IR-EcoSpectra: Exploring sustainable ex situ and in situ FTIR applications for green chemical and pharmaceutical analysis.

In various industries, particularly in the chemical and pharmaceutical fields, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy provides a unique capacity to detect and characterise complex chemicals while minimising environmental damage by minimal waste generation and reducing the need for extensive sample preparation or use of harmful reagents. This review showcases the versatility of ex situ and in situ FTIR applications for substance identification, analysis, and dynamic monitoring. Ex situ FTIR spectroscopy's accuracy in identifying impurities, monitoring crystallisation processes, and regulating medication release patterns improves product quality, safety, and efficacy. Furthermore, its quantification capabilities enable more effective drug development, dosage procedures, and quality control practices, all of which are consistent with green analytical principles. On the other hand, in situ FTIR spectroscopy appears to be a novel tool for the real-time investigation of molecular changes during reactions and processes, allowing for the monitoring of drug release kinetics, crystallisation dynamics, and surface contacts, as well as providing vital insights into material behaviour. The combination of ex situ FTIR precision and in situ FTIR dynamic capabilities gives a comprehensive analytical framework for developing green practices, quality control, and innovation in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. This review presents the wide range of applications of ex situ and in situ FTIR spectroscopy in chemical, pharmaceutical and medical fields as an analytical green chemistry tool. However, further study is required to fully realise FTIR's potential and develop new applications that improve sustainability in these areas.

The Effect of Salts on the CO2 Reduction Product Distribution in an Aprotic Electrolyte.

Electrochemical CO2 reduction in non-aqueous solvents is promising due to the increased CO2 solubility of organic-based electrolytes compared to aqueous electrolytes. Here the effect of nine different salts in propylene carbonate (PC) on the CO2 reduction product distribution of polycrystalline Cu is investigated. Three different cations (tetraethylammonium (TEA), tetrabutylammonium (TBA), and tetrahexylammonium (THA)) and three different anions (chloride (Cl), tetrafluoroborate (BF4), and hexafluorophosphate (PF6)) were used. Chronoamperometry and in-situ FTIR measurements show that the size of the cation has a crucial role in the selectivity. A more hydrophobic surface is obtained when employing a larger cation with a weaker hydration shell. This stabilizes the CO2-· radical and promotes the formation of ethylene. CO2 reduction in 0.7 M THACl/PC shows the highest hydrocarbon formation. Lastly, we hypothesize that the hydrocarbon formation pathway is not through C-C coupling, as the CO solubility in PC is very high, but through the dimerization of the COH intermediate.

Rational H2 Partial Pressure over Nickel/Ceria Crystal Enables Efficient and Durable Wide-Temperature-Zone Air-Level CO2 Methanation.

On the way to carbon neutrality, directly catalyzing atmospheric CO2 into high-value chemicals might be an effective approach to mitigate the negative impacts of rising airborne CO2 concentrations. Here, we pioneer the investigation of the influence of the H2/CO2 partial pressure ratio (PPR) on air-level CO2 methanation. Using Ni/CeO2 as a case catalyst, increasing H2/CO2 PPR significantly improves low-temperature CO2 conversion and high-temperature CH4 selectivity, i.e., from 10 of H2/CO2 PPR on, CO2 is completely methanized at 250 °C, and nearly 100% CH4 selectivity is achieved at 400 °C. 100-hour stability tests demonstrate the practical application potential of Ni/CeO2 at 250 °C and 400 °C. In-situ DRIFTS reveal that reinforced formate pathway by increasing H2/CO2 PPR is responsible for the high CH4 yield. In contrast, even though the CO pathway dominated CO2 conversion on Ni is enhanced by rising H2/CO2 PPR, but at a high reaction temperature, the promoted CO desorption still leads to lower CH4 selectivity. This work offers deep insights into the direct air-level CO2 resourceization, contributing to the achievement of airborne CO2 reductions.

Pseudo-Wet Plasma Mechanism Enabling High-Throughput Dry Etching of SiO2 by Cryogenic-Assisted Surface Reactions.

