High-performance supercapacitors based on Ni2P@CNT nanocomposites prepared using an ultrafast microwave approach

We present a one-step route for the preparation of nickel phosphide/carbon nanotube (Ni₂P@CNT) nanocomposites for supercapacitor applications using a facile, ultrafast (90 s) microwave-based approach. Ni₂P nanoparticles could grow uniformly on the surface of CNTs under the optimized reaction conditions, namely, a feeding ratio of 30:50:25 for CNT, Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, and red phosphorus and a microwave power of 1000 W for 90 s. Our study demonstrated that the single-step microwave synthesis process for creating metal phosphide nanoparticles was faster and simpler than all the other existing methods. Electrochemical results showed that the specific capacitance of the optimal Ni₂P@CNT-nanocomposite electrode displayed a high specific capacitance of 854 F·g⁻¹ at 1 A·g⁻¹ and a superior capacitance retention of 84% after 5000 cycles at 10 A·g⁻¹. Finally, an asymmetric supercapacitor was assembled using the nanocomposite with activated carbon as one electrode (Ni₂P@CNT//AC), which showed a remarkable energy density of 33.5 W·h·kg⁻¹ and a power density of 387.5 W·kg⁻¹. This work will pave the way for the microwave synthesis of other transition metal phosphide materials for use in energy storage systems.     

g-C3N4-coated MnO2 hollow nanorod cathode for stable aqueous Zn-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries are attracting considerable attention because of their high safety compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries. Manganese-based materials have been widely developed for zinc-ion batteries cathode owning to their low cost, high security and simple preparation. However, the severe volume expansion and poor stability during charging and discharging limit the further development of manganese-based cathodes. Herein, superior α-MnO₂@g-C₃N₄ was successfully prepared for stable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) cathode by introducing g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. Compared with pure α-MnO₂, α-MnO₂@g-C₃N₄ has a specific capacity of 298 mAh·g^–1 at 0.1 A·g^–1. Even at 1 A·g^–1, the α-MnO₂@g-C₃N₄ still retains 100 mAh·g^–1 (83.4% retention after 5000 cycles), implying its excellent cycling stability. The α-MnO₂@g-C₃N₄-based cathode has the highest energy density (563 Wh·kg^–1) and power energy density (2170 W·kg^–1). This work provides new avenues for the development of a wider range of cathode materials for ZIBs.     

One-step synthesis of recoverable CuCo2S4 anode material for high-performance Li-ion batteries

A facile one-step hydrothermal method has been adopted to directly synthesize the CuCo₂S₄ material on the surface of Ni foam. Due to the relatively large specific surface area and wide pore size distribution, the CuCo₂S₄ material not only effectively increases the reactive area, but also accommodates more side reaction products to avoid the difficulty of mass transfer. When evaluated as anode for Li-ion batteries, the CuCo₂S₄ material exhibits excellent electrochemical performance including high discharge capacity, outstanding cyclic stability and good rate performance. At the current density of 200 mA·g⁻¹, the CuCo₂S₄ material shows an extremely high initial discharge capacity of 2510 mAh·g⁻¹, and the cycle numbers of the material even reach 83 times when the discharge capacity is reduced to 500 mAh·g⁻¹. Furthermore, the discharge capacity can reach 269 mAh·g⁻¹ at a current of 2000 mA·g⁻¹. More importantly, when the current density comes back to 200 mA·g⁻¹, the discharge capacity could be recovered to 1436 mAh·g⁻¹, suggesting an excellent capacity recovery characteristics.     

Fe2Mo3O8 nanoparticles self-assembling 3D mesoporous hollow spheres toward superior lithium storage properties

Unique self-assembled iron(II)molybdenum(IV)oxide(Fe₂Mo₃O₈)mesoporous hollow spheres have been facilely constructed via the bubble-template-assisted hydrothermal synthesis method combined with simple calcination.The compact assembly of small nanoparticles on the surface of the hollow spheres not only provides more active sites for the Fe₂Mo₃O₈,but also benefits the stability of the hollow structure,and thus improved the lithium storage properties of Fe2Mo3O8.The Fe₂Mo₃O₈ mesoporous hollow spheres exhibit high initial discharge and charge capacities of 1189 and 997 mA?h?g^?1 respectively,as well as good long-term cycling stability(866 mA?h?g^?1 over 70 cycles)when used as a lithium-ion battery anode.This feasible material synthesis strategy will inspire the variation of structural design in other ternary metal molybdates.     

