Defects Engineering Leads to Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution on Graphitic Carbon Nitride–Covalent Organic Framework Nanosheet Composite

Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet (CNS) represents an attractive candidate for solar fuel production. However, the abundant defects in CNS lead to serious charge recombination and limit the photocatalytic performance. Herein, the synthesis of a CNS–covalent organic framework (CNS–COF) nanosheet composite is presented for the first time. CNS with significantly reduced defects is first obtained by rationally tuning the thermal exfoliation conditions of bulk carbon nitride. Subsequent modification of the CNS with trace COF nanosheet through chemical imine bonding can not only passivate the surface termination of carbon nitride in the boundary region, but also establish strong electronic coupling between these two components. As a consequence, enhanced charge separation and photocatalytic activity are realized on the resulting CNS–COF nanosheet composite. Under optimum conditions, hydrogen is evolved at a rate of 46.4 mmol g^?1 h^?1. This corresponds to an apparent quantum efficiency of 31.8% at 425 nm, which is among the best values ever reported for carbon nitride‐based materials.     

Synthesis and performance of LiMn0.7Fe0.3PO4 cathode material for lithium ion batteries

Pure and carbon-containing olivine LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3O₄ were synthesized at 600 °C by the method of solid-state reaction. Structure, surface morphology and charge/discharge performance of LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3O₄ were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical measurement, respectively. The prepared materials with and without carbon both show the single olivine structure. The morphologies of primary particles are greatly affected by the addition of carbon. Large particles (500-1000 nm) and densely sintered blocks were observed in pure LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3PO₄, which made the insertion and extraction of lithium ions difficult. Battery made from this sample can not charge and discharge effectively. The carbon-containing LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3PO₄ has a small particle size (100-200 nm) and a regular appearance. This material demonstrates high reversible capacity of about 120 mAh g⁻¹, perfect cycling performance, and excellent rate capability. It is obvious that the addition of carbon plays an important role in restricting the particle size of the material, which helps to prepare LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3PO₄ with excellent electrochemical performance. The electrochemical reaction resistance is much lower in the partly discharged state than in the fully charged or fully discharged state by the measurement of ac impedance for carbon-containing LiMn_0.7Fe_0.3PO₄. It is indicated that the mixed-valence of Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ or Mn³⁺/Mn²⁺ is beneficial to the transfer of electron which happens between the interface.     

由不同碳源合成及制备纳米碳管的进展

纳米碳管可通过石墨、煤炭及炭黑等高含碳固体物，甲烷、乙烯或苯之类的有机化合物，一氧化碳和碳化硅等含碳无机化合物的转化来制备，甚至还可由低分子芳烃化合物来逐级合成。根据各种不同碳源，按不同转化过程及制备方法进行了总结与归纳，期望能对纳米碳管的合成及制备有一总体理解；通过简要、系统地介绍各种转化过程及制备方法，并对其中一些有发展前途的方法特别是电弧法、激光烧蚀法及化学气相沉积法的最新改进和发展进行了考察，分析了这些方法的优缺点；最后概述了目前纳米碳管规模制备方法的进展情况。     

Nanodimensional carbon materials formed in a gas discharge plasma

We have experimentally studied the formation of nanodimensional carbon materials from a methane-hydrogen gas mixture activated by a dc discharge. The range of discharge voltages and currents ensuring stable deposition of carbon films was determined. Data on the carbon-containing components of the activated gas phase were obtained by in situ optical emission spectroscopy of the gas discharge plasma. It is shown that the formation of nanodiamond and nanographite particles, as well as carbon nanotubes, in the deposited films is correlated with the presence of C₂ carbon dimers in the gas phase. A mechanism of the noncatalytic formation of carbon nanotubes from platelike graphite nanoparticles is proposed.     

