15With resistant bacteria on the increase, there is a need for new combinations of antimicrobials 16 / biocidal agents to help control the transmission of such microorganisms. Particulate forms of 17 graphite, graphene oxide (GO) and metal-hybrid compounds (silver-graphene oxide (AgGO) 18 and zinc oxide graphene oxide (ZnOGO)) were fabricated and characterised. X-Ray diffraction 19 and Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy demonstrated the 20 composition of the compounds. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-Ray 21 Spectroscopy determined the compounds were heterogeneous and irregular in shape and size 22 and that the level of silver in the AgGO sample was 57.9 wt.% and the ZnOGO contained 72.65 23 wt. % zinc. The compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity against four prominent 24 bacteria; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium and Klebsiella 25 pneumoniae. AgGO was the most effective antimicrobial (Minimum inhibitory concentration 26 E. coli / Enterococcus faecium 0.125 mg mL -1 ; S. aureus / K. pneumoniae 0.25 mg mL -1 ). The 27 addition of Ag enhanced the activity of GO against the bacteria tested, including the generally 28 recalcitrant K. pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecium. These findings demonstrated that GO-29 metal hybrids have the potential to be utilised as novel antimicrobials or biocides in liquid 30 formulations, biomaterials or coatings for use in the treatment of wounds where medically 31 relevant bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant.32

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A novel hard-template synthesis approach for the fabrication of mesoporous hydroxyapatite (HAP) is described herein. Carbon nanorods, synthesised using mesoporous silica (SBA-15) and an acidified sucrose solution, are used as a hard template, after which, they are utilised to synthesise mesoporous HAP. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and nitrogen adsorption/Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), are all employed to characterise the synthesised materials. We demonstrate that this approach allows for the successful fabrication of single phase HAP with surface area 242.20 ± 2.27 m 2 g-1 and average pore diameter 3.5 nm and 18.9 nm. This work proposes for the first time a bespoke innovative procedure that employs carbon nanorods as a template for the synthesis of mesoporous HAP via a hard templating protocol.

While dual-fuel engines reduce transportation costs and CO 2 emissions by using alternative energy sources e.g. natural gas, the exhaust streams often contain quantities of emissions that exceed limits and therefore require removal. Pd-and Ni-hydroxyapatite (HAP) catalysts were prepared using a soft-templating method and tested in the dry reforming of methane (DRM) in a fixed bed reactor that simulates an exhaust from a diesel-natural gas dual-fuel engine. XRD revealed the characteristic HAP crystal structure of all the prepared materials. The HAP phase was further confirmed by TEM, which also showed the presence of submicron sized particles. The BET surface areas of HAP prepared using a single surfactant was 27.7 m 2 g-1 and increased to 84.9 m 2 g-1 when mixed surfactants were used. Active metals were added to HAP using either incipient wetness impregnation, ion-exchange or solid dispersion. All the catalysts tested were active in DRM with the optimal samples converting over 85% of methane at 650 °C.