Manufacturing semiconductor devices requires advanced patterning technologies, including reactive ion etching (RIE) based on the synergistic interactions between ions and etch gas. However, these interactions weaken as devices continuously scale down to sub-nanoscale, primarily attributed to the diminished transport of radicals and ions into the small features. This leads to a significant decrease in etch rate (ER). Here, a novel synergistic interaction involving ions, surface-adsorbed chemistries, and materials at cryogenic temperatures is found to exhibit a significant increase in the ER of SiO2 using CF4/H2 plasmas. The ER increases twofold when plasma with H2/(CF4 + H2) = 33% is used and the substrate temperature is lowered from 20 to -60 °C. The adsorption of HF and H2O on the SiO2 surface at cryogenic temperatures is confirmed using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The synergistic interactions of the surface-adsorbed HF/H2O as etching catalysts and plasma species result in the ER enhancement. Therefore, a mechanism called "pseudo-wet plasma etching" is proposed to explain the cryogenic etching process. This synergy demonstrates that the enhanced etch process is determined by the surface interactions between ions, surface-adsorbed chemistry, and the material being etched, rather than interactions between ion and gas phase, as observed in the conventional RIE.

In Situ Characterizations of the Dynamics of Cathode Electrolyte Interfaces at Different Current Densities.

LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 with high nickel content plays a critical role in enabling lithium metal batteries (LMBs) to achieve high specific energy density, making them a prominent choice for electric vehicles (EVs). However, ensuring the long-term cycling stability of the cathode electrolyte interfaces (CEIs), particularly at fast-charge conditions, remains an unsolved challenge. The decay mechanism associated with CEIs and electrolytes in LMB at high current densities is still not fully understood. To address this issue, in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) is employed to observe the dynamic process of formation/disappearance/regeneration of CEIs during charge and discharge cycles. These dynamic processes further exacerbate the instability of CEIs as current density increases, leading to rupture and dissolution of CEIs and subsequent deterioration in battery performance because of continuous electrolyte reactions. Additionally, the dynamic changes occurring within individual components of CEIs at different cycling stages and various current densities are also discussed. The results demonstrate that excellent capacity retention at small current density is attributed to enrichment of inorganic compounds (Li2CO3, LiF, etc.) and rendering better stability and smaller expansion of CEIs. The key to achieving excellent electrochemical performance at high current densities lies on protecting CEIs, mainly inorganic components.

Growth and Electrochemical Study of Bismuth Nanodendrites as an Efficient Catalyst for CO2 Reduction.

There is a growing interest in creating cost-effective catalysts for efficient electrochemical CO2 reduction to address pressing environmental issues and produce valuable products. A bimetallic ZnBi catalyst that enhances catalytic activity and stability toward the electrochemical reduction of CO2 is designed. It is based on bismuth nanodendrites grown using a facile, scalable, and low-cost method. The results have shown that the incorporation of bismuth can decrease the charge transfer resistance and facilitate CO2 reduction toward the formation of CO and formate. It was revealed that the ZnBi catalyst exhibited higher catalytic activity compared with that of the pure Zn catalyst for CO2 reduction, with a lower onset potential [-0.75 V vs a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) compared with -0.85 V vs RHE for Zn]. In situ electrochemical attenuated total internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to study the reaction mechanism, showing the formation of CO and formate through the adsorbed *COO- intermediates. This study has demonstrated a new approach for the feasible synthesis of high-performance catalysts for large-scale electrochemical CO2 reduction.

Zn Single-Atom Catalysts Enable the Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of α,ß-Unsaturated Aldehydes.

Highly active nonprecious-metal single-atom catalysts (SACs) toward catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH) of α,ß-unsaturated aldehydes are of great significance but still are deficient. Herein, we report that Zn-N-C SACs containing Zn-N3 moieties can catalyze the conversion of cinnamaldehyde to cinnamyl alcohol with a conversion of 95.5% and selectivity of 95.4% under a mild temperature and atmospheric pressure, which is the first case of Zn-species-based heterogeneous catalysts for the CTH reaction. Isotopic labeling, in situ FT-IR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations indicate that reactants, coabsorbed at the Zn sites, proceed CTH via a "Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley" mechanism. DFT calculations also reveal that the high activity over Zn-N3 moieties stems from the suitable adsorption energy and favorable reaction energy of the rate-determining step at the Zn active sites. Our findings demonstrate that Zn-N-C SACs hold extraordinary activity toward CTH reactions and thus provide a promising approach to explore the advanced SACs for high-value-added chemicals.

1D/2D Heterostructured WS2@PANI Composite for Highly Sensitive, Flexible, and Room Temperature Ammonia Gas Sensor.

