Porous graphitic carbon nanosheets (PGCS) are synthesized by an in situ self-generating template strategy based on the carburized effect of iron with cornstalks. Cornstalks firstly coordinate with [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) ions to form the cornstalk-[Fe(CN)(6)](4-) precursor. After carbonization and removal of the catalyst, PGCS are obtained. Series experiments indicate that PGCS can only be formed when using an iron-based catalyst that can generate a carburized phase during the pyrolytic process. The unique structures of PGCS exhibit excellent capacitive performance. The PGCS-1-1100 sample (synthesized from 0.1 M [Fe(CN)(6)](4-) with a carbonization temperature of 1100 °C), which shows excellent electrochemical capacitance (up to 213 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1)), cycling stability, and rate performance in 6 M KOH electrolyte. In the two-electrode symmetric supercapacitors, the maximum energy densities that can be achieved are as high as 9.4 and 61.3 Wh kg(-1) in aqueous and organic electrolytes, respectively. Moreover, high energy densities of 8.3 and 40.6 Wh kg(-1) are achieved at the high power density of 10.5 kW kg(-1) in aqueous and organic electrolytes, respectively. This strategy holds great promise for preparing PGCS from natural resources, including cornstalks, as advanced electrodes in supercapacitors.

The synergistic effect of WC and Pd has large benefit for ethanol electrooxidation. The small-sized Pd nanoparticles (NPs) decorated tungsten carbide on graphene (Pd-WC/GN) will be a promising anode catalyst for the direct ethanol fuel cells. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the strong interaction exists at the interface between Pd and WC, which induces the electron transfer from WC to Pd. Fortunately, the nanoscale architecture of Pd-WC/GN has been successfully fabricated in our experiments. X-ray photoelectron spectrum further confirms the existence of electron transfer from WC to Pd in a Pd-WC/GN nanohybrid. Notably, electrochemical tests show that the Pd-WC/GN catalyst exhibits low onset potential, a large electrochemical surface area, high activity, and stability for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline solution compared with Pd/graphene and Pd/commercial Vulcan 72R carbon catalysts. The enhancement can be attributed to the synergistic effect of Pd and WC on graphene. At the interface between Pd and WC, the electron transfer from WC to Pd leads to the increased electron densities of surface Pd, which is available for weakening adsorption of intermediate oxygen-containing species such as CO and activating catalyst. Meanwhile, the increased tungsten oxide induced by electron transfer can facilitate the effective removal of intermediate species adsorbed on the Pd surface through a bifunctional mechanism or hydrogen spillover effect.

Magnetic porous graphitic carbon (MPGC) materials were fabricated through a facile ''Solution-Solid'' route and their application as excellent adsorbents for metal ions and dye were also demonstrated. In the preparation, glucose, nickel nitrate and TEOS were selected as carbon resource, catalyst precursor and porogent, respectively. In the first step, the solution contained glucose, Ni 2+ and TEOS was treated at low temperature to impel polymerization of glucose, coordination of Ni 2+ with glucose unit and hydrolysis of TEOS simultaneous, leading to the formation of precursor (Solution process). After heating the precursors under N 2 atmosphere, the Ni-SiO 2 /carbon composites were formed (Solid process). Followed soaking with NaOH to remove SiO 2 porogent, the corresponding MPGC materials with magnetic nickel particles embedded in the graphitic carbon framework were obtained. The obtained MPGC materials show good chemical stability due to their high graphitic degree. It is noteworthy that they have exceptionally large surface areas up to 918 m 2 g À1 . The adsorption performance of MPGC are evaluated by using metal ions (Cd 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ag + , Au 3+ ) and dye (Rhodamine B, RhB) in aqueous solutions as the target. The results indicate that MPGC materials exhibit excellent adsorption capacities for metal ions (7.79 mg g À1 for copper for example), which are superior to those of activated carbons and carbon nanotubes. In addition, the materials have also exhibited good ability for adsorption of dye molecular. Notably, MPGC materials could be easily removed for reuse by an external magnet, facilitating separation and reuse of those materials as adsorbents. The adsorption kinetics for these metal ions and dye on MPGC-based adsorbents were well fitted to a pseudo-second order model.

