Electrochemical synthesis of trimetallic nickel-iron-copper nanoparticles via potential-cycling for high current density anion exchange membrane water-splitting applications

Hydrogen is known for its elevated energy density and environmental compatibility and is a promising alternative to fossil fuels.Alkaline water electrolysis utilizing renewable energy sources has emerged as a means to obtain high-purity hydrogen.Nevertheless,electrocatalysts used in the process are fabricated using conventional wet chemical synthesis methods,such as sol-gel,hydrothermal,or surfactantassisted approaches,which often necessitate intricate pretreatment procedures and are vulnerable to post-treatment contamination.Therefore,this study introduces a streamlined and environmentally conscious one-step potential-cycling approach to generate a highly efficient trimetallic nickel-iron-copper electrocatalyst in situ on nickel foam.The synthesized material exhibited remarkable performance,requiring a mere 476 mV to drive electrochemical water splitting at 100 mA cm^(-2)current density in alkaline solution.Furthermore,this material was integrated into an anion exchange membrane watersplitting device and achieved an exceptionally high current density of 1 A cm^(-2)at a low cell voltage of2.13 V,outperforming the noble-metal benchmark(2.51 V).Additionally,ex situ characterizations were employed to detect transformations in the active sites during the catalytic process,revealing the structural transformations and providing inspiration for further design of electrocatalysts.

Recent advances in electrochemical synthesis of urea via C-N coupling

Urea is widely used as fertilizer and is a key substance supporting global food production. However, the traditional industrial synthesis of urea faces the challenges with high energy consumption and serious environmental problems. With the increasing global demand for environmental protection and sustainable development, it is much necessary to develop novel and clean methods for the synthesis of urea.Electrocatalysis provides an efficient and renewable synthesis route that can directly produce urea at room temperature and atmospheric pressure by the coupling of CO_(2) and nitrogenous molecules. In this review, we summarized the most recent advances in electrochemical synthesis of urea via CAN coupling systematically, focusing on the coupling of CO_(2) and different nitrogen sources. And the associated coupling mechanism, catalysts optimization, and electrolyzer design are well discussed. Moreover, the challenges and future directions for electrocatalytic CAN coupling are prospected. This review will provide timely and valuable guidance for others and attract more interests to promote the development of electrochemical synthesis of urea or other valuable chemicals containing CAN bond.

Navigating the pathways:TAR-DNA-binding-protein-43 aggregation,axonal transport,and local synthesis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathology

Neurons are highly polarized cells with axons reaching over a meter long in adult humans.To survive and maintain their proper function,neurons depend on specific mechanisms that regulate spatiotemporal signaling and metabolic events,which need to be carried out at the right place,time,and intensity.Such mechanisms include axonal transport,local synthesis,and liquid-liquid phase separations.Alterations and malfunctions in these processes are correlated to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS).

The autophagy-lysosome pathway:a potential target in the chemical and gene therapeutic strategies for Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease with movement disorders associated with the intracytoplasmic deposition of aggregate proteins such asα-synuclein in neurons.As one of the major intracellular degradation pathways,the autophagy-lysosome pathway plays an important role in eliminating these proteins.Accumulating evidence has shown that upregulation of the autophagy-lysosome pathway may contribute to the clearance ofα-synuclein aggregates and protect against degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease.Moreover,multiple genes associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease are intimately linked to alterations in the autophagy-lysosome pathway.Thus,this pathway appears to be a promising therapeutic target for treatment of Parkinson’s disease.In this review,we briefly introduce the machinery of autophagy.Then,we provide a description of the effects of Parkinson’s disease–related genes on the autophagy-lysosome pathway.Finally,we highlight the potential chemical and genetic therapeutic strategies targeting the autophagy–lysosome pathway and their applications in Parkinson’s disease.

In situ electrochemical synthesis of MOF-5 and its application in improving photocatalytic activity of BiOBr

Metal-organic frameworks（MOFs） are important functional materials. MOF-5（IL）（Zn4O（BDC）3（BDC=1,4-benzenedicarboxylate） was in situ synthesized by the electrochemical method using a tunable ionic liquid（IL）, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, as template. The crystallization of distinctly spherical MOF-5（IL） synthsized in ionic liquid by the electrochemical method is attributed to π-π stacking effect, ionic bond, and coordination bond. The analysis results show that the product MOF-5（IL） exhibits better crystallinity and higher thermal stability than MOF-5 generated using the solvothermal method. The cyclic voltammetry reveals that the electrosynthesis reaction is irreversible and controlled by the diffusion. The experiments on methylorange degradation show that the unique structure characteristics of MOF-5（IL） can enhance the photocatalytic ability of Bi OBr. Therefore, MOFs can replace noble metals to improve the photocatalytic properties of bismuth oxyhalide.