Electrospun porous carbon nanofibers derived from bio-based phenolic resins as free-standing electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors

Phenolic resins were employed to prepare electrospun porous carbon nanofibers with a high specific surface area as free-standing electrodes for high-performance supercapacitors. However, the sustainable development of conventional phenolic resin has been challenged by petroleum-based phenol and formaldehyde. Lignin with abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups is the main non-petroleum resource that can provide renewable aromatic compounds. Hence, lignin, phenol, and furfural were used to synthesize bio-based phenolic resins, and the activated carbon nanofibers were obtained by electrospinning and one-step carbonization activation. Fourier transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the structural and thermal properties. The results reveal that the apparent activation energy of the curing reaction is 89.21 kJ·mol^–1 and the reaction order is 0.78. The activated carbon nanofibers show a uniform diameter, specific surface area up to 1100 m²·g^–1, and total pore volume of 0.62 cm³·g^–1. The electrode demonstrates a specific capacitance of 238 F·g^–1 (0.1 A·g^–1) and good rate capability. The symmetric supercapacitor yields a high energy density of 26.39 W·h·kg^–1 at 100 W·kg^–1 and an excellent capacitance retention of 98% after 10000 cycles. These results confirm that the activated carbon nanofiber from bio-based phenolic resins can be applied as electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors.     

Superior performance in visible-light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous SrTiO3 decorated with ZnxCd1−xS

It is of broad interest to develop emerging photocatalysts with excellent light-harvesting capacity and high charge carrier separation efficiency for visible light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. However, achieving satisfying hydrogen evolution efficiency under noble metal-free conditions remains challenging. In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous SrTiO₃ decorated with Zn_xCd_1−xS nanoparticles for hydrogen production under visible light irradiation (λ>420 nm). Synergetic enhancement of photocatalytic activity is achieved by the slow photon effect and improved separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. The obtained composites could afford very high hydrogen production efficiencies up to 19.67 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹, with an apparent quantum efficiency of 35.9% at 420 nm, which is 4.2 and 23.9 times higher than those of pure Zn_0.5Cd_0.5S (4.67 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹) and CdS (0.82 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹), respectively. In particular, under Pt-free conditions, an attractive hydrogen production rate (3.23 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹) was achieved, providing a low-cost and high-efficiency strategy to produce hydrogen from water splitting. Moreover, the composites showed excellent stability, and no obvious loss in activity was observed after five cycling tests.     

Nickel(II) ion-intercalated MXene membranes for enhanced H2/CO2 separation

Hydrogen fuel has been embraced as a potential long-term solution to the growing demand for clean energy. A membrane-assisted separation is promising in producing high-purity H₂. Molecular sieving membranes (MSMs) are endowed with high gas selectivity and permeability because their well-defined micropores can facilitate molecular exclusion, diffusion, and adsorption. In this work, MXene nanosheets intercalated with Ni²⁺ were assembled to form an MSM supported on Al₂O₃ hollow fiber via a vacuum-assisted filtration and drying process. The prepared membranes showed excellent H₂/CO₂ mixture separation performance at room temperature. Separation factor reached 615 with a hydrogen permeance of 8.35 × 10⁻⁸ mol·m⁻²·s⁻¹·Pa⁻¹. Compared with the original Ti₃C₂T_x/Al₂O₃ hollow fiber membranes, the permeation of hydrogen through the Ni²⁺-Ti₃C₂T_x/Al₂O₃ membrane was considerably increased, stemming from the strong interaction between the negatively charged MXene nanosheets and Ni²⁺. The interlayer spacing of MSMs was tuned by Ni²⁺. During 200-hour testing, the resultant membrane maintained an excellent gas separation without any substantial performance decline. Our results indicate that the Ni²⁺ tailored Ti₃C₂T_x/Al₂O₃ hollow fiber membranes can inspire promising industrial applications.     

