Dispersion Of Nanosheets Research Articles

Anchored growth of highly dispersed LDHs nanosheets on expanded graphite for fluoride adsorption properties and mechanism.

In this study, a new composite with layered double hydroxides (LDHs) anchored grown on expanded graphite (EG) interlayers was prepared by vacuum-assisted intercalation and hydrothermal method. Both sides of EG were completely covered by highly dispersed LDHs nanosheets and formed a sandwich-like structure. The unique structure made expanded graphite/layered double hydroxides (EG/LDHs) composites which had excellent F- adsorption performance. The adsorption performance of F- on EG/LDHs was evaluated, and the results indicated that the adsorption process was consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir model. Pseudo-second-order kinetic model indicated that the adsorption sites were the main factor in the adsorption process. Moreover, the maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) reached 63.21mg·g-1 at 30min at room temperature, which was better than most of the same type of adsorbents. The highly dispersed of LDHs anchored growth on EG overcame the disadvantage of aggregation, which exposed more adsorption sites and improved the removal efficiency of F-. In addition, the effects of pH, anion interference, different water quality, and regeneration tests on the EG/LDHs composites were also analyzed, showing that the composites have good stability.

Synergistic effect of graphene nanosheets and copper oxide nanoparticles on mechanical and thermal properties of composites: Experimental and simulation investigations

In this study, the synergetic effects of graphene nanosheets (Gr) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and the hybrid incorporation of both nanoparticles on the mechanical and thermal properties of 8-layer glass/epoxy composites are investigated. Also, the method of hand-lay-up is used and the tensile strength, three-point bending, and low velocity impact tests are performed to study their mechanical properties. Also, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis are conducted to study the structure and the morphological behavior of nanoparticles. Finally, the obtained result is that by adding the combination of both nanoparticles to the polymer and fibers, the tensile properties increase about 32 %, its flexural properties increase about 30%. The SEM images show that the less diffuse the copper nanoparticles on the sample surface, the better the activity and dispersion of the graphene nanosheets. The obtained results show that the stress–strain diagram for the sample containing the simultaneous combination of copper and graphene has the lowest stress and yield stress while the pure sample with the highest load tolerance and then the sample contain copper nanoparticles. Also, the interpretation of the obtained results in comparison with the results of other researches shows that the heat transfer behavior is uniformly about 0.1 to 0.3 and the maximum heat transfer rate is 0.38. The results showed that the addition of hybrid CuO and Gr nanoparticles into composite specimens can enhanced both mechanical and thermal properties of fabricated specimens, simultaneously. The equivalent properties of the matrix and graphene nanosheet obtained from the FEM validated by experimental experiments are considered as independent parameters. This equivalent property along with the mechanical properties of the fibers is placed in a quasi-experimental Halpin-Tsaiequation to obtain an estimate of the mechanical properties of the whole nanocomposite.

Mussel-inspired preparation of dispersible mica nanosheets for waterborne epoxy coatings with reinforced anticorrosive performance

Mica is a low-cost, naturally layered material with superior insulation, high-temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, but the preparation of its nanosheets on a large scale and their compatibility with resin are still to be solved. In this work, hydroxyl-functionalized mica nanosheets (MNs) were prepared by the introduction of plasma treatment with a yield of 6.695 %. Inspired by mussels, natural tannic acid (TA) was chosen to modify MNs via the interaction of catechol groups with OH to prepare functionalized MNs (MNs@TA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) proved the successful preparation of TA-modified MNs. The obtained MNs@TA exhibited good dispersion in solvent and waterborne epoxy (WEP) coating, enhancing the compatibility with WEP resin. In addition, the MNs@TA/WEP composite coatings were used on Q235 carbon steel, and their corrosion protection performance and mechanism were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), ultra-depth three-dimensional microscope, and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The results illustrated that the incorporation of 0.5 wt% MNs@TA significantly improved the anticorrosive performance of the WEP coating via enhanced barrier properties.

Enhancing the Performance of PVDF/GO Ultrafiltration Membrane via Improving the Dispersion of GO with Homogeniser.

