Electrospun One-Dimensional Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction: Insights into Structure-Activity Relationship.

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an efficiency-determining process at the cathode in several energy storage and conversion devices, typically such as metal-air batteries and fuel cells. To date, a considerable amount of ORR electrocatalysts have been purposely exploited to address the key issues of high overpotentials and sluggish electrochemical kinetics. Electrospinning is a popular additive manufacturing technology, enabling the production of one-dimensional (1D) electrocatalysts with outstanding chemical stability and structural diversity.

MoS-Decorated/Integrated Carbon Fiber: Phase Engineering Well-Regulated Microwave Absorber.

Phase engineering is an important strategy to modulate the electronic structure of molybdenum disulfide (MoS). MoS-based composites are usually used for the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorber, but the effect of different phases on the EMW absorbing performance, such as 1T and 2H phase, is still not studied. In this work, micro-1T/2H MoS is achieved via a facile one-step hydrothermal route, in which the 1T phase is induced by the intercalation of guest molecules and ions.

Fiber-in-tube and particle-in-tube hierarchical nanostructures enable high energy density of MnO-based asymmetric supercapacitors.

Manganese dioxide (MnO) promises for high-performance asymmetric suprecapacitors, owing to its high theoretical capacity, abundant source, and low cost. However, insufficient practically-achievable capacity and relatively narrow voltage window in alkaline electrolyte are blocking high energy density of MnO-based supercapacitors, where strategies for activating its capacitive performance and widening voltage window are the top priorities to solve the bottleneck problems. Herein, both the fiber-in-tube (NCCM-FiT) and particle-in-tube (NCCM-PiT) nanostructures coulping active NiCoO nanoparticles and conductive carbon with MnO tubes have been purposely fabricated, using the electrospun nickel cobalt oxides/carbon nanofibers (NCO/CNFs) as the self-template agents for enhanced energy density of MnO-based supercapacitors.

Key issues facing electrospun carbon nanofibers in energy applications: on-going approaches and challenges.

Electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs), with one-dimensional (1D) morphology, tunable size, mechanical flexibility, and functionalities by themselves and those that can be added onto them, have witnessed the intensive development and extensive applications in energy storage and conversion, such as supercapacitors, batteries, and fuel cells. However, conventional solid CNFs often suffer from a rather poor electrical conductivity and low specific surface area, compared with the graphene and carbon nanotube counterparts. A well-engineered porous structure in CNFs increases their surface areas and reactivity, but there is a delicate balance between the level and type of pores and mechanical robustness.

Electric Field-Assisted In Situ Precise Deposition of Electrospun γ-FeO/Polyurethane Nanofibers for Magnetic Hyperthermia.

A facial electrospinning method of in situ precise fabricating magnetic fibrous membrane composed of polyurethane (PU) nanofibers decorated with superparamagnetic γ-FeO nanoparticles with simultaneous heat generation in response to alternating magnetic field (AMF) is reported. In this method, a conical aluminum auxiliary electrode is used to regulate the electrostatic field and affect the process of electrospinning for the in situ rapid and precise deposition of electrospun γ-FeO/PU fibers. The auxiliary conical electrode can extend the jet stabilization zone of the precursor solution four times longer than that of without auxiliary electrode, which can achieve the precise control of the fiber deposition area.

Electrically Conductive TPU Nanofibrous Composite with High Stretchability for Flexible Strain Sensor.

Highly stretchable and electrically conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanofibrous composite based on electrospinning for flexible strain sensor and stretchable conductor has been fabricated via in situ polymerization of polyaniline (PANI) on TPU nanofibrous membrane. The PANI/TPU membrane-based sensor could detect a strain from 0 to 160% with fast response and excellent stability. Meanwhile, the TPU composite has good stability and durability.

Hierarchical CNFs/MnCoO nanofibers as a highly active oxidase mimetic and its application in biosensing.

Recently, much attention has been paid on the nanomaterial-based artificial enzymes due to their tunable catalytic activity, high stability and low cost compared to the natural enzymes. Different from the peroxidase mimics which have been studied for several decades, nanomaterials with oxidase-like property are burgeoning in the recent years. In this paper, hierarchical carbon nanofibers (CNFs)/MnCoO nanofibers as efficient oxidase mimics are reported.

General synthesis of hierarchical C/MO@MnO (M=Mn, Cu, Co) composite nanofibers for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes.

Improving the conductivity and specific surface area of electrospun carbon nanofibers (CNFs) is beneficial to a rapid realization of their applications in energy storage field. Here, a series of one-dimensional C/MO (M=Mn, Cu, Co) nanostructures are first prepared by a simple two-step process consisting of electrospinning and thermal treatment. The presence of low-valence MO enhances the porosity and conductivity of nanocomposites to some extent through expanding graphitic domains or mixing metallic Cu into the CNF substrates.

FeCo nanoparticles-embedded carbon nanofibers as robust peroxidase mimics for sensitive colorimetric detection of l-cysteine.

A simple and low cost detection of l-cysteine is essential in the fields of biosensors and medical diagnosis. In this study, we have developed a simple electrospinning, followed by calcination process to prepare FeCo nanoparticles embedded in carbon nanofibers (FeCo-CNFs) as an efficient peroxidase-like mimic for the detection of l-cysteine. FeCo nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed within CNFs, and their diameters are highly influenced by the calcination temperature.

Self-Assembly Fabrication of Coaxial Te@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Nanocables and Their Conversion to Pd@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Nanocables with a High Peroxidase-like Activity.

Here, we report a simple one-step procedure to fabricate coaxial Te@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanocables via a self-assembly redox polymerization between 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene monomer and the oxidant of sodium tellurite without the assistance of any templates and surfactants. The as-synthesized Te@PEDOT coaxial nanocables have diameters of center cores in the range of 5-10 nm, and the size of the outer shell from several nanometers to 15 nm. More interestingly, the as-prepared Te@PEDOT nanocables can be converted to Pd@PEDOT nanocables via a galvanic replacement reaction.

A one-pot and in situ synthesis of CuS-graphene nanosheet composites with enhanced peroxidase-like catalytic activity.

CuS-graphene nanosheet (GNS) composites with well-defined morphology have been successfully fabricated via a simple one-pot hydrothermal route by using thioacetamide (TAA) as both the sulfur source and reducing agent. The as-prepared CuS-GNS composites with an appropriate content of graphene exhibited an even higher peroxidase-like catalytic activity than pristine CuS nanoparticles in acetate buffer solution (pH = 4.0), which provided a facile method for the colorimetric detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).