Ruthenium-doped Ni(OH) to enhance the activity of methanol oxidation reaction and promote the efficiency of hydrogen production.

The coupling of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) to produce clean hydrogen energy with value-added chemicals has attracted substantial attention. However, achieving high selectivity for formate production in the MOR and high faradaic efficiency for H evolution remain significant challenges. In light of this, this study constructs an Ru/Ni(OH)/NF catalyst on nickel foam (NF) and evaluates its electrochemical performance in the MOR and HER under alkaline conditions.

PdAg Nanoparticles with Different Sizes: Facile One-Step Synthesis and High Electrocatalytic Activity for Formic Acid Oxidation.

Recently, direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) which possess superior advantages such as a low operating temperature, light environmental pollution and high energy density, have been considered as one of the power generation technologies with a bright prospect. Herein, bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles (NPs) with different particle sizes were successfully produced via an easy one-pot solvothermal co-reduction synthetic route and their electrocatalytic performance for formic acid oxidation (FAO) were further investigated. In our strategy, the size of PdAg NPs can be easily controlled by only varying the concentration of precursors.

A self-supporting bimetallic Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticle electrocatalyst for the synergistic enhancement of methanol oxidation.

The morphology of Pt-Au bimetal nanostructures plays an important role in enhancing the catalytic capability, catalytic stability and utilization efficiency of the platinum. We designed and successfully prepared Au@Pt nanoparticles (NPs) through an economical, surfactant-free and efficient method of seed-mediated growth. The Au@Pt NPs displayed electrochemical performances superior to those of commercial Pt/C catalysts because their agglomeration was prevented and exhibited better long-term stability with respect to methanol oxidation in acidic media by efficiently removing intermediates.

Chemically tunable photoresponse of ultrathin polypyrrole.

Building a complex structure system of conductive polymers without a complicated fabricating process is a long-awaited goal to improving the functional photoresponse properties of conductive polymers. In this study, we demonstrate that the photoresponse of polypyrrole (PPy)-based photodetector devices with an ultrathin polymer layer can be chemically modulated by simply immersing the devices into an alkaline solution. After alkaline treatment, the pyrrole unit transforms into a quinoid structure.

Fabrication of metal-organic single crystalline nanowires and reduced graphene oxide enhancement for an ultrasensitive electrochemical biosensor.

A novel strategy is first presented here to design and construct a good selective and highly sensitive dopamine (DA) biosensor based on single-crystalline CuPc nanowires with a reduced graphene oxide-Nafion film (rGON/CuPcNWs). Metal-organic semiconductor single-crystalline CuPc nanowires with excellent electronic properties and large surface-to-volume ratios were prepared using a physical vapor transport technique and modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and exhibited high electrocatalytic activity for DA detection by immobilizing it onto a GCE with a film of the rGON composite. The introduction of a rGO-Nafion film can significantly improve the electrochemical signal of the CuPcNWs.

Designed self-assembled hybrid Au@CdS core-shell nanoparticles with negative charge and their application as highly selective biosensors.

A novel and general strategy for the synthesis of a monodispersed Au@CdS core-shell structure with uniform morphology and size through a self-assembly process is proposed here. The obtained negatively charged Au@CdS hybrid core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) are highly selective to dopamine (DA), in the presence of oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA), based on electrostatic interaction. The fabricated biosensor shows a wide linear range from 0.

Critical thresholds in flocking hydrodynamics with non-local alignment.

We study the large-time behaviour of Eulerian systems augmented with non-local alignment. Such systems arise as hydrodynamic descriptions of agent-based models for self-organized dynamics, e.g.

Triphenyl benzene-bridged fluorescent silsesquioxane: shape-controlled hybrid silicas by hydrolytic conditions.

A new silsesquioxane molecule was synthesized, in which triphenyl benzene was connected with three Si(OC2H5)3 groups using three urea groups as the bridge. The molecule could self-assemble through the intermolecular H-bonding among urea groups and pi-pi interaction of triphenyl benzene core in the solution and it could also be transferred into hybrid silicas by hydrolysis. When the non-preorganized silsesquioxane was hydrolyzed, isolated spherical hybrid silica was gained.