Optimization of electrochemically synthesized Cu3(BTC)2 by Taguchi method for CO2/N2 separation and data validation through artificial neural network modeling

Cu₃(BTC)₂, a common type of metal organic framework (MOF), was synthesized through electrochemical route for CO₂ capture and its separation from N₂. Taguchi method was employed for optimization of key parameters affecting the synthesis of Cu₃(BTC)₂. The results indicated that the optimum synthesis conditions with the highest CO₂ selectivity can be obtained using 1 g of ligand, applied voltage of 25 V, synthesis time of 2 h, and electrode length of 3 cm. The single gas sorption capacity of the synthetized microstructure Cu₃(BTC)₂ for CO₂ (at 298 K and 1 bar) was a considerable value of 4.40 mmol·g⁻¹. The isosteric heat of adsorption of both gases was calculated by inserting temperature-dependent form of Langmuir isotherm model in the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The adsorption of CO₂/N₂ binary mixture with a concentration ratio of 15/85 vol-% was also studied experimentally and the result was in a good agreement with the predicted value of IAST method. Moreover, Cu₃(BTC)₂ showed no considerable loss in CO₂ adsorption after six sequential cycles. In addition, artificial neural networks (ANNs) were also applied to predict the separation behavior of CO₂/N₂ mixture by MOFs and the results revealed that ANNs could serve as an appropriate tool to predict the adsorptive selectivity of the binary gas mixture in the absence of experimental data.     

Preparation of nanosized Mn3O4/SBA-15 catalyst for complete oxidation of low concentration EtOH in aqueous solution with H2O2

A new heterogeneous Fenton-like system consisting of nano-composite Mn₃O₄/SBA-15 catalyst has been developed for the complete oxidation of low concentration ethanol (100 ppm) by H₂O₂ in aqueous solution. A novel preparation method has been developed to synthesize nanoparticles of Mn₃O₄ by thermolysis of manganese (II) acetylacetonate on SBA-15. Mn₃O₄/SBA-15 was characterized by various techniques like TEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and N₂ adsorption isotherms. TEM images demonstrate that Mn₃O₄ nanocrystals located mainly inside the SBA-15 pores. The reaction rate for ethanol oxidation can be strongly affected by several factors, including reaction temperature, pH value, catalyst/solution ratio and concentration of ethanol. A plausible reaction mechanism has been proposed in order to explain the kinetic data. The rate for the reaction is supposed to associate with the concentration of intermediates (radicals: OH, O₂⁻ and HO₂) that are derived from the decomposition of H₂O₂ during reaction. The complete oxidation of ethanol can be remarkably improved only under the circumstances: (i) the intermediates are stabilized, such as stronger acidic conditions and high temperature or (ii) scavenging those radicals is reduced, such as less amount of catalyst and high concentration of reactant. Nevertheless, the reactivity of the presented catalytic system is still lower comparing to the conventional homogenous Fenton process, Fe²⁺/H₂O₂. A possible reason is that the concentration of intermediates in the latter is relatively high.     

Design and synthesis of ZnCo2O4/CdS for substantially improved photocatalytic hydrogen production

In this study, the hydrogen evolution performance of CdS nanorods is improved using ZnCo₂O₄. ZnCo₂O₄ nanospheres are synthesized using the hydrothermal and calcination methods, and CdS nanorods are synthesized using the solvothermal method. From the perspective of morphology, numerous CdS nanorods are anchored on the ZnCo₂O₄ microspheres. According to the experimental results of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, the final hydrogen evolution capacity of 7417.5 μmol∙g^–1∙h^–1 is slightly more than two times that of the single CdS, which proves the feasibility of our study. Through various characterization methods, it is proved that the composite sample has suitable optoelectronic properties. In addition, ZnCo₂O₄ itself exhibits good conductivity and low impedance, which shortens the charge-transfer path. Overall, the introduction of ZnCo₂O₄ expands the adsorption range of light and improves the performance of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. This design can provide reference for developing high-efficiency photocatalysts.     

