Effect of a mesoporous NiCoO urchin-like structure catalyzed with a surface oxidized LiBH system for reversible hydrogen storage applications.

A mesoporous NiCoO urchin-like structure was synthesized by applying a facile hydrothermal method. Different concentrations of NiCoO urchin-like structures were mixed with a surface oxidized LiBH system using a wet-impregnation method, followed by heat treatment. The hydrogen storage capacity of LiBH + 25% NiCoO, LiBH + 50% NiCoO and LiBH + 75% NiCoO systems was investigated.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes/lithium borohydride composites for hydrogen storage: role of formed LiB(OH), LiCO and LiBO by oxidation and nitrogen annealing.

Lithium Borohydride (LiBH), from the family of complex hydrides has received much attention as a potential hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen energy densities in terms of weight (18.5 wt%) and volume (121 kg H per mol). However, utilization of LiBH as a hydrogen carrier in off- or on-board applications is hindered by its unfavorable thermodynamics and low stability in air.

Noncovalent and covalent functionalization of a (5, 0) single-walled carbon nanotube with alanine and alanine radicals.

We have systematically investigated the noncovalent and covalent adsorption of alanine and alanine radicals, respectively, onto a (5, 0) single-walled carbon nanotube using first-principles calculation. It was found that XH···π (X = N, O, C) interactions play a crucial role in the non-ovalent adsorption and that the functional group close to the carbon nanotube exhibits a significant influence on the binding strength. Noncovalent functionalization of the carbon nanotube with alanine enhances the conductivity of the metallic (5, 0) nanotube.

Adsorption mechanism of single guanine and thymine on single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Bio-nano hybrids introduce magnificent applications of nanomaterials to various fields. The choice of carbon nanotube as well as sequence selection of the nucleic acid bases play a crucial role in shaping DNA-carbon nanotube hybrids. To come up with a clear vision for the choice of carbon nanotube and nucleic acid bases to create bio-nano hybrids, we studied the adsorption mechanism of the nucleic acid bases guanine and thymine on four different types of nanotubes based on density functional theory.