Improvement of morphology and luminescence of CaS:Eu<Superscript>2+</Superscript> red-emitting phosphor particles via carbon-containing additive strategy

CaS:Eu²⁺ red-emitting phosphors particles, were prepared by the precipitation method, followed by sintering in the atmosphere over the mixture of sulfur powder, Na₂CO₃, and carbon-containing compounds such as tartaric acid, citric avid, glucose, and cane sugar. The structure, morphology and photoluminescence performance of the as-prepared samples were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence spectrum (PL), respectively. The influences of carbon-containing additives on its crystallization behavior, morphology, and enhancement in luminescence of CaS:Eu²⁺ particles were studied. CaS:Eu²⁺ particles without additive show inhomogeneous, rough and aggregation with the size of 75–125 nm, but the spherical particles with mean size of about 110 nm were obtained by adding carbon-containing compounds. Compared with phosphor without additive, the addition of carbon-containing materials induced a remarkable increase of PL, in the order of cane sugar, glucose, citric acid, and tartaric acid. This enhancement is duo to the improvement of crystallinity, particle morphology and size distribution of the samples by adding carbon-containing additive.     

In vivo neurochemical monitoring using benzoyl chloride derivatization and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

In vivo neurochemical monitoring using microdialysis sampling is important in neuroscience because it allows correlation of neurotransmission with behavior, disease state, and drug concentrations in the intact brain. A significant limitation of current practice is that different assays are utilized for measuring each class of neurotransmitter. We present a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry method that utilizes benzoyl chloride for determination of the most common low molecular weight neurotransmitters and metabolites. In this method, 17 analytes were separated in 8 min. The limit of detection was 0.03-0.2 nM for monoamine neurotransmitters, 0.05-11 nM for monoamine metabolites, 2-250 nM for amino acids, 0.5 nM for acetylcholine, 2 nM for histamine, and 25 nM for adenosine at sample volume of 5 μL. Relative standard deviation for repeated analysis at concentrations expected in vivo averaged 7% (n = 3). Commercially available (13)C benzoyl chloride was used to generate isotope-labeled internal standards for improved quantification. To demonstrate utility of the method for study of small brain regions, the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline (50 μM) was infused into a rat ventral tegmental area while recording neurotransmitter concentration locally and in nucleus accumbens, revealing complex GABAergic control over mesolimbic processes. To demonstrate high temporal resolution monitoring, samples were collected every 60 s while neostigmine, an acetylcholine esterase inhibitor, was infused into the medial prefrontal cortex. This experiment revealed selective positive control of acetylcholine over cortical glutamate.     

An In Situ Assembled Trapping Gel Repairs Spinal Cord Injury by Capturing Glutamate and Free Calcium Ions

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to devastating autonomic dysfunction. One of the most challenging issues for functional repair in SCI is the secondary damage caused by the increased release of glutamate and free Ca²⁺ from injured cells. Here, an in situ assembled trapping gel (PF-SA-GAD) is developed to sweep glutamate and Ca²⁺, promoting SCI repair. The hydrogel solution is a mixture of recombinant glutamate decarboxylase 67 (rGAD67) protein, sodium alginate (SA), and pluronic F-127 (PF-127). After intrathecal administration, temperature-sensitive PF-127 promoted in situ gelation. Glutamate (Glu) is captured and decarboxylated by rGAD67 into γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). SA reacted with the free Ca²⁺ to generate gellable calcium alginate. Thereby, this in situ trapping gel retarded secondary neuron injury caused by Glu and free Ca²⁺ during SCI. In rat models of SCI, PF-SA-GAD reduces the lesion volume and inflammatory response after SCI, restores the motor function of rats with SCI. Together, the in situ assembled trapping gel is a long-term effective and minimally invasive sweeper for the direct elimination of glutamate and Ca²⁺ from injury lesions and can be a novel strategy for SCI repair by preventing secondary injury.     