In this study, PVDF/GO-h composite membranes were synthesised using a homogeniser to improve the dispersion of GO nanosheets within the composite membrane's structure, and then characterised and contrasted to PVDF/GO-s control samples, which were synthesised via traditional blending method-implementing a magnetic stirrer. By characterizing membrane via X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water contact angle (WCA) and membrane performance. SEM results showed that the number of the finger-like structure channels and pores in the sponge like structure of PVDF/GO-h composite membranes become more compared with PVDF/GO-s membranes. Water contact angle tests showed that the PVDF/GO-h composite membranes have lower contact angle than PVDF/GO-s control, which indicated the PVDF/GO-h composite membranes are more hydrophilic. Results also showed that composite membranes blended using homogeniser exhibited both improved water flux and rejection of target pollutants. In summary, it was shown that the performance of composite membranes could be improved significantly via homogenisation during synthesis, thus outlining the importance of further research into proper mixing.

Morphology regulation of zero-valent iron nanosheets supported on microsilica for promoting peroxymonosulfate activation

Combing the assisted dispersion strategy of support with the wet chemical reduction method, a novel nano-zero valent iron/microsilica (nZVI/M) composite was successfully fabricated, where the 2D nZVI nanosheets were uniformly anchored and covered on the surface of microsilica. The introduction of microsilica notably relieved the agglomeration effect of nZVI nanosheets, which induced the improvement of specific surface area (45.68 m2/g) and pore volume (0.172 cm3/g), and thereby exposing more active sites for bisphenol A (BPA) removal. The optimized nZVI/M-0.6 displayed the superior catalytic performance in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with the degradation rate of BPA reached above 97% within 3 min and a higher constant rate of 0.659 min−1, which was approximately 3.9 times as high as that of nZVI/PMS system. The homogeneously dispersion of nZVI nanosheets on microsilica benefited for the assembly of the pollutants and boosting the kinetics of the catalytic degradation process. As a highly efficient PMS activator, it could well maintain the catalytic activity in different real water samples. The quenching experiments verified that SO4•− played the dominate role for BPA removal. This work offered novel insights for designing and preparing iron-based persulfate activator for wastewater treatment.

Delamination of Layered Double Hydroxide in Ionic Liquids under Ambient Conditions.

Liquid phase delamination of layered materials into single- or few-layer nanosheets leads to stable nanoscale dispersions of 2D materials. The delamination of layered double hydroxide (LDH) to double hydroxide nanosheets was studied in two ionic liquids (ILs): ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate (BMIMSCN). The as-prepared lamellar structure of LDH disappeared upon dispersing it in ILs due to delamination into 2D nanosheets confirmed by X-ray scattering and diffraction techniques and further evaluated by height profile assessment of the nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy. The results showed that both the thickness and lateral size of the dispersed particles decreased in the IL-based samples, indicating that cleavage of the LDH materials can be observed in addition to delamination. The findings prove the concept of delamination of layered materials by ILs under ambient conditions─an excellent way to prepare 2D double hydroxide nanosheet dispersions in one step using nonvolatile green solvents.

Highly Dispersed In‐Situ Grown Bi2O3 Nanosheets on Ti3C2Tx MXene for Selective Electroreduction of Nitrate to Ammonia

AbstractNitrate, a common pollutant in water, can be used as a nitrogen source for electrocatalytic ammonia production. Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) is a promising electrocatalyst because of earth‐abundance and high hydrogen overpotential. However, it also has the disadvantages of easy agglomeration and poor charge transfer. This study demonstrated that the high dispersion of Bi2O3 nanosheets can be achieved through in‐situ growth on Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets that improved the efficiency of charge transmission, and thus improving the electrocatalytic ammonia production performance. A NH3 yield rate of ∼7.00 mg h−1 cm−2 with faradic efficiency of 91.1 % could be achieved on 11 % Bi2O3/MXene. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) proved that the excellent ammonia production performance came from the fact that bismuth oxide itself could inhibit hydrogen evolution, and in situ growth on MXene enabled high active site exposure and enhanced charge transfer capacity.

