2022 Vol. 37, No. 4

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Chinese Contents
2022, 37(4): 1-1.
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English Contents
2022, 37(4): 2-7.
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Reviews
Permselective graphene-based membranes and their applications in seawater desalination
GAO Yi-fu, WANG Yao, ZHOU Dong, LU Wei, KANG Fei-yu
2022, 37(4): 625-640. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60618-8
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Two-dimensional materials represented by graphene are widely used to fabricate membranes with nanopores or nanochannels and have shown great promise in the field of mass separation, especially seawater desalination. We review the research progress and applications of graphene and its derivatives, including single-layer graphene, nanoporous graphene and graphene oxide, in the field of seawater desalination. Based on an overview of the intrinsic properties of graphene, the permeability and selectivity of porous graphene membranes with one-dimensional nanopores, and lamellar graphene oxide membranes with two-dimensional nanochannels are first discussed. In addition, different preparation processes and their effects on the permselectivity of graphene-based membranes are compared. Methods for regulating the mechanism of the permselectivity of graphene-based membranes for various solutions are analyzed. The use of graphene-based membranes in seawater desalination and the existing limitations are summarized, and prospects for future developments of this research area are proposed.
Advanced design strategies for multi-dimensional structured carbon materials for high-performance Zn-air batteries
YING Jia-ping, ZHENG Dong, MENG Shi-bo, YIN Rui-lian, DAI Xiao-jing, FENG Jin-xiu, WU Fang-fang, SHI Wen-hui, CAO Xie-hong
2022, 37(4): 641-657. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60623-1
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Zn-air batteries (ZABs) featuring high safety, low-cost, high specific capacity and environmentally friendliness have attracted much attention and emerged as a hot topic in energy storage devices. However, the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution/reduction reactions (OER/ORR) at the air electrode and the non-negligible dendritic growth at the anode have hindered their large scale applications. Carbon materials with low-cost, good electrical conductivity, chemical stability and bifunctional OER/ORR activities have been widely studied for ZABs in the past few years. This review begins with a discussion of the basic working principle of ZABs, followed by an introduction of various carbon materials which focuses on their roles and superior properties in the applications of ZABs. This review also discusses the essential roles of multi-dimensional carbon materials as major components of ZABs, i.e., air electrodes, zinc anodes and separators, in improving the performance of ZABs. Finally, prospects for the future use of carbon materials to improve ZAB performance are explored.
A review of biomass-derived carbon materials for lithium metal anodes
LIU Ao, LIU Tie-feng, YUAN Hua-dong, WANG Yao, LIU Yu-jing, LUO Jian-min, NAI Jian-wei, TAO Xin-yong
2022, 37(4): 658-674. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60620-6
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Because of its high theoretical capacity and lowest reduction potential, lithium metal has been considered the “Holy Grail” anode material for high energy density battery systems. However, the practical use of lithium metal anodes (LMAs) has been plagued by a series of problems such as the inability of lithium metal to act as a host for other atoms, uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth, unstable solid-electrolyte interfaces, and “dead” lithium accumulation. Biomass-derived carbon materials are considered ideal host materials for Li metal because of their high mechanical strength, high conductivity, high surface area, and good chemical stability. This review presents a historical framework of using biomass-derived carbon materials as a framework for LMAs. The design and use of biomass-derived carbon materials in suppressing Li dendrite growth and constructing stable LMAs are summarized. The impact of the structure, porosity and “lithiophilicity” modification on the performance of LMAs is discussed. Prospects for the use of biomass-derived carbon materials and the challenges faced are suggested.
Review of H2S selective oxidation over carbon-based materials at low temperature: from pollutant to energy storage materials
SUN Ming-hui, WANG Xu-zhen, ZHAO Zong-bin, QIU Jie-shan
2022, 37(4): 675-694. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60622-X
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Carbon materials for the room-temperature selective oxidation of H2S have attracted growing attention in recent years. The recent development of carbon-based desulfurization catalysts is reviewed, including activated carbon modified by alkalis, porous carbon doped with nitrogen or modified with functional groups, and carbon composites with other species such as alkaline metal oxides. The oxidation mechanisms for H2S on the various catalysts are discussed, and the important function of carbon in desulfurization are emphasized, including its large specific area, porous structure and adjustable surface chemistry. In addition to the catalytic oxidation of H2S, the extended use of the spent catalysts, sulfur/carbon composites, as sulfur cathode materials for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries, is discussed as a way to add extra value to the sulfur-containing pollutants. Finally, the outlook for using carbon-based materials for room-temperature desulfurization and the key challenges to its large-scale use are explored.
