Bismuth Nanorods Research Articles

Bismuth Nano-Rods Wrapped with Graphene and N-Doped C as Anode Materials for Potassium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries

Alloying-type anode materials have considerably promoted the development of potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) and sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), enabling them to achieve high-energy-density. However, large volume expansion and sluggish dynamic behavior have become key issues affecting electrochemical performance. Herein, bismuth (Bi) nano-rods are anchored on reduced graphene (rGO) and encapsulated via N-doped C (NC) to construct Bi@rGO@NC architecture as anode materials for SIBs and PIBs. The hierarchical confinement effect of three-dimensional conductive networks can not only improve electrode stability upon cycling via suppressing the large volume variation, but also eliminate the band gap of Bi and accelerate ion diffusion, thereby exhibiting favorable electrochemical reaction kinetics. Thus, Bi@rGO@NC contributes an ultra-long lifetime, over 1000 cycles, and an outstanding rate property to SIBs and PIBs. This work can pave the way for the construction of high-performance alloying-type anode materials for SIBs and PIBs.

Bismuth nanorods confined in hollow carbon structures for high performance sodium- and potassium-ion batteries

Bismuth has drawn widespread attention as a prospective alloying-type anode for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) and potassium-ion batteries (PIBs) due to its large volumetric capacity. However, such material encounters drastic particle pulverization and overgrowth of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) upon repeated (de)alloying, thus causing poor rate and cycling degradation. Herein, we report a unique structure design with bismuth nanorods confined in hollow N, S-codoped carbon nanotubes (Bi@NS-C) fabricated by a solvothermal method and in-situ thermal reduction. Ex-situ SEM observations confirm that such a design can significantly suppress the size fining of Bi nanorods, thus inhibiting the particle pulverization and repeated SEI growth upon charging/discharging. The as achieved Bi@NS-C demonstrates outstanding rate capability for SIBs (96.5% capacity retention at 30 A g−1 vs. 1 A g−1), and a record high rate performance for PIBs (399.5 mAh g−1 @ 20 A g−1). Notably, the as constructed full cell (Na3V2(PO4)3@C|Bi@NS-C) demonstrates impressive performance with a high energy density of 219.8 W h kg−1 and a high-power density of 6443.3 W kg−1 (based on the total mass of active materials on both electrodes), outperforming the state-of-the-art literature.

Synthesis of Vanadium Doped Lanthanum Bismuthate Nanorods for Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity.

Vanadium doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorods with vanadium ratio of 1%, 3%, 5% and 10 wt.% were fabricated through the hydrothermal method using sodium orthovanadate as vanadium source. Vanadium doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorod products were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern and diffuse reflection spectrum. X-ray diffraction patterns show that vanadium in the vanadium doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorods exists as triclinic Bi23V₄O44.5 and monoclinic LaVO₄ phases. Scanning electron microscopy observations show that the size and micro-morphology of the vanadium doped products are closely relative to the vanadium mass ratio. The length of the vanadium doped nanorods decreases and the morphology changes from nanorods to irregular nanoparticles with increasing the vanadium mass ratio. Solid UV-vis diffuse reflectance measurement shows that the bandgap value of the doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorods is narrowed from 2.37 eV to 2.25 eV after the vanadium doping ratio is increased from 1% to 10%. The doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorods illustrate enhanced photocatalytic performance for methylene orange (MO) removal with the irradiation of sunlight. The catalytic performance for MO removal depends on the irradiation time, vanadium content and dosage of the nanorods. The doped lanthanum bismuthate nanorods with the vanadium mass ratio of 10% possess the best MO catalytic degradation performance.

Bi nanorods anchored in N-doped carbon shell as anode for high-performance magnesium ion batteries

The rechargeable magnesium batteries are potentially applicable in large-scale energy storage systems because of the low costs and rich sources. But the alternative anodes for magnesium ion batteries have not been fully developed. In this work, a novel bismuth-carbon composite with bismuth nanorods anchored in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon matrix (Bi@NC), was prepared as anode for magnesium ion batteries by carbonizing the dopamine-coated bismuth metal precursors. The matrix facilitated the magnesiation/de-magnesiation of bismuth due to its highly electronic conductive network. Moreover, it restrained the aggregation of bismuth nanorods and serves as a buffer layer to alleviate the mechanical strain of bismuth nanorods upon magnesium insertion/extraction. As the anode for magnesium ion batteries, the Bi@NC core-shell nanorods delivered a reversible capacity of 360 mAh g−1 at the current density of 100 mA g−1, and 87 % of the initial capacity was achieved after 100 cycles. The standout rate performance is 275 mAh g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1. Such a good electrochemical property demonstrated the great application potential of Bi@NC as anode in magnesium ion batteries.