Novel BiPO4-Zn electrodeposited coatings with highly enhanced photocatalytic antibacterial activities controlled by ultrasound and EDTA-2Na

Photocatalytic biocides such as BiPO4 are promising green antibacterial materials. However, their application in water environment is still limited due to the difficulty of dispersing settlement on metal surface. To solve this problem, a kind of novel BiPO4-Zn coating was successfully electrodeposited by incorporating BiPO4 nanosheets into hexagonal zinc matrixes. During electrodeposition, ultrasound and EDTA-2Na would both promote the dispersion of BiPO4 nanosheets in the electrolyte and facilitate the adsorption of BiPO4 on the coating surface, while ultrasound showed relatively strong effect on increasing the BiPO4 composite concentrations. Furthermore, three typical fouling bacteria E. coli, Bacillus sp. and O. baumannii separated from South China Sea were employed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of the composite coatings. The antibacterial rates of the modified BiPO4-Zn coatings were over 98% towards three bacteria. Moreover, it was proved that the BiPO4-Zn coatings would effectively expel bacteria by generating ·O2- and ·OH radicals instead of directly killing the attached bacteria under light irradiation, which were highly environmentally friendly.

Efficient mineralization of organic pollutants by in-situ synthesized illite/bismuth-based heterojunction photocatalytic composites

A series of illite/bismuth-rich bismuth oxyiodide photocatalytic composites (IBCs) were successfully synthesized via an easy in-situ hydrolysis and calcination process. The type of bismuth-rich bismuth oxyiodide materials can be precisely adjusted by controlling the calcination temperature. Among them, T500 (illite@BiOI calcinated at 500 ℃) is a composite of illite-supported Bi4O5I2-Bi5O7I heterojunction, which exhibits superior removal efficiency of 94% toward bisphenol A (BPA) within 120 min and 73% on tetracycline hydrochloride (TH) in 60 min under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation, corresponding 69% and 46% of TOC are thoroughly decomposed respectively, manifesting the outstanding mineralization efficiencies of T500. This excellent photocatalytic performance should be attributed to the highly dispersed Bi4O5I2-Bi5O7I hybrid nanosheets which chemically bonded on layered illite can expose more abundant active sites to absorb O2 and capture charges. Furthermore, the in-situ tight binding interface between Bi4O5I2 and Bi5O7I can generate a strong interface electric field (IEF) to spatially propel the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. This work proposes a quick and simple preparation method for potentially powerful heterojunction photocatalysts based on affordable and natural clay supports.

Co-MOF nanosheet supported on ZSM-5 with an improved catalytic activity for air epoxidation of olefins

A composite material ZSM-5@Co-MOF containing Co-MOF and ZSM-5 was successfully prepared by steam-assisted crystallization of Co-MOF on the zeolite surface. Compared to physically mixing Co-MOF on the zeolite surfaces, Co-MOF nanosheets were uniformly attached to external surfaces of the ZSM-5 crystals because of the enhanced interaction between zeolite and Co-MOF in the composite. In addition, the Co-MOF was distributed as a nanosheet structure, and its dispersibility was greatly enhanced, in which this behavior led to more uniform distribution of the deposited active sites. Interestingly, the designed composite exhibited an excellent catalytic performance for the epoxidation of α-pinene with air. Compared to isolated Co-MOF and ZSM-5, high yield of the product (94.4%) was obtained over the 0.5ZSM-5@Co-MOF-150 composite due to the highly dispersed Co-MOF nanosheet. This opens up interesting prospects for developing new zeolite@MOF composite catalysts as efficient heterogeneous catalysts.

Sepiolite-Supported WS2 Nanosheets for Synergistically Promoting Photocatalytic Rhodamine B Degradation

Pristine tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets are extremely prone to agglomeration, leading to blocked active sites and the decrease of catalytic activity. In this work, highly dispersed WS2 nanosheets were fabricated via a one-step in situ solvothermal method, using sepiolite nanofibers as a functional carrier. The ammonium tetrathiotungstate was adopted as W and S precursors, and N,N-dimethylformamide could provide a neutral reaction environment. The electron microscope analysis revealed that the WS2 nanosheets were stacked compactly in the shape of irregular plates, while they were uniformly grown on the surface of sepiolite nanofibers. Meanwhile, the BET measurement confirmed that the as-prepared composite has a larger specific surface area and is more mesoporous than the pure WS2. Due to the improved dispersion of WS2 and the synergistic effect between WS2 and the mesoporous sepiolite mineral which significantly facilitated the mass transport, the WS2/sepiolite composite exhibited ca. 2.6 times the photocatalytic efficiency of the pure WS2 for rhodamine B degradation. This work provides a potential method for low-cost batch preparation of high-quality 2D materials via assembling on natural materials.

