MOP-18-Derived CuO Fiber for Hybrid Supercapacitor Electrodes.

This study explores a simple method of fabricating hybrid supercapacitor electrodes, which could potentially broaden the application of this technology. The method involves electrospinning a uniform solution of Matrimid/Metal-Organic Polyhedra 18 (MOP-18) followed by carbonization at a relatively low temperature of 700 °C in air, rather than in an inert atmosphere, to create free-standing, redox-active hybrid supercapacitor electrodes. Additionally, the synthesis procedure requires no stabilization or activation steps, which enhances the cost effectiveness of the synthesized electrode materials. The resulting C/CuO composite was used as the working electrode, with a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) carbon nanofiber (CNF) electrode as the counter and 6 M KOH as the electrolyte in a T-cell configuration. The cell performance and redox activity were evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cycling stability tests. Additionally, the physical and chemical structures of the electrode materials were assessed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (PXRD), surface area analysis and other characterization techniques. The electrode material demonstrated a specific capacitance of up to 206 F/g. Supercapacitors utilizing this material display an energy density of 10.3 Wh/kg (active material) at a current density of 1 A/g in electrochemical testing.

Fluoro-bridged rare-earth metal-organic frameworks.

Rare-earth (RE) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer unique optical, electronic, and magnetic properties. RE metals tend to make binuclear metal nodes resulting in dense nonporous coordination networks. Three dimensional porous RE-MOFs have been reported by preparing bigger metal nodes based on metal clusters often found as hexaclusters or nonaclusters. The formation of metal clusters (>2 metal ions) generally requires the use of fluorinated organic molecules reported as modulators. However, it was recently discovered that these molecules are not modulators, rather they act as reactants and leave fluorine in the metal clusters. The formation and types of fluorinated RE metal clusters have been discussed. These fluorinated clusters offer higher connectivity which results in porous MOFs. The presence of fluorine in these metal clusters offers unique properties, such as higher thermal stability and improved fluorescence. This frontier summarizes recent progress and gives future perspective on the fluorinated metal clusters in the RE-MOFs.

Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks Exhibiting Fluoro-Bridged Extended Chains: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties.

Two fluoro-bridged lanthanide-containing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized using 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (BPDC), a fluorinated modulator, and a lanthanide nitrate. The syntheses of MOFs containing Gd3+ or Tb3+ and a closely related MOF structure containing Ho3+, Gd3+, or Tb3+ are presented. The presence of the fluorinated metal chains in these MOFs is shown through single crystal X-ray diffraction, energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, 19F nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements reveal weak antiferromagnetic exchange between the Ln3+ ions mediated by fluoride anions along the zigzag ladder chains present in the crystal structures of these MOFs.

Pillared Carbon Membranes Derived from Cardo Polymers.

Carbon molecular sieve membranes (CMSMs) were prepared by carbonizing the high free volume polyimide BTDA-BAF that is obtained from the reaction of benzophenone-3,3',4,4'-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl) fluorene (BAF). The bulky cardo groups prevented a tight packing and rotation of the chains that leads to high permeabilities of their CMSMs. The incorporation of metal-organic polyhedra 18 (MOP-18, a copper-based MOP) in the BTDA-BAF polymer before pyrolysis at 550 °C prevented the collapse of the pores and the aging of the CMSMs. It was found that upon decomposition of MOP-18, a distribution of copper nanoparticles minimized the collapse of the graphitic sheets that formed the micropores and mesopores in the CMSM. The pillared CMSMs displayed CO2 and CH4 permeabilities of 12,729 and 659 Barrer, respectively, with a CO2/CH4 selectivity of 19.3 after 3 weeks of aging. The permselectivity properties of these membranes was determined to be at the 2019 Robeson upper bound. In contrast, the CMSMs from pure BTDA-BAF aged three times faster than the CMSMs from MOP-18/BTDA-BAF and exhibited lower CO2 and CH4 permeabilities of 5337 and 573 Barrer, respectively, with a CO2/CH4 selectivity of 9.3. The non-pillared CMSMs performed below the upper bound.

Encapsulation of ZnO and Ho:ZnO Nanoparticles in the Core of Wrinkled Mesoporous Silica.

