본 연구에서는 온대산재 및 남양재 원목을 표층재로하고, 금속, 유리섬유, 탄소섬유로 보강한 코르크 보드를 중층에 배열한 코르크 복합 원목마루판 의 치수안정성을 평가하였다. 표층재에 따른 코르크 복합 원목마루판의 평균 흡수율은 백합나무(Tu)가 6.1%로 가장 높은 값을 나타내었고, 티크와 멀바우가 4.7%로 가장 낮은 값을 나타내었으며, 밀도가 낮은 온대산재를 배열한 원목마루판보다 남양재에서 낮은 값을 나타내는 것이 확인되었다. 중층보강재는 CM (cork board-metal) 타입이 CG (cork board-glass fiber) 및 CC (cork board-carbon fiber)타입에 비하여 높은 흡수율을 나타내어 밀도에 따른 흡수량의 차이가 확인되었다. 표층 수종에 따른 흡수두께팽창률은 백합나무가 7.2%로 가장 높은 값을, 티크(T)가 3.9%로 가장 낮은 값을 나타내었다. 전반적으로 금속 보강 원목마루판(CM)의 흡수두께팽창률은 유리섬유(CG)와 탄소섬유(CC)에 비하여 금속이 2–3배 높은 값을 나타내었다. 금속 보강 원목마루판을 제외한 모든 원목마루판은 목질 마루판에 관한 KS 규격 기준을 충족하는 우수한 치수안정성을 나타내는 것이 확인되었다.

This study incorporates the formation of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) via a hydrothermal approach, recording the first-time use of castor leaves as a natural precursor. The used precursor offers various benefits including novelty, abundance, elemental composition, and biocompatibility. CQDs were further characterized with multiple techniques including high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, Zeta analysis, and optical spectroscopy. They are fundamentally composed of carbon (71.37%), nitrogen (3.91%), and oxygen (24.73%) and are nearly spherical, and uniformly distributed with an average diameter of 2.7 nm. They possess numerous interesting characteristics like broad excitation/emission bands, excitation-sensitive emission, marvelous photostability, reactivity, thermo-sensitivity, etc. A temperature sensor (thermal sensitivity of 0.58% C− 1) with repeatability and reversibility of results is also demonstrated. Additionally, they were found selective and sensitive to ions in aqueous solutions. So, they are also utilized as a fluorescent probe for metal ion ( Fe3+) sensing. The lowest limit of detection (LOD) value for the current metal ion sensor is 19.1 μM/L.

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential applications of carbon-based non-metallic catalysts in various fields, such as electrochemical energy storage, electrocatalysis, thermal catalysis, and photocatalysis, owing to their unique physical and chemical properties. Modifying carbon catalyst surfaces or incorporating non-metallic heteroatoms, such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), boron (B), and sulfur (S), into the carbon structure has emerged as a promising approach to improve the catalytic performance. This method enables the adjustment of the electronic structure of the carbon catalyst's surface, leading to the formation of new active sites or the reduction of side reactions, ultimately enhancing the catalyst's performance. Here, the preparation methods for doped non-metallic heteroatom carbon catalysts have been systematically explored, encompassing techniques, such as impregnation, pyrolysis, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and templating. Finally, the existing challenges in the application of non-metallic atomic catalysts have been discussed, insights into potential future development opportunities and new preparation methods of carbon catalysts in the future have been offered.

Food contamination with heavy-metal ions and nitrites poses a serious threat to human health. Consequently, the development of fast and sensitive platforms for detecting these contaminants is urgently needed. In this study, a novel sensing platform was developed by integrating carbon nanotubes generated by the pyrolysis of waste masks (WMCNTs) with ZIF-8 for the simultaneous detection of Cd2+, Pb2+, and nitrite. Specifically, the electronic structure of the WMCNT backbone was modulated by doping with B and N atoms. Nanoporous ZIF-8 was then grown in-situ on its surface to produce composites with enhanced electrical conductivities and large specific surface areas. This modification provided more active sites for the attachment of heavy-metal ions and nitrites. Under optimized conditions, the sensing platform exhibited a wide linear range with the Pb2+, Cd2+, and NO2 − limits of detection of 2.68, 12.12, and 5.94 μM, respectively. Notably, the sensing platform demonstrated excellent anti-interference capabilities and effectively detected nitrites and heavy-metal ions in pickled foods.

