A simple route to assemble liquid exfoliated few-layer graphene (GR) and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at the interface between two immiscible electrolytic solutions (ITIES) is reported. The electrochemical reactivity of these interface-assembled low dimensional carbon films was probed by model redox species. The ITIES is also shown to be an ideal substrate for the generation of metal nanoparticles on such conducting nanocarbon supports: this approach is exemplified using the electro-deposition of palladium nanoparticles on the free-standing GR and SWCNT layers.

The polarizable organic/water interface is used to construct MoS /graphene nanocomposites, and various asymmetrically dual-decorated graphene sandwiches are synthesized. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and 3D electron tomography confirm their structure. These dual-decorated graphene-based hybrids show excellent hydrogen evolution activity and promising capacitance performance.

Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and liquid-phase exfoliated multilayer graphene (MLG) material thin films were assembled at a polarizable organic/water interface. A simple, spontaneous route to functionalize/decorate the interfacial assembly of MLG and SWCNTs with noble metal nanoparticles, at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES), is reported. The formation of MLG-or SWCNT-based metal nanocomposites was confirmed using various microscopic (scanning electron, transmission electron, and atomic force microscopy) and several spectroscopic (energy dispersive x-ray and Raman spectroscopy) techniques. Increasing the interfacial deposition time of the metal nanoparticles on the assembled low-dimensional carbon material increased the amount of the metal particles/structures, resulting in greater coverage of the MLG or SWCNTs with metal nanoparticles. This low-cost and convenient solution chemistry based impregnation method can serve as a means to prepare nanoscale carbonaceous material-based metal nanocomposites for their potential exploitation as electro-active materials, e.g., new generation catalysts or electrode materials.

The electro-polymerisation of polypyrrole (PPy) at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) is reported. The approach is used to demonstrate the formation of a carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-conducting polymer composite, by performing polymerisation in the presence of an assembly of SWCNT films. The morphology of the SWCNT/PPy nanocomposites was determined using probe and electron microscopy and complementary spectroscopic techniques (EDAX, Raman).

There is much interest in understanding the interfacial properties of carbon nanotubes, particularly at water/oil interfaces. Here, the adsorption of single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) at the water/1,2‐dichloroethane (DCE) interface, and the subsequent investigation of the influence of the adsorbed nanotube layer on interfacial ion transfer, is studied by using the voltammetric transfer of tetramethylammonium (TMA+) and hexafluorophosphate (PF6 −) as probe ions. The presence of the interfacial SWCNT layer significantly suppresses the transfer of both ions across the interface, with a greater degree of selectivity towards the PF6 − ion. This effect was attributed both to the partial blocking of the interface by the SWCNTs and to the potential dependant adsorption of background electrolyte ions on the surface of the SWCNTs, as confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which is caused by an electrostatic interaction between the interfacial SWCNTs and the transferring ion.

The interaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), assembled at a polarisable organic/water interface, with model redox species, was probed using a combination of electrochemical techniques and in situ Raman spectro-electrochemistry.

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In this study, the production and characterization of bioethanol from rice and corn straws were investigated.The bioethanol was produced through dilute acid hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation; and the distillateswere purified by dehydration using zeolite 4A. The physicochemical and fuel properties of the bioethanoldistillates including pH, refractive index, specific gravity, flash point, octane rating and calorific or heatingvalue were evaluated. Further characterization of the biofuel was carried out using FTIR and GC-MS. Theresults indicated that octane number, calorific value, and specific gravity of the corn straw bioethanol obtainedwere significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to rice straw bioethanol. Meanwhile, no statistically significantdifference (p˃0.05) was observed in the flash point, refractive index, pH, pour and cloud points of thebioethanol produced from the two lignocellulosic substrates. Furthermore, the results reveal that pH, octanenumber, specific gravity and flash point are within the ASTM standards while refractive index, cloud and pourpoint were slightly outside the ASTM standard. This reveal potential of the feedstock as a source for Bioethanolproduction.