Nanocapillarity and Nanoconfinement Effects of Pipet-like Bismuth@Carbon Nanotubes for Highly Efficient Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction reaction is regarded as an intriguing route for producing renewable chemicals and fuels, but its development is limited by the lack of highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts. Herein, we propose the pipet-like bismuth (Bi) nanorods semifilled in nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (Bi-NRs@NCNTs) for highly selective electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. Benefited from the prominent capillary and confinement effects, the Bi-NRs@NCNTs act as nanoscale conveyors that can significantly facilitate the mass transport, adsorption,and concentration of reactants onto the active sites, realizing rapid reaction kinetics and low cathodic polarization. The spatial encapsulation and separation by the NCNT shells prevents the self-aggregation and surface oxidation of Bi-NRs, increasing the dispersity and stability of the electrocatalyst. As a result, the Bi-NRs@NCNTs exhibit high activity and durable catalytic stability for CO2-to-formate conversion over a wide potential range. The Faradaic efficiency for formate production reaches 90.9% at a moderate applied potential of -0.9 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE).

Restraining polysulfide shuttling by designing a dual adsorption structure of bismuth encapsulated into carbon nanotube cavity

The shuttle effect derived from the dissolution of lithium polysulfides (LIPs) seriously hinders commercialization of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Hence, we skillfully designed 1D cowpea-like CNTs@Bi composites with a double adsorption structure, where the bismuth nanoparticles/nanorods are encapsulated in the cavities of CNTs, avoiding the aggregation of bismuth nanoparticles during cycling and improving the conductivity of the electrode. Meanwhile, the sulfur was evenly distributed on the surface of bismuth nanoparticles/nanorods, ensuring effective catalytic activity and displaying high sulfur loading. Under the synergetic effects of the physical detention of abundant pores and chemical adsorption of bismuth, LIPs can be minimised, effectively curbing the shuttle effect. Benefiting from the above advantages, the CNTs@Bi/S cathodes exhibit a high capacity of 1352 mA h g-1, long cycling lifespan (708 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at 1 C) and excellent coulombic efficiency. As the anodes of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the CNTs@Bi composites also show excellent performance due to the encapsulated structure to accommodate the serious volume change. This work offers an innovative strategy for improving the performances of the Li-S batteries and LIBs.

Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate-assisted Synthesis and Natural Sunlight Photocatalytic Activity of La Bismuthate Nanorods

Background: Removal of the organic pollutants using the photo-catalysts by the photocatalytic treatment process under natural sunlight irradiation has attracted great attention owing to the complete destruction of the organic pollutants. The La bismuthate nanorods possess good photocatalytic performance for the removal of the methylene orange (MO) under the sunlight irradiation. Objective: The aim is to synthesize La bismuthate nanorods by hydrothermal method and research the photocatalytic performance of the La bismuthate nanorods for MO degradation under sunlight irradiation. Methods: La bismuthate nanorods have been synthesized by a simple sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS)-assisted hydrothermal method using sodium bismuthate and La acetate as the starting materials. The obtained La bismuthate products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy and solid UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum. Results: With different SDBS concentration, hydrothermal temperature and reaction time, different morphologies of the La bismuthate products were obtained. XRD analysis shows that the La bismuthate nanorods obtained from 180°C for 24 h with 5wt.% SDBS are composed of orthorhombic La1.08Bi0.92O3.03 phase. Electron microscopy observations show that the La bismuthate nanorods with flat tips have the length of longer than 10 μm and diameter of about 20-100 nm, respectively. The morphology and structure of the products are closely related to the SDBS concentration, hydrothermal temperature and reaction time. Solid UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectrum shows that the band gap of the La bismuthate nanorods is 2.37 eV. The La bismuthate nanorods show good photocatalytic performance for the degradation of MO under the sunlight irradiation. MO solution with the concentration of 10 mg.L-1 can be totally removed by 10 mg La bismuthate nanorods in 10 mL MO aqueous solution under sunlight irradiation for 6 h. Conclusion: The photocatalytic performance for the removal of MO is dependent on the sunlight irradiation time and dosage of the La bismuthate nanorods. The La bismuthate nanorods exhibit great potential for the removal of organic pollutants.

