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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2016) | Viewed by 42840

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Prof. Dr. Saikat Talapatra

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Guest Editor

Department of Physics, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
Interests: carbon based nanomaterials; 2D layered nanostructures; energy; nanolectronics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon-based materials, historically, have played a dominant role in expanding science as well as technology. Specifically, carbon nanotube research has grown immensely during the last several decades, with indications that these materials can lead to ground breaking solutions to several global problems related to energy, environment, electronics, biomedical science, smart composites, etc. In this context, the present Special Issue aims to focus on the latest development and discoveries in the field of carbon nanotube based materials, and will try to capture the immense advancement that has been achieved, both in our fundamental understanding of these materials, as well as potential future technological breakthroughs that might emerge from such understanding.

Prof. Saikat Talapatra
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Carbon Nanotubes
Energy
Electronics
Nanotechnology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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3346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growing and Etching MoS₂ on Carbon Nanotube Film for Enhanced Electrochemical Performance

by Weiyu Xu, Qi Fang, Daobin Liu, Ke Zhang, Muhammad Habib, Chuanqiang Wu, Xusheng Zheng, Hengjie Liu, Shuangming Chen and Li Song

Molecules 2016, 21(10), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21101318 - 30 Sep 2016

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7097

Abstract

In this work we directly synthesized molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanosheets on carbon nanotube film (MoS₂@CNT) via a two-step chemical vapor deposition method (CVD). By etching the obtained MoS₂@CNT into 10% wt HNO₃, the morphology of MoS₂ decorated on CNT bundles was modulated, resulting in more catalytic active MoS₂ edges being exposed for significantly enhanced electrochemical performance. Our results revealed that an 8 h acid etching sample exhibited the best performance for the oxygen evolution reaction, i.e., the current density reached 10 mA/cm² under 375 mV over-potential, and the tafel slope was as low as 94 mV/dec. The enhanced behavior was mainly originated from the more catalytic sites in MoS₂ induced by the acid etching treatment and the higher conductivity from the supporting CNT films. Our study provides a new route to produce two-dimensional layers on CNT films with tunable morphology, and thus may open a window for exploring its promising applications in the fields of catalytic-, electronic-, and electrochemical-related fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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2656 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption and Gas Separation of Molecules by Carbon Nanohorns

by Silvina M. Gatica, Anton Nekhai and Adam Scrivener

Molecules 2016, 21(5), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050662 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5009

Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the adsorption of neon, argon, methane and carbon dioxide in carbon nanohorns. We model the nanohorns as an array of carbon cones and obtained adsorption isotherms and isosteric heats. The main sites of adsorption are inside the cones and in the interstices between three cones. We also calculated the selectivity of carbon dioxide/methane, finding that nanohorns are a suitable substrate for gas separation. Our simulations are compared to available experimental data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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3986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Improved Interfacial Charge Transfer and Simultaneous Determination of Dihydroxybenzene Isomers

by Huan Wei, Xiao-Shuai Wu, Guo-Yun Wen and Yan Qiao

Molecules 2016, 21(5), 617; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050617 - 14 May 2016

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5494

Abstract

In this paper; an imidazolium ionic liquid (IL) is used to functionalize multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by covalent bonding on the MWNT surface. The functionalization not only provides a hydrophilic surface for ion accessibility but also prevents the aggregation of MWNTs. The IL-functionalized MWNTs were then applied for the electrochemical determination of the dihydroxybenzene isomers hydroquinone (HQ); catechol (CC); and resorcinol (RC), exhibiting excellent recognition ability towards the three compounds. The linear calibration ranges for HQ; CC and RC are 0.9–150 μM; 0.9–150 μM and 1.9–145 μM and the detection limits are found to be 0.15 μM for HQ; 0.10 μM for CC and 0.38 μM for RC based on S/N of 3. The proposed electrochemical sensor was also found to be useful for the determination of the dihydroxybenzene isomers in Yellow River water with reliable recovery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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2794 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrophilic Modification of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube for Building Photonic Crystals with Enhanced Color Visibility and Mechanical Strength

by Feihu Li, Bingtao Tang, Jinghai Xiu and Shufen Zhang

Molecules 2016, 21(5), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050547 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6212

