Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Item
    Nickel cobalt oxide hollow nanosponges as advanced electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction
    (Cambridge : Soc., 2015) Zhu, Chengzhou; Wen, Dan; Leubner, Susanne; Oschatz, Martin; Liu, Wei; Holzschuh, Matthias; Simon, Frank; Kaskel, Stefan; Eychmüller, Alexander
    A class of novel nickel cobalt oxide hollow nanosponges were synthesized through a sodium borohydride reduction strategy. Due to their porous and hollow nanostructures, and synergetic effects between their components, the optimized nickel cobalt oxide nanosponges exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards oxygen evolution reaction.
  • Item
    Ferric Ions Crosslinked Epoxidized Natural Rubber Filled with Carbon Nanotubes and Conductive Carbon Black Hybrid Fillers
    (Basel : MDPI, 2022-10-18) Damampai, Kriengsak; Pichaiyut, Skulrat; Stöckelhuber, Klaus Werner; Das, Amit; Nakason, Charoen
    Natural rubber with 50 mol % epoxidation (ENR-50) was filled with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and conductive carbon black (CCB) hybrid fillers with various CCB loadings of 2.5, 5.0, 7.0, 10.0 and 15.0 phr, and the compounds were mixed with ferric ion (Fe3+) as a crosslinking agent. The ENRs filled exclusively with CNTs, and CNT–CCB hybrid fillers exhibited typical curing curves at different CCB loadings, i.e., increasing torque with time and thus crosslinked networks. Furthermore, the incorporation of CNT–CCB hybrid fillers and increasing CCB loadings caused an enhancement of tensile properties (modulus and tensile strength) and crosslink densities, which are indicated by the increasing torque difference and the crosslink densities. The crosslink densities are determined by swelling and temperature scanning stress relaxation (TSSR). Increasing CCB loadings also caused a significant improvement in bound rubber content, filler–rubber interactions, thermal resistance, glass transition temperature (Tg) and electrical conductivity. A combination of 7 phr CNT and CCB with loading higher than 2.5 phr gave superior properties to ENR vulcanizates. Furthermore, the secondary CCB filler contributes to the improvement of CNT dispersion in the ENR matrix by networking the CNT capsules and forming CNT–CCB–CNT pathways and thus strong CNT–CCB networks, indicating the improvement in the tensile properties, bound rubber content and dynamic properties of the ENR composites. Moreover, higher electrical conductivity with a comparatively low percolation threshold of the hybrid composites was found as compared to the ENR filled with CNTs without CCB composite. The superior mechanical and other properties are due to the finer dispersion and even distribution of CNT–CCB hybrid fillers in the ENR matrix.
  • Item
    Cure kinetics of epoxy nanocomposites affected by MWCNTs functionalization: A review
    (Boynton Beach, Fla. : Hindawi, 2013) Saeb, M.R.; Bakhshandeh, E.; Khonakdar, H.A.; Mäder, E.; Scheffler, C.; Heinrich, G.
    The current paper provides an overview to emphasize the role of functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in manipulating cure kinetics of epoxy nanocomposites, which itself determines ultimate properties of the resulting compound. In this regard, the most commonly used functionalization schemes, that is, carboxylation and amidation, are thoroughly surveyed to highlight the role of functionalized nanotubes in controlling the rate of autocatalytic and vitrification kinetics. The current literature elucidates that the mechanism of curing in epoxy/MWCNTs nanocomposites remains almost unaffected by the functionalization of carbon nanotubes. On the other hand, early stage facilitation of autocatalytic reactions in the presence of MWCNTs bearing amine groups has been addressed by several researchers. When carboxylated nanotubes were used to modify MWCNTs, the rate of such reactions diminished as a consequence of heterogeneous dispersion within the epoxy matrix. At later stages of curing, however, the prolonged vitrification was seen to be dominant. Thus, the type of functional groups covalently located on the surface of MWCNTs directly affects the degree of polymer-nanotube interaction followed by enhancement of curing reaction. Our survey demonstrated that most widespread efforts ever made to represent multifarious surface-treated MWCNTs have not been directed towards preparation of epoxy nanocomposites, but they could result in property synergism.
  • Item
    An NMR Study of Biomimetic Fluorapatite - Gelatine Mesocrystals
    ([London] : Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature, 2015) Vyalikh, Anastasia; Simon, Paul; Rosseeva, Elena; Buder, Jana; Scheler, Ulrich; Kniep, Rüdiger
    The mesocrystal system fluoroapatite—gelatine grown by double-diffusion is characterized by hierarchical composite structure on a mesoscale. In the present work we apply solid state NMR to characterize its structure on the molecular level and provide a link between the structural organisation on the mesoscale and atomistic computer simulations. Thus, we find that the individual nanocrystals are composed of crystalline fluorapatite domains covered by a thin boundary apatite-like layer. The latter is in contact with an amorphous layer, which fills the interparticle space. The amorphous layer is comprised of the organic matrix impregnated by isolated phosphate groups, Ca3F motifs and water molecules. Our NMR data provide clear evidence for the existence of precursor complexes in the gelatine phase, which were not involved in the formation of apatite crystals, proving hence theoretical predictions on the structural pre-treatment of gelatine by ion impregnation. The interfacial interactions, which may be described as the glue holding the composite materials together, comprise hydrogen bond interactions with the apatite PO43− groups. The reported results are in a good agreement with molecular dynamics simulations, which address the mechanisms of a growth control by collagen fibers and with experimental observations of an amorphous cover layer in biominerals.