Synthesis of Crystalline Hydroxyapatite from CaCO_3 and CaHPO_4·2H_2O by Mechanochemical Method

The mixture of CaHPO 4·2H 2O and CaCO 3 was ground in an aqueous system under appropriate conditions to investigate the mechanochemical reaction for the synthesis of crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) powder. Hydroxyapatite of high crystallinity powder including trace Ca 10 (PO 4) 6CO 3(OH) and Ca 9HPO 4(PO 4) 6OH can be synthesized by mechanical activation without further thermal treatment at a high temperature. The synthesis reaction during the grinding process was almost completed within 1h. The as-ground powder exhibits a particle distribution of 20-100nm in size with a spherical or rodlike morphology. The composition and degree of crystallinity of the mechanochemical synthesized hydroxyapatite powders were coincident with the cement-type hydroxyapatite.

Thermodynamics for chemical vapor synthesis of Nb nanopowder in NbCl_5-H_2-Ar system

Thermodynamics for chemical vapor synthesis （CVS） of Nb nanopowder in NbCl5-H2-Ar system was investigated by using FactSage software. The validation experiments were conducted to confirm the thermodynamics points. The results indicate that under the atmospheric pressure, the reduction approach from NbCl5（g） to Nb（s） is a stage-wise process with the formation of complex sub-chlorides, and is controllable at low hydrogen ratio （mole ratio of n（NbCl5）：n（H2）＆lt;1：180） and low temperature （＆lt;1050 ＆#176;C）. Furthermore, a reasonable amount of inert loading gas is favorable to increase the reduction ratio of NbCl5 and the powder yield. The as-synthesized Nb nanopowder with the homogeneous size of 30-50 nm and the powder yield of 85% （mass fraction） is obtained by the CVS process under n（NbCl5）：n（H2）：n（Ar）=1：120：1 and 950 ＆#176;C with the NbCl5 reduction rate of 96.1%.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Property of Flowerlike LiFePO4 by Poly（ethylene glycol）-assisted Hydrothermal Process

Flowerlike LiFePO4 particles self-assembled by plate-like crystals with about 200 nm thickness were prepared by the poly（ethylene glycol）-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. Poly（ethylene glycol） in the hydrothermal system played an important role in reducing the thickness of the plate-like LiFePO4 crystals as a co-solvent and forming the flower- like structure as a soft template. The flowerlike LiFePO4 exhibits high discharge capacity of 140 mAh/g and shows quite good cycling performance in the lithium-ion batteries. Con- sidering that the conductive carbon in the obtained LiFePO4 is negligible, the excellent cell performance suggests that the flowerlike LiFePO4 is a promising cathode material for the lithium-ion batteries.

Synthesis and Characterization of Y-Doped Mesoporous CeO_2 Using A Chemical Precipitation Method

Using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide （CTAB） as the template agent, cerium nitrate as the cerium resource, yttrium nitrate as the yttrium resource, and ammonium carbonate as the precipitating agent, mesoporous CeO2 powders doped with different yttrium contents were successfully synthesized using a chemical precipitation method, under an alkalescent condition. Properties of the obtained samples were characterized and analyzed with X-ray diffraction （XRD）, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays （EDAX）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, infrared （IR） absorbance, and the BET method. For the prepared samples with 20% （molar ratio） Y-doped content, a BET specific surface area of 106. 6 m^2 · g^- 1, with an average pore size of3~27 nm were obtained. XRD patterns showed that the doped samples were with a cubic fluorite structure. TEM micrographs revealed that the doped samples showed a spherical morphology with a diameter ranging from 20 to 30 nm and a round pore shape. IR results indicated that the Ce-O-Ce vibration intensity decreased as the Y-doped content increased. N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms showed that the samples possessed typical mesopore characteristics. The average pore size of the samples decreased alter mesoporous CeO2 was doped with yttrium, and the average pore size decreased largely as the Y-doped content increased.

Synthesis of steel slag ceramics: chemical composition and crystalline phases of raw materials

Two types of porcelain tiles with steel slag as the main raw material （steel slag ceramics） were synthesized based on the CaO-A1203-SiO2 and CaO--MgO-SiO2 systems, and their bending strengths up to 53.47 MPa and 99.84 MPa, respectively, were obtained. The presence of anorthite, a-quartz, magnetite, and pyroxene crystals （augite and diopside） in the steel slag ceramics were very different from the composition of traditional ceramics. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and electron probe X-ray microanalysis （EPMA） results illustrated that the addition of steel slag reduced the temperature of extensive liquid generation and further decreased the firing temperature. The considerable contents of glass-modifying oxide liquids with rather low viscosities at high temperature in the steel slag ceramic adobes promoted element diffusion and crystallization. The results of this study demonstrated a new approach for extensive and effective recycling of steel slag.