The absorption mechanism for magnetic waves and research progress on carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticles
LI Hong-sheng, WU Ai-min, CAO Tun, HUANG Hao
2022, 37(4): 695-706. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60624-3
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The rapid development of electromagnetic wave (EMW) communication technology has greatly aided the transmission of information and, as a result, the problem of high frequency electronic radiation has become increasingly serious. EMW absorbing materials have become important for solving this problem. The development of high-performance EMW absorption materials with "thin, light, wide, strong" characteristics is the focus and of EMW absorption. According to transmission line theory, we introduce the stealth mechanism of microwave-absorbing materials and summarize their preparation methods. Research progress on carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticle microwave absorbing materials is highlighted and their future prospects and development trends are then discussed. Finally, several suggestions are made for the applications and development of carbon-coated magnetic materials.
Research articles
N/S co-doped interconnected porous carbon nanosheets as high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials
WEI Yu-chen, ZHOU Jian, YANG Lei, GU Jing, CHEN Zhi-peng, HE Xiao-jun
2022, 37(4): 707-715. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60595-X
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The synthesis of porous carbon nanosheets without acid treatment for high-performance supercapacitors (SCs) is difficult. We report the construction of N/S co-doped porous carbon nanosheets (NS-PCNs) from coal tar pitch (CTP), using Na2S2O3·5H2O as the sulfur source and K2CO3 as an activator, under flowing ammonia at high temperature. NS-IPCN800 prepared at 800 °C is composed of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets with abundant pores and an interconnected 3D carbon skeleton. The abundant microspores increase the number of active sites for electrolyte ion adsorption and small mesopores act as channels for fast ion transmission. The 3D carbon skeleton provides paths for electron conduction. Heteroatom doping provides an additional pseudocapacitance for the NS-IPCN electrodes. As a result the NS-IPCN800 electrode has a high capacitance of 302 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 in a 6 mol L−1 of KOH electrolyte, and has a high energy density of 9.71 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 25.98 W kg−1. It also has excellent cycling stability with a capacitance retention of over 94.2% after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles. This work suggests an environmentally friendly way to produce NS-IPCNs from CTP for use as high-performance SC electrode materials.
Hybridization of activated carbon fiber cloth with electrospun nanofibers for particle filtration
YANG Yun-long, LI Ming-zhe, HOU Shi-yu, LU Rui-tao, KANG Fei-yu, HUANG Zheng-hong
2022, 37(4): 716-723. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(22)60598-5
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Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) have high adsorption capacities and can be used in the treatment of benzene, while electrospun nanofibers are expected to be used as a filtration material. In this work, two hybrids of electrospun nanofibers and ACF cloth were prepared by electrospinning polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylonitrile nanofibers into a phenolic resin-based ACF cloth. The filtration performance of the two hybrids was evaluated. Results indicate that there is a positive correlation between the filtration efficiency and the amount of electrospun nanofibers in the hybrid. The filtration efficiency increases with increasing air velocity, which is attributed to a piezoelectric effect introduced by the electrospun nanofibers. The hybrids have a good adsorption capacity for benzene, which suggests that the materials are promising for treating air pollution.
Design of a 3D CNT/Ti3C2Tx aerogel-modified separator for Li–S batteries to eliminate both the shuttle effect and slow redox kinetics of polysulfides
YIN Fei, JIN Qi, ZHANG Xi-tian, WU Li-li
2022, 37(4): 724-733. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60085-9
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Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries suffer from fast capacity fade and an inferior rate performance due to the shuttling of polysulfides (LiPSs) and slow redox kinetics. To solve these issues, a three-dimensional (3D) CNT/Ti3C2Tx aerogel was prepared, with Ti3C2Tx as the active matrix and CNTs as the conductive pillars, and used as a LiPS immobilizer and promoter to modify a commercial Li–S battery separator. The unique design of highly porous 3D aerogel results in the exposure of more Ti3C2Tx active sites by preventing the restacking of their sheets, which not only provides abundant charge transport paths, but also strengthens the adsorption and catalytic conversion of LiPSs. The incorporation of CNTs forms a highly conductive network to connect the adjacent Ti3C2Tx sheets, thereby improving the conductivity and robustness of the 3D aerogel. As a result, a Li–S cell using the CNT/ Ti3C2Tx aerogel-modified separator has a high rate capacity of 1 043.2 mAh g−1 up to 2 C and an excellent cycling life of over 800 cycles at 0.5 C with a low capacity decay rate of 0.07% per cycle.
CoN4 active sites in a graphene matrix for the highly efficient electrocatalysis of CO2 reduction
ZHANG Hui-nian, WANG Hui-qi, JIA Su-ping, CHANG Qing, LI Ning, LI Ying, SHI Xiao-lin, LI Zi-yuan, HU Sheng-liang
2022, 37(4): 734-742. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60061-6
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Developing highly selective, economical and stable catalysts for the electrochemical conversion of CO2 into value-added carbon products to mitigate both CO2 emission and the energy crisis is challenging. We report an efficient and robust electrocatalyst for the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) by embedding CoN4 active sites in a graphene matrix. These highly dispersed CoN4 sites show an extraordinary CO2RR activity, with a high CO Faradaic efficiency of nearly 95% at −0.76 V (vs. RHE) and remarkable durability. The corresponding overpotential is 0.65 V. Our finding could pave the way for the design at the atomic scale of highly efficient electrocatalysts for the CO2RR.