Optimizing iodine capture performance by metal–organic framework containing with bipyridine units

Radioactive iodine exhibits medical values in radiology, but its excessive emissions can cause environmental pollution. Thus, the capture of radioiodine poses significant engineering for the environment and medical radiology. The adsorptive capture of radioactive iodine by metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has risen to prominence. In this work, a Th-based MOF (denoted as Th-BPYDC) was structurally designed and synthesized, consisting of [Th₆(μ₃-O)₄(μ₃-OH)₄(H₂O)₆]¹²⁺ clusters, abundant bipyridine units, and large cavities that allowed guest molecules diffusion and transmission. Th-BPYDC exhibited the uptake capacities of 2.23 g·g⁻¹ and 312.18 mg·g⁻¹ towards I₂ vapor and I₂ dissolved in cyclohexane, respectively, surpassing its corresponding analogue Th-UiO-67. The bipyridine units boosted the adsorption performance, and Th-BPYDC showed good reusability with high stability. Our work thus opened a new way for the synthesis of MOFs to capture radioactive iodine.     

Solid state protonic conductor NH4PO3–(NH4)2Mn(PO3)4 for intermediate temperature fuel cells

A new proton-conductive composite of NH₄PO₃–(NH₄)₂Mn(PO₃)₄ was synthesized and characterized as a potential electrolyte for intermediate temperature fuel cells that operated around 250 °C. Thermal gravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction investigation showed that (NH₄)₂Mn(PO₃)₄ was stable as a supporting matrix for NH₄PO₃. The composite conductivity, measured using impedance spectroscopy, improved with increasing the molar ratio of NH₄PO₃ in both dry and wet atmospheres. A conductivity of 7 mS cm⁻¹ was obtained at 250 °C in wet hydrogen. Electromotive forces measured by hydrogen concentration cells showed that the composite was nearly a pure protonic conductor with hydrogen partial pressure in the range of 10²–10⁵ Pa. The proton transference number was determined to be 0.95 at 250 °C for 2NH₄PO₃–(NH₄)₂Mn(PO₃)₄ electrolyte. Fuel cells using 2NH₄PO₃–(NH₄)₂Mn(PO₃)₄ as an electrolyte and the Pt–C catalyst as an electrode were fabricated. Maximum power density of 16.8 mW/cm² was achieved at 250 °C with dry hydrogen and dry oxygen as the fuel and oxidant, respectively. However, the NH₄PO₃–(NH₄)₂Mn(PO₃)₄ electrolyte is not compatible with the Pt–C catalyst, indicating that it is critical to develop new electrode materials for the intermediate temperature fuel cells.     

Efficient degradation of orange II by ZnMn2O4 in a novel photo-chemical catalysis system

A ZnMn₂O₄ catalyst has been synthesized via a sucrose-aided combustion method and characterized by various analytical techniques. It is composed of numerous nanoparticles (15–110 nm) assembled into a porous structure with a specific surface area (SSA) of 19.1 m²·g^–1. Its catalytic activity has been investigated for the degradation of orange II dye using three different systems, i.e., the photocatalysis system with visible light, the chemocatalysis system with bisulfite, and the photo-chemical catalysis system with both visible light and bisulfite. The last system exhibits the maximum degradation efficiency of 90%, much higher than the photocatalysis system (15%) and the chemocatalysis system (67%). The recycling experiments indicate that the ZnMn₂O₄ catalyst has high stability and reusability and is thus a green and eximious catalyst. Furthermore, the potential degradation mechanisms applicable to the three systems are discussed with relevant theoretical analysis and scavenging experiments for radicals. The active species such as Mn(III), O₂^•−, h⁺, e_aq^–, SO₄^•− and HO^• are proposed to be responsible for the excellent degradation results in the photo-chemical catalysis system with the ZnMn₂O₄ catalyst.     