Fischer–Tropsch synthesis using Co and Co-Ru bifunctional nanocatalyst supported on carbon nanotube prepared via chemical reduction method

We used a chemical reduction method to synthesize the catalysts of cobalt(Co) and cobalt-ruthenium(Co-Ru) bifunctional supported on carbon nanotubes(CNTs) for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis(FTS) in a fixedbed reactor. These Co-Ru/CNTs catalysts were synthesized with various weight proportions of Ru/Co(0.1 to 0.4 wt%) with keeping a fixed amount of cobalt(10 wt%). Moreover, for comparison purpose, CNTs supported Co-and Co(Ru)-based catalysts at same loading as the above catalysts were prepared through impregnation method. We characterize the present catalysts through the various techniques such as Energy–dispersive X-ray(EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy(TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller(BET),Hydrogen-Temperature-Programmed Reduction(H_2-TPR), Hydrogen-Temperature-Programmed Desorption(H_2-TPD) and O_2 titration. Thus using the chemical reduction method, a narrow particle size distribution was obtained so that the small cobalt particles were confined inside the CNTs. The Co-based catalyst prepared by impregnation was compared with the Co-Ru catalysts at the same loading. The results demonstrated that the use of chemical reduction method led to decrease the average Co oxide cluster size to8.7 nm so that the reduction enhanced about 24% and stabilized an earlier time at the stream. Among the prepared catalysts, the results indicated that the Co-Ru/CNTs catalysts demonstrated high catalytic activity with the highest long-chain hydrocarbons(C_(5+)), selectivity up to 74.76%, which was higher than those we obtained by the Co-Ru/γ-Al_2O_3(61._20%), Co/CNTs(43.68%) and Co/γ-Al_2O_3(37.69%). At the same time, comparing with those catalyst synthesized by impregnation, the use of chemical reduction led to enhancement of the C_(5+) selectivity from 59.30% to 68.83% and increment in FTS rate about 11% for the Co-Ru/CNTs catalyst.

Chemical equilibrium controlled synthesis of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers over sulfated titania

The chemical equilibrium and reaction kinetic behavior in the synthesis of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers （DMMn） were investigated over sulfated titania in order to reveal the decisive factor controlling the reaction. The results showed that the molar ratio of adjacent DMMn products in equilibrium solution had the same value, which depended absolutely on the reaction temperature. Meanwhile, the reactions had the same DMMn products distributions under varied reaction conditions. The equilibrium constants of the related step-wise reactions for DMMn formation were equal, which were calculated based on the bulk compositions of the reaction solution. And thus, the selectivity to DMMn was mainly controlled by the chemical equilibrium, i.e., thermodynamic control. In brief, the present results provide some guidance for future synthesis of DMMn.

Lowering reaction temperature: Electrochemical ammonia synthesis by coupling various electrolytes and catalysts

Ammonia is a vital emerging energy carrier and storage medium in the future hydrogen economy, even presenting relevant advantages compared with methanol due to the higher hydrogen content(17.6 wt% for ammonia versus 12.5 wt% for methanol). The rapidly growing demand for ammonia is still dependent on the conventional high-temperature and high-pressure Haber–Bosch process, which can deliver a conversion rate of about 10%–15%. However, the overall process requires a large amount of fossil fuels,resulting in serious environmental problems. Alternatively, electrochemical routes show the potential to greatly reduce the energy consumption, including sustainable energy sources and simplify the reactor design. Electrolytes perform as indispensable reaction medium during electrochemical processes, which can be further classified into solid oxide electrolytes, molten salt electrolytes, polymer electrolytes, and liquid electrolytes. In this review, recent developments and advances of the electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis catalyzed by a series of functional materials on the basis of aforementioned electrolytes have been summarized and discussed, along with the presentation and evaluation of catalyst preparation, reaction parameters and equipment.

Hydrothermal Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of Complex Cu(α-Furacrylic acid)_2(phen)

The title complex （C26H18CuN206, Mr= 517.96） has been synthesized by the reaction of α-furanacrylic acid with 1,10-phenanthroline （phen） in the solvent mixture of water and methanol. Crystal data： monoclinic, space group C2/c with a = 2.2927（4）, b = 1.01248（18）, c = 1.05061（18） nm, β = 111.188（3）°, V= 2.274（7） nm^3, Dc = 1.513 g/cm^3, Z = 4, F（000） = 1060,μ = 1.007mm^-1, R = 0.0320 and ωR = 0.0781. The crystal structural analysis shows that the copper atom is coordinated with four oxygen atoms from two α-furacrylic acids and two nitrogen atoms from 1,10-phenanthroline, giving a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The result of electrochemical analysis shows that the electron transfer in the electrode reaction is quasi-reversible.

Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia in molten salts

Ammonia is important feedstock for both fertilizer production and carbon-free liquid fuel.Many techniques for ammonia formation have been developed,hoping to replace the industrial energy-intensive Haber-Bosch route.Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia in molten salts is one promising alternative method due to the strong solubility of N3- ions,a wide potential window of molten salt electrolytes and tunable electrode reactions.Generally,electrochemical synthesis of ammonia in molten salts begins with the electro-cleavage of N2/hydrogen sources on electrode surfaces,followed by diffusion of N3^-/H^+-containing ions towards each other for NH3 formation.Therefore,the hydrogen sources and molten salt composition will greatly affect the reactions on electrodes and ions diffusion in electrolytes,being critical factors determining the faradaic efficiency and formation rate for ammonia synthesis.This report summarizes the selection criteria for hydrogen sources,the reaction characteristics in various molten salt systems,and the preliminary explorations on the scaling-up synthesis of ammonia in molten salt.The formation rate and faradaic efficiency for ammonia synthesis are discussed in detail based on different hydrogen sources,various molten salt systems,changed electrolysis conditions as well as diverse catalysts.Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia might be further enhanced by optimizing the molten salt composition,using electrocatalysts with well-defined composition and microstructure,and innovation of novel reaction mechanism.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Polythiophene in an Ionic Liquid

Polythiophene (PTh) was prepared by the direct electrochemical synthesis in an ionic liquid ([BMIM]PF6) containing 0.1 mol/L thiophene by cyclic voltammetry, constant potential and constant current techniques. It is found that smooth and bluegreen PTh films can be obtained at a potential of ca. +1.75 V ( vs. Ag/AgCl ) or a current of ca. 1.5 mA cm-2 in the ionic liquid.

Chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline ZrO_2-SnO_2 composite powders

ZrO_2-SnO_2 composite nanoparticles were prepared by heating the hydrateprecursors synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation reaction of ZrOCl_2 and SnCl_4. Theprecursors were examined by differential thermal analysis (DTA) and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA). The composite powder was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electronmicroscopy (TEM) and desorption isotherm (Barrett-Joyner-Halenda method). The average crystal sizeof the nanoparticle ranges from 15 to 30 nm for the sample containing 5%-25% ZrO_2 (mass fraction).Most of the pores in the ZrO_2-SnO_2 nanoparticles are about 10-20 nm in diameter. The compositepowder is promising for chemical sensors.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies on Spinel Phase LiMn_2O_4 Cathode Materials Prepared by Different Processes

Three kinds of processes, high temperature solid state reaction, precipitation and solgel technique were used to synthsize spinel phase LiMn2O4. XRD, DTATG results show that phasepure spinel LiMn2O4 could be synthesized under the lowest calcined temperature by the solgel technique compared to the precipitation method and solid state reaction. BET, SEM and electrochemical measurements results demonstrate that the features of the powders affect directly the electrochemical capacities; large specific area and small homogeneous grain size are of advantage for the lithium ion insertion and extraction in the charge and discharge process.

Synthesis,spectroscopic and electrochemical property of an unsymmetrical porphyrin and its Zn compound

In this article,a new 5-（p-maleicaminophenyl）-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin（H_2P） and relative zinc compound（ZnP） were synthesized and characterized by means of elemental analyses,UV-vis,IR,MS and 1H NMR spectroscopies.Furthermore,we have investigated the fluorescence spectroscopy of these compounds.The oxidation and reduction properties of the compounds were studied by the cyclic voltarnmetry,the oxidation-reduction potentials were obtained.

Preparation and characterization of calcium aluminate by chemical synthesis

Saturated Ca（OH）2 and AlCl3 solutions were used to synthesize calcium aluminate hydrate precipitates at room temperature; high purity calcium aluminate powders with stable phases were made by calcination of the precursors at a temperature as low as 1100℃. PSD and BET analysis revealed the particles with sizes ranging from submicrometer to several micrometers and with a specific area of 13 m^2/g. The measurement of hydraulic exotherm revealed that the exothennal rate is in peak for about 2 h. The exothermal quantities are 449.24 J/g at 12 h and 488.38 J/g at 24 h. Its strength development is quick and the 1 day curing strength is almost equal to 100% of the 3 days curing strength in the mortar test.