One-dimensional Carbon Nanotubes Research Articles

Synthesis of a one-dimensional carbon nanotube-decorated three-dimensional crucifix carbon architecture embedded with Co7Fe3/Co5.47N nanoparticles for high-performance microwave absorption

Low-dimensional cell-decorated three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structures are considered excellent candidates for achieving remarkable microwave absorption. In the present work, a one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotube (CNT)-decorated 3D crucifix carbon framework embedded with Co7Fe3/Co5.47N nanoparticles (NPs) was fabricated by the in-situ pyrolysis of a trimetallic metal–organic framework (MOF) precursor (ZIF-ZnFeCo). Co7Fe3/Co5.47N NPs were uniformly dispersed on the carbon matrix. The 1D CNT nanostructure was well regulated on the 3D crucifix surface by changing the pyrolysis temperature. The synergistic effect of 1D CNT and the 3D crucifix carbon framework increased the conductive loss, and Co7Fe3/Co5.47N NPs induced interfacial polarization and magnetic loss; thus, the composite manifested superior microwave absorption performance. The optimum absorption intensity was −54.0 dB, and the effective absorption frequency bandwidth reached 5.4 GHz at a thickness of 1.65 mm. The findings of this work could provide significant guidance for the fabrication of MOF-derived hybrids for high-performance microwave absorption applications.

Molecular dynamics simulations of Carbyne/Carbon nanotube gigahertz oscillators

Quasi one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and one-dimensional carbyne are two kinds of promising carbon-based nanomaterials and attract much attentions due to their excellent mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. By combing these two typical nanostructures, a novel carbyne/CNT oscillator (CMO) is proposed and oscillation properties at constant energy and constant temperature are systematically investigated via molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that CMO possess extremely high frequency which is up to 360 GHz, higher than most traditional nano-oscillators. Besides, due to the super-smooth surface between carbyne chain and CNT, the energy dissipation of CMO is also extremely low. And at constant energy, amplitude of CMO could keep nearly constant over 2000 ps. However, at constant temperature, energy dissipation of CMO is pretty high when temperature is 1 K. And when temperature slightly increases to 30 K, oscillation behavior of CMO could be stable and CMO could keep oscillating over 2000 ps. Therefore, it can be concluded that CMO possess excellent oscillation properties and possess promising potential applications in nano-oscillators. This work systematically investigates the influence of structural parameters on the oscillation frequency and amplitude of CMO and provides important references for their further design and application.

Recent progress on vortex fluidic synthesis of carbon nanomaterials

Carbon nanomaterials with tunable shapes, morphologies, and sizes have attracted considerable attention owing to their specific physical and chemical properties such as excellent optical and thermal properties, electrical conductivity, and high mechanical strength. Nanomaterial synthesis using dynamic thin films within vortex fluidic devices (VFDs) has many benefits, including a large surface-to-volume ratio of thin films, product uniformity, economic feasibility, environmental sustainability, decreased reaction time, precise temperature and time control, safety improvement, and scalability. This review summarizes recent advancements in the fabrication of various carbon nanomaterials using VFDs, ranging from two-dimensional and three-dimensional (graphene and graphite, respectively) and one-dimensional (carbon nanotubes) to zero-dimensional (fullerene) structures, with controllable sizes, morphologies. Further, this review presents composites with other nanomaterials and metals and the applications of these hybrid materials.

High-performance multifunctional (Hf 0.2Nb 0.2Ta 0.2Ti 0.2Zr 0.2)C high-entropy ceramic reinforced with low-loading 3D hybrid graphene–carbon nanotube

There has been growing interest in the high-entropy ceramic (HEC) recently owing to its tailorable compositions and microstructures, versatile properties, together with promising structural and functional applications. However, inferior fracture toughness (<i>K</i>_IC) and damage tolerance restricted many practical applications of the HEC. Herein, we addressed this challenge by incorporating a three-dimensional graphene–carbon nanotube (3D G–CNT) as toughening agent in (Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2)C. The resulting enhanced 3D G–CNT/(Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2)C featured an outstanding toughness of 8.23 MPa·m^1/2, while remaining superior strength (763 MPa) and hardness (24.7 GPa). An ultralow friction coefficient (0.15) coupled with an ultralow wear rate (<i>w</i>, 2.6×10⁻⁷ mm³/(N·m)) in the 3D G–CNT/(Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2)C was obtained primarily as a function of lubricating scrolls, in which two-dimensional (2D) graphene acted as a tribolayer, and one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes acted as nano ball bearings embedded inside. Strikingly, the 3D G–CNT/(Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2)C exhibited rather low thermal conductivity (<i>κ</i>) yet excellent electrical conductivity (<i>σ</i>, 1.3×10⁶ S/m) in comparison with the pure (Hf_0.2Nb_0.2Ta_0.2Ti_0.2Zr_0.2)C. This study provided great potential for maximizing the physical and functional properties of the HEC for various applications.

Construction of multi-dimensional NiCo/C/CNT/rGO aerogel by MOF derivative for efficient microwave absorption

The development of high-performance microwave absorption materials is currently imperative in order to solve the problem of electromagnetic pollution. Herein, we successfully obtained a multi-dimensional graphene-based aerogel (NiCo/C/CNT/rGO aerogel) decorated with one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal-organic framework (MOF) derivatives. The introduction of rGO aerogel significantly modifies the phase composition (NiCo/C/CNT and rGO) and hierarchical structure (1D CNT, 3D NiCo/C/CNT and rGO aerogel) of the composite, resulting in a multi-dimensional gradient, defects, heterogeneous interfaces, and superior microwave absorption properties. The optimum electromagnetic wave absorption performance of −58.8 dB is achieved at a filler loading of 20 wt%, with a thickness of 1.8 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 7.6 GHz, covering the entire Ku-band. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of impedance matching, electromagnetic attenuation capability, unique multi-dimensional porous structure, abundant defects and interfaces. In summary, the present work provides a novel approach for the synthesis of multi-dimensional lightweight magnetic/dielectric microwave absorbers.

Highly defective N-doped carbon/reduced graphene oxide composite cathode material with rapid electrons/ions dual transport channels for high energy density lithium-ion capacitor

The energy density of present Li-ion capacitors (LICs) is severely limited by the carbon-based cathode with supercapacitor properties. Herein, to address the low specific capacitance of the cathode, we prepared a structurally stable carbon composite consisting of polypyrrole-derived highly defective carbon nanotubes and highly conductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets, using a facile one-step hydrothermal self-assembly method. The highly defective structures serve as effective electrochemically active sites to enhance ion adsorption for high-performance capacitance characteristics. Meanwhile, the interconnected porous three-dimensional network structures constructed by one-dimensional carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional rGO nanosheets act as rapid electrons/ions dual transport channels, which synergistically promotes fast energy storage/release with abundant defect structures in the material. The carbon composite with optimized structure exhibits significantly improved specific capacitance of 160.6 F g−1 at 0.3 A g−1 and 91.0 F g−1 at a high current density of 60 A g−1 as a cathode material in half-cells pairing with lithium metal. Furthermore, the carbon composite was employed as a cathode paired with a carbon-coated FeOx (FeOx@N-3DG) anode for LIC applications, which demonstrates a superior energy density of 129.1 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 1.7 kW kg−1 and still maintains an outstanding energy density of 32.9 Wh kg−1 at an extremely high power density of 43.9 kW kg−1. The findings of this work provide an effective and rational strategy for designing high energy density LICs cathode materials.

Advanced Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Review.

Nanomaterials have been extensively used in polymer nanocomposite membranes due to the inclusion of unique features that enhance water and wastewater treatment performance. Compared to the pristine membranes, the incorporation of nanomodifiers not only improves membrane performance (water permeability, salt rejection, contaminant removal, selectivity), but also the intrinsic properties (hydrophilicity, porosity, antifouling properties, antimicrobial properties, mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability) of these membranes. This review focuses on applications of different types of nanomaterials: zero-dimensional (metal/metal oxide nanoparticles), one-dimensional (carbon nanotubes), two-dimensional (graphene and associated structures), and three-dimensional (zeolites and associated frameworks) nanomaterials combined with polymers towards novel polymeric nanocomposites for water and wastewater treatment applications. This review will show that combinations of nanomaterials and polymers impart enhanced features into the pristine membrane; however, the underlying issues associated with the modification processes and environmental impact of these membranes are less obvious. This review also highlights the utility of computational methods toward understanding the structural and functional properties of the membranes. Here, we highlight the fabrication methods, advantages, challenges, environmental impact, and future scope of these advanced polymeric nanocomposite membrane based systems for water and wastewater treatment applications.

In Situ Modification of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes with Polythiophene-Based Conjugated Polymer for Information Storage.

One-dimensional multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) have unique electrical properties, but they are not solution-processable, which severely limits their applications in microelectronic devices. Therefore, it is of great significance to improve the solubility of MWNTs and endow them with new functions by chemical modification. In this work, MWNTs were in situ functionalized with poly[(1,4-diethynyl-benzene)-alt-(3-hexylthiophene)] (PDHT) via Sonogashira-Hagihara polymerization. The obtained material PDHT-g-MWNTs was soluble in conventional organic solvents. By sandwiching a PDHT-g-MWNTs film between Al and ITO electrodes, the fabricated Al/PDHT-g-MWNTs/ITO electronic device exhibited nonvolatile rewritable memory behavior, with highly symmetrical turn-on/off voltages, a retention time of over 104 s, and durability for 200 switching cycles. These findings provide important insights into the development of carbon nanotube-based materials for information storage.

Triphenylamine-based covalent triazine framework @ carbon nanotube complex: efficient photogenerated charges migration for metal free photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction

Photocatalytic hazardous hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) reduces to nontoxic trivalent chromium Cr(III) by metal free catalytic system under visible light irradiation is a promising method to harness Cr(VI) pollution. However, the rate-determining step for these systems is still charge separation and transport from semiconductor to the surface active site due to high exciton binding energy and transport Schottky barrier. Herein, we present a novel composite catalyst by situ growth of two-dimensional triphenylamine-based covalent triazine framework (TACTF) semiconductor with one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotube (CNT) electronic conductivity mediator. The resultant TACTF@CNT complex exhibits a lower Schottky barrier, which improves lateral charge transport and interlayer exciton dissociation though interconnections TACTF layers with CNT, assuring high efficiency of photogenerated charges transfer from TACTF semiconductor to the surface active site for subsequent photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction. The TACTF@CNT shows an excellent photocatalytic activity for Cr(VI) reduction, and 100 % removal of Cr(VI) was observed under visible light irradiation for 2 h, which is remarkably superior to those of TACTF, CNT and their physical mixture.

Efficient charge separation and transfer in a one-dimensional carbon nanotube/tungsten oxide p-n heterojunction composite for solar energy conversion.

Efficient and cost-effective photocatalysts for solar energy conversion represent a rapidly advancing and compelling area of research. In our study, we employed theoretical calculations to design a novel composite material consisting of a one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotube (CNT) and tungsten oxide (W18O49) p-n heterojunction. This composite material was successfully synthesized using a straightforward solvothermal method, and we thoroughly investigated the charge separation and transfer mechanism. Our findings revealed that the composite material exhibited a superior photocurrent response. Notably, the CNTs/W18O49-2 sample demonstrated a significantly higher photocurrent under both AM 1.5G and infrared light irradiation, outperforming the individual components under AM 1.5G by a substantial factor of 30. This remarkable enhancement in performance can be attributed to the efficient charge separation and transfer facilitated by the built-in electric field created at the interface through the p-n heterojunction. Our study introduces a pioneering integration of CNTs and 1D tungsten oxide, resulting in a composite structure with a p-n heterojunction-a concept that has not been extensively explored previously. The results confirmed the formation of this unique one-dimensional structure and a p-n heterojunction, which has outstanding properties for various applications. These findings provide a robust foundation for the design of photocatalytic interfaces and offer a fresh approach to the development of high-performance photocatalysts.

Optimizing the photovoltaic effect in one-dimensional single-wall carbon nanotube @ MoS2 van der Waals heteronanotubes

One-dimensional single-wall carbon nanotube (1D-SWCNT)@MoS2 van der Waals (vdW) heteronanotubes (HNTs) have inherited extensive attention due to their fascinating properties and increasing mature methods. However, the curvature and chirality dependence of photovoltaic properties in such kind of 1D systems remain unclear. In our work, we explore the electronic and photoelectric properties of 1D-SWCNT@MoS2 vdW HNTs based on the atomic-bond-relaxation approach and the modified detailed balance principle by quantization of band offset and carrier transport behaviors. We find that the optimized power conversion efficiency (PCE) of zigzag-SWCNT@zigzag-MoS2 HNTs is ∼5.3% at the diameter of 3.1 nm, while that of zigzag-SWCNT@armchair-MoS2 HNTs is ∼4.9% at 3.3 nm. Moreover, the PCE can be enhanced further by intercalating h-BN layers at the interface of 1D-vdW HNTs. Our results suggest that 1D-SWCNT@MoS2 HNTs can be served as promising building blocks for the new type of photovoltaic devices.

Highly Stretchable Composite Foams via Sustainable Utilization of Waste Tire Rubbers for Temperature-Dependent Electromagnetic Wave Absorption.

Recently, the sustainable utilization of waste resources has become a low-cost and effective strategy to design high-performance functional materials to solve the increasingly serious environmental pollution problem. Herein, the flexible and highly stretchable polyurethane (PU) composite foams assisted by one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and zero-dimensional Fe3O4 were fabricated using waste tire rubbers (WTRs) as reinforcements during a simple self-foaming process. The collaborative introduction of conductive CNTs, magnetic Fe3O4, and WTRs with three-dimensional cross-linked structures enabled the construction of an efficient electronic transmission path and heterointerfaces inside the composite foam. The resulting composite foam possessed a desired minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −47.43 dB, and also exhibited superior mechanical properties with a tensile strength of >3 MPa and multiple tensile deformation recovery abilities. In addition, increasing the temperature could significantly improve the electromagnetic wave absorption performance of the composite foam. This comprehensive composite foam derived from WTRs has shown a promising development potential for using waste materials to relieve electromagnetic pollution.

Effect of low-dimensional carbon composite on the thermoelectric properties of vacuum evaporated ZnO: Al films

The low-dimensional carbon composite is expected to improve electrical conductivity and reduce the thermal conductivity of thermoelectric (TE) materials, which is considered an effective method to improve the TE properties of materials. However, the different dimensions of carbon have various effects on the properties of TE film composite. This study investigated the effects of zero-dimensional fullerene, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNT), and two-dimensional graphene on the TE properties of vacuum evaporated ZnO: Al films. The results demonstrated that these three types of composites influenced the carrier concentration and mobility of the films, which in turn affected the TE properties and output power. The lower the dimension of carbon, the higher the carrier concentration of the film. The CNT composite did not affect the microstructure and preferred orientation. However, it increased the particle size and surface roughness. The interface between CNT and ZnO: Al provided more carriers and improved effective mass, thereby increasing the Seebeck coefficient. In addition, the CNT can be used as a carrier transport channel to improve carrier mobility because of its unique tubular structure. Therefore, the CNT composited ZnO: Al films demonstrated the best TE performance and output power. Its power factor reached 136.5 μWm−1K−2 at room temperature.

A comparative study of the effect of multidimensional carbon fillers on polystyrene using supercritical carbon dioxide foaming

Due to its low thermal conductivity on average (~0.039 W/(m·K)), supercritical expanded polystyrene (PS) foam could be used as an insulation material in buildings to save energy and minimize the maintenance costs. However, the specific solubilizing and fast diffusing behavior of CO 2 in PS limited the formation of micropores and the further increase of macropores, which resulted in on limited decrease in thermal conductivity. In this study, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes, two-dimensional graphene, and three-dimensional activated carbon were loaded on PS using supercritical CO 2 foaming. The results demonstrated that all these three carbon nanomaterials doped on PS could generate more micropores and macropores during foaming. Moreover, the composite PS foams presented much lower specific thermal conductivity (0.360 cm 3 ·W/(g·m·K)), higher cell density (up to 3.23 × 10 14 cell/cm 3 ), and compressive modulus (up to 1.66 MPa), overwhelming those of pure PS. Particularly, the continuous infrared thermography measurements found that two-dimensional graphene thermally outperformed the others, meaning comparatively better heat insulation effect after foaming. Therefore, multidimensional carbon nanomaterials were promising to minimize the negative environmental impact of PS foaming while comprehensively reinforcing it. • The reinforcements of multidimensional carbon fillers on polystyrene were varied. • Graphene thermally/physically outperformed carbon nanotubes and activated carbon. • Improved coupling of its plasmon with phonon-polariton thermally enhanced graphene. • Carbon nanomaterials are comprehensively better fillers for polystyrene.

Recent research progress of carbon-based and their composites for electromagnetic waves absorption

With the rapid development of electromagnetic (EM) technology and the wide application of mobile electromagnetic equipment, electromagnetic radiation pollution is increasingly aggravated, electromagnetic pollution has become another pollution source after air, water, and noise pollution, so electromagnetic protection for civil and military is of great significance. As the functional medium of electromagnetic energy sustainable transformation, microwave absorption (MA) materials are widely used in electromagnetic pollution prevention and control. Carbon-based materials have the advantages of low density, light weight, good electrical conductivity, good physical and chemical stability, etc., which can be combined with magnetic loss type, dielectric loss type, and multi-component to improve the absorbing performance. According to the dimensions, carbon-based materials can be divided into zero-dimensional (carbon spheres), one-dimensional (carbon nanotubes), two-dimensional (graphene), and three-dimensional (porous carbon) carbon materials. This paper briefly introduces the mechanism of microwave absorption and its performance evaluation index. Then, the research status of carbon materials with different dimensions is introduced. Then the application and research progress of carbon matrix composites in electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorption are reviewed. Finally, the future development prospect of carbon-based absorbing materials has been prospected.

Soybean-based memristor for multilevel data storage and emulation of synaptic behavior

Electronic devices based on biological materials have shown great application potential in many fields, so they have become a hot topic of research. In this paper, biomaterial soybean and one-dimensional nanomaterial multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were mixed as the active layer to fabricate Al/soybean MWCNT/ITO/glass memristor devices. The device shows a bipolar resistive switching characteristic, and the retention time exceeds 104 s. By adjusting the concentration of MWCNTs, the ON/OFF current ratio can be modulated in the range of 1–104, and the endurance of the device is enhanced by increasing the MWCNT concentration. By changing the compliance current, the device can realize multilevel storage and improve the storage density. The write-read-erase-read process can still be completed under low voltage (±2 V), which opens up a new way for the fabrication of low power consumption memristor devices. In addition, the device successfully simulates the potentiation and suppression behavior of biological synapses, showing promise for making new breakthroughs in the field of implantable neural system research for biological memristor-based artificial synapses.

Au Nanorods on Carbon-Based Nanomaterials as Nanohybrid Substrates for High-Efficiency Dynamic Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) with different aspect ratios were prepared by the seed-mediated growth method and combined with three carbon-based nanomaterials of multiple dimensions (i.e., zero-dimensional (0D) carbon black (CB), one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide (GO)). The AuNR/carbon-based nanomaterial hybrids were utilized in dynamic surface-enhanced Raman scattering (D-SERS). First, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used to stabilize and coat the AuNRs, enabling them to be dispersed in water and conferring a positive charge to the surface. AuNR/carbon-based nanomaterial hybrids were then formed via electrostatic attraction with the negatively charged carbon-based nanomaterials. Subsequently, the AuNR/carbon-based nanomaterial hybrids were utilized as large-area and highly sensitive Raman spectroscopy substrates. The AuNR/GO hybrids afforded the best signal enhancement because the thickness of GO was less than 5 nm, which enabled the AuNRs adsorbed on GO to produce a good three-dimensional hotspot effect. The enhancement factor (EF) of the AuNR/GO hybrids for the dye molecule Rhodamine 6G (R6G) reached 1 × 107, where the limit of detection (LOD) was 10-8 M. The hybrids were further applied in D-SERS (detecting samples transitioning from the wet state to the dry state). During solvent evaporation, the system spontaneously formed many hotspots, which greatly enhanced the SERS signal. The final experimental results demonstrated that the AuNR/GO hybrids afforded the best D-SERS signal enhancement. The EF value for R6G reached 1.1 × 108 after 27 min, with a limit of detection of 10-9 M at 27 min. Therefore, the AuNR/GO nanohybrids have extremely high sensitivity as molecular sensing elements for SERS and are also very suitable for the rapid detection of single molecules in water quality and environmental management.

Top-Down Production of Sustainable and Scalable Hemicellulose Nanocrystals.

Polysaccharide nanocrystals have led to the development of multifunctional and sustainable materials, but most are glucose-based carbohydrates derived from valuable natural sources. Here, we present a top-down strategy that enables one, for the first time, to isolate xylose-based hemicellulose nanocrystals from available industrial biowastes. By leveraging the selective oxidation of alkaline periodate, as high as 34 wt % solid yield is accessible. The hemicellulose nanocrystals exhibit platelet-like shapes (10-20 nm thickness, 30-80 nm wide), crystalline features, and superior dispersibility in water. We also showcase their successful interface applications for one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotube (CNT) nanoinks and two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanozymes, which are comparable to the traditional cellulose nanocrystals. The scalable, low-cost, and sustainable hemicellulose nanocrystals can be envisioned to provide an alternative for glucose-based polysaccharide nanocrystals, as well as hold promise for the high-value utilization of biowastes.

A supersensitive wearable sensor constructed with PDMS porous foam and multi-integrated conductive pathways structure

In recent years, wearable multifunctional strain sensors have attracted attention for their promising applications in wearable electronics and portable devices. To achieve a high-performance wearable strain sensor with a wide sensing range and high gauge factor (GF), wisely choosing appropriate conductive materials and a rational structural design is essential. Herein, we develop a supersensitive sensor that contains one-dimensional conductive material CNT and two-dimensional material MXene built on a PDMS porous foam that is made based on a sugar template. The one-dimensional carbon nanotube (CNT) functionalizes as a conductive scale layer through solvent swelling and evaporation on the surface of the PDMS skeleton. The two-dimensional MXene is applied on top of the CNT layer to form final conductive pathways. The PDMS/CNT@MXene (PCM) sensor has a wide sensing range (150%), high sensitivity (GF = 26438), rapid response speed (response/recovery time of 60/71 ms), and exceptional durability (>1000 cycles) owing to its unique porous structure with scale layers and graded fracture of conductive pathways. Moreover, the PCM sensor is capable of monitoring subtle and significant human activities and is used for wireless sensing and medical diagnostics, even for solvent identification. The superior performance of the PCM sensor provides vast application potential in human movement, health monitoring, and warning devices.

Regulating electronic structure by Mn doping for nickel cobalt hydroxide nanosheets/carbon nanotube to promote oxygen evolution reaction and oxidation of urea and hydrazine

Electrocatalytic water splitting is one of the direct and efficient means to yield high-purity hydrogen, but it still exists some challenges in addition to the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Constructing highly-efficient electrocatalysts with superior properties plays an essential role in industrial hydrogen production. In this work, a novel electrocatalyst with a distinctive three-dimensional (3D) structure is constructed by intertwining two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal NiCo hydroxide nanosheets (NiCo HNS) with one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The strategy of elemental doping engineering is employed to further enhance the catalytic performance. The as-fabricated composite of Mn-doped nickel cobalt hydroxide nanosheets intertwined with CNTs (1.5Mn-NiCo HNS/CNT) delivers superior OER electrocatalytic performance, which requires an overpotential of only 239 mV to achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH. Compared to NiCo HNS/CNT, the 1.5Mn-NiCo HNS/CNT electrocatalyst exhibits characteristics of improved electrical conductivity, larger electrochemical active surface area (ECSA), and faster reaction kinetics due to Mn doping. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the adsorption of OH– during the first step of OER process was the potential determining step for the Mn substituted Co sites, and the Mn substituted Co sites were the optimum reactive sites that determined the OER performance of the 1.5Mn-NiCo HNS/CNT. Mn doping was proved beneficial to optimize the reaction path and decrease the reaction kinetics energy barrier. The addition of urea or hydrazine into the electrolyte directly decreases the energy consumption and realize their decomposition as pollutants in industrial and agricultural wastewater.