The synthesis of porous carbons from a lignin-rich residue for high-performance supercapacitors
FANG Yan-yan, ZHANG Qian-yu, ZHANG Dong-dong, CUI Li-feng
2022, 37(4): 743-751. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60058-6
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Fabricating electrically conductive porous electrode for supercapacitors from abundant raw materials remains a significant challenge in the field of energy storage. 3D porous carbon with high surface areas was synthesized by high-temperature carbonization and activation of lignin from cornstalks. When used as electrode materials in supercapacitors they showed a specific capacitance of 280 F g−1 and an area-specific capacitance of 1.3 F cm−2 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. An assembled symmetric supercapacitor showed a high energy density of 7.7 Wh kg−1 at power density of 5 200 W kg−1. It is demonstrated here that the use of lignin waste to fabricate electrode materials is feasible, affording lignin new value-added utilization.
A sustainable strategy to prepare porous carbons with tailored pores from shrimp shell for use as supercapacitor electrode materials
GAO Feng, XIE Ya-qiao, ZANG Yun-hao, ZHOU Gang, QU Jiang-ying, WU Ming-bo
2022, 37(4): 752-763. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60046-X
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The highly efficient synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbons with different pore structures is reported using shrimp shell as the carbon and nitrogen source, and its CaCO3 component as the hard template and activator. The CaCO3 content of shrimp shells can be easily changed by changing the leaching time to remove it. CaCO3 acts as the activator and template to tailor the pore sizes of the carbons. CO2 from the decomposition of CaCO3 also plays an activating role. Their specific surface areas, pore volumes, ratios of micropore volume to total pore volume can be adjusted in the ranges 117.6-1 137 m2 g−1, 0.14-0.64 cm3 g−1, and 0-73.4%, respectively. When used as the electrodes of a supercapacitor, the porous carbon obtained with a leaching time of 92 min has a high capacitance of 328 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 in a 6 mol L−1 KOH electrolyte and 619.2 F g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 in a 1 mol L−1 H2SO4 electrolyte. Its corresponding energy density at a power density of 1 470.9 W kg−1 is 26.0 Wh kg−1. This study provides a low cost method for fabricating porous carbons from biomass with a high added value.
Electrochemical sensing of phenacetin on electrochemically reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode
MENG Xiao-tong, ZHU De-jing, JIANG Yu-hang, CAO Yue, SI Wei-meng, CAO Jun, LI Qiu-hong, LI Jiao, LEI Wu
2022, 37(4): 764-772. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60087-2
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It is known that the electrochemical determination of phenacetin, a widely used analgesic, is challenging because of the interference of the electroactive intermediate, acetaminophen. Phenacetin was proven to be electroactive in 1980s, but its electrochemical determination has not been widely reported. This determination on an electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) electrode was investigated and compared with several nitrogen-doped graphene samples. Results indicate that ERGO has a higher current response and lower oxidation potential than nitrogen-doped graphene. An ERGO electrode as a phenacetin sensor has a detection limit of 0.91 μmol L−1. The redox mechanism of phenacetin is inferred by electrochemical experiments, and the reactions under different pH values are proposed. Acetaminophen is considered to be the main intermediate and that does not interfere with the determination of phenacetin. But phenacetin obviously interferes with the response of acetaminophen, suggesting that the simultaneous detection of phenacetin and acetaminophen is not possible. Species such as Cu2+, Al3+, methanol, ethylene glycol, glucose, and ascorbic acid do not interfere with the determination of phenacetin.
A correlation of the hydrogen evolution reaction activity to the number of defects formed by the decomposition of doped phosphorus species in carbon nanotubes
AI Jie, LIU Zi-wu, SUN Mao-mao, LIU Ling, WANG Quan-de
2022, 37(4): 773-780. doi: 10.1016/S1872-5805(21)60052-5
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Phosphorus-doped carbon materials are one of the novel carbon catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) that have attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, the role of C―P species played in the HER activity is still not clear. Phosphorus-doped carbon nanotubes were prepared by chemical vapor deposition and annealed at 900, 1000 and 1200 °C to remove all or part of the phosporus, resulting in four samples with different amounts of substitutional-, pyridine- and pyrrole-like P species. The correlations between the HER activity and the contents of the three species were investigated. Results showed that the content of substitutional P decreased with annealing temperature and none was retained at 1200 °C. The HER activity increased with annealing temperature and the sample annealed at 1200 °C had the highest HER activity in an acid medium with an overpotential of 0.266 V at a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Density functional theory calculations showed that the pentagon- and nine-membered ring defects formed by the elimination of substitutional P mainly contributed to the HER activity.

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