Synthesis and self-assembly of dichalcone substituted carbazole-based low-molecular mass organogel.

We report the synthesis and self-assembly of a new pi-conjugated dichalcone substituted carbazole-based low molecular mass organogelator. It could form stable gels in most halogen-aromatic solvents. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that the gel formed fibrous structures with diameter of 50-100 nm, which consisted of several thinner fibers.

Generation of CdS nano-necklaces and NiS nanotubes templated by sugar-appended hydrogel.

A new hydrogel based on glucose-appended Schiff base derivative has been employed as the template to synthesize CdS and NiS nanostructures with different morphologies. The FT-IR and UV-vis results revealed that H-bonding and pi-pi interaction played important roles in the formation of original hydrogel fibers. The study of mineralization mechanism suggested that the inorganic ions were firstly adsorbed at the surface of the hydrogel fibers due to the hydrophilic affinity with the hydrophilic glucose groups.

Helical stacking tuned by alkoxy side chains in pi-conjugated triphenylbenzene discotic derivatives.

We report on the synthesis and self-assembly of a new series of discotic molecules containing triphenylbenzene as the core and alkoxy side chain with varying length. It was found that compounds 3 a-c, 4 b and 5 b could form stable gels in several apolar solvents. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that their morphologies were very different for the different alkoxy-substituted organogels.

L-Tartaric acid assisted binary organogel system: strongly enhanced fluorescence induced by supramolecular assembly.

A new series of binary organogels, which showed good gelated capability and strongly enhanced fluorescence emission, were designed and prepared by simply mixing two components of L-tartaric acid and alkoxyl substituted stilbazoles. It was found that L-tartaric acid could not only introduce stilbazole with fluorescent property into the gel system, but also provided a main motif for the formation of the gel-phase via multiple hydrogen bonds. Meanwhile, pi-pi interactions between the complexes also played a key role in the gel formation.

Synthesis and characterization of nanostructural hydrogel and template for CdS nanofibers.

Hydrogels based on beta-D-glucopyranoside-substituent thiosemicarbazide derivatives were synthesized and used as template to fabricate netlike CdS nanofibers. The self-assembling properties of the hydrogels and their effect on the synthesis of CdS nanostructure were studied. Fourier transform infrared spectra, UV-visible absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction revealed that pi-pi stacking, hydrogen bonds and interdigitated interactions between hydrophobic chains had influence on the formation of self-assembled lamellar hydrogel.

Novel CuS nanofibers using organogel as a template: controlled by binding sites.

A new cholesterol organogelator 1 was synthesized, which was confirmed as an effective gelator for various organic solvents and could self-assemble into network fibers in some organic solvents. Moreover, gelator 1 could act as templates for the synthesis of various CuS nanofibers with different helical pitches. For example, when H(2)S was used as the sulfur source, straight and bending helical CuS nanofibers with a pitch of 100-200 nm could be fabricated in butyl acetate and benzene-butanol gel systems, respectively, while bending CuS nanofibers with a similar helical pitch (ca.

Novel pearl-necklace porous CdS nanofiber templated by organogel.

A new cholesterol organogelator 4 was synthesized and its gelation property was evaluated. It was confirmed that 4 was an effective gelator for various organic solvents and could self-assemble into network fibers with a bilayer of folded conformation in some organic solvents. Moreover, organogelator 4 could act as a template for the synthesis of novel pearl-necklace porous CdS nanofibers.

Synthesis, self-assembly and characterization of a new glucoside-type hydrogel having a Schiff base on the aglycon.

A new hydrogel based on a substituted phenyl glucoside with a Schiff base in the aglycon was synthesized, and the self-assembling characteristics was studied. FTIR spectra, UV-vis absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that pi-pi interactions between the Schiff base moieties, hydrogen bonds, and the interdigitated interactions between hydrophobic chains had effects on the formation of the self-assembling hydrogel. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation showed that the three-dimensional hydrogel network was constructed from nanotubes with inner diameters of ca.