Current issue - Nano Research

A dual-active Co-CoO heterojunction coupled with Ti₃C₂-MXene for highly-performance overall water splitting

Dezheng Guo¹, Xin Li², Yanqing Jiao¹, Haijing Yan¹ (✉), Aiping Wu¹, Ganceng Yang¹, Yu Wang¹, Chungui Tian¹, and Honggang Fu¹ (✉)

A bifunctional hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalyst by synergistically coupling a dual-active Co-based heterojunction (Co-CoO) with Ti₃C₂-MXene is proposed. The electrolyzer exhibits a low voltage of 1.55 V at 10 mA·cm⁻² and remarkable durability.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3465-1

2022, 15(1): 238–247

Published: 04 June 2021

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Microfluidic-enabled ambient-temperature synthesis of ultrasmall bimetallic nanoparticles

Huayi Shi^1,§, Bin Song^1,§, Runzhi Chen¹, Qiang Zhang², Guyue Hu¹, Jing Li¹, Jinhua Wang¹, Xinyu Meng¹, Houyu Wang¹ (✉), and Yao He¹ (✉)

A synthetic method is presented for the ambient synthesis of ultrasmall bimetallic nanoparticles with narrow size distribution (RSD of diameters < 20%) and homogenous bimetallic nature (SD of element ratio < 3.5%).

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3466-0

2022, 15(1): 248–254

Published: 24 March 2021

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Generalized assembly of sandwich-like 0D/2D/0D heterostructures with highly exposed surfaces toward superior electrochemical performances

Shuqing Xue^1,§, Guanhong Wu^2,§, Mingzhong Li², Zihan Liu², Yuwei Deng², Wenqian Han², Xuanyu Lv¹, Siyu Wan², Xiangyun Xi¹, Dong Yang¹ (✉), and Angang Dong² (✉)

We report a generalized strategy of assembling sandwich-like 0D/2D/0D heterostructures with barely covered surfaces and facilitated mass-transport channels, which render them highly suitable for surface-related electrochemical energy applications. As a proof of concept, the as-prepared MXene/NiFe₂O₄ and MXene/Fe₃O₄ heterostructures exhibit superior electrocatalytic and capacitive performances, respectively.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3468-y

2022, 15(1): 255–263

Published: 24 March 2021

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Protein nanocapsules based vectors for efficient gene transfection

Xuan Hu^1,2, Song Wang¹, Junjie Xu², Yilong Yang², Zhang Zhang², Xiaolin Wang², Xiaopeng Zhang² (✉), and Wei Chen² (✉)

A series of protein nanocapsules with different surface chemistries are designed to systematically investigate the influence of specific functional groups on the cytosolic release kinetics. This work provides a new type of alternative self-assembled platform for gene delivery and details a framework on the future design of transfection agents.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3469-x

2022, 15(1): 264–271

Published: 10 April 2021

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Enhancement of output power density in a modified polytetrafluoroethylene surface using a sequential O₂/Ar plasma etching for triboelectric nanogenerator applications

Teerayut Prada¹, Viyada Harnchana^1,2 (✉), Anthika Lakhonchai³, Artit Chingsungnoen³ (✉), Phitsanu Poolcharuansin³, Narong Chanlek⁴, Annop Klamchuen⁵, Prasit Thongbai^1,2, and Vittaya Amornkitbamrung^1,2

The two-step O₂/Ar plasma is reported to modify polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) surface for the first time. This CF₄-free plasma etching produces high surface area as well as defective bonds, serving as charge trapping sites that intensified triboelectric charge density. These factors effectively enhance the triboelectric nanogenerato (TENG) power output density of PTFE nearly thirty times. Furthermore, the mechanical energy harvesting and keyboard sensing applications are demonstrated.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3470-4

2022, 15(1): 272–279

Published: 12 May 2021

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Biaxial strained dual-phase palladium-copper bimetal boosts formic acid electrooxidation

Jiarun Geng^§, Zhuo Zhu^§, Youxuan Ni, Haixia Li, Fangyi Cheng, Fujun Li (✉), and Jun Chen