Pulsed plasma chemical synthesis of carbon-containing titanium oxide-based composite

The carbon-containing titanium oxide-based composite was first obtained using a pulsed plasma chemical method. The composite was obtained from the following reagents: TiCl₄, CH₄, and O₂. The physical and chemical properties of the Ti_xC_yO_z composite powders were studied (morphology, chemical, elemental and phase composition). The presence of spherical particles and the cubic and prismatic particles were typical for the synthesised carbon-containing titanium oxide-based composites. The large particles are observed (the average size exceeds 150 nm) and smaller particles (the average size is 15–30 nm). The presence of the dense layer of amorphous carbon (10–15 nm thick) around particles is typical for the composites. The peak with a maximum of 1080 cm^?1 is registered in IR absorption spectrum of the Ti_xC_yO_z synthesised composite. The presence of IR radiation in this region of the spectrum is typical for the deformation of atomic oscillations in the Ti-O-C bond, which indicates that carbon and titanium in the composite are bound through oxygen. The content of the defined amount of titanium carbide has not been detected.     

Sources of Carbon Impurities in the Preparation of High-Purity Monoisotopic <Superscript>28</Superscript>Si by a Hydride Method

This paper examines sources of carbon impurities in polycrystalline monoisotopic ²⁸Si prepared by a hydride method. Analytical data on the concentrations of carbon-containing impurities in volatile silicon compounds (²⁸SiH₄ and ²⁸SiH₄), process gases (Ar and H₂), and polycrystalline ²⁸Si are used to identify the major sources of carbon in the polycrystalline ²⁸Si prepared by the hydride method. These are the starting ²⁸SiH₄ and calcium hydride used in ²⁸SiH₄ conversion into ²⁸SiH₄. The rate of carbon intake into polycrystalline silicon from the apparatus material during the monosilane pyrolysis process does not exceed 9 × 10¹¹ cm^–2 h^–1. Polycrystalline silicon has been precipitated from monosilane with different concentrations of hydrocarbon impurities. At hydrocarbon concentrations in the range 10^–4 to 10^–3 mol %, the carbon concentration in the monosilane correlates with that in the silicon obtained from it. High-purity monosilane has been used to prepare polycrystalline ²⁸Si samples with concentrations of carbon impurities in the range (0.8–2.3) × 10¹⁵ cm^–3. Based on calculations of the carbon impurity distribution along the length of a zone-refined ingot, we examine the effect of the initial carbon concentration in the starting polycrystal on the yield of single-crystal monoisotopic ²⁸Si. Requirements are formulated for the carbon concentration in polycrystalline ²⁸Si which ensure a high yield of single crystals with parameters suitable for metrological applications.     

Biomolecular sensors for neurotransmitter determination: electrochemical immobilization of glutamate oxidase at microelectrodes in a poly(o-phenylenediamine) film

The adsorption of glutamate oxidase onto 25 Μm and 10 Μm platinum microelectrodes followed by immobilization in an electrochemically polymerized non-conducting polymer, poly(o-phenylenediamine), is described as a method of fabricating an enzyme electrode for the amperometric determination of glutamate. The response of the enzyme electrodes were found to be highly reproducible with a linear dynamic range upto approximately 15 mmol dm^?3. The response of the 25 Μm and 10 Μm enzyme electrodes to glutamate were analysed using an established kinetic model and the potential application of the sensor for the study of neurotransmitter dynamics was investigated. The sensor was stable over a period of 30 days and the polymeric film was found to reduce interference from the electroactive compounds, uric acid and ascorbic acid.     

New understanding on metal recovery of Fe,Ni and Cr during carbon-thermal reduction of stainless steel dust

Stainless steel dust is a typical solid waste from iron and steel smelting. In this study, valuable metal components were recovered from stainless steel dust by carbon-thermal reduction. The effect of reduction conditions on the recovery of Fe, Ni and Cr was studied. The restrictive steps of Fe, Ni and Cr in the reduction process were clarified by XRD and SEM. The results show that the reduction temperature has a great influence on the reduction of metal Fe, Ni and Cr in stainless steel dust, and the increase of reduction temperature, reduction time and appropriate carbon ratio promoted the recovery of metal. The intermediate phase fayalite (Fe,Ni)₂SiO₄ and magnesiochromite Cr₂MgO₄ in the reduction process are the restrictive factors that cause the low recovery of Fe, Ni and Cr metals. In the process of carbon-thermal reduction, with the increase of reduction time, Fe²⁺ and Ni²⁺ in mesophase (Fe, Ni)₂SiO₄ were replaced by Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ in MgO and CaO, and finally reduced to MgCaSiO₄; Cr³⁺ in the mesophase Cr₂MgO₄ was replaced by Al³⁺ in Al₂O₃ and finally reduced to Al₂MgO₄, which improves the recovery of metal Fe, Ni and Cr.     

