Yibo Zhao

Green synthesis and photo-catalytic performances for ZnO-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites.

The zinc oxide (ZnO)-reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanocomposites were greenly synthesized by one-step hydrothermal reaction with ZnCl2 and graphite oxide (GO) as precursors without extra reductant. The photo-catalytic performances consisting of the photo-degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and the photo-reduction of CO2 under the illumination of simulated solar light at ambient temperature were investigated. It was validated that the ZnO spherical particles assembled by ZnO nanorods with an average diameter of 150nm are uniformly deposited on the RGO sheets. Meanwhile, due to the introduction of RGO, the light adsorption scope of ZnO is enlarged, the size of ZnO is decreased, the degree of crystallinity is improved and the self-aggregation of the ZnO particles is effectively prevented. Comparing with the pure ZnO particles, the efficiency of the nanocomposites for the photo-degradation of RhB is increased by 39% and the yield of methanol from the reduction of CO2 is improved by 75%. The mechanisms that may explain the enhanced properties of as-synthesized ZnO-RGO for both the photo-degradation of RhB and the reduction of CO2 were also proposed.

Preparation and characterizations of BiVO4/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites with higher visible light reduction activities

Bismuth vanadate/reduced graphene oxide (BiVO4/RGO) composites were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal method with graphite oxide, Bi(NO3)3 and NH4VO3 as precursors. The as-synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy (UV), fluorescence spectroscopy (FL) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The reduced graphene oxide sheets were decorated by butterfly-like BiVO4 lamellas. Such combination not only alleviated the agglomeration of BiVO4 particles but also restrained the restacking of reduced graphene oxide. A preliminary study on the photo-reductions of Cr (VI) and CO2 under the illumination of simulated sunlight with as-synthesized BiVO4/RGO nanocomposites as catalyst was carried out. The nanocomposites showed better photo-catalytic activity than the conventional BiVO4 particles. The photo-reduction efficiency of BiVO4/RGO nanocomposites increased about 50.1% and the ethanol yield improved about 15.4 μmol/g-cat comparing with pure BiVO4. The enhancements of the photo-catalytic activities were attributed to the effective charge transfer of photo-generated electron from BiVO4 to RGO and improved absorption performance.

Effect of Additives on the Properties of Polyaniline Nanofibers Prepared by High Gravity Chemical Oxidative Polymerization

Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers with improved properties were prepared by high gravity chemical oxidative polymerization in a rotating packed bed with the assistance of p-aminodiphenylamine (AD) and p-phenylenediamine (AP). The effects of reactor type, additive dosage, reaction temperature, and high-gravity level on the properties of products were investigated in detail. Three conclusions were made: (1) a small amount of additive can significantly improve some properties of the nanofibers such as uniformity, specific surface area, and specific capacitance; (2) in order to obtain high-quality nanofibers, the high-gravity level should coordinate with the reaction rate; (3) the molecular weight and conductivity of PANI decrease with the increase of additive dosage. The products have larger specific surface areas of up to 73.9 and 68.4 m(2)/g and consequently improved specific capacitance of up to 527.5 and 552 F/g for the PANI nanofibers prepared with AD and AP, respectively. However, the specific surface area and specific capacitance of pure PANI are only 49.1 m(2)/g and 333.3 F/g, respectively. This research provides a simple, reliable, and scalable method to produce PANI nanofibers of high performances.