Efficient MgO-doped CaO sorbent pellets for high temperature CO2 capture

Novel MgO-doped CaO sorbent pellets were prepared by gel-casting and wet impregnation. The effect of Na⁺ and MgO on the structure and CO₂ adsorption performance of CaO sorbent pellets was elucidated. MgO-doped CaO sorbent pellets with the diameter range of 0.5-1.5 mm exhibited an excellent capacity for CO₂ adsorption and adsorption rate due to the homogeneous dispersion of MgO in the sorbent pellets and its effects on the physical structure of sorbents. The results show that MgO can effectively inhibit the sintering of CaO and retain the adsorption capacity of sorbents during multiple adsorption-desorption cycles. The presence of mesopores and macropores resulted in appreciable change of volume from CaO (16.7 cm³∙mol⁻¹) to CaCO₃ (36.9 cm³∙mol⁻¹) over repeated operation cycles. Ca2Mg1 sorbent pellets exhibited favorable CO₂ capture capacity (9.49 mmol∙g⁻¹), average adsorption rate (0.32 mmol∙g⁻¹∙min⁻¹) and conversion rate of CaO (74.83%) after 30 cycles.     

Synthesis of Chl@Ti3C2 composites as an anode material for lithium storage

Two-dimensional (2D) titanium carbide MXene Ti₃C₂ has attracted significant research interest in energy storage applications. In this study, we prepared Chl@Ti₃C₂ composites by simply mixing a chlorophyll derivative (e.g., zinc methyl 3-devinyl-3-hydroxymethyl- pyropheophorbide a (Chl)) and Ti₃C₂ in tetrahydrofuran, where the Chl molecules were aggregated among the multi-layered Ti₃C₂ MXene or on its surface, increasing the interlayer space of Ti₃C₂. The as-prepared Chl@Ti₃C₂ was employed as the anode material in the lithium-ion battery (LIB) with lithium metal as the cathode. The resulting LIB exhibited a higher reversible capacity and longer cycle performance than those of LIB based on pure Ti₃C₂, and its specific discharge capacity continuously increased along with the increasing number of cycles, which can be attributed to the gradual activation of Chl@Ti₃C₂ accompanied by the electrochemical reactions. The discharge capacity of 1 wt-% Chl@Ti₃C₂ was recorded to be 325 mA·h·g^–1 at the current density of 50 mA·g^–1 with a Coulombic efficiency of 56% and a reversible discharge capacity of 173 mA·h·g^–1 at the current density of 500 mA·g^–1 after 800 cycles. This work provides a novel strategy for improving the energy storage performance of 2D MXene materials by expanding the layer distance with organic dye aggregates.     

AgBr/Zn3(OH)2V2O7·2H2O可见光催化降解亚甲基蓝溶液

采用水热和沉淀两步合成法制备AgBr/Zn₃(OH)₂V₂O₇·2H₂O催化剂,研究其在可见光下降解亚甲基蓝溶液的性能,并考察催化剂用量、亚甲基蓝溶液初始浓度、pH值以及盐浓度对光催化性能的影响,评价AgBr/Zn₃(OH)₂V₂O₇·2H₂O催化剂的重复使用性能。结果表明,在前驱液pH为10、120 ℃水热10 h、Ag与Br物质的量比为0.20条件下制备的复合催化剂在可见光下反应120 min后,1.0 g·L^-1的催化剂对10 mg·L^-1的亚甲基蓝溶液脱色率达到85.2%。NaCl对亚甲基蓝的降解起抑制作用,Na₂SO₄对亚甲基蓝的降解起促进作用。催化剂重复使用4次后,光照120 min后的亚甲基蓝溶液脱色率可达66.4%。催化剂对不同初始浓度亚甲基蓝溶液的光催化降解符合一级动力学模型。     

A CO and CO2 tolerating (La0.9Ca0.1)2(Ni0.75Cu0.25)O4+d Ruddlesden-Popper membrane for oxygen separation

A series of novel dense mixed conducting ceramic membranes based on K₂NiF₄-type (La_1–xCa_x)₂ (Ni_0.75Cu_0.25)O_4+δ was successfully prepared through a sol-gel route. Their chemical compatibility, oxygen permeability, CO and CO₂ tolerance, and long-term CO₂ resistance regarding phase composition and crystal structure at different atmospheres were studied. The results show that higher Ca contents in the material lead to the formation of CaCO₃. A constant oxygen permeation flux of about 0.63 mL·min⁻¹·cm⁻² at 1173 K through a 0.65 mm thick membrane was measured for (La_0.9Ca_0.1)₂ (Ni_0.75Cu_0.25)O_4+δ, using either helium or pure CO₂ as sweep gas. Steady oxygen fluxes with no sign of deterioration of this membrane were observed with increasing CO₂ concentration. The membrane showed excellent chemical stability towards CO₂ for more than 1360 h and phase stability in presence of CO for 4 h at high temperature. In addition, this membrane did not deteriorate in a high-energy CO₂ plasma. The present work demonstrates that this (La_0.9Ca_0.1)₂(Ni_0.75Cu_0.25)O_4+δ membrane is a promising chemically robust candidate for oxygen separation applications.     