Work hardening associated with ?-martensitic transformation, deformation twinning and dynamic strain aging in Fe-17Mn-0.6C and Fe-17Mn-0.8C TWIP steels

The tensile properties of carbon-containing twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steels and their temperature dependence were investigated. Two steels with carbon concentrations of 0.6% and 0.8% (w/w) were tensile-tested at 173, 223, 273, 294, and 373 K. Three deformation modes were observed during tensile testing: ?-martensitic transformation, deformation twinning, and dynamic strain aging. The characteristic deformation mode that contributed to the work hardening rates changed with the deformation temperature and chemical compositions. The work hardening rate in the carbon-containing TWIP steels increased according to the deformation modes in the following order: ?-martensitic transformation > deformation twinning > dynamic strain aging.     

Physical properties and microstructures of residual carbon and slag particles present in fine slag from entrained-flow coal gasification

Fine slag (FS) consists of residual carbon (RC) and slag particles (SP). This paper studies the characteristics of SP and RC separately. SP contain a little of pores and mainly consist of spherical particles most of which are solids. RC have a higher pore surface, more continuous and complete pore structure. The chemical structure of inorganic minerals in SP has the following characteristics: According to nuclear magnetic resonance results, the amounts of network structure Q₄ and Q₃ are more than that of chain structure Q₂ and Q₁. The 4-coordinated aluminum consists of 74% and the octahedral coordination (Al(VI)) takes up only 11%. SP is a heterogeneous material which contain not only inorganic minerals but also organic carbon. C atom associated in chemical way with the inorganic matter within SP matrix. The predominant groups of organic carbon within SP matrix are C-C and C-O. C-O groups organically bound with inorganic elements in SP forming C-O-M (M: inorganic elements) bands. The predominant components in RC are C-C and C-O.     

Condiment‐Derived 3D Architecture Porous Carbon for Electrochemical Supercapacitors

The one‐step synthesis of porous carbon nanoflakes possessing a 3D texture is achieved by cooking (carbonization) a mixture containing two condiments, sodium glutamate (SG) and sodium chloride, which are commonly used in kitchens. The prepared 3D porous carbons are composed of interconnected carbon nanoflakes and possess instinct heteroatom doping such as nitrogen and oxygen, which furnishes the electrochemical activity. The combination of micropores and mesopores with 3D configurations facilitates persistent and fast ion transport and shorten diffusion pathways for high‐performance supercapacitor applications. Sodium glutamate carbonized at 800 °C exhibits high charge storage capacity with a specific capacitance of 320 F g^?1 in 6 m KOH at a current density of 1 A g^?1 and good stability over 10 000 cycles.     

Interfacial Processes and Tribocharging: Effect of Plasma Surface Modification and Physisorption

The tribocharging characteristics of polymer powders have a significant impact on several industrial processes such as electrostatic powder coating and polymer powder processing. The nature of chemical species on the surface of powder influences the triboelectric charging characteristics. An atmospheric-pressure helium plasma was used to modify tribocharging properties of polystyrene microspheres and acrylic powders. Plasma surface modification reduced the magnitude of tribocharging for the test polymer powders. When tribocharged against stainless steel, the net charge-to-mass ratio (Q/M) for both polystyrene microspheres and acrylic powders was less than that for the control samples. Plasma surface modification also reduced the tribocharging of mannitol, a pharmaceutical powder, against stainless steel. Further, Mars simulant dust (JSC Mars 1) was used as a test sample to study the effect of carbon dioxide physisorption on tribocharging. The Q/M of the sample with physisorbed CO₂ was less than that of the control in all size ranges.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(3-octylthiophene)/carbon fiber thermoelectric composite materials