Wrinkled mesoporous silica (WMS) has a flower- or dendritic-like morphology, tunable pore size, and highly ordered and accessible three-dimensional (3D) pore structures. In this research, a method to encapsulate semiconductor nanoparticles in the core of the wrinkled mesoporous silica during synthesis is described. Highly uniform zinc oxide and holmium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized by a sonochemical method. Zinc oxide and holmium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been encapsulated in wrinkled mesoporous silica during synthesis. The ZnO@WMS and Ho:ZnO@WMS particles have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS), confocal microscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Suppressing Dendrite Growth and Side Reactions via Mechanically Robust Laponite-Based Electrolyte Membranes for Ultrastable Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

The development of aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) faces significant challenges because of water-induced side reactions arising from the high water activity in aqueous electrolytes. Herein, a quasi-solid-state electrolyte membrane with low water activity is designed based on a laponite (LP) nanoclay for separator-free AZIBs. The mechanically robust LP-based membrane can perform simultaneously as a separator and a quasi-solid-state electrolyte to inhibit dendrite growth and water-induced side reactions at the Zn/electrolyte interface. A combination of density functional theory calculations, theoretical analyses, and experiments ascertains that the water activities associated with self-dissociation, byproduct formation, and electrochemical decomposition could be substantially suppressed when the water molecules are absorbed by LP. This could be attributed to the high water adsorption and hydration capabilities of LP nanocrystals, resulting from the strong Coulombic and hydrogen-binding interactions between water and LP. Most importantly, the separator-free AZIBs exhibit high capacity retention rates of 94.10% after 2,000 cycles at 1 A/g and 86.32% after 10,000 cycles at 3 A/g, along with enhanced durability and record-low voltage decay rates over a 60-day storage period. This work provides a fundamental understanding of water activity and demonstrates that LP nanoclay is promising for ultrastable separator-free AZIBs for practical energy storage applications.

Synthesis of Fluoro-Bridged Ho3+ and Gd3+ 1,3,5-Tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene Metal-Organic Frameworks from Perfluoroalkyl Substances.

A new fluoro-bridged rare-earth (RE) metal-organic framework consisting of 15-connected nonanuclear and 9-connected trinuclear clusters {[RE9-(µ3-F)14(H2O)6][RE3(µ3-F)(H2O)3](HCO2)3-(BTB)6}·(solvent)x 2 (RE = Ho3+ and Gd3+) was synthesized through the transformation of a dimeric complex formulated as bis(2,2'-bipyridine)tetrakis(µ-2-fluorobenzoato-O,O')-bis(2-fluorobenzoato)diRE(III) 1 with the bridging linker 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (H3BTB). The rare-earth metal ions Ho3+ and Gd3+ were also found to remove fluorine from other organo-fluorine compounds such as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), resulting in the new fluoro-bridged RE-MOFs.

Transformation of a copper-based metal-organic polyhedron into a mixed linker MOF for CO2 capture.

A new mixed linker metal-organic framework (MOF) has been synthesized from a copper-based metal-organic polyhedron (MOP-1) and 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy). The CuMOF-Bipy with a formula of [Cu2(2,2'-bpy)2(m-BDC)2]n is comprised of a binuclear Cu(II) node coordinated to 2,2'-bipy, and isophthalic acid (m-BDC), which bridges to neighboring nodes. The crystal structure of CuMOF-Bipy consists of a stacked two-dimensional framework with the sql topology. CuMOF-Bipy was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and CO2 sorption. CuMOF-Bipy was shown to have one-dimensional sinusoidal channels that allow diffusion of CO2 but not N2.

Carrier gas triggered controlled biolistic delivery of DNA and protein therapeutics from metal-organic frameworks.

The efficacy and specificity of protein, DNA, and RNA-based drugs make them popular in the clinic; however, these drugs are often delivered via injection, requiring skilled medical personnel, and producing biohazardous waste. Here, we report an approach that allows for their controlled delivery, affording either a burst or slow release without altering the formulation. We show that when encapsulated within zeolitic-imidazolate framework eight (ZIF-8), the biomolecules are stable in powder formulations and can be inoculated with a low-cost, gas-powered "MOF-Jet" into living animal and plant tissues. Additionally, their release profiles can be modulated through judicious selection of the carrier gas used in the MOF-Jet. Our in vitro and in vivo studies reveal that when CO2 is used, it creates a transient and weakly acidic local environment that causes a near-instantaneous release of the biomolecules through an immediate dissolution of ZIF-8. Conversely, when air is used, ZIF-8 biodegrades slowly, releasing the biomolecules over a week. This is the first example of controlled-biolistic delivery of biomolecules using ZIF-8, which provides a powerful tool for fundamental and applied science research.

Fluorine extraction from organofluorine molecules to make fluorinated clusters in yttrium MOFs.

A new rare earth based two-dimensional coordination network and a three-dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) have been synthesized using bicinchoninic acid (BCA) and yttrium(iii) ions. Yttrium dimer nodes are formed in the absence of a modulator, resulting in a 2D layered coordination network (Y-BCA-2D). The presence of fluorinating agents, e.g., 2-fluorobenzoic acid (2-FBA), 2,6-difluorobenzoic acid (2,6-DFBA), and perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) result in µ3-F bridged metal hexaclusters (Y6F8) that form a three-dimensional MOF (Y-BCA-3D). It was found that Y3+ can break highly stable C-F bonds in aromatic and aliphatic fluorinated compounds. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) shows the presence of fluorine in the metal cluster which was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). High resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and 19F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) also verify the presence of metal-fluorine bonds in the cluster. The Y-BCA-3D MOF selectively adsorbs CO2 but not N2.

