Assistance Of Glucose Research Articles

Glucose-Assisted Synthesis of Porous, Urchin-like Co3O4 Hierarchical Structures for Low-Concentration Hydrogen Sensing Materials.

The Co3O4 is a typical p-type metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) that attracted great attention for hydrogen detection. In this work, porous, urchin-like Co3O4 was synthesized using a hydrothermal method with the assistance of glucose and a subsequent calcination process. Urchin-like Co3O4 has a large specific surface area of 81.4 m2/g. The response value of urchin-like Co3O4 to 200 ppm hydrogen at 200 °C is 36.5 (Rg/Ra), while the low-detection limit is as low as 100 ppb. The obtained Co3O4 also exhibited good reproducibility, long-term stability, and selectivity towards various gases (e.g., ammonia, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane). Porous, urchin-like Co3O4 is expected to become a potential candidate for low-concentration hydrogen-sensing materials with the above advantages.

Integrating highly active graphite nanosheets into microspheres for enhanced lithium storage properties of silicon.

Integrating silicon (Si) and graphitic carbon into micron-sized composites by spray-drying holds great potential in developing advanced anodes for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, common graphite particles as graphitic carbon are always too large in three-dimensional size, resulting in inhomogeneous hybridization with nanosized Si (NSi); in addition, the rate capability of graphite is poor owing to sluggish intercalation kinetics. Herein, we integrated graphite nanosheets (GNs) with NSi to prepare porous NSi-GN-C microspheres by spray-drying and subsequent calcination with the assistance of glucose. Two-dimensional GNs with average thickness of ∼80 nm demonstrate superior lithium storage capacity, high conductivity, and flexibility, which could improve the electronic transfer kinetics and structural stability. Moreover, the porous structure buffers the volume expansion of Si during the lithiation process. The obtained NSi-GN-C microspheres manifest excellent electrochemical performance, including high initial coulombic efficiency of 85.9%, excellent rate capability of 94.4% capacity retention after 50 repeated high-rate tests, and good cyclic performance for 500 cycles at 1.0 A g-1. Kinetic analysis and in situ impedance spectra reveal dominant pseudocapacitive behavior with rapid and stable Li+ insertion/extraction processes. Ex situ morphology characterization demonstrates the ultra-stable integrated structure of the NSi-GN-C. The highly active GN demonstrates great potential to improve the lithium storage properties of Si, which provides new opportunity for constructing high-performance anodes for LIBs.

Cometabolic bacterial and fungal remediation as a promising strategy for recycled paper and cardboard mill wastewater treatment

PurposeThis paper aims to study the application of high-tolerance and flexible indigenous bacteria and fungi, along with the co-metabolism in recycled paper and cardboard mill (RPCM) wastewater treatment (WWT).Design/methodology/approachThe molecular characterization of isolated indigenous bacteria and fungi was performed by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively. Glucose was used as a cometabolic substrate to enhance the bioremediation process.FindingsThe highest removal efficiency was achieved for both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color [78% COD and 45% color removal by Pseudomonas aeruginosa RW-2 (MZ603673), as well as approximately 70% COD and 48% color removal by Geotrichum candidum RW-4 (ON024394)]. The corresponding percentages were higher in comparison with the efficiency obtained from the oxidation ditch unit in the full-scale RPCM WWT plant.Originality/valueIndigenous P. aeruginosa RW-2 and G. candidum RW-4 demonstrated effective capability in RPCM WWT despite the highly toxic and low biodegradable nature, especially with the assistance of glucose.

Green Production of Covalently Functionalized Boron Nitride Nanosheets via Saccharide-Assisted Mechanochemical Exfoliation

Hexagon boron nitride (BN) has evolved into a quite competitive building block in electrical and electronic fields. However, exfoliation and functionalization of BN nanosheets (BNNSs) confront a formidable challenge. Herein, an effective and green saccharide-assisted mechanochemical approach was proposed to exfoliate and synchronously functionalize BNNSs. The production yield of BNNSs exhibited a notable enhancement by incorporating saccharides, where the highest yield was up to ∼29.4% with the assistance of glucose. The saccharides enhanced the applied force of ball milling to promote BN delamination. The exfoliated cost is much lower for our proposed approach than for the previously reported exfoliation methods. The theoretical first-principle calculation and experimental results confirmed that the obtained BNNSs (saccharide-g-BNNSs) remained intact and were covalently grafted with saccharides in different degrees. Benefitting from the outstanding comprehensive properties of saccharide-g-BNNSs, their gelatin composite films exhibited multifunctional performance, such as high/anisotropic thermal conductivity, shielding deep blue to the UV light, and flame retardance. Our work paves a promising way to greenly prepare few-layered and functionalized BNNSs and to expedite their applications.

