A new method is introduced for the preparation of graphene/polyaniline hybrids using a one-step intercalation polymerization of aniline inside the expanded graphite. The structural and morphological characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Both the experimental and first-principles simulated results show that the aniline cation formed by aniline and H(+) tends to be drawn towards the electron-enriched zone and to intercalate into the interlayer of graphite. Subsequently, an in situ polymerization leads to the separation of graphite into graphene sheet, resulting from the exothermic effect and more vigorous movements of the chain molecules of polyaniline. The interactions between polyaniline and graphene were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectra. In addition, the graphene/polyaniline hybrid exhibited a breakthrough in the improvement of microwave absorption.

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The production of H2O2 has been taken for a crucial reason for antimicrobial activity of ZnO without light irradiation. However, how the H2O2 generates in ZnO suspension is not clear. In the present work, the comparatively detections on three kinds of ZnO, tetrapod-like ZnO whiskers (t-ZnO), nanosized ZnO particles (n-ZnO), and microsized ZnO particles (m-ZnO), showed that the antimicrobial activity of ZnO was correlated with its production of H2O2. Oxygen vacancy (V(O)) in the surface layer of ZnO crystals determined by XPS indicated that it was quite probably involved in the production of H2O2. To validate the role of V(O), the concentration of VO in t-ZnO was adjusted by heat-treatment under the atmospheres of H2, vacuum, and O2, respectively, and the H2O2 production and antimicrobial effect were detected. Consistently, the t-ZnO treated in H2, which possessed the most V(O) in its crystal, produced the most H2O2 and displayed the best antimicrobial activity. These results provide the basis for developing a more detailed mechanism for H2O2 generation catalyzed by ZnO and for taking greater advantage of this type of antimicrobial agent.

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An efficient method was developed to fabricate a porous hybridizing nanotubes structure of amorphous carbon interspersed among Fe3O4 (C@Fe3O4) with a ∼200 nm diameter and ∼70 nm wall thickness. The as-structured porous nanotubes with ferromagnetic behaviour exhibited excellent microwave absorption properties, including a strong ability to attenuate the electromagnetic (EM) wave, and they are also lightweight. Adding only 10 wt% of the as-prepared sample into paraffin can show a maximum reflection loss of -45.0 dB at 6.18 GHz with a sample thickness of 3.4 mm. The absorption mechanism, which results from its porous nanotubes structure, multi-interfaces, dielectric-magnetic integration and geometric effect, is proposed to explain the excellent EM absorption performance. Furthermore, the synthesis strategy presented herein can be expended as a facile approach to synthesizing related carbon-based nanostructures for functional design and applications.

The ZnO nanoarrays exhibit an ultra-fast physico-bactericidal activity within 1 min. • The ultra-fast bactericidal mechanism is attributed to the greater stress enabled by the sharp tips and uneven topography. • The ZnO nanoarray tips can be reexposed under a mild UV light source, and the surface has sustainable bactericidal properties.

Nonisocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) is a research hotspot in polyurethane applications because it does not use phosgene. Herein, a novel method of solvent- and catalyst-free synthesis of a hybrid nonisocyanate polyurethane (HNIPU) is proposed. First, four diamines were used to react with ethylene carbonate to obtain four bis(hydroxyethyloxycarbonylamino)alkane (BHA). Then, BHA reacted with dimer acid under condensation in the melt to prepare four nonisocynate polyurethane prepolymers. Further, the HNIPUs were obtained by crosslinking prepolymers and resin epoxy and cured with the program temperature rise. In addition, four amines and two resin epoxies were employed to study the effects and regularity of HNIPUs. According to the results from thermal and dynamic mechanical analyses, those HNIPUs showed a high degree of thermal stability, and the highest 5% weight loss reached about 350 °C. More importantly, the utilization of these green raw materials accords with the concept of sustainable development. Further, the synthetic method and HNIPUs don’t need isocyanates, catalysts, or solvents.