Deep Subwavelength Light Confinement in Disordered Bismuth Nanorods as a Linearly Thermal‐Tunable Metamaterial

Materials with a tunable optical response that can be controllably tailored using external stimuli excitation have undergone considerable research effort for the development of active optical devices, such as thermo‐optical modulators. Although bismuth (Bi) nanodots, embedded into glass matrices, have been proven to have a thermo‐optical response, the recyclability of the structure in solid–liquid phase transitions is a major challenge. Herein, a facile and lithography‐free fabrication method is proposed to realize densely packed stand‐alone Bi nanorods (NRs), with deep subwavelength gaps and a resonance at the midinfrared range (λ ≅ 4.462 μm). Owing to these ultrasmall gaps that support lossy Mie‐like resonances, strong field confinement is achieved, and the resonance wavelength exhibits great sensitivity to temperature, as the thermal sensitivity reaches as high as 1.0316 nm °C−1. This operation is conducted in the moderate temperature interval of 25–85 °C, which is far from the melting point of Bi. Overall, our simple, robust, and high‐performance device is highly promising for realizing optical switches, thermo‐optic modulators, and infrared camouflage.

Bismuth nanorod networks confined in a robust carbon matrix as long-cycling and high-rate potassium-ion battery anodes

A novel composite structure comprising bismuth nanorod networks confined into robust micro-sized N, S co-doped carbon matrix was synthesized as a highly stable alloy-type anode for potassium-ion batteries.

A micromilled microgrid sensor with delaminated MXene-bismuth nanocomposite assembly for simultaneous electrochemical detection of lead(II), cadmium(II) and zinc(II)

A delaminated MXene-bismuth (Bi@d-Ti3C2) nanocomposite was synthesized for the construction of a microgrid electrochemical sensor via mechanical milling. The Bi@d-Ti3C2 nanocomposite was synthesized by accumulation of Bi(III) on the surface of delaminated Ti3C2 nanosheets through electrostatic attraction and subsequent in-situ growth of bismuth nanorods. Under optimized experimental conditions, the sensor exhibits (a) linear responses to Pb(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) in the concentration range from 1 to 20μgL-1, (b) well separated peak potentials at -0.54V, -0.76V and - 1.15V vs. Ag/AgCl, (c) sensitivities of 0.98, 0.84 and 0.60μALμg-1, and (d) detection limits of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.5μgL-1, respectively. This performance is attributed to the uniform dispersion of Bi nanorods on electrically conductive delaminated Ti3C2 MXene, and to the enhanced diffusion due to the microgrid structure. Graphical abstractSchematic representation of a microgrid sensor based on delaminated MXene-bismuth (Bi@d-Ti3C2) nanocomposite for the simultaneous electrochemical determination of Pb(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II).

Synthesis of Polyaniline/Zn Bismuthate Nanocomposites and Sensitive Formaldehyde Sensing Performance

Background: Formaldehyde belongs to important pollutant and is usually found in liquid environment, such as juices, beer, cleaning products and biological fluid of the human. The electrochemical sensors using glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with polyaniline/Zn bismuthate nanocomposites can effectively detect formaldehyde with broad linear range and good reproducibility. Methods: Polyaniline/Zn bismuthate nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ aniline polymerizing route in aqueous solution. The structure and morphologies of the nanocomposites were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical performance for formaldehyde detection has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method using polyaniline/ Zn bismuthate nanocomposites modified GCE. Results: XRD shows that ZnBi38O58 phase exists in the nanocomposites. Amorphous polyaniline attaches to the surface of the Zn bismuthate nanorods. The 20wt.% polyaniline/Zn bismuthate nanocomposites modified GCE shows an irreversible cyclic voltammetry (CV) peak at –0.06 V. The peak current increases sharply with increased scan rate, formaldehyde concentration and acidity. The electrochemical response dependences including the linear range, detection limit were analyzed. 20wt.% polyaniline/Zn bismuthate nanocomposites modified GCE shows low detection limit of 0.0095 µM and wide linear range of 0.00001-2 mM. The detection limit for formaldehyde decreases from 0.028 µM to 0.0075 µM with the increase in the polyaniline content from 10wt.% to 40wt.%. Conclusion: The low detection limit and wide linear range make the nanocomposites modified GCE valuable for sensor application. Polyaniline/Zn bismuthate nanocomposites are identified as the prominent electrode materials for sensitive formaldehyde detection.

