illuminated to improve gas sensing performance is further discussed.Furthermore,the applications and future perspectives of FRT gas sensors are also discussed.