Intercalation of atorvastatin and valsartan into Mg[sbnd]Al layered double hydroxide host using a restacking procedure

Anionic drugs very poorly soluble in water, namely antidyslipidemic atorvastatin and antihypertensive valsartan were intercalated into MgAl LDH host using a restacking procedure, when the drugs, dissolved in ethanol, were added to aqueous dispersion of LDH nanosheets, prepared by direct coprecipitation of Mg and Al nitrates in excess of aqueous ammonia solution under nitrogen. Despite the large size of intercalated molecules, the products with high drug loading were obtained; the content 75.8 wt% of atorvastatin and 43.7 wt% of valsartan corresponded to 100 and 60% of the LDH anion exchange capacity, respectively. A marked increase in d003 basal spacing from 0.876 to 3.808 and 2.068 nm observed in powder XRD patterns of the LDH intercalated with atorvastatin and valsartan, respectively, confirmed the intercalation of both drugs into the LDH interlayer. The computational modeling applying the force field methods was used to calculate the most probable arrangement of the interlayer components at the atomic scale through energy minimization. The final models showed good agreement between the calculated and experimentally determined d003 basal spacing values. Results of the molecular modeling confirmed weak electrostatic interactions between LDH layers and terminal carboxyl groups in the drug molecules, together with bonding between the valsartan tetrazole rings and the LDH layers. Such interactions accompanied by deprotonation of carboxyl groups and tetrazole rings in the intercalated products were indicated by the FTIR and NMR measurements. The intercalation of drugs into LDH host slightly affected their back-release in aqueous media. In the phosphate buffer, slower atorvastatin release from the intercalated product compared to the sample containing atorvastatin calcium salt was observed, whereas enhanced valsartan release from the intercalated sample was found in the diluted HCl. The measured release profiles corresponded to the pseudo-second-order kinetics, indicating an intraparticle diffusion as the rate-limiting step.

Hierarchical leaf-like alumina-carbon nanosheets with ammonia water modification for ethanol dehydration to ethylene

A hierarchical leaf-like alumina-carbon nanosheet catalyst was prepared by a chelate-assisted co-assembly method to improve the catalytic behavior of ethanol dehydration reaction, based on the chemical etching effect of ammonia water. The uniformly dispersed leaf-like nanosheet structure possessed a relatively large specific surface area and exposed more active sites, which could promote the ethanol dehydration reaction. This catalyst was promising to obtain a higher catalytic behavior (conversion of 98.3 % and ethylene selectivity of 97.0 %) than the sample without ammonia water modification (conversion of 63.2 % and ethylene selectivity of 46.7 %) at 450 ℃. The addition of ammonia water played an essential role in influencing the formation of the leaf-like nanosheet structure and the generation of Brönsted acid active sites, which remarkably promoted the proceed of ethanol dehydration. Importantly, a direct relationship was observed between the nanosheet thickness and the alumina content. The best catalytic activity with TOF of 361.8 h−1 was obtained when the Al loading of 13.9 wt%, attributed to the suitably balanced weak/moderate acidic active sites ratio of ∼ 4.37. In-situ FTIR spectra of ethanol dehydration reaction clearly confirmed that ethanol was first converted to the intermediate product diethyl ether and then subsequently decomposed to ethylene at a higher temperature. The catalyst also maintained a good recyclability upon time on stream of 144 h at 450 ℃. This work provides an alternative way of developing non-noble metal catalyzing ethanol dehydration to ethylene.

