Lehao Liu

Hydrogen Storage Behavior of Amorphous Carbon Nanotubes at Low Pressure and Room Temperature

Amorphous carbon nanotubes (ACNTs) were produced by a temperature-controlled arc discharging furnace with a mixture powders of Co-Ni (1:1wt%) alloy as catalyst and hydrogen as buffer gas. As-grown and treated ACNTs with a mean diameter of about 14nm for hydrogen storage and release experiments were studied in this paper. The test experiments of hydrogen uptake and release were carried out by a volumetric gas-adsorption measurement system. The results indicated that the hydrogen storage capacity of ACNTs was 1.1wt% at the pressure of 2.45MPa and room temperature. Around 50% of the adsorbed hydrogen gas of ACNTs could be released under a standard pressure and at room temperature.

Large area preparation of multilayered graphene films by chemical vapour deposition with high electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide

Large area multilayered graphene films were prepared by chemical vapour deposition using copper foils as substrate. We found that reaction temperature seriously affected the defects of the film but did not change the size, while reaction time dominated the defects and size. We further explained the surface deposition growth of the graphene film, and ascribed the growth of amorphous carbon to the reduction of copper catalysis. In addition, the graphene film showed improved electrocatalytic effect on hydrogen peroxide. This study opens an avenue for large area preparation of high quality graphene film for its electrochemical applications.

Preparations and Properties of Porous Copper Materials for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications

Because of its special porous structure and novel physical and mechanical properties, porous copper is widely studied in many fields, especially in high-performance lithium-ion batteries. It is quite necessary for researchers to understand the recent progress of porous copper. Herein, we review the preparations, properties, and lithium-ion battery (LIB) applications of porous copper. Its main research direction and development trend are also pointed.

Electrochemical Property of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Chitosan Composites by Electrostatic Interactions

Biocompatible multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/chitosan(CS) composites were synthesized by electrostatic interactions between positively charged CS and negatively charged MWCNTs colloid solution functionalized with nitric and sulfate acid. The effect of pH value on the viscosity of MWCNTs/CS colloid could be controlled by adjusting the pH value, which was determined by the charge type and potential strength. The electrochemical properties of MWCNTs/CS composites were also studied by CHI650C electrochemical workstation. The MWCNTs/CS composites were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The experimental results showed that the stable and homogeneous MWCNTs/CS composites were obtained at pH 5 owing to existing strong electrostatic attraction. The weight ratio of CS polymer attached on the surface of MWCNTs was around 45wt%, and the thickness of CS grafted on the surface of MWCNTs was about 4nm. The electrocatalytic activity of nitrite (NO2 −) decorated with MWCNTs/CS composites glass-carbon electrode was tested, and the results indicated that the MWCNTs/CS modified electrode possess excellent electrocatalytic ability.

Stretchable conductors by kirigami patterning of aramid-silver nanocomposites with zero conductance gradient

Materials that are both stretchable and electrically conductive enable a broad spectrum of applications in sensing, actuating, electronics, optics and energy storage. The materials engineering concept of stretchable conductors is primarily based on combining nanowires, nanoribbons, nanoparticles, or nanocarbons with rubbery polymers to obtain composites with different abilities to transport charge and alter their nanoscale organization under strain. Although some of these composites reveal remarkably interesting multiscale reconfigurability and self-assembly phenomena, decreasing conductance with increased strain has restricted their widespread implementation. In a broader physical sense, the dependence of conductance on stress is undesirable because it requires a correlated change of electrical inputs. In this paper, we describe highly conductive and deformable sheets with a conductivity as high as 230 000 S cm−1, composed of silver nanoparticles, infiltrated within a porous aramid nanofiber (ANF) matrix...