In this work we developed a one-step process for synthesizing carboxylic-functionalized carbon nanofibers (CNFs)-encapsulated Ni magnetic nanoparticles (Ni@CNFs) that exhibit an excellent magnetic response and a large content of hydrophilic carboxylate groups with a negative charge (RCOO(-)) on the carbon surface. The carbon-encapsulated magnetic Ni nanoparticles could be rapidly separated from water, and they showed high efficiency for adsorption of the antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX) in aqueous solution. The adsorption of SMX on Ni@CNFs as a function of pH was investigated, and the greatest adsorption occurred at pH 7.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of mixed catalysts for the high-yield production of single-walled carbon nanotubes is well-known. The mechanisms behind the improved yield are poorly understood. In this study, we systematically explore different catalyst combinations from Ni, Co, and Mo for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes via laser evaporation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommercially available Ni/Al(2)O(3) samples containing various concentrations of potassium were used to achieve carbon deposition from CO(2) via catalytic hydrogenation. Experimental results show that K additives can induce the formation of carbon nanofibers or carbon deposition on Ni/Al(2)O(3) during the reverse water-gas shift reaction. This work proposes that the formation rate of carbon deposition depends closely on ensemble control, suggesting that the ensemble size necessary to form carbon may be approximately 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe new Cu/SiO2 catalyst is developed by the atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) method. The ALE-Cu/SiO2 catalyst with high dispersion and nanoscale Cu particles appears to have very different catalytic properties from those of the typical Cu-based catalysts, which have satisfactory thermal stability to resist the sintering of Cu particles at 773 K. Due to the formation of small Cu particles, the ALE-Cu/SiO2 can strongly bind CO and give high catalytic activity for CO2 converted to CO in the reverse water-gas-shift reaction.
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