Self-healing and enhanced anticorrosion coatings based on graphene-reinforced brominated butyl rubber ionomer

Heavy-duty anticorrosive applications usually require coatings to possess self-healing ability and high protection efficiency. In this paper, we propose a self-healing anticorrosion coating based on graphene (GP)-reinforced brominated butyl rubber (BIIR) ionomer. An ionomer with a reversible ionic network is fabricated by crosslinking BIIR with tert-butylpyridine and then compounded with GP nanosheets. The π-cationic interactions between GP nanosheets and pyridyl groups result in high interfacial contact. The interfacial contact promotes the dispersion of GP nanosheets in the polymer matrix, increasing the difficulty of corrosive chemical diffusion. Such material design enables the protection efficiency of the coating for a steel substrate to exceed 99 % in strong acid, strong alkali or high salt corrosive solutions. Furthermore, the coating exhibits high self-healing effectiveness in corrosive solutions. The recovered protection effectiveness is as high as 97.7 % after 24 h of self-healing. The coatings' remarkable anticorrosive and self-healing properties allow them to improve the service life of metallic equipment and components under harsh working situations.

Graphene/Waterborne Epoxy Coatings with Dual Functionalities of Barrier and Corrosion Inhibitor

A facile and environmentally-friendly method is developed to prepare graphene/waterborne epoxy (WEP) composite coatings. The graphene nanosheets are produced with electrochemical-exfoliation in the solution containing surfactants, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The nanosheets containing solution thus formed is subjected to a quick dialysis and then directly used as a diluent for WEP without any further treatment. This preparation method overcomes the commonly identified problems of aggregations and ‘corrosion promotion’ effect associated with graphene, and increases the impedance of the composite coatings by more than two orders of magnitude. The analysis of anticorrosion performance suggested that the presence of surfactants not only improves the dispersibility of graphene nanosheets but also endows the composite coatings with both barrier and corrosion inhibition capabilities. The strategy reported herein may pave the path to the large-scale production of the graphene anticorrosion coatings. Figure 1

Anti-Fouling, Adhesive Polyzwitterionic Hydrogel Electrodes Toughened Using a Tannic Acid Nanoflower

Conductive polyzwitterionic hydrogels with good adhesion properties show potential prospect in implantable electrodes and electronic devices. Adhesive property of polyzwitterionic hydrogels in humid environments can be improved by the introduction of catechol groups. However, common catechol modifiers can usually quench free radicals, resulting in a contradiction between long-term tissue adhesion and hydrogel toughness. By adding tannic acid (TA) to the dispersion of clay nanosheets and nanofibers, we designed TA-coated nanoflowers and nanofibers as the reinforcing phase to prepare polyzwitterionic hydrogels with adhesion properties. The hydrogel combines the mussel-like and zwitterionic co-adhesive mechanism to maintain long-term adhesion in underwater environments. In particular, the noncovalent cross-linking provided by the nanoflower structure effectively compensates for the defects caused by free-radical quenching so that the hydrogel obtained a high stretchability of over 2900% and a toughness of 1.16 J/m3. The hydrogel also has excellent anti-biofouling property and shows resistance to bacteria and cells. In addition, the hydrogel possesses a low modulus (<10 kPa) and ionic conductivity (0.25 S/m), making it an ideal material for the preparation of implantable electrodes.

Construction of modified MXene with “organic–inorganic” structure to enhance the interfacial and mechanical properties of UHMWPE fiber-reinforced epoxy composite

A type of MXene nanosheets with “organic–inorganic” structure was constructed through chemical reactions of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether on MXene surface to improve the interfacial and mechanical properties of ultrahigh-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber-reinforced epoxy composite. The soft “organic” portion was conducive to good dispersion of epoxy-modified MXene nanosheets (M−MXene) in epoxy resin, whereas the “inorganic” part guaranteed the excellent mechanical performance of M−MXene. Then, M−MXene nanosheets were added into the epoxy matrix or deposited onto the surface of modified UHMWPE fibers to investigate the effect of M−MXene on composites’ properties. Results indicated the introduction of M−MXene could increase friction force and mechanical interlocking, produce excellent wettability with epoxy matrix, and form chemical bonds with the curing agent. Then, reduced stress concentration and complicated crack path were formed due to the unique “organic–inorganic” structure. Compared with UHMWPE/Epoxy, UHMWPE-PAS@M−MXene/Epoxy and UHMWPE-PAS/Epoxy@M−MXene illustrated significant improvements of 39% and 56%, respectively, in tensile strength and 311% and 324%, respectively, in interfacial shear strength (IFSS). Improved mechanical and interfacial properties of UHMWPE-PAS/Epoxy@M−MXene were attributed to the uniform distribution of M−MXene in the epoxy matrix, which generated a longer crack path from fiber to matrix and more crack deflections compared with those of UHMWPE-PAS@M−MXene/Epoxy.