Abstract

Low color visibility and poor mechanical strength of polystyrene (PS) photonic crystal films have been the main shortcomings for the potential applications in paints or displays. This paper presents a simple method to fabricate PS/MWCNTs (multi-walled carbon nanotubes) composite photonic crystal films with enhanced color visibility and mechanical strength. First, MWCNTs was modified through radical addition reaction by aniline 2,5-double sulfonic acid diazonium salt to generate hydrophilic surface and good water dispersity. Then the MWCNTs dispersion was blended with PS emulsion to form homogeneous PS/MWCNTs emulsion mixtures and fabricate composite films through thermal-assisted method. The obtained films exhibit high color visibility under natural light and improved mechanical strength owing to the light-adsorption property and crosslinking effect of MWCNTs. The utilization of MWCNTs in improving the properties of photonic crystals is significant for various applications, such as in paints and displays. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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1390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sorption Kinetics on Open Carbon Nanohorn Aggregates: The Effect of Molecular Diameter

by Brice A. Russell, Pravin Khanal, Maria M. Calbi, Masako Yudasaka, Sumio Iijima and Aldo D. Migone

Molecules 2016, 21(4), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21040521 - 21 Apr 2016

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5335

Abstract

We present the results of a study of the kinetics of adsorption on aggregates of open carbon nanohorns using argon and CF₄ sorbates. We measured the equilibration times for each value of the sorbent loading along eight adsorption isotherms (four isotherms for each sorbate species). We found that: the equilibration times decrease as the sorbent loading (and the equilibrium pressure of the coexisting gas) increases, for a given temperature; and, that, for a given value of the sorbent loading, the equilibration times decrease with increasing temperature. When considering the effect of scaling of the temperatures by the respective critical temperatures we found that, at the same scaled temperature and at comparable loadings, the equilibration times for CF₄ were longer than those for argon. We discuss a possible explanation for this result. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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Review

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206 KiB

Open AccessReview

Adsorption of Emerging Ionizable Contaminants on Carbon Nanotubes: Advancements and Challenges

by Xingmao Ma and Sarang Agarwal

Molecules 2016, 21(5), 628; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050628 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5347

Abstract

The superior adsorption capacity of carbon nanotubes has been well recognized and there is a wealth of information in the literature concerning the adsorption of unionized organic pollutants on carbon nanotubes. Recently, the adsorption of emerging environmental pollutants, most of which are ionizable, has attracted increasing attention due to the heightened concerns about the accumulation of these emerging contaminants in the environment. These recent studies suggest that the adsorption of emerging ionizable contaminants on carbon nanotubes exhibit different characteristics than unionized ones. For example, a new charge-assisted intermolecular force has been proposed for ionizable compounds because some adsorption phenomenon cannot be easily explained by the conventional force theory. The adsorption of ionizable compounds also displayed much stronger dependence on solution pH and ionic strength than unionized compounds. This article aims to present a brief review on the current understanding of the adsorption of emerging ionizable contaminants to carbon nanotubes and discuss further research needs required to advance the mechanistic understanding of the interactions between ionizable contaminants and carbon nanotubes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

Other

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7623 KiB

Open AccessLetter

Carbon Nanotube Based Groundwater Remediation: The Case of Trichloroethylene

by Kshitij C. Jha, Zhuonan Liu, Hema Vijwani, Mallikarjuna Nadagouda, Sharmila M. Mukhopadhyay and Mesfin Tsige

Molecules 2016, 21(7), 953; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21070953 - 21 Jul 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7690

Abstract

Adsorption of chlorinated organic contaminants (COCs) on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been gaining ground as a remedial platform for groundwater treatment. Applications depend on our mechanistic understanding of COC adsorption on CNTs. This paper lays out the nature of competing interactions at play in hybrid, membrane, and pure CNT based systems and presents results with the perspective of existing gaps in design strategies. First, current remediation approaches to trichloroethylene (TCE), the most ubiquitous of the COCs, is presented along with examination of forces contributing to adsorption of analogous contaminants at the molecular level. Second, we present results on TCE adsorption and remediation on pure and hybrid CNT systems with a stress on the specific nature of substrate and molecular architecture that would contribute to competitive adsorption. The delineation of intermolecular interactions that contribute to efficient remediation is needed for custom, scalable field design of purification systems for a wide range of contaminants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanotubes: Advances and Applications)

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