Visible-light-enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen production on semimetal bismuth nanorods

Controlling the compositions and morphologies of the electrocatalysts were conventionally used for improving the catalytic activities. Here, visible-light-enhanced electrocatalytic water reduction reactions on semimetal bismuth (Bi) nanorods were achieved. The Bi catalyst not only exhibited an ideal Faradaic efficiency of 98% for electrocatalytic hydrogen production, but also acted as a light absorber for improving the activity even under light irradiation up to 740 nm. As a result, the solar-to‑hydrogen conversion efficiency under simulated AM 1.5G illumination was reached to 0.82%, which is 2.7 times higher than that induced by plasmon Au nanoparticles. This conversion efficiency is attributed to the excellent solar light absorption property of Bi and the enhanced electron-transfer at the interface of Bi/electrolyte under irradiation. The low-cost Bi catalyst with the dual function could open a venue toward designing more-energy-efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen production assisted by sunlight.

Mesoporous Carbon‐Coated Bismuth Nanorods as Anode for Potassium‐Ion Batteries

A new type of a mesoporous carbon‐coated bismuth (Bi@C) composite in the form of nanorods is fabricated and used as anode material in a potassium‐ion battery (KIB). The rod‐like Bi core is composed of nanoparticles and confined by a shell of amorphous carbon. The KIB with such Bi@C anode exhibits a high storage capacity of 425 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1. The mesoporous Bi@C, with a large surface area and an appropriate pore size is in close contact with the electrolyte and facilitates the diffusion of K+ ions. The carbon shell soothes the mechanical stresses owing to the volumetric changes of the anode during charging and discharging of the battery, preventing the degradation of active material and delivering a cyclic stability of over 500 cycles. This superior performance demonstrates the importance of a structural design that can offer a new pathway to anode development in KIB as well as in other energy storage devices.

Facile Synthesis of Polyaniline/Bismuth Nickelate Nanorod Composites for Sensitive Tartaric Acid Detection

Polyaniline/bismuth nickelate nanorod composites with different polyaniline mass percentage have been obtained by a simple in-situ polymerizing process. The structure and morpho-logy of the composites are analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The composites have cubic Bi12NiO19 phase. Amorphous sphere-shaped polyaniline with nanoscale size attaches firmly to the surface of the crystalline bismuth nickelate nanorods. A glassy carbon electrode is modified with polyaniline/bismuth nickelate nanorod composites for the electrochemical detection of tartaric acid. Electrochemical responses of tartaric acid have been investigated by controlling such parameters as the scan rate and tartaric acid concentration. The peak current is linearly raised with increasing the scan rate and tartaric acid concentration. The linear range increases from 0.001–2 mM to 0.0005–2 mM and the limit of detection decreases from 0.37 to 0.18 μM as increasing the polyaniline mass percentage from 10 to 40 wt %. Compared with a bare glassy carbon electrode and a bismuth nickelate nanorods modified polyaniline one greatly enhances the electrochemical detection performance of tartaric acid.

Rayleigh-Instability-Induced Bismuth Nanorod@Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotubes as A Long Cycling and High Rate Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Sodium-ion battery (SIB) as one of the most promising large-scale energy storage devices has drawn great attention in recent years. However, the development of SIBs is limited by the lacking of proper anodes with long cycling lifespans and large reversible capacities. Here we present rational synthesis of Rayleigh-instability-induced bismuth nanorods encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanotubes (Bi@N-C) using Bi2S3 nanobelts as the template for high-performance SIB. The Bi@N-C electrode delivers superior sodium storage performance in half cells, including a high specific capacity (410 mA h g-1 at 50 mA g-1), long cycling lifespan (1000 cycles), and superior rate capability (368 mA h g-1 at 2 A g-1). When coupled with homemade Na3V2(PO4)3/C in full cells, this electrode also exhibits excellent performances with high power density of 1190 W kg-1 and energy density of 119 Wh kg-1total. The exceptional performance of Bi@N-C is ascribed to the unique nanorod@nanotube structure, which can accommodate volume expansion of Bi during cycling and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase layer and improve the electronic conductivity.