Poly(3-alkylthiophene) (P3AT) with a high Seebeck coefficient has recently been reported. However, P3AT/inorganic conductive composites exhibit relatively poor thermoelectric performance because of their low electrical conductivity. In this work, carbon fiber sheets with a high electrical conductivity were chosen as the inorganic phase, and poly(3-octylthiophene)(P3OT)/carbon fiber composites were prepared by casting P3OT solution onto the carbon fiber sheets. The carbon fiber sheets incorporated into the composites can provide good electrical conductivity, and P3OT can provide a high Seebeck coefficient. The highest power factor of 7.05 μW m⁻¹ K⁻² was obtained for the composite with 50 wt% P3OT. This work suggests a promising method for preparing large-scale thermoelectric composites with excellent properties.     

The effect of carbon containing atmosphere on the structure and mechanical properties of Fe-32Mn-9.4Al-1C-1.27Si alloy

The effect of a carbon containing atmosphere on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-32Mn-9.4Al-1C-1.27Si alloy was investigated in this work. Surface oxide nodules and grain boundary oxides were found to form on this alloy when it was annealed in carbon-containing air at 1050 °C for 1 h. The oxidation reaction was thought to be the result of the green rot attack process. This alloy was embrittled severely by the carbon-containing air through the formation of surface oxide nodules and grain boundary oxide. The carbon-containing air enhanced the oxidation rate of this alloy at 1050 °C. The structure of the oxide nodules formed on this alloy in the carbon-containing air was similar to that observed on a FeMnAl alloy heated in 1000 °C air for 24 h.     

Migration of alkylbenzenes from packaging into food and Tenax®

Alkylbenzenes (alkyl chain C₁₀–C₁₃) are used as solvent components in certain offset printing inks. Alkylbenzenes were identified from 10 out of 15 samples of offset‐printed food packaging made of board. Printed hamburger collars intended for hamburger restaurants had exceptionally high contents of alkylbenzenes (70–500 mg/kg). Most of the collars had varnish on both the printed surface and the non‐printed food contact surface. Migration of alkylbenzenes from the hamburger collar into a roll was 2 mg/kg. In another test, in which Tenax^® was used as simulant, the effect of a varnish layer on the food contact surface was studied. It was found that the varnish layer reduced migration by about 70%. Tests with Tenax^® as a food simulant resulted in higher migration than in tests with rolls. The European Commission has published a risk assessment report on alkylbenzenes. The report concludes that there is no need for further testing or for risk reduction measures beyond those which are currently applied. However, consumer exposure was calculated without taking into account the possibility of oral exposure to alkylbenzenes migrating from food packagings. The migration of alkylbenzenes thus merits further study. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of beta silicon carbide powders from biomass gasification residue

The synthesis of beta silicon carbide (β-SiC) powders by carbothermal reduction of silica with carbon in a high temperature tube furnace was investigated. As carbon source, fine carbon-containing char from biomass gasification was used, in order to verify the feasibility of producing a high added value material starting from waste residue, and to promote the gasification processes as alternative route of energy production by the proper by-products exploitation. Starting mixture was prepared by mechanically mixing silica and char in the weight ratio of SiO₂:C of 1.514; the mixture then reacted in a tube furnace at temperature of 1,550 °C at different residence times (1, 1.5, 2 and 2.5 h), at a constant flow rate of 0.8 dm³ min⁻¹ of argon. The reaction products were characterised with XRD, FTIR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The process turned out to be capable of producing high quality SiC powders, suitable for making ceramic materials and composites; the product shows an uniform spherical shape, a very fine particle size (within the range of 30–100 nm) and a purity degree varying from 70% to 95%, depending on the residence time.