Due to the ultra-small size of Pt NPs and the extensive contact between Pt and ceria, the ceria nanotube-embedded ultra-small Pt nanoparticle catalyst exhibits remarkable catalytic activity and thermal stability toward CO oxidation.
Plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs), such as Au, Ag, and Cu, are considered as promising photothermal materials and attract extensive attention for freshwater production by solar steam generation. However, high cost, narrow absorption range and/or poor stability greatly limit their practical applications. Herein, a high-efficiency solar energy conversion material consisting of low-cost nonmetal, extremely thermally-stable plasmonic TiN NPs and hydrophilic semireduced graphene oxide (semi-rGO), with broadband solar absorption capability, by a fast in situ microwave reduction method is prepared. The 2D semi-rGO serves as a support for the loading of plasmonic NPs, and meanwhile accelerates the transport and evaporation of water due to its hydrophilicity. Then, decoration of plasmonic TiN NPs further enhances the solar photon absorption and hydrophilicity while suppressing the heat loss, thanks to the layered structure of TiN/semi-rGO, improving overall solar energy utilization. Owing to the enhanced absorption and unique layered nanostructure with strong interfacial interaction, the optimal sample of TiN/semi-rGO-25% absorber achieves a high and stable water evaporation rate of ≈1.76 kg m −2 h −1 with an energy efficiency as high as 99.1% under 1 sun illumination. Furthermore, this plasmonic TiN/ semi-rGO absorber is capable of producing high-quality freshwater from sustainable seawater desalination and wastewater purification processes.
Emerging rechargeable aluminium batteries (RABs) offer a sustainable option for next-generation energy storage technologies with low cost and exemplary safety. However, the development of RABs is restricted by the limited availability of high-performance cathode materials. Herein, we report two polyimide two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D-COFs) cathodes with redox-bipolar capability in RAB. The optimal 2D-COF electrode achieves a high specific capacity of 132 mAh g À 1 . Notably, the electrode presents long-term cycling stability (with a negligible � 0.0007 % capacity decay per cycle), outperforming early reported organic RAB cathodes. 2D-COFs integrate n-type imide and ptype triazine active centres into the periodic porous polymer skeleton. With multiple characterizations, we elucidate the unique Faradaic reaction of the 2D-COF electrode, which involves AlCl 2 + and AlCl 4 À dual-ions as charge carriers. This work paves the avenue toward novel organic cathodes in RABs.
Co3O4–CeO2 core–shell catalysts are successfully fabricated by an ion exchange procedure between Co(CO3)0.35Cl0.2(OH)1.1 nanorods and Ce3+ aqueous solution, followed by a calcination step.
Noble metal nanoparticle-based catalysts are widely used for the removal of hazardous materials. During the catalytic reactions, it is of particular importance for developing novel strategies to avoid the leaching or sintering of noble metal nanoparticles. Here, the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and CO, typical hazardous chemicals in industrial water and exhaust gases from vehicles, are studied for their removal using CeO@Au@CeO-MnO catalyst. The sandwich hollow structure is achieved by means of successive interfacial redox reaction without any surfactants and without involving any surface modifications. Because of the synergistic interaction between Au nanoparticles and oxides, the as-prepared environmental catalyst exhibits remarkable activity toward the 4-NP reduction. Moreover, the sandwich structure inhibits the growth of the Au nanoparticles and the as-prepared catalyst still displays high activity toward CO oxidation even when the catalyst is treated at 600 °C.
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