No abstract

The high cost of platinum electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has hindered the commercialization of fuel cells. An effective support can reduce the usage of Pt and improve the reactivity of Pt through synergistic effects. Herein, the vanadium nitride/graphitic carbon (VN/GC) nanocomposites, which act as an enhanced carrier of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) towards ORR, have been synthesized for the first time. In the synthesis, the VN/GC composite could be obtained by introducing VO3 (-) and [Fe(CN)6 ](4-) ions into the polyacrylic weak-acid anion-exchanged resin (PWAR) through an in-situ anion-exchanged route, followed by carbonization and a subsequent nitridation process. After loading only 10 % Pt NPs, the resulting Pt-VN/GC catalyst demonstrates a more positive onset potential (1.01 V), higher mass activity (137.2 mA mg(-1) ), and better cyclic stability (99 % electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) retention after 2000 cycles) towards ORR than the commercial 20 % Pt/C. Importantly, the Pt-VN/GC catalyst mainly exhibits a 4 e(-) -transfer mechanism and a low yield of peroxide species, suggesting its potential application as a low-cost and highly efficient ORR catalyst in fuel cells.

Mesoporous-carbon-coated graphite nanosheet (GNS@MC) composites have been synthesized by the intercalation of resol prepolymer into the interlayers of expandable graphite (EG) under vacuum-assisted conditions, followed by the exfoliation of EG through in situ polymerization, the growth of resol under hydrothermal conditions, and carbonization under Ar. The GNS@MC composites exhibit enhanced capacitive performance compared to mesoporous carbon (MC), microwaved EG after thermal treatment (T-EG), and the physical mixture of MC and T-EG (MC+T-EG). In particular, the GNS@MC-35-800 composite carbonized at 800 °C, which has a graphite-nanosheet content of 35 % and a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (S(BET) ) of 432.3 m(2)  g(-1) , exhibits the highest capacitance of 203 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) in 6 M KOH electrolyte. Furthermore, the GNS@MC-35-800 composite exhibits a good cyclic stability with 95 % capacitance retention and a high columbic efficiency of 99 % after 5000 cycles. The energy density of the symmetric supercapacitor GNS@MC-35-800/GNS@MC-35-800 achieved was as high as 11.5 Wh kg(-1) at a high power density of 10 kW kg(-1) . This good performance is attributable to the GNSs in the GNS@MC composite facilitating electron transport owing to its excellent conductivity; moreover, the MC in GNS@MC favors the rapid diffusion of ions by providing low-resistance pathways. The GNS@MC composite may find application in high-performance energy storage and conversion devices.

No abstract

Background: To explore the feasibility of the depth ratio method partitioning the lung parenchyma and the depth distribution of lung nodules in pulmonary segmentectomy.Methods: Based on the measurement units, patients were allocated to the chest group, the lobar group, and the symmetrical 3 sectors group. In each unit, the center of the respective bronchial cross-section was set as the starting point (O). Connecting the O point with the center of the lesion (A) and extending to the endpoint (B) on the pleural, the radial line (OB) was trisected to divide the outer, middle, and inner regions.The depth ratio and relevant regional distribution were simultaneously verified using 2-dimensional (2D) coronal, sagittal, and axial computed tomography images and 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction images.Results: Two hundred and nine patients were included in this study. The median age was 53 (IQR, 44.5-62) years and 64 were males. The intra-group consistency of the depth ratio region partition was 100%. The consistency of the inter-group region partition differed among the three groups (Kappa values 0.511, 0.517, and 0.923). The chest group, lobar group, and symmetrical 3 sectors group had 69.4%, 26.3%, and 4.8% mediastinum disturbance, respectively (P<0.001). Conclusions:The depth ratio method in the symmetrical 3 sectors of the lung maximally eliminated the disturbance of the mediastinal structures and more accurately trisected the lung parenchymal in 3D space.Sublobar resection based on subsegments strategy is feasible for outer 2/3 pulmonary nodules when depth ratio is used as the measurement method.