The pursuit of high-performance sensors necessitates the exploration of new materials to realize this potential. Single atom engineering (SAE) is used to plant individual atoms into the appropriate surrounding of (nano)materials in order to confer distinct materials properties. Hence, the nano architectonics principle utilized for single atom engineering allows us to build highly specific, selective, …
As the research in nanotechnology progresses, there will eventually be an influx in the number of commercial products containing different types of nanomaterials. This phenomenon might damage our health and environment if the nanomaterials used are found to be toxic and they are released into the waters when the products degrade. In this study, we …
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of key importance in the field of electrochemical energy production. Remarkable catalytic properties of metal-free graphene nanoribbons towards the ORR were suggested in previous reports. Herein, we show that the electrocatalytic properties of an undoped supposedly metal-free graphene nanoribbon towards the ORR is actually caused by metallic impurities within …
So-Called “Metal-Free” Oxygen Reduction at Graphene Nanoribbons is in fact Metal Driven Read More »
Graphene and carbon quantum (QDs) dots exhibit interesting and well-defined properties owing to their quantum confinement. In this work, graphene QDs (G-QDs) and carbon QDs of size similar to 6 nm and similar to 2 nm, respectively, were prepared and their potential uses in electrochemistry and electrochemical sensing were subsequently investigated. It was discovered that …
Graphene and carbon quantum dots electrochemistry Read More »
Graphene and its graphene-related counterparts have been considered the future of advanced nanomaterials owing to their exemplary properties. An increase in their potential applications in the biomedical field has led to serious concerns regarding their safety and impact on health. To understand the toxicity profile for a particular type of graphene utilized in a given …
Cytotoxicity Profile of Highly Hydrogenated Graphene Read More »
The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of high industrial importance. There is a large body of literature showing that metal-based catalytic nanoparticles (e.g. Co, Mn, Fe or hybrid Mn/Co-based nanoparticles) supported on graphene act as efficient catalysts for the ORR. A significant research effort is also directed to the so-called metal-free oxygen reduction reaction on …
Metallic impurities within carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered as the main cause of their toxicity. Ultrasonication is a common procedure used to purify and obtain homogeneous dispersions of CNTs as well as to mix them with other components for further processing into composites. Herein, the influence of ultrasonication upon the bioavailability of metallic impurities in …
Here, we demonstrate that platelet graphite nanofibers (PGNFs) exhibit fast heterogeneous electron-transfer rates for a wide variety of compounds such as FeCl3, ferrocyanide, dopamine, uric acid, ascorbic acid, and the reduced form of beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The electrochemical properties of PGNFs are superior to those of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) or graphite microparticles (GMPs). Transmission …
This paper describes the use of organically modified silica (ormosil) for the Ultrathin nanoprecise coating of individual multiwall carbon nanotubes using a soft-chemistry approach. Hybrid organic/inorganic ormosil nano-coated carbon nanotubes were Successfully prepared by in-situ deposition of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane or N-methylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane in an aqueous suspension by means of their electrostatic interactions with carboxylic group functionalized multiwall …
We show that in some cases, the metallic impurities within residual catalyst metallic nanoparticle impurities, which remain in carbon nanotubes from their synthesis even after purification, are responsible for “electrocatalytic” properties of carbon nanotubes. Ibis is demonstrated in an example of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) containing cobalt residual catalyst nanoparticle impurities, which themselves contain iron-based …