Platelet-membrane-camouflaged bismuth sulfide nanorods for synergistic radio-photothermal therapy against cancer

Bismuth-containing nanoparticles (BNPs) are potential enhancers for tumor radiotherapy. Improving the bioavailability and developing synergistic therapeutic regimens benefit the drug transformation of BNPs. In the present study, we prepare a mesoporous silica-coated bismuth nanorod (BMSNR) camouflaged by a platelet membrane (PM). This biomimetic material is termed BMSNR@PM. The PM camouflage enhances the immune escape of the BMSNRs by lowering endocytosis by macrophages in the reticuloendothelial system. Additionally, the PM camouflage strengthens the material tumor-targeting capacity and leads to better radiotherapeutic efficacy compared with bare BMSNRs. Owing to the photothermal effect, BMSNR@PMs alters the cell cycle of 4T1 cancer cells post-treatment with 808 nm near-infrared irradiation (NIR). The proportions of S phase and G2/M phase cells decrease and increase, respectively, which explains the synergistic effect of NIR on BMSNR@PM-based radiotherapy. BMSNR@PMs efficiently eradicates cancer cells by the combined action of photothermal therapy (PTT) and radiotherapy in vivo and markedly improves the survival of 4T1-tumor-bearing mice. The synergistic therapeutic effect is superior to the outcomes of PTT and radiotherapy performed alone. Our study demonstrates a versatile bismuth-containing nanoplatform with tumor-targeting, immune escape, and radiosensitizing functionalities using an autologous cell membrane biomimetic concept that may promote the development of radiotherapy enhancers.

Graphene/zinc bismuthate nanorods composites and their electrochemical sensing performance for ascorbic acid

Graphene/zinc bismuthate nanorods composites have been prepared using graphene and zinc bismuthate nanorods as the raw materials. The composites are composed of graphene nanosheets with folds and wrinkles and zinc bismuthate nanorods which possesses cubic ZnBi38O58 and hexagonal graphite phases. The zinc bismuthate nanorods are dispersed on the graphene nanosheets. A pair of quasi-reversible redox cyclic voltammogram (CV) peaks exist at the graphene/zinc bismuthate nanorods composites modified glassy carbon electrode. The CV peak current linearly increases with the scan rate from 25 mV•s−1 to 200 mV•s−1. The electrochemical response is linear in the ascorbic acid concentration range of 0.0001-2 mM and the detection limit is 0.07 μM. The graphene/zinc bismuthate nanorods composites can be considered as a promising electrode materials to be utilized as the electrochemical sensor.

Polyaniline/zinc bismuthate nanocomposites for the enhanced electrochemical performance of the determination of L-Cysteine

A simple in-situ aniline monomer polymerizing process in aqueous solution has been used for the synthesis of the polyaniline/zinc bismuthate nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows that the nanocomposites have cubic ZnBi38O58 structure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) techniques show that the amorphous polyaniline attaches firmly to the surface of the zinc bismuthate nanorods. The polyaniline/zinc bismuthate nanocomposites modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibits good electrocatalytic activity toward L-Cysteine. The electrochemical performance for the determination of L-Cysteine is greatly enhanced which may be contributed to the polyaniline and synergistic role between polyaniline and zinc bismuthate nanorods. The influences of scan rate, L-Cysteine concentration and polyaniline content are investigated. The peak current is linearly dependent on the scan rate and L-Cysteine concentration. The limit of detection (LOD) decreases obviously from 0.032 μM to 0.012 μM with increasing the polyaniline content from 10 wt% to 40 wt%. The polyaniline/zinc bismuthate nanocomposites modified GCE shows good reproducibility and stability.

Solar Light Photocatalytic Performance for Gentian Violet Using Aluminium Bismuthate Nanorods

Solar Light Photocatalytic Performance for Gentian Violet Using Aluminium Bismuthate Nanorods

Facile method for bismuth nanorod synthesis

The purpose of this research is to obtain a facile method for bismuth nanorod synthesis. Bismuth nitrate pentahydrate [Bi(NO3)3•5H2O] was used as a precursor and rod-like formation was found at 80 °C in the presence of hydrazine hydrate and sodium oleate. We also found here that incubation time plays an important role in shape regulation and the presence of CTAB obstructs rod formation. The nanostructures were characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) for crystalline structures examination. Moreover, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was performed to determine morphology of nanostructures, whereas size distribution was analyzed using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA).