Moiré patterns and carbon nanotube sorting

Moiré patterns (MPs), arising from the superposition of two lattices with close periods, are tightly related to the physicochemical properties of bilayer nanostructures. Here, we develop the theory of complex MPs emerging in twisted bilayer graphene and planar nets of double-walled nanotubes at significant relative twist and/or deformation of layers. The proposed theory clarifies the physicochemical regularities arising at sorting of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) by organic molecules, which self-assemble in regular coatings on both the tubes and planar graphene. We introduce and consider an outer tubular virtual lattice that is a parent structure for the deposited coating and due to this fact, its existence is crucial for the coating formation. As we show, such outer lattices exist only for successfully sorted SWCNTs and the superposition between the outer lattice and SWCNT forms a specific long-period MP. We explain known experimental results of SWCNT sorting by molecules of flavin group, poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl) (PFO), and poly [(m-phenylenevinylene)-alt-(p-phenylenevinylene)] (PmPV). Also, our approach points out other organic molecules and polymers suitable for effective CNT sorting.

Investigation of Environmental and Therapeutic Applications of Holmium doped Titanium dioxide (Ho-TiO2) nanocatalysts. Kinetic and Thermodynamic study of the Photocatalytic degradation of Safranin O dye

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Holmium doped Titanium dioxide(Ho-TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized through Sol Gel method. The synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Photoluminescence spectroscopy. DNA binding, antibacterial, hemolytic and antioxidant assays of the synthesized nanoparticles were also carried out for finding their therapeutic applications. Successful doping of TiO2 with Ho reduced the band gap from 3.10 to 2.88 eV. SEM and XRD analysis showed that both TiO2 and Ho-TiO2 NPs exhibit tetragonal structure and as a result of doping the morphology of the particles improved and agglomeration reduced. PL emission intensity of TiO2 also reduced with doping.The holmium doped TiO2 were used for the first time against the degradation of safranin O dye, DNA binding study and biocompatibility assay.The degradation of Safranin Odye over both the catalysts followed first order kinetics. The calculated activation energies for the photo degradation of given dye were found to be 51.7 and 35.2kJ/mol using TiO2 and Ho-TiO2 NPs respectively. At 180 minutes time interval 84% and 87 % dye degradation was observed using pure TiO2 and Ho-TiO2 NPs respectively. High percent degradation of dye was found at low concentration (20ppm) and at optimal dosage (0.035g) of both the catalysts. The rate of Safranin O dye degradation was found to increase with increase in temperature and pH of the medium. DNA binding study revealed that Ho-TiO2 NPs are more capable of binding to human DNA. Antibacterial activity study showed that Ho-TiO2 NPs were more efficient against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial strains as compared to pure TiO2. Hemolysis assay showed that TiO2 and Ho-TiO2 nanoparticles are non-biocompatible.Ho-TiO2 nanoparticles showed higher anti-oxidant activity as compared to bare TiO2.

Nanocrystals of Metal Halide Perovskites and Their Analogues as Scintillators for X-ray detection

Scintillators are widely used for X-ray detection in various fields, such as medical diagnostics, industrial inspection and homeland security. Nanocrystals of metal halide perovskites and their analogues showed great advantages as X-ray scintillators due to their cheap manufacturing, fast decay time, and room temperature scintillation from quantum confinement effect. However, there are still many challenges unsolved for further industrialization. Herein, it is necessary to summarize the progress of scintillators based on nanocrystals of metal halide perovskites and their analogues. In first section, the scintillation mechanism and key parameters are outlined. Then, various nanocrystals of metal halide perovskites and their analogues used as scintillators are reviewed. Finally, the challenges and outlook are discussed. It is believed that nanocrystals of metal halide perovskites and their analogues are favorable for large-area and flexible X-ray detectors.

Activation of two dopants, Bi and Er in δ-doped layer in Si crystal

Conventional doping processes are no longer viable for realizing extreme structures, such as a δ-doped layer with multiple elements, such as the heavy Bi, within the silicon crystal. Here, we demonstrate the formation of (Bi + Er)-δ-doped layer based on surface nanostructures, i.e. Bi nanolines, as the dopant source by molecular beam epitaxy. The concentration of both Er and Bi dopants is controlled by adjusting the amount of deposited Er atoms, the growth temperature during Si capping and surfactant techniques. Subsequent post-annealing processing is essential in this doping technique to obtain activated dopants in the δ-doped layer. Electric transport measurement and photoluminescence study revealed that both Bi and Er dopants were activated after post-annealing at moderate temperature.

Biogenic synthesis of nano-sulfur using Punica granatum fruit peel extract with enhanced antimicrobial activities for accelerating wound healing

Microbial wound infections leading to secondary complications in wound healing has resulted in high demand for therapeutic drugs with improved efficacy. Despite achieving enhanced bio-activity and higher bioavailability compared to its bulk form, nano-sulfur (SNP) has been explored to a very limited extent for wound healing applications. In this work, we prepare biogenic SNP (SNP-B) via simple biogenic technique using pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract and demonstrate its antimicrobial and wound healing activity. The SNP-B was characterized using powder x-ray diffractometer, FESEM, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Different wound models (excision, incision, dead space and burn) were used to assess the wound healing potential of SNP-B. The 2% (w/w) SNP-B treated group exhibited enhanced wound contraction rate (excision wound, 99.62 ± 0.59%; burn wound, 99.46 ± 0.59%), breaking strength (393.2 ± 10.87 g cm−2), and granulation tissue weight (166.8 ± 9.45 mg) compared to the control group (excision wound, 84.24 ± 2.78%; burn wound, 90.58 ± 3.2%; breaking strength, 241.3 ± 16.11 g cm−2; granulation tissue weight, 91.17 ± 7.28 mg). The efficacy of 2% (w/w) SNP-B was comparable to that of standard (5% w/w povidone-iodine ointment) in all the wound models analyzed. The SNP-B showed enhanced antibacterial activity with a MIC value of 90, 80, 80, and 60 μg ml−1 for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. The results obtained prove the potential of SNP-B as a multifunctional therapeutic agent for topical applications.

Single-atom catalysts cathode for lithium-Oxygen batteries：A review

Recently, single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been found to be one of the promising candidates for oxygen electrocatalysis in rechargeable lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs), owing to their high oxygen electrocatalytic activity and high stability originated from their unique coordination environments and electronic properties. As a new type of catalysts for LOBs, the advancements have never been reviewed and discussed comprehensively. Herein, the breakthroughs in the design of various types of SACs as the cathode catalysts for LOBs are summarized, including Co-based, Ru-based, and other types of SACs. Moreover, considerable emphasis is placed on the correlations between the structural feature of the SAC active sites and the electrocatalytic performance of LOBs. Finally, perspective and challenges of SACs for practical LOBs are also provided. This review could provide an intensive understanding of SACs for designing efficient oxygen electrocatalysis and offers a useful guideline for the development of SACs in the field of LOBs.

Novel Ternary Metal Oxide Nanoparticles (La2Cu0.8Zn0.2O4) as Potential Photocatalyst for Visible Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue and Desulfurization of Dibenzothiophene

In this work, we present preparation of novel ternary metal oxide nanoparticles, La2Cu0.8Zn0.2O4 (LCZO), using simple co-precipitation method. The crystalline structure, morphology and composition of the prepared LCZO nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDX analysis. The DRS investigation shows the LCZO nanoparticles have considerable light absorption in the visible light region. Also, the LCZO nanoparticles possess the band-gap energy of 2.82 eV. To investigate the visible light photocatalytic potential of the prepared LCZO nanoparticles, two photocatalytic reactions were conducted toward degradation of methylene blue (MB) solution and desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT). In the presence of 3:1 molar ratio of H2O2/DBT, the high photocatalytic desulfurization rate (93.7%) of dibenzothiophene (DBT) was obtained over 0.2 gr of LCZO photocatalyst. In addition, the photocatalytic degradation rate of methylene blue (MB) solution was 91.4%. The mechanism involving both photocatalytic reactions were studied using different radical scavenging agents which showed that the hydroxyl radicals (OH•) are responsible for highly efficient desulfurization and degradation reactions. Moreover, reusability experiments reveal that the prepared LCZO photocatalyst has great stability and recyclability for both desulfurization of DBT and degradation of MB after 6 reaction cycles.