For the commercialization of bipolar plates, several properties must be considered together. Electrical conductivity, corrosion resistance, contact resistance, mechanical strength, and light weight are essential evaluation factors, with corrosion resistance and durability being significant for unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs), which must operate in electrolysis and fuel cell mode. However, improving both properties is challenging, since corrosion resistance is largely inversely proportional to conductivity. In this study, to improve both properties together, composites composed of Pb and Zn with excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance were prepared with graphite powder and formed as a coating layer on the surface of 304 stainless steel (SS304) and evaluated for electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. Among the ZnPb/C composites prepared at various ratios, Zn8Pb2/C exhibited the lowest transmittance resistance of 1.566 Ω, and improved electrical conductivity and durability compared to bare SS304.

Crystalline heptazine carbon nitride (HCN) is an ideal photocatalyst for photocatalytic ammonia synthesis. However, the limited response to visible light has hindered its further development. As a noble metal, Au nanoparticles (NPs) can enhance the light absorption capability of photocatalysts by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. Therefore, a series of Au NPs-loaded crystalline carbon nitride materials (AH) were prepared for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. The results showed that the AH displayed significantly improved light absorption and decreased recombination rate of photo-generated carriers owing to the introduction of Au NPs. The optimal 2AH (loaded with 2 wt% Au) sample demonstrated the best photocatalytic performance for ammonia production with a yield of 70.3 μmol g− 1 h− 1, which outperformed that of HCN. This can be attributed to the SPR effect of Au NPs and alkali metal of HCN structure. These findings provide a theoretical basis for studying noble metal-enhanced photocatalytic activity for nitrogen fixation and offer new insights into advances in efficient photocatalysts.

In recent years, the search on fabrication of highly efficient, stable, and cost-effective alternative to Pt for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has led to the development of new catalysts. In this study, we investigated the electrocatalytic HER activity of the Toray carbon substrate by creating defect sites in its graphitic layer through ultrasonication and anodization process. A series of Toray carbon substrates with active sites are prepared by modifying its surface through ultrasonication, anodization, and ultrasonication followed by anodization procedures at different time periods. The anodization process significantly enhances the surface wettability, consequently resulting in a substantial increase in proton flux at the reaction sites. As an implication, the overpotential for HER is notably reduced for the Toray carbon (TC-3U-10A), subjected to 3 min of ultrasonification followed by 10 min of anodization, which exhibits a significantly lower Tafel slope value of 60 mV/dec. Furthermore, the reactivity of the anodized surface for HER is significantly elevated, especially at higher concentrations of sulfuric acid, owing to the enhanced wettability of the substrate. The lowest Tafel slope value recorded in this study stands at 60 mV/dec underscoring the substantial improvements achieved in catalytic efficiency of the defect-rich carbon materials. These findings hold promise for the advancement of electrocatalytic applications of carbon materials and may have significant implications for various technological and industrial processes.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are novel nanocarbon materials and widely used nanoparticles. They have gradually gained popularity in various fields due to their abundance, inexpensive cost, small size, ease of engineering, and distinct properties. To determine the antibacterial activity of metal-doped CQDs (metal-CQDs) containing Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Co, we chose Staphylococcus aureus as a representative Gram-positive strain and Escherichia coli as a representative Gram-negative bacterial strain. Paper disc diffusion tests were conducted for the qualitative results, and a cell growth curve was drawn for quantitative results. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and IC50 were measured from cell growth curves. As a result, all of the metal-CQDs showed toxicity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, Gram-negative bacteria was vulnerable to metal-CQDs than Gram-positive bacteria. The toxicity differed concerning the type of metal-CQDs; Mn-CQDs exhibited the highest efficacy. Hence, this study suggested that CQDs can be used as new nanoparticles for antibiotics.

