Copper Nanowires as Highly Efficient and Recyclable Catalyst for Rapid Hydrogen Generation from Hydrolysis of Sodium Borohydride.

Hydrogen (H) is a clean energy carrier which can help to solve environmental issues with the depletion of fossil fuels. Sodium borohydride (NaBH) is a promising candidate material for solid state hydrogen storage due to its huge hydrogen storage capacity and nontoxicity. However, the hydrolysis of NaBH usually requires expensive noble metal catalysts for a high H generation rate (HGR).

Rapid Catalytic Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol and Clock Reaction of Methylene Blue using Copper Nanowires.

Copper nanowires (CuNWs) with a high aspect ratio of ~2600 have been successfully synthesized by using a facile hydrothermal method. The reductions of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) and methylene blue (MB) to leucomethylene blue (LMB) by using sodium borohydride (NaBH) were used as models to test the catalytic activity of CuNWs. We showed that by increasing the CuNWs content, the rate of reduction increased as well.

Highly stable binder free CNTs/rGO aerogel electrode for decolouration of methylene blue & palm oil mill effluent electro-Fenton oxidation process.

In this study, single wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/reduced graphene oxides (rGO) aerogels were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal process without using a binder. The produced CNTs/rGO aerogel was used as cathode in electro-Fenton system for the decolouration of methylene blue (MB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME). The addition of CNTs increased the surface area, pore volume and conductivity of the rGO aerogel, which further enhanced their performance as cathode towards the decolouration of MB and POME electro-Fenton reaction.