Dynamics of light-induced charge transfer between carbon nanotube and CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals

The integration of semiconducting colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a single device presents a unique platform that combines optical flexibility with high charge carrying capability. These qualities are desirable in many applications such as photovoltaic cells, photocatalysis, and light sensors. Here, we present hybrid devices that incorporate various CdSe/CdS core/shell NCs, such as seeded quantum dots (sQDs) and asymmetric seeded nanorods (a-sNRs), with single-wall carbon nanotube in a field-effect transistor geometry. We used electrical measurements to probe a light-induced charge transfer (LICT) between the CdSe/CdS NCs and the CNT. We investigate the effect of gate voltage on the LICT magnitude and temporal characteristics. Surprisingly, the measured photo-response depends on the gate voltage, and we observe both electrons and holes transfer from the a-sNRs to the CNT. Furthermore, comparison between LICT measurements on different devices with different CNTs and NC types reveals that the charge transfer time is directly proportional to the shell-thickness around the CdSe core and inversely correlated with the NCs size. The recovery of the charge trapped inside the CdSe/CdS NCs is characterized by two distinct fast and slow relaxation times, which depend on the NCs size and CNT type. Although, the charge relaxation time is similar between the symmetric QDs and the asymmetric sNRs, the overall percentage of the remaining charge in the QDs is significantly larger than in the sNRs. Understanding both gate voltage and NCs size effect on the LICT processes can assist to optimize the performance of optoelectronic devices.

Study on tribological properties of nano lubricating oil blends for diesel engines

This paper is to evaluate and compare the tribological properties of lubricating oil blends added with nano graphene and lubricating oil blends added with cerium oxide (CeO2) on the key friction pairs of the diesel engines. The dispersion stability is the premise of studying the tribological properties. In this paper, nano-CeO2 particles were self-made and high-quality nano-graphene was purchased. The dispersion stability of the two nanomaterials in lubricating oil was studied after the same modification respectively. According to the working conditions of the cylinder liner and the piston ring, the friction and wear tests of the lubricating oil blends added with the modified nanomaterials were carried out at the different temperatures. The results showed that the oleic acid and the stearic acid modified the two nanomaterials successfully. The dispersion stability of the modified nanomaterials in lubricating oil was improved. The dispersion stability of the lubricating oil blends added with graphene before and after modification was slightly higher than that of lubricating oil blends added with CeO2 before and after modification, respectively. At the high temperature, the anti-friction property of the two nano lubricating oil blends was similar. At the ambient temperature, lubricating oil blends added with modified CeO2 did not play a role in reducing friction, while lubricating oil blends added with modified graphene had the effect of reducing friction. Whether at ambient temperature or at the high temperature, the anti-wear property lubricated with lubricating oil blends added with modified CeO2 within the right concentration range was better than that lubricated with lubricating oil blends added with modified graphene.

Uncertainty quantification and prediction for mechanical properties of graphene aerogels via gaussian process metamodels

Graphene aerogels, a special class of 3D graphene assemblies, are well known for their exceptional combination of high strength, lightweightness, and high porosity. However, due to microstructural randomness, the mechanical properties of graphene aerogels are also highly stochastic, an issue that has been observed but insufficiently addressed. In this work, we develop Gaussian process metamodels to not only predict important mechanical properties of graphene aerogels but also quantify their uncertainties. Using the molecular dynamics simulation technique, graphene aerogels are assembled from randomly distributed graphene flakes and spherical inclusions, and are subsequently subject to a quasi-static uniaxial tensile load to deduce mechanical properties. Results show that given the same density, mechanical properties such as the Young’s modulus and the ultimate tensile strength can vary substantially. Treating density, Young’s modulus, and ultimate tensile strength as functions of the inclusion size, and using the simulated graphene aerogel results as training data, we build Gaussian process metamodels that can efficiently predict the properties of unseen graphene aerogels. In addition, statistically valid confidence intervals centered around the predictions are established. This metamodel approach is particularly beneficial when the data acquisition requires expensive experiments or computation, which is the case for graphene aerogel simulations. The present research quantifies the uncertain mechanical properties of graphene aerogels, which may shed light on the statistical analysis of novel nanomaterials of a broad variety.