Photocatalytic degradation of aqueous organocholorine pesticide on the layered double hydroxide pillared by Paratungstate A ion, Mg12Al6(OH)36(W7O24)·4H2O

Layered double hydroxide pillared by Paratungstate A ion, Mg₁₂Al₆(OH)₃₆(W₇O₂₄)·4H₂O, was prepared via anion exchange reaction of the synthetic precursor, Mg₄Al₂(OH)₁₂TA·xH₂O (TA²⁻=terephthalate), and [W₇O₂₄]⁶⁻ ion. Some physico-chemical properties were measured and the preparation conditions were studied. Trace aqueous organocholorine pesticide, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), was totally degraded and mineralized into CO₂ and HCl by irradiating a Mg₁₂Al₆(OH)₃₆(W₇O₂₄)·4H₂O suspension in the near UV area. Disappearance of trace HCH follows Langmuir–Hinshelwood first-order kinetics. The model and mechanism for the photocatalytic degradation of HCH on the Mg₁₂Al₆(OH)₃₆(W₇O₂₄)·4H₂O were proposed, indicating that the interlayer space is the reaction field, and that photogeneration of OH√ radicals are responsible for the degradation pathway.     

Piezoelectric properties of Pb(Mn1/3Nb2/3)O3–PbZrO3–PbTiO3 ceramics with sintering aid of 2CaO–Fe2O3 compound

Since the electromechanical devices move towards enhanced power density, high mechanical quality factor (Q_m) and electromechanical coupling factor (k_p) are commonly needed for the high powered piezoelectric transformer with Q_m≥2000 and k_p=0.60. Although Pb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–PbZrO₃–PbTiO₃ (PMnN–PZ–PT) ceramic system has potential for piezoelectric transformer application, further improvements of Q_m and k_p are needed. Addition of 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ has been proved to have many beneficial effects on Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ ceramics. Therefore, 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ is used as additive in order to improve the piezoelectric properties in this study. The piezoelectric properties, density and microstructures of 0.07Pb(Mn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃–0.468PbZrO₃–0.462PbTiO₃ (PMnN–PZ–PT) piezoelectric ceramics with 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ additive sintered at 1100 and 1250 °C have been studied. When sintering temperature is 1250 °C, Q_m has the maximum 2150 with 0.3 wt.% 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ addition. The k_p more than 0.6 is observed for samples sintered at 1100 °C. The addition of 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ can significantly enhance the densification of PMnN–PZ–PT ceramics when the sintering temperature is 1250 °C. The grain growth occurred with the amount of 2CaO–Fe₂O₃ at both sintering temperatures.     

Preparation and characterization of a PMMA/Ce(OH)3, Pr2O3/graphite nanosheet composite

An easy process for the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)/Ce(OH)₃, Pr₂O₃/graphite nanosheet (PMMA/Ce(OH)₃, Pr₂O₃/NanoG) composite was developed. Graphite nanosheets (NanoG) were prepared by treating the expanded graphite with sonication in aqueous alcohol solution. The PMMA/Ce(OH)₃, Pr₂O₃/NanoG composites were prepared via in situ polymerization of MMA monomer in the presence of graphite nanosheets and Ce(OH)₃, Pr₂O₃ through reverse micelle template, in which the methyl methacrylate was designated as the oily phase. The composites were then dispersed with chloroform and coated on glass slides to form films. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the structure and dispersion of the graphite nanosheets and the composites. The results showed that the high-aspect-ratio structure of the nanosheets played an important role in forming a conducting network in the PMMA matrix. From thermogravimetric analysis, the introduction of graphite nanosheets and inorganic nanopartices exhibited a beneficial effect on the thermal stability of PMMA.