Dual-phase PdCu with remarkable biaxial strain is synthesized via a one-pot wet-chemical approach to boost formic acid oxidation. The interfacial biaxial strain induces the downshift of d-band center of Pd atoms and thus weakens the adsorption strength of undesired intermediates, which merits PdCu with superior catalytic activity and durability towards formic acid oxidation.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3471-3

2022, 15(1): 280–284

Published: 16 April 2021

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Ultrahigh rate capability of 1D/2D polyaniline/titanium carbide (MXene) nanohybrid for advanced asymmetric supercapacitors

Jinhua Zhou¹, Qi Kang², Shuchi Xu¹, Xiaoge Li¹, Cong Liu¹, Lu Ni¹, Ningna Chen¹, Chunliang Lu³, Xizhang Wang¹, Luming Peng¹, Xuefeng Guo¹, Weiping Ding¹, and Wenhua Hou¹ (✉)

One-dimensional/two-dimensional (1D/2D) PANI/Ti₃C₂T_x nanohybrid was first synthesized through a simple assembly of polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers and Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets. Benefiting from the high specific capacitance and ultrahigh rate capability with a fast kinetics of PANI/Ti₃C₂T_x, two assembled asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) deliver high energy and power densities as well as a good long-term stability, showing an exciting potential application in energy storage devices.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3472-2

2022, 15(1): 285–295

Published: 24 April 2021

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Epitaxially aligned single-crystal gold nanoplates formed in largearea arrays at high yield

Trevor B. Demille^1,§, Robert D. Neal^1,§, Arin S. Preston¹, Zijuan Liang¹, Allen G. Oliver², Robert A. Hughes¹, and Svetlana Neretina^1,2 (✉)

The nanofabrication of square-centimeter arrays of single-crystal gold nanoplates that combines nanoimprint lithography, directed-assembly, and a seed-mediated liquid-phase synthesis is demonstrated. Produced in high yield and with tunable optical properties, these nanoplates represent a viable building-block for on-chip plasmonic devices.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3473-1

2022, 15(1): 296–303

Published: 14 June 2021

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N-doped carbon nanotubes supported CoSe₂ nanoparticles: A highly efficient and stable catalyst for H₂O₂ electrosynthesis in acidic media

Longcheng Zhang^{1,^2,§}, Jie Liang^2,§, Luchao Yue^1,2, Zhaoquan Xu², Kai Dong², Qian Liu², Yonglan Luo², Tingshuai Li², Xiaohong Cheng³ (✉), Guanwei Cui⁴, Bo Tang⁴, Abdulmohsen Ali Alshehri⁵, Khalid Ahmed Alzahrani⁵, Xiaodong Guo¹ (✉), and Xuping Sun² (✉)

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) as a multi-functional support for CoSe₂ nanoparticles boost the overall two-electron oxygen reduction reaction performances. The CoSe₂@NCNTs achieve a high H₂O₂ selectivity of 93.2% with excellent durability. Effective electro-Fenton process enabled by such CoSe₂@NCNTs is also demonstrated.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3474-0

2022, 15(1): 304–309

Published: 26 April 2021

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Multiple structural defects in ultrathin NiFe-LDH nanosheets synergistically and remarkably boost water oxidation reaction

Zhongyin Zhao^1.², Qi Shao¹, Jiangyan Xue¹, Bolong Huang³(✉), Zheng Niu¹ (✉), Hongwei Gu¹, Xiaoqing Huang¹ (✉), and Jianping Lang^1,2 (✉)

We reported a simple and green H₂O₂-assisted etching method that integrated nanostructure engineering with defect engineering to synthesize NiFe layered double hydroxide nanosheets with a porous structure, oxygen vacancies and Ni³⁺ defects on nickel foam (denoted as NiFe-LDHs/NF). Benefiting from the synergistic merits of these defects, the NiFe-LDH-NSs/NF exhibited an excellent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-021-3475-z

2022, 15(1): 310–316

Published: 03 June 2021

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