Development of carbon-based biocompatible and flexible nanosensors is essential in different practical applications. Humidity sensor is crucial in different fields among them. Herein, a unique metal-free nanosensor comprised of 2D-graphitic carbon nitride (CN) decorated with 0D-carbon dots (C-dots) was fabricated to monitor humidity in human breath. Simple polymerization and carbonization techniques were used to synthesize nitrogen enriched heterostructure (CN@C-dots). The synthesized heterostructure showed excellent physicochemical properties including high surface area, hydrophilic functionalities and more active sites that were responsible for enhanced humidity sensing. The fabricated nanosensor indicated excellent resistivity against humidity due to diffused proton hoping through inhibition of ion transfer from multiple water layers. The interaction mechanism was explained through simple hydrogen bonding and defective site chemisorbed oxygen participation in physisorbed humidity molecules.

In this study, the refinement of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) derived from chemical vapor decomposition is investigated. An ultrasonic pretreatment method is employed to disentangle carbon and metal impurities intertwined with MWCNTs. The pretreated MWCNTs exhibit a marginal decrease in C–O/C = O content from 8.9 to 8.8%, accompanied by a 2.5% increase in sp3 carbon content, indicating a mildly destructive pretreatment approach. Subsequently, selective oxidation by CO2 and hydrochloric acid etching are utilized to selectively remove carbon impurities and residual metal, respectively. The resulting yield of intact MWCNTs is approximately 85.65 wt.%, signifying a 19.91% enhancement in the one-way yield of pristine MWCNTs. Notably, the residual metal content experiences a substantial reduction from 9.95 ± 2.42 wt.% to 1.34 ± 0.06 wt.%, representing a 15.68% increase in the removal rate. These compelling findings highlight the potential of employing a mild purification process for MWCNTs production, demonstrating promising application prospects.

The complexation of silicon with carbon materials is considered an effective method for using silicon as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. In the present study, carbon frameworks with a 3D porous structure were fabricated using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which have been drawing significant attention as a promising material in a wide range of applications. Subsequently, the fabricated carbon frameworks were subjected to CVD to obtain silicon-carbon complexes. These siliconcarbon complexes with a 3D porous structure exhibited excellent rate capability because they provided sufficient paths for Li-ion diffusion while facilitating contact with the electrolyte. In addition, unoccupied space within the silicon complex, combined with the stable structure of the carbon framework, allowed the volume expansion of silicon and the resultant stress to be more effectively accommodated, thereby reducing electrode expansion. The major findings of the present study demonstrate the applicability of MOF-based carbon frameworks as a material for silicon complex anodes.

이 연구는 코르크보드를 보강하여 건축부재 및 놀이기구의 안전부재 등으로 폭넓게 활용할 것을 목적으로 코르크보드의 중층에 금속, 유리섬유, 탄소섬유를 삽입하여 보강한 3종의 코르크복합보드를 제조하였고, 코르크복합보드의 수분흡수에 따른 치수안정성 및 접착층 박리성능을 조사하였다. 코르크복합보드의 흡수율은 0.37% - 0.45%의 범위에 있었고, 코르크보드에 비해 0.61배 - 0.74배의 낮은 값을 나타내었다. 코르크복합보드의 두께팽창률은 0.92% - 1.58%의 범위에 있었고, 코르크보드 보다 1.4 - 2.4배의 높은 값을 나타내었다. 그러나 이 값들은 일반 목질보드보다 현저히 낮았고, KS규격의 12%이하를 하회하는 것이 확인되었다. 코르크복합보드의 준내수 및 내수침지박리시험후의 접착층박리율은 0%로 전혀 접착층의 박리가 일어나지 않아 우수한 내수성을 나타내었고, 흡수율과 흡수두께팽창률은 상온침지에 비해 다소 증가하였으나, 목질보드에 관한 KS규격을 하회하는 우수한 치수안정성을 나타내는 것이 확인되었다.

