A Critical Review on Black Phosphorus-Based Photocatalytic CO Reduction Application.

Energy shortages and greenhouse effects are two unavoidable problems that need to be solved. Photocatalytically converting CO into a series of valuable chemicals is considered to be an effective means of solving the above dilemmas. Among these photocatalysts, the utilization of black phosphorus for CO photocatalytic reduction deserves a lightspot not only for its excellent catalytic activity through different reaction routes, but also on account of the great preponderance of this relatively cheap catalyst.

Highly-sensitive and selective determination of bisphenol A in milk samples based on self-assembled graphene nanoplatelets-multiwalled carbon nanotube-chitosan nanostructure.

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNTs) and chitosan (CS) were self-assembled by a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction to obtain novel MWCNTs-CS enfolded GNPs (GNPs-MWCNTs-CS) composite. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy and zeta potential analysis were employed to characterize the morphology, surface composition, interaction, surface charge and stability of the GNPs-MWCNTs-CS composite. The electrochemical behaviors of GNPs-MWCNTs-CS composite modified glassy carbon electrode (GNPs-MWCNTs-CS/GCE) were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

Three-dimensional porous graphene oxide-maize amylopectin composites with controllable pore-sizes and good adsorption-desorption properties: Facile fabrication and reutilization, and the adsorption mechanism.

Three-dimensional (3D) porous graphene oxide-maize amylopectin (GO-MA) composites with controllable pore-sizes composites in the range of 6-40 nm were prepared by facile hydrothermal-assisted assembly approaches. The morphologies, pore sizes, specific surface area (SSA) and compositions of GO-MA composites with and different GO-to-MA mass ratios (x:y) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N adsorption-desorption isotherms, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). To reveal the adsorption-desorption mechanism, effects of contact time, temperature, initial adsorbate concentration, pH value of the solution on the adsorption process were studied in detail.

A novel electrochemical sensor based on self-assembled platinum nanochains - Multi-walled carbon nanotubes-graphene nanoparticles composite for simultaneous determination of dopamine and ascorbic acid.

In this study, platinum nanochains (PtNCs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) were assembled together to form a novel nanocomposite by a facile ultrasonic-assisted blending process. The PtNCs-MWCNTs-GNPs nanocomposite was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The nanocomposite was used for the modification of glass carbon electrode (GCE) and simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and cycle voltammetry (CV).

A novel electrochemical chiral interface based on the synergistic effect of polysaccharides for the recognition of tyrosine enantiomers.

Electrochemical chiral interface based on two polysaccharides, soluble starch (SS) and chitosan (CS), was fabricated and used for chiral recognition of tyrosine (Tyr) enantiomers via square wave voltammetry (SWV). The SS-CS composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the oxidation peak current ratio of L-Tyr to D-Tyr (I/I) and the difference between the peak potential (ΔEp = E - E) were observed to be 1.

Novel high-gluten flour physically cross-linked graphene oxide composites: Hydrothermal fabrication and adsorption properties for rare earth ions.

Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were immobilized and cross-linked by high-gluten flour (HGF), and a series of biomass-GO composites with various HGF-to-GO mass ratios were fabricated through a one-step hydrothermal method. The HGF-GO composites were used as novel adsorbents to adsorb rare earth ions (REE: La, Yb, Y, Er and Nd) from aqueous solutions, and their adsorption properties were also investigated detailly. To evaluate the physicochemical properties of HGF-GO composites and further understand the mechanisms of adsorption of REE onto HGF-GO composites, the HGF-GO composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.

Removal of mercury by adsorption: a review.

Due to natural and production activities, mercury contamination has become one of the major environmental problems over the world. Mercury contamination is a serious threat to human health. Among the existing technologies available for mercury pollution control, the adsorption process can get excellent separation effects and has been further studied.

Graphene nanosheets as novel adsorbents in adsorption, preconcentration and removal of gases, organic compounds and metal ions.

Due to their high adsorption capacities, carbon-based nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, activated carbons, fullerene and graphene are widely used as the currently most promising functional materials. Since its discovery in 2004, graphene has exhibited great potential in many technological fields, such as energy storage materials, supercapacitors, resonators, quantum dots, solar cells, electronics, and sensors. The large theoretical specific surface area of graphene nanosheets (2630 m(2)·g(-1)) makes them excellent candidates for adsorption technologies.

Hemodialysis membranes for acute and chronic renal insufficiency.

As an incomplete renal replacement for the patients with either acute or chronic renal failure, membrane-based hemodialysis therapy is progressing rapidly. However, the mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably high. Much effort has been put into improving the biocompatibility of the hemodialysis membranes.

Irradiation-mediated carbon nanotubes' use in cancer therapy.

Anticancer drugs such as biological therapeutic proteins and peptides are used for treatment of a variety of tumors. However, their wider use has been hindered by their poor bioavailability and the uncontrollable sites of action in vivo. Cancer nano-therapeutics is rapidly progressing, which is being applied for solving some limitations of conventional drug delivery systems.