Flexible and room-temperature (RT) ammonia gas sensors are needed for exhaled breath detection and recognition. Two-dimensional transition metal disulfides are potential materials for RT gas sensing because of their low band gap and a large number of edge-exposed sites that can provide strong binding to gas molecules. In this work, a 1D/2D heterostructured composite material of 2D tungsten disulfide (WS2) modified with 1D polyaniline (PANI) was proposed. The fibrous PANI adsorbed on the edges and inserted in the interlayers of the laminated WS2 provide more diffusion channels for the ammonia gas and act as sensing sites. The WS2@PANI-based sensor shows high selectivity for ammonia with satisfying reproducibility and long-term stability. A response of 216.3% and a short response/recovery time of 25 s/39 s were achieved for 100 ppm ammonia gas. The sensing mechanism was investigated in detail via complex impedance spectra and in situ FT-IR, which was attributed to the synergistic effect of WS2 and PANI. The excellent sensing performance coupled with its resistance to thermal and humidity interference endows the WS2@PANI-based sensor with potential for human exhaled detection and wearable electronics.

Weathered coal-based carbon dots modified by organic amine for enhanced crystallinity and toughness of poly(lactic acid) film.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has its own limitations in terms of slow crystallization rate and low crystallinity during processing, resulting in poor toughness and thermal stability, which seriously restricts the practical application of PLA. Blending nanoparticles into the PLA matrix is an effective way to improve PLA crystallization. In this study, carbon dots (CDs) were prepared by green oxidation using weathered coal as carbon source and then surface-modified with dodecylamine (DDA) and octadecylamine (ODA). Modified CDs (MCDs)/PLA composite films were prepared using MCDs as filler to improve the crystallinity and toughness of PLA films. The results showed that the improvement effect of ODA-modified CDs (ODACDs) was better than that of DDA-modified CDs (DDACDs). The crystallinity of PLA composite film (0.05 wt% ODACDs) was increased from 7.20% (pure PLA film) to 35.44%, and its elongation at break was increased by 5.01 times compared with that of the pure PLA film. Moreover, thermogravimetric analysis suggested that the thermal stability of MCDs/PLA films was also improved. The results of simultaneous rheology and in-situ FTIR analysis as well as molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that MCDs had a strong interaction with PLA molecules, which promoted the crystallization of PLA film, thereby improving its toughness and thermal stability.

In Situ Monitoring of Etching Characteristic and Surface Reactions in Atomic Layer Etching of SiN Using Cyclic CF4/H2 and H2 Plasmas.

Cyclic atomic layer etching (ALE) of SiN with high selectivity to SiO2, utilizing a hydrofluorocarbon deposition followed by exposure to hydrogen plasma, is presented. The surface reaction mechanism and etching behavior were investigated with in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and spectroscopic ellipsometry. In the deposition step, the hydrofluorocarbon film was deposited on top of the SiN films using the CF4/H2 plasmas with varying H2 contents (33 to 85%). Subsequently, the surface-modified SiN film was exposed to a hydrogen plasma for etching. The self-limiting SiN etching was observed, where the etch depth solely depended on the F concentration of the deposited hydrofluorocarbon layer once its thickness exceeded a critical value. A high selectivity of approximately 8.6 for SiN over SiO2 was achieved. The in situ ATR-FTIR spectra revealed that during the deposition step, besides the formation of the C-H peak associated with hydrofluorocarbon deposition, the appearance of the N-H4 absorbance band indicated the formation of an ammonium fluorosilicate layer on top of SiN. In the subsequent H2 plasma etching step, both the surface modification layer and the pre-deposited hydrofluorocarbon layer were removed. The removal of the surface-modified layer and hydrofluorocarbon layer was associated with the etch rate during H2 plasma exposure. These findings indicate the importance of the formation and removal of the surface modification layer for achieving ALE of SiN. The dissociation of the hydrofluorocarbon layer by the H2 plasma released reactants that interacted with SiN, leading to the formation of a new surface modification layer. The etching process significantly slowed down once the hydrofluorocarbon deposition and surface modification layer were completely removed.

Synthesis of 2H/fcc-Heterophase AuCu Nanostructures for Highly Efficient Electrochemical CO2 Reduction at Industrial Current Densities.

