Constructing Morphologically Tunable Copper Oxide-Based Nanomaterials on Cu Wire with/without the Deposition of Manganese Oxide as Bifunctional Materials for Glucose Sensing and Supercapacitors.

Morphologically tunable copper oxide-based nanomaterials on Cu wire have been synthesized through a one-step alkali-assisted surface oxidation process for non-enzymatic glucose sensing. Subsequently, copper oxide-based nanomaterials on Cu wire as a supporting matrix to deposit manganese oxide for the construction of heterostructured Mn-Cu bimetallic oxide architectures through spontaneous redox reaction in the KMnO solution for supercapacitors. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that morphological and phase transformation from Cu(OH) to CuO occurred in copper oxide-based nanomaterials on Cu wire with different degrees of growth reaction.

Extended Graphite Supported Flower-like MnO as Bifunctional Materials for Supercapacitors and Glucose Sensing.

A simple, efficient, and cost-effective extended graphite as a supporting platform further supported the MnO growth for the construction of hierarchical flower-like MnO/extended graphite. MnO/extended graphite exhibited an increase in sp carbon bonds in comparison with that of extended graphite. It can be expected to display better electrical conductivity and further promote electron/ion transport kinetics for boosting the electrochemical performance in supercapacitors and glucose sensing.

Recovery of hazardous semiconductor-industry sludge as a useful resource.

Sludge, a solid waste recovered from wastewater of semiconductor-industries composes of agglomerates of nano-particles like SiO(2) and CaF(2). This sludge deflocculates in acidic and alkaline aqueous solutions into nano-particles smaller than 100 nm. Thus, this sludge is potentially hazardous to water resources when improperly dumped.

Hybrids of colloidal silica and waterborne polyurethane.

Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) was synthesized and followed by adding colloidal silica to prepare WPU-silica hybrids. The silica content in the hybrid thin films was varied from 0 to 50 wt%. The experimental results revealed that the viscosity of these hybrid solutions increased with increasing silica content and resulted in the aggregation of silica particle in the hybrid films.