Pressure-dependent branching in initial decomposition of gamma-valerolactone: a quantum chemical/RRKM study.

Recently, the potential of gamma-valerolactone (a cyclic ester, CHO) as a bio-fuel and fuel additive has been highlighted. To unravel its chemical behavior in combustion, the reaction kinetics of initial decomposition of gamma-valerolactone (GVL) has been investigated theoretically by utilizing calculations and transition-state-theory based simulations. The effect of pressure on decomposition rates and, more importantly, on the branching fractions of major products has been explored.

Mesogen-co-polymerized transparent polyimide as a liquid-crystal alignment layer with enhanced anchoring energy.

Enhancing the azimuthal anchoring energy of the aligning film is a key requirement to improve the quality of liquid-crystal displays. Based on the assumption of mesogenic side groups being able to align liquid-crystal (LC) molecules, we have designed a novel transparent polyimide bearing cyanobiphenyl mesogenic side chains, which has a similar structure to that of liquid crystal 5CB. A pyrimidyl diamine monomer with a cyanobiphenyl mesogenic unit was first synthesized, and then co-polymerized with 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether and 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride.

Reversible conversion between graphene nanosheets and graphene nanoscrolls at room temperature.

In this paper, the reversible conversion between pristine graphene nanosheets and pristine graphene nanoscrolls at room temperature was reported. The graphene nanosheets were rolled up into the graphene nanoscrolls by silver nitrate in ethanol solution, and the fabricated graphene nanoscrolls were unfolded back to the graphene nanosheets in ethanol solution by adding ammonium hydroxide. The dynamic conversion state of the process was confirmed by the morphology of the intermediate samples captured using an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope.

Mechanisms of partial hydrogen sorption reversibility in a 3NaBH/ScF composite.

A new hydrogen storage composite containing NaBH and a 3d transition metal fluoride, 3NaBH/ScF, was synthesized ball milling. The composite shows no reaction during milling and its dehydriding process can be divided into three steps upon heating: (i) partial substitution of H by F in NaBH to form NaBH F at the early stage, releasing about 0.19 wt% of hydrogen; (ii) formations of NaScF, NaBF and ScB through the reaction between NaBH and ScF, with 2.

Toward Aerogel Electrodes of Superior Rate Performance in Supercapacitors through Engineered Hollow Nanoparticles of NiCoO.

A biomass-templated pathway is developed for scalable synthesis of NiCoO@carbon aerogel electrodes for supercapacitors, where NiCoO hollow nanoparticles with an average outer diameter of 30-40 nm are conjoined by graphitic carbon forming a 3D aerogel structure. This kind of NiCoO aerogel structure shows large specific surface area (167.8 m g), high specific capacitance (903.

Realization of Quasi-Omnidirectional Solar Cells with Superior Electrical Performance by All-Solution-Processed Si Nanopyramids.

Large-scale (156 mm × 156 mm) quasi-omnidirectional solar cells are successfully realized and featured by keeping high cell performance over broad incident angles (θ), via employing Si nanopyramids (SiNPs) as surface texture. SiNPs are produced by the proposed metal-assisted alkaline etching method, which is an all-solution-processed method and highly simple together with cost-effective. Interestingly, compared to the conventional Si micropyramids (SiMPs)-textured solar cells, the SiNPs-textured solar cells possess lower carrier recombination and thus superior electrical performances, showing notable distinctions from other Si nanostructures-textured solar cells.