Structural engineering of nanomaterials offers a promising way for developing high-performance catalysts toward catalysis. However, the delicate modulation of thermodynamically unfavorable nanostructures with unconventional phases still remains a challenge. Here, the synthesis of hierarchical AuCu nanostructures is reported with hexagonal close-packed (2H-type)/face-centered cubic (fcc) heterophase, high-index facets, planar defects (e.g., stacking faults, twin boundaries, and grain boundaries), and tunable Cu content. The obtained 2H/fcc Au99 Cu1 hierarchical nanosheets exhibit excellent performance for the electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to produce CO, outperforming the 2H/fcc Au91 Cu9 and fcc Au99 Cu1 . The experimental results, especially those obtained by in-situ differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, suggest that the enhanced catalytic performance of 2H/fcc Au99 Cu1 arises from the unconventional 2H/fcc heterophase, high-index facets, planar defects, and appropriate alloying of Cu. Impressively, the 2H/fcc Au99 Cu1 shows CO Faradaic efficiencies of 96.6% and 92.6% at industrial current densities of 300 and 500 mA cm-2 , respectively, as well as good durability, placing it among the best CO2 reduction electrocatalysts for CO production. The atomically structural regulation based on phase engineering of nanomaterials (PEN) provides an avenue for the rational design and preparation of high-performance electrocatalysts for various catalytic applications.

Electrochemical NO3- Reduction Catalyzed by Atomically Precise Ag30Pd4 Bimetallic Nanocluster: Synergistic Catalysis or Tandem Catalysis?

Electrochemically converting NO3- compounds into ammonia represents a sustainable route to remove industrial pollutants in wastewater and produce valuable chemicals. Bimetallic nanomaterials usually exhibit better catalytic performance than the monometallic counterparts, yet unveiling the reaction mechanism is extremely challenging. Herein, we report an atomically precise [Ag30Pd4 (C6H9)26](BPh4)2 (Ag30Pd4) nanocluster as a model catalyst toward the electrochemical NO3- reduction reaction (eNO3-RR) to elucidate the different role of the Ag and Pd site and unveil the comprehensive catalytic mechanism. Ag30Pd4 is the homoleptic alkynyl-protected superatom with 2 free electrons, and it has a Ag30Pd4 metal core where 4 Pd atoms are located at the subcenter of the metal core. Furthermore, Ag30Pd4 exhibits excellent performance toward eNO3-RR and robust stability for prolonged operation, and it can achieve the highest Faradaic efficiency of NH3 over 90%. In situ Fourier-transform infrared study revealed that a Ag site plays a more critical role in converting NO3- into NO2-, while the Pd site makes a major contribution to catalyze NO2- into NH3. The bimetallic nanocluster adopts a tandem catalytic mechanism rather than a synergistic catalytic effect in eNO3-RR. Such finding was further confirmed by density functional theory calculations, as they disclosed that Ag is the most preferable binding site for NO3-, which then binds a water molecule to release NO2-. Subsequently, NO2- can transfer to the vicinal exposed Pd site to promote NH3 formation.

Advanced Ag nanoparticles for the catalyzation of glyoxylic acid oxidation in through-holes electroless copper metallization.

Advanced Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were prepared by wet chemical oxidation-reduction method, using mainly the tannic acid as reducing agent and carboxymethylcellulose sodium as stabilizer. The prepared Ag NPs uniformly disperse and are stable for more than one month without agglomeration. The studies of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy indicate that the Ag NPs are in homogeneous sphere with only 4.4 nm average size and narrow particle size distribution. Electrochemical measurements reveal that the Ag NPs behave excellent catalytic activity for electroless copper plating using glyoxylic acid as reducing agent. In situ fourier transform infrared (in situ FTIR) spectroscopic analysis combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculation illustrate that the molecular oxidation of glyoxylic acid catalyzed by Ag NPs is as the following routes: glyoxylic acid molecule first is adsorbed on Ag atoms with carboxyl oxygen terminal, then hydrolyzed to diol anionic intermediate, and last oxidized to oxalic acid. Time-resolved in situ FTIR spectroscopy further reveals the real-time reactions of electroless copper plating as follows: glyoxylic acid is continuously oxidized to oxalic acid and releases electrons at the active catalyzing spots of Ag NPs, and Cu(II) coordination ions are in situ reduced by the electrons. Based on the excellent catalytic activity, the advanced Ag NPs can replace the expensive Pd colloids catalyst and successfully apply in through-holes metallization of printed circuit board (PCB) by electroless copper plating.