A novel Fe/Mo co-catalyzed graphene-based nanocomposite to activate peroxymonosulfate for highly efficient degradation of organic pollutants

A novel 3D α-FeOOH@MoS2/rGO nanocomposite was successfully fabricated by a simple in situ hydrothermal method. It is a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst in activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for rapid degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), with 99.9% of RhB removed within 20 min. The introduction of rGO contributes to uniform dispersion and sufficient contact of α-FeOOH and MoS2 nanosheets. Highly active Mo(IV) enhances the reduction of Fe(III), improves Fe(III)/Fe(II) conversion and promotes the generation of O21, which ensures an improved catalytic activity. MoS2/rGO hybrid can effectively solve the problem of material reunion and make α-FeOOH exhibit excellent catalytic performance. The α-FeOOH@MoS2-rGO/PMS system is a co-catalytic system based on the active components of α-FeOOH and MoS2. The main reactive oxygen species in the α-FeOOH@MoS2-rGO/PMS system are O21, SO4.− and ⋅O2−, which contribute to a high reactivity over a wide range of pH (5–9). Besides, this system is highly resistant to anions (Cl−, SO42−) and natural organic matter (humic acid), and can be widely used for degradation of common organic pollutants. The α-FeOOH@MoS2/rGO is a promising Fenton-like catalyst for refractory organic wastewater treatment.

Magnetic Field Alignment and Optical Anisotropy of MoS2 Nanosheets Dispersed in a Liquid Crystal Polymer.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets exhibit anisotropic optical and electronic properties, stemming from their shape and electronic structure. Unveiling this anisotropy for study and usage in materials and devices requires the ability to control the orientation of dispersed nanosheets, but to date this has proved a challenging proposition. Here, we demonstrate magnetic field driven alignment of MoS2 nanosheets in a liquid crystal (LC) polymer and unveil the optical properties of the resulting anisotropic assembly. Nanosheet optical anisotropy is observed spectroscopically by Raman and direction-dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Resulting data indicate significantly lower PL emission due to optical excitation with electric field oscillation out of plane, parallel to the MoS2 c-axis, than that associated with perpendicular excitation, with the dichroic ratio Iperp/Ipar = 3. The approach developed here provides a useful route to elucidate anisotropic optical properties of MoS2 nanosheets and to utilize such properties in new materials and devices.

In Situ Growth of Covalent Organic Framework Nanosheets on Graphene as the Cathode for Long-Life High-Capacity Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The poor electronic and ionic conductivities of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) severely restrict the development of COF-based electrodes for practical rechargeable batteries, therefore inspiring more research interest from the direction of both material synthesis and technology. Herein, a dual-porous COF, USTB-6, with good crystallinity and rich redox-active sites is conceived and fabricated by the polymerization of 2,3,8,9,14,15-hexa(4-formylphenyl)diquinoxalino [2,3-a:2',3'-c]phenazine and 2,7-diaminopyrene-4,5,9,10-tetraone. In particular, the heterogeneous polymerization of the same starting materials in the presence of graphene affords uniformly dispersed COF nanosheets with a thickness of 8.3nm on a conductive carbon substrate, effectively enhancing the electronic conductivity of the COF-based electrode. Such a graphene-supported USTB-6 nanosheets cathode when used in a lithium-ion battery exhibits a specific capacity of 285mAhg-1 at a current density of 0.2C and excellent rate performance with a prominent capacity of 188mAhg-1 at 10C. More importantly, a capacity of 170mAhg-1 is retained by using the USTB-6 nanosheets cathode after 6000 cycles charge and discharge measurement at 5C.