Facile one-step synthesis of 0D to 3D VOx nanostructures for energy storage

Vanadium oxides (VOx) and their related compounds have been received extensive attentions because of their special chemical and physical properties, which make them have a wide range of practical applications. VOx can offer high pseudocapacitance for energy storage due to its high electrochemical activity. Herein, 0D (nanoparticles), 1D (nanowires), 2D (nanosheets) & 3D (nanodonuts) VOx were successfully synthesized with assistance of glucose by a facile one-step hydrothermal method. The relationship between the structure and the electrochemical properties of VOx was investigated in detail. Among all the morphologies, the donut-like VOx displays the best pseudocapacitive performance under our reported conditions, with a specific capacitance as high as 225.8 F g−1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1. The synergy effect between multiple vanadium oxidation states (mixed-valence) and the donut-like geometry contributes to electrochemical properties. That is, the mixed-valence offers theoretical specific capacitance and the unique donut-like structure provides a more active surface and supported high-speed ionic and electronic transmission channels. The good electrochemical performance of the 0-3D VOx nanostructures indicates their high potential as electrode materials for supercapacitors.

Glucose-assisted synthesis of hierarchical NiO-ZnO heterostructure with enhanced glycol gas sensing performance

Heterojunction has been proposed as an effective approach to improve the gas sensing performance with good response and low operating temperature. In this work, a one-step hydrothermal method was employed to synthesize a novel flower-like hierarchical NiO-ZnO (G-NiO-ZnO) heterostructure with the assistance of glucose and further calcination treatment. The gas sensors based on G-NiO-ZnO heterojunction exhibit a response of 142.0 toward 100 ppm glycol at relatively low operating temperature about 140 °C with excellent repeatability and long-term stability, which is mainly attributed to the stable hierarchical porous structure with a large specific surface area and the massive oxygen vacancy defects generated during the synthesis process. In general, this work paves a solid foundation for directly synthesizing G-NiO-ZnO heterojunction in a one-step approach and demonstrates a great practical application potential for efficient glycol gas detecting.

Boosting water electrolysis with anodic glucose oxidation reaction over engineered cobalt nickel hydroxide nanosheet on carbon cloth

The pursuit of low cell voltage for water splitting is urgent for the clean and sustainable energy. However, the cell voltage is limited by the anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), requiring a higher overpotential than cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, to boost water electrolysis, we replace the anodic OER with glucose oxidation reaction (GOR) over engineered ultra-thin cobalt nickel hydroxide nanosheet on carbon cloth, in which can synergistically improve its numbers of active sites, conductivity, intrinsic activity and stability with the Co doped α-Ni(OH)2. When it couples with Pt cathode, the resulting cell voltage to drive water splitting at the current density of 100 mA cm−2 with the assistance of glucose is as low as 1.56 V. While without the glucose in the electrolyte, the potential reaches as high as 1.75 V. Therefore, replacing OER with the GOR can reduce the potential of water electrolysis. This work is contributed to the development the other highly active and robust electrocatalysts in water electrolysis with the assistance of glucose or similar organic molecular.

Highly productive solvothermal synthesis of hexagonal Sb2Te3 fine-platelets using solution with high precursor concentration and added glucose

High-purity hexagonal Sb2Te3 fine-platelets were successfully synthesized with high efficiency via a solvothermal route using a high precursor concentration with the assistance of glucose. The solvothermal synthesis was carried out at 180 °C for 16 h while the solution was stirred at 500 rpm. To clarify the role of the chemical compounds, we replaced glucose in the precursor solution with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). Hexagonal Sb2Te3 platelets with a size of 3–6 μm and approximate thickness of 0.25 μm were obtained when an optimal amount of glucose (0.8 g) was used, and the production efficiency reached 90%. In contrast, the solvothermal synthesis route using various amounts of PVP produced mainly Te rods, and the production efficiency was as low as 40%. A possible reason for the successful growth of hexagonal Sb2Te3 platelets via glucose-assisted solvothermal synthesis was the double role of glucose as a reducing catalyst as well as a surfactant.

CNTs@γ-Fe2O3@C composite electrode for high capacity lithium ion storage

Electrode materials with high specific capacity and cycle stability are the key factors that determine the overall performance of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) for new smart electronic device, and such materials with high performance are still challenging. Here, we report a composite material Carbon nanotube @ Iron oxide @ Carbon (γ-CNTs@γ-Fe2O3@C) with coaxial cable structure in hydrothermal method with the assistance of glucose. The as-prepared composite materials show superior electrochemical properties with good rate capability and excellent cycling performance, which show the great potential of CNTs@γ-Fe2O3@C for practical production and application in energy devices.

Preparation and gas sensing properties of ZnO hollow microspheres

In this study, zinc oxide hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal route with the assistance of glucose only using cheap Zn(NO3)3·6H2O as starting materials, followed by a simple calcination treatment. The zinc oxide hollow microspheres were characterized via scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The prepared zinc oxide hollow microspheres were further employed to fabricate a gas sensor to detect volatile organic pollutants. The gas sensing measurement results revealed that the zinc oxide hollow microsphere sensor showed excellent sensing performances to ppm levels of probe gas ethanol vapor including high response, short response–recovery times and good reversibility. The sensor also showed high response to other ppm levels of volatile organic pollutants such as n-butanol, acetone, methanol, toluene and benzene, implying its promising gas sensor application in detecting volatile organic pollutants. Zinc oxide hollow microspheres, prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal route, based gas sensor showed excellent sensing performances to ppm levels of volatile organic pollutants including high response, short response–recovery times and good reversibility.

Rational design and preparation of few-layered MoSe2 nanosheet@C/TiO2 nanobelt heterostructures with superior lithium storage performance

A heterostructure of MoSe2 nanosheets decorated on C/TiO2 nanobelts was successfully fabricated through a facile hydrothermal process with the assistance of glucose.

Glucose assisted synthesis of hollow spindle LiMnPO4/C nanocomposites for high performance Li-ion batteries

Nano-sized hollow spindle LiMnPO4 with a well-developed olivine-type structure was synthesized with the assistance of glucose in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)/H2O under ambient pressure and 108°C. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images show that the LiMnPO4 particles consist of hollow spindles with a mean width of 200nm, length of 500-700nm, and wall thickness of about 30-60nm. The LiMnPO4/C nanocomposite was obtained by sintering nano-sized LiMnPO4 with glucose at 650°C under an inert atmosphere for 4h. With a coated carbon thickness of about 10 nm, the obtained composite maintained the morphology and size of the hollow spindle. The electrochemical tests show the specific capacity of LiMnPO4/C nanocomposite is 161.8mAhg−1 at 0.05C, 137.7mAhg−1 at 0.1C and 110.8mAhg−1 at 0.2C. The retention of discharge capacity maintains 92% after 100 cycles at 0.2C. After different rate cycles the high capacity of the LiMnPO4/C nanocomposite can be recovered. This high performance is attributed to the composite material's hollow spindle structure, which facilitates the electrolyte infiltration, resulting in an increased solid-liquid interface. The carbon layer covering the hollow spindle also contributes to the high performance of the LiMnPO4/C material as the carbon layer improves its electronic conductivity and the nano-scaled wall thickness decreases the paths of Li deintercalation.

HxMoO3@C nanobelts: Green synthesis and superior lithium storage properties

MoO3 could be a promising high capacity anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, its applications have been hindered by its poor electronic conductivity. To address these issues, in this work, HxMoO3@C nanobelts were synthesized by mild hydrothermal treatment of precursor MoO3 nanobelts only with the assistance of glucose and ethanol. Subsequently, a catalysis-insertion model was proposed to describe the formation of HxMoO3 nanobelts. When tested as LIBs anodes, the superior reversible capacities of LIBs anodes were realized from HxMoO3@C nanobelts. The HxMoO3@C nanobelts electrode exhibited superior reversible capacity of 480 mAh g−1 retained at 200 mA g−1 after 100 cycles, and a superior rate capacity of 337 mAh g−1 retained after 100 cycles at 500 mA g−1. The superior performance achieved in HxMoO3@C nanobelts anode system are attributed to the synergistic effect of the conductive HxMoO3, the enlargement of interplanar spacing and uniform carbon coating shell.