Insights into the Role of Nanorod-Shaped MnO2 and CeO2 in a Plasma Catalysis System for Methanol Oxidation.

Published papers highlight the roles of the catalysts in plasma catalysis systems, and it is essential to provide deep insight into the mechanism of the reaction. In this work, a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor packed with γ-MnO2 and CeO2 with similar nanorod morphologies and particle sizes was used for methanol oxidation at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The experimental results showed that both γ-MnO2 and CeO2 exhibited good performance in methanol conversion (up to 100%), but the CO2 selectivity of CeO2 (up to 59.3%) was much higher than that of γ-MnO2 (up to 28.6%). Catalyst characterization results indicated that CeO2 contained more surface-active oxygen species, adsorbed more methanol and utilized more plasma-induced active species than γ-MnO2. In addition, in situ Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were applied with a novel in situ cell to reveal the major factors affecting the catalytic performance in methanol oxidation. More reactive oxygen species (O22-, O2-) from ozone decomposition were produced on CeO2 compared with γ-MnO2, and less of the intermediate product formate accumulated on the CeO2. The combined results showed that CeO2 was a more effective catalyst than γ-MnO2 for methanol oxidation in the plasma catalysis system.

Pt Nanoparticles Confined in a 3D Porous FeNC Matrix as Efficient Catalysts for Rechargeable Li-CO2/O2 Batteries.

The cathodic product Li2CO3, due to its high decomposition potential, has hindered the practical application of rechargeable Li-CO2/O2 batteries. To overcome this bottleneck, a Pt/FeNC cathodic catalyst is fabricated by dispersing Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with a uniform size of 2.4 nm and 8.3 wt % loading amount into a porous microcube FeNC support for high-performance rechargeable Li-CO2/O2 batteries. The FeNC matrix is composed of numerous two-dimensional (2D) carbon nanosheets, which is derived from an Fe-doping zinc metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF). Importantly, using Pt/FeNC as the cathodic catalyst, the Li-CO2/O2 (VCO2/VO2 = 4:1) battery displays the lowest overpotential of 0.54 V and a long-term stability of 142 cycles, which is superior to batteries with FeNC (1.67 V, 47 cycles) and NC (1.87 V, 23 cycles) catalysts. The FeNC matrix and Pt NPs can exert a synergetic effect to decrease the decomposition potential of Li2CO3 and thus enhance the battery performance. In situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy further confirms that Li2CO3 can be completely decomposed under a low potential of 3.3 V using the Pt/FeNC catalyst. Impressively, Li2CO3 exhibits a film structure on the surface of the Pt/FeNC catalysts by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and its size can be limited by the confined space between the carbon sheets in Pt/FeNC, which enlarges the better contacting interface. In addition, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the Pt and FeNC catalysts show a higher adsorption energy for Li2CO3 and Li2CO4 intermediates compared to the NC catalyst, and the possible discharge pathways are deeply investigated. The synergetic effect between the FeNC support and Pt active sites makes the Li-CO2/O2 battery achieve optimal performance.

Cellulose interactions with CO2 in NaOH(aq): The (un)expected coagulation creates potential in cellulose technology.

Upon the search for a suitable processing method for cellulose, the dissolution in NaOH(aq) presents a real green potential, including its ability to sorb environmental CO2(g) affecting dissolution. Here, CO2(g) was delivered in a controlled way to the cellulose/NaOH(aq) system during the in-situ analysis with FTIR, pH and temperature meters, resulting in efficient coagulation of cellulose. Surprisingly, the coagulation occurred with a minimal loss of alkalinity. This was considered an effect of a specific interaction between the dissolved polymer and gas, resulting in the introduction of carbonate species, highly influential in the coagulation process. The process repeated at 25 °C and 5 °C suggested a strong influence of temperature. The conversion routes of the CO2(g) coagulant were also related to the dissolved state of the polymer. The recovered cellulose appeared competitive with EtOH recovery in terms of structure. The presented finding put a perspective on the utilisation of both the coagulation process and final materials in cellulose technology.

Fast pyrolysis of guaiacyl-syringyl (GS) type milled wood lignin: Product characteristics and CH4 formation mechanism study.

