Fe-Doped Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Methylene Blue Degradation with Visible-Light

In the present work, degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye in aqueous solution through H2O 2and iron doped g-C3N4 (Fe-g-C3N4) was studied. The hybrid was fabricated by thermal polymerization with iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate and melamine, and it was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrum, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope and Brunner-Emmet-Teller. The various experimental conditions such as doping amount, a dose of the sample, solution pH, the addition of H2O2, and concentration of MB on the degradation of MB dye were optimized. The maximum extent of degradation of methylene blue was obtained at pH 5, doping amount of 2.7 wt% and dose of 0.07 g. The molar ratio of Fe:H2O2 is 1:1000 showed 99% of MB (30 mg/L) decolorization over 60 min. The hybrid showed good stability and recyclability after three cycles of use. Photo-Fenton reaction exhibited a higher synergetic effect than the combination of Fenton and photocatalytic process.

New Mixed-Ligand Metal-Containing Monomer Based on Cobalt Acrylate and 4-Phenyl-2,2':6',2″-Terpyridine Ligand: Synthesis, Characteristics and Thermal Properties

New complex based on cobalt (II) acrylate and 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine (PhTpy) was synthesized and characterized using a number of analytical techniques including IR and UV- vis spectroscopy, elemental, X-Ray and TGA/DSC analysis. The complex has high thermal stability and crystallinity. It is found that decomposition of the complex is accompanied by thermal polymerization of acrylic fragments that is a potential way for the preparation nanoparticles of metals or their oxides stabilized by the polymer matrix.

Hybrid Ultra-Low-Radioactive Material for Protecting Dark Matter Detector from Background Neutrons

A laboratory technology for a new ultra-low background hybrid material (HM) which meets the requirements for neutron absorption with simultaneous neutron detection has been developed. The technology and hybrid material can be useful for future low background underground detectors designed to directly search for dark matter with liquid noble gases. The HM is based on a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer matrix in which gadolinium nuclei are homogeneously distributed up to 1.5 wt% concentration in polymer slabs of 5 cm thickness. To determine the 65 impurity elements by the inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique in the Gd-based preparations in 100–0.01 ppb range, the corresponding method has been developed. Limits of determination (LD) of 0.011 ppb for uranium, and 0.016 ppb for thorium were achieved. An analysis of Gd raw materials showed that the lowest contents of U and Th (1.2–0.2 ppb) were detected in commercial Gd-based preparations. They were manufactured either from secondary raw materials (extraction phosphoric acid) or from mineral raw materials formed in sedimentary rocks (phosphogypsum). To produce the Gd-doped HM the commercial GdCl3 was purified and used for synthesis of low-background coordination compound, namely, acetylacetonate gadolinium (Gd(acac)3) with U/Th contents less than LD. When dissolving Gd(acac)3 in methylmethacrylate, the true solution was obtained and its further thermal polymerization allowed fabrication of the Gd-doped PMMA with ultra-low background.

Incorporation of Nonmetal Group Dopants into g-C3N4 Framework for Highly Improved Photocatalytic H2 Production

The incorporation of nonmetal group dopants into a graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) framework is fabricated by adding a small amount of hexamethylenetetramine during the thermal polymerization process. The material shows an excellent visible-light photocatalytic H2 production performance that is eight times higher than bulk g-C3N4. This outstanding performance is ascribed to the introducing of N-doped carbon, which not only enhances the light absorption and favorsa narrower band gap, but also upshifts the conductionband (CB) potential, resulting in a better reduction ability of electrons. This discovery has potential significancefor the designing of high performance, economic, and environmental friendly photocatalyst for solar energy conversion.

The carbonization of aromatic molecules with three-dimensional structures affords carbon materials with controlled pore sizes at the Ångstrom-level

Carbon materials with controlled pore sizes at the nanometer level have been obtained by template methods, chemical vapor desorption, and extraction of metals from carbides. However, to produce porous carbons with controlled pore sizes at the Ångstrom-level, syntheses that are simple, versatile, and reproducible are desired. Here, we report a synthetic method to prepare porous carbon materials with pore sizes that can be precisely controlled at the Ångstrom-level. Heating first induces thermal polymerization of selected three-dimensional aromatic molecules as the carbon sources, further heating results in extremely high carbonization yields (>86%). The porous carbon obtained from a tetrabiphenylmethane structure has a larger pore size (4.40 Å) than those from a spirobifluorene (4.07 Å) or a tetraphenylmethane precursor (4.05 Å). The porous carbon obtained from tetraphenylmethane is applied as an anode material for sodium-ion battery.