Near infrared nonlinearity in silver telluride-core/carbon-sheath and tellurium-core/carbon-sheath nanostructures synthesized by reduction carbonization approach

A reduction-carbonization approach for the formation of one-dimensional (1D) silver telluride nanocables and tellurium nanorods with a sheath of amorphous carbon are proposed. Here the carbon shell is obtained with the assistance of glucose which behaves as carbonizing agent; silver nitrate and sodium tellurite are utilized as precursors and ethylene glycol acts as reducing agent. The results demonstrate the Ag2Te/C and Te/C nanostructures with average diameters of 150 and 100 nm, respectively. The crystal structures, morphology, and composition are studied using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy characterizations. The formation mechanism of amorphous carbon sheath and finally core–shell nanostructures is elaborated on the basis of the experimental results. In addition, nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients along with 3rd order nonlinear optical properties are investigated by open/closed-aperture Z-scan measurements using femtosecond pulse laser at 800 nm in a systematic way. This study provides a guide to the nonlinear properties, which may hold promise as advanced materials for various applications.

Solvothermal synthesis of polycrystalline tellurium nanoplates and their conversion into single crystalline nanorods

Uniform and polycrystalline tellurium nanoplates with a thickness of 100–300 nm can be rapidly synthesized by a simple solvothermal method in mixtures of water and ethanediamine at 180 °C with the assistance of glucose. By adjusting the concentration of glucose, tellurium microrods and nanoplates can be prepared. Based on the electron microscope observations, a possible mechanism involved the self-assembly process and dissolution–recrystallization mechanism is proposed for explaining the formation of polycrystalline tellurium nanoplates and their transformation into single crystalline nanorods. Furthermore, the Raman scattering measurement for the different morphologies is conducted, and the polycrystalline nanoplates present the stronger Raman scattering spectrum.

Highly uniform Gd(OH)3 and Gd2O3:Eu3+ hexagram-like microcrystals: glucose-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, growth mechanism and luminescence property

Monodispersed and uniform Gd(OH)3 microcrystals with novel hexagram-like morphology have been successfully prepared through a simple and green hydrothermal process with the assistance of glucose. The results of control experiments revealed that the glucose concentration in the reaction system was an important factor, which affected the morphology of the Gd(OH)3 microcrystals significantly. On the basis of time-dependent experiments, the growth mechanism of the Gd(OH)3 hexagrams was discussed. Furthermore, the Gd2O3 and Eu3+-doped Gd2O3 hexagram-like microcrystals, inheriting the Gd(OH)3 precursors' morphology, were obtained during a direct annealing process in air. The corresponding Gd2O3:Eu3+ hexagram-like microcrystals exhibit strong red emission pertaining to the 5D0→7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ions under UV light, which have potential applications in novel optoelectronic devices.

One-pot hydrothermal preparation and catalytic performance of porous strontium ferrite hollow spheres for the combustion of toluene

Strontium ferrite (SFO) hollow spheres with or without porous shells were fabricated via a novel one-pot hydrothermal route with the assistance of glucose and/or ethylenediamine. Physicochemical properties of the materials were characterized by means of a number of analytical techniques, and their catalytic performance was evaluated for the combustion of toluene. It is shown that the SFO samples possessed an orthorhombic structure and displayed a porous hollow spherical morphology with a surface area of 18–27m2/g. The SFO sample (SFO-3) derived hydrothermally at 170°C with a glucose/ethylenediamine volumetric ratio of 0.3/1.0 exhibited the highest surface area and oxygen adspecies concentration and the best low-temperature reducibility. Among the SFO samples, the SFO-3 sample showed the best catalytic activity for toluene combustion, and the T10%, T50%, and T90% were ca. 145, 255, and 298°C at a space velocity of 20,000mL/(gh), respectively. It is concluded that the good catalytic performance of SFO-3 was associated with its surface oxygen species concentration and better low-temperature reducibility.