It is anticipated that the insight into the demethylation and mechanism of CH4 formation from natural lignin using in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (in-situ FTIR) combined with two-dimensional perturbation correlation infrared spectroscopy (2D-PCIS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculation analysis would contribute to a deeper insight of bond cleavage mechanism of lignin pyrolysis. Herein, GS-type lignin (poplar MWL) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and heteronuclear Single-Quantum Correlation Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (HSQC), and its pyrolysis at different temperatures was performed in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor. The biochar, gaseous and liquid products were qualitative, and quantitative analysis of gases and bio-oil is demonstrated using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The key of CH4 formation is the homolytic cleavage of the methoxyl functional group generating methyl radical and further verified via in-situ FTIR combined with 2D-PCIS and DFT calculation. The study established a new methodology based on multiple factor analysis to evaluate the CH4 formation mechanism in GS-type milled wood lignin at the molecular level, which is of positive significance for increasing lignin valorization and improving the environment.

In situ DRIFTS FT-IR and DFT study on Fe-V-W/Ti removal of NOx and VOCs.

Nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are generated during the coal-fired power plant's combustion. They can be simultaneously removed in SCR (selective catalytic reduction) region. Herein, the performance of V-W/Ti and Fe-V-W/Ti synthesized by wet impregnation in removing NOX and VOCs was evaluated. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) result indicated that a redox cycle of Fe2+ + V5+ ⇌ Fe3+ + V4+ could form electron vacancy through electron transfer. Besides, the mechanisms of NH3-SCR and VOCs catalytic oxidation were explored with in situ DRIFTS experience and DFT calculation. On Fe-V-W/Ti, in situ DRIFTS study found more absorption sites of NH3, and different intermediates during simultaneously removal process. DFT calculation demonstrated that absorption energy of O2 was decreased and O = O bond was lengthened with Fe doped. Both V-W/Ti and Fe-V-W/Ti followed the L-H mechanism and shared a common NH3-SCR pathway: [Formula: see text]. However, the bidentate nitrate and monodentate nitrate were also revealed on Fe-V-W/Ti, which combined with NH4+ and decomposed into N2 and H2O, or N2O and H2O, respectively. The detected NH2 species combined with NO on the Fe-V-W/Ti, following the E-R mechanism. As for VOCs, the intermediates of benzene and toluene were revealed by in situ DRIFTS study, and detailed Mars-van Krevelen mechanism was discovered.

Ultrastable Bioderived Organic Anode Induced by Synergistic Coupling of Binder/Carbon-Network for Advanced Potassium-Ion Storage.

Bioderived molecules have been identified as viable anodes for organic potassium-ion batteries (OPIBs) due to the abundance of the necessary natural resources, their high capacity, and their sustainability. However, the high solubility and the inherent nonconductivity cause serious capacity decay and large voltage hysteresis. Here, the biomass molecule juglone was cross-linked with a carbon nanotube network, coupling and cooperating with sodium alginate binder (J@CNT-SA), and was proposed to inhibit small molecule dissolution via weak intermolecular interactions. The synergistic effect of hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking is proven for its outstanding reversible high capacities (262 mA h g-1 at 0.05 A g-1), and a remarkable long life span with capacity retention of 77% over 5000 cycles. Further in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to reveal the electrochemical mechanism. The feasibility of juglone as an anode for PIBs paves the way for other natural organic small molecules to be investigated as potential energy storage materials.

Nickel Oxide-Carbon Soot-Cellulose Acetate Nanocomposite for the Detection of Mesitylene Vapour: Investigating the Sensing Mechanism Using an LCR Meter Coupled to an FTIR Spectrometer.

Nanocomposite sensors were prepared using carbon soot (CNPs), nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO-NPs), and cellulose acetate (CA), which was used to detect and study the sensing mechanism of mesitylene vapour at room temperature. Synthesised materials were characterised using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption at 77 K. Various sensors were prepared using individual nanomaterials (NiO-NPs, CNPs, and CA), binary combinations of the nanomaterials (CNPs-NiO, CNPs-CA, and NiO-CA), and ternary composites (NiO-CNPs-CA). Among all of the prepared and tested sensors, the ternary nanocomposites (NiO-CNPs-CA) were found to be the most sensitive for the detection of mesitylene, with acceptable response recovery times. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with an LCR meter revealed that the mesitylene decomposes into carbon dioxide.