To investigate the effect of the catalyst and metal–support interaction on the methane decomposition behavior and physical properties of the produced carbon, catalytic decomposition of methane (CDM) was studied using Ni/SiO2 catalysts with different metal–support interactions (synthesized based on the presence or absence of urea). During catalyst synthesis, the addition of urea led to uniform and stable precipitation of the Ni metal precursor on the SiO2 support to produce Ni-phyllosilicates that enhanced the metal–support interaction. The resulting catalyst upon reduction showed the formation of uniform Ni0 particles (< 10 nm) that were smaller than those of a catalyst prepared using a conventional impregnation method (~ 80 nm). The growth mechanisms of methane-decomposition-derived carbon nanotubes was base growth or tip growth according to the metal–support interaction of the catalysts synthesized with and without urea, respectively. As a result, the catalyst with Ni-phyllosilicates resulting from the addition of urea induced highly dispersed and strongly interacting Ni0 active sites and produced carbon nanotubes with a small and uniform diameter via the base-growth mechanism. Considering the results, such a Ni-phyllosilicate-based catalyst are expected to be suitable for industrial base grown carbon nanotube production and application since as-synthesized carbon nanotubes can be easily harvested and the catalyst can be regenerated without being consumed during carbon nanotube extraction process.

Carbon nanotube fiber is a promising material in electrical and electronic applications, such as, wires, cables, batteries, and supercapacitors. But the problem of joining carbon nanotube fiber is a main obstacle for its practical development. Since the traditional joining methods are unsuitable because of low efficiency or damage to the fiber structure, new methods are urgently required. In this study, the joining between carbon nanotube fiber was realized by deposited nickel–copper doublelayer metal via a meniscus-confined localized electrochemical deposition process. The microstructures of the double-layer metal joints under different deposition voltages were observed and studied. It turned out that a complete and defect-free joint could be fabricated under a suitable voltage of 5.25 V. The images of the joint cross section and interface between deposited metal and fiber indicated that the fiber structure remained unaffected by the deposited metal, and the introduction of nickel improved interface bonding of double-layer metal joint with fiber than copper joint. The electrical and mechanical properties of the joined fibers under different deposition voltages were studied. The results show that the introduction of nickel significantly improved the electrical and mechanical properties of the joined fiber. Under a suitable deposition voltage, the resistance of the joined fiber was 37.7% of the original fiber, and the bearing capacity of the joined fiber was no less than the original fiber. Under optimized condition, the fracture mode of the joined fibers was plastic fiber fracture.

The pitch-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were prepared from ethylene tar-derived pitches containing nickelocene (CNi) or nickel nitrate (NiN). The effects of different anions and contents of metal salts on the microstructure and surface chemical properties of fibers were investigated. The results revealed that Ni2+ from CNi mainly remained its pristine molecule in the organometal salt-derived pitch (OP-xCNi), while Ni2+ from NiN occurred complexation reaction with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the inorganic metal salt-derived pitch (IP-xNiN) due to the weaker binding ability between anions and Ni2+ of CNi than CNi. The XRD and SEM results confirmed that IP-3NiN-ACF contained Ni, NiO, Ni2O3 nanoparticles with different size distributions, while OP-3CNi-ACF only contained more uniformly distributed Ni nanoparticles with small size. Furthermore, OP-3.0CNi-ACF presented higher specific surface area of 1862 m2/ g and a pore volume of 1.69 cm3/ g than those of IP-3.0NiN-ACF due to the formation of pore structure during the in-situ catalytic activation of different metal nanoparticles. Therefore, this work further pointed out that the desired pore structure and surface chemistry of pitch-based ACFs could be obtained through regulating and controlling the interaction of anion species, metal cations and PAHs during the synthesis of pitch precursors.

In this work, a nanocomposite containing gold (Au) nanofibers decorated iron-metal–organic framework (Fe-MOF) was successfully synthesized for electrochemical detection of acetaminophen (AAP). The as-synthesized Au@Fe-MOF nanocomposite was confirmed by various characterization techniques. Morphological analysis showed that the Au nanofibers with an average size of less than 10 nm were dispersed on the Fe-MOF. Cyclic voltammetric analysis showed that the Au@Fe-MOF nanocomposite showed well-defined redox peaks with higher current than that of GCE and Fe-MOF. The Au@Fe-MOF/ GCE exhibited a linear range, sensitivity, and detection limit of 0.5–18 μM, 4.95 μM/μA/cm2, and 0.12 μM, respectively. The Au@Fe-MOF/GCE showed a very low response for the interference materials. The real sample analysis revealed that the Au@Fe-MOF/GCE showed good recovery towards the AAP in urine and paracetamol. Therefore, the developed sensor can be used for quality control of AAP.