Laminated holmium-166-containing electrospun bandages for use against skin cancer.

The number of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) cases in the US will increase significantly over the next decade due to a rise in UV exposure. One of the treatment methods used to remove NMSC lesions is radiation therapy. The two types of radiation therapy used in the clinic are external beam therapy and brachytherapy. However, both require specialized on-site instrumentation and for patients to remain immobile. In this work, we studied an alternative radiation therapy - one that does not require expensive on-site equipment and would allow for enhanced patient mobility and, thus, comfort. We prepared sealed source, nylon-laminated holmium-166-containing radiotherapeutic bandages and used them in C3H/HeN mice with murine SCCVII tumor grafts. Overall, tumor sizes were smallest when treated with therapeutically relevant radiation doses via radiotherapeutic bandages (compared to controls), and no histological evidence of toxicity to tissues was observed. Thus, our optimized radiotherapeutic bandage offers a flexible approach to treating NMSC.

Two-Dimensional Hexagonal-Shaped Mesoporous Carbon Sheets for Supercapacitors.

Two-dimensional mesoporous hexagonal carbon sheets (MHCSs) have been prepared via a chemical vapor deposition method employing mesoporous Mg(OH)2 hexagonal sheets as the template and acetylene gas as the carbon precursor. MHCSs with porosity in the micropore-mesopore range have a high specific surface area of 1785 m2·g-1. The hierarchical microporous-mesoporous pore structure enables rapid ion transport across the hexagonal carbon sheets, resulting in superior electrochemical performance. The MHCS electrodes showed a maximum specific capacitance of 162 F·g-1 at 5 mV s-1 using the electrolyte 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM-TFSI). MHCS symmetric coin cells exhibited a maximum energy density of 67 Wh·kg-1 at 0.5 A·g-1 and a maximum power density of 14.97 kW·kg-1 at 10 A·g-1.

Graphene-like Carbon from Calcium Hydroxide.

The development of inexpensive and environmentally friendly graphene-like carbon is critical for its integration into industrial products. This work highlights the production of graphene-like carbon structures from calcium hydroxide. The chemical vapor deposition conditions to grow graphitic carbon on a calcium hydroxide catalyst are reported. Acetylene, steam, and calcium hydroxide are used to grow a crumpled carbon morphology. The crumpled carbon resulted in a high surface area of 1276 m2/g and high electrical conductivity (>105 S/m). Additionally, the significance and origin of the C 1s X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) π-π* plasmon loss peak as it is related to high electrical conductivity is reported. A unique mechanism for the catalytic process involving calcium acetylide is proposed. Several deposition times, steam concentration, and catalyst morphology were tested to synthesize a variety of carbon morphologies from calcium-based materials. Crumpled carbon, hollow nanospheres, bamboo-like carbon nanotubes, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and graphene fiber morphologies were all formed using calcium-based catalysts. Multiple reaction conditions, a scaled reaction (300 g), and catalyst recyclability were investigated. Calcium-based materials were then used as catalysts for the growth of other graphene-like carbons.

Critical Rare Earth Element Recovery from Coal Ash Using Microsphere Flower Carbon.

There is a need to develop new solid-phase adsorbents to extract elements from the coal ash. High surface area carbon adsorbents are remarkably good at adsorption of rare earth elements and have good stability in acidic media. A high surface area (1162 m2/g), surface-oxidized microsphere flower carbon (MFC-O) has been prepared for the extraction of rare earth elements as well as thorium and uranium. MFC-O exhibits outstanding distribution coefficients up to kd = 1.2 × 106 for thorium, uranium, and rare earth elements. It was found that thorium and uranium can be separated from the rare earth elements by adjusting the pH. The maximum extraction capacity (71.3 mg/g) was performed up to 88 ppm with 18 competitive elements (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, and U), and element recovery was >85%. A coal ash sample (NIST SRM 1633c) with a known concentration of elements (Na, Ca, Al, Si, Fe, Sc, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Yb, Lu, Th, and U) was leeched resulting in 45% Ce recovery. The leeched solution from NIST 1633c was then mixed with MFC-O for Ce extraction of 74%, Na (17%), Ca (13%), Al (24%), Si (41%), and Fe (17%). The binding properties of MFC-O show that it is an attractive material for the selective extraction of rare earth elements from coal ash.

Fluoro-Bridged Clusters in Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The modulator 2-fluorobenzoic acid (2-fba) is widely used to prepare RE clusters in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In contrast to known RE MOF structures containing hydroxide bridging groups, we report for the first time the possible presence of fluoro bridging groups in RE MOFs. In this report we discuss the synthesis of a holmium-UiO-66 analogue as well as a novel