Herein, a new and generic strategy has been proposed to introduce uniformly distributed graphitic carbon into the nanostructured metal oxide. A facile and generic synthetic protocol has been proposed to introduce uniformly distributed conducting graphitic carbon into the Co3O4 nanoparticles ( Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon). The prepared Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon has been drop casted onto the portable screen-printed electrode (SPE) to realize its potential application in the individual and simultaneous quantification of toxic Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions present in aqueous solution. The proposed Co3O4 NPs@graphitic carbon-based electrochemical sensor exhibits a wide linear range from 0 to 120 ppb with limit of detection of 3.2 and 3.5 ppb towards the simultaneous detection of Pb(II) and Cd(II), which falls well below threshold limit prescribed by WHO.

In this article, nitrogen (N) doped porous carbon nanofibers (N-PCNF) were prepared by carbonization of polymer-silica nanocomposite precursor, and its application for heavy metal ion removal was demonstrated. Carbon–silica composite nanofibers were obtained by carbonization of electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-silica nanofiber composites. Subsequent selective etching of silica porogen produced porous carbon nanofibers (PCNF). It was revealed by surface characterization with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) that the surface of the PCNF was nitrogen-doped because N atom from cyanide group in PAN chains remained in the hexagonal carbon structure. The use of the obtained N-PCNF for heavy metal ion ( Hg2+) removal was demonstrated using a simple adsorption test apparatus and 5, 10, 15, 20-tetraphenylporphine tetrasulfonic acid (TPPS) as an indicator. The N-PCNF showed a removal efficiency of 96 and 99% in 10 and 120 min, respectively, indicating a maximum heavy metal ion adsorption capacity at pH 7.0. In addition, heavy metal ion adsorption behavior was also analyzed using common adsorption isotherms. This article provides important information for future research activities regarding control over hazardous substances.

Abstract In this study, we investigated that the activated carbon (AC)-based supercapacitor and introduced SIFSIX-3-Ni as a porous conducting additive to increase its electrochemical performances of AC/SIFSIX-3-Ni composite-based supercapacitor. The AC/SIFSIX-3-Ni composites are coated onto the aluminum substrate using the doctor blade method and conducted an ion-gel electrolyte to produce a symmetrical supercapacitor. The electrochemical properties of the AC/SIFSIX-3-Ni composite-based supercapacitor are evaluated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests (GCD). The AC/SIFSIX-3-Ni composite-based supercapacitor showed reasonable capacitive behavior in various electrochemical measurements, including CV, EIS, and GCD. The highest specific capacitance of the AC/SIFSIX-3-Ni composite-based supercapacitor was 129 F g−1 at 20 mV s−1.

Nitrogen-doped carbon dots (CDts) with tunable fluorescence properties in aqueous media were synthesized hydrothermally. The excitation wavelength variation to obtain the maximum emission produced a blue shift in the emission peaks upon dilution in an aqueous solution. The shift can be explained by a re-absorption phenomenon in a concentrated solution. The interparticle interaction within was responsible to show dilution-dependent optical behavior. The as-synthesized solution of CDts did not show any prominent absorption peak over a wide range. However, upon dilution, two peaks became predominant. The concentration-dependent behavior was observed during the interaction with metal cations. Cationic salts of Co(II) and Hg(II) caused quenching at different dilutions of CDts. This might be explained by the exposure of different surface functional groups during dilution and metal-ion–CDts charge transfer. The quenched fluorescence of CDts was rescued using ascorbic acid. Therefore, the one-pot detection of Co(II)/Hg(II) and ascorbic acid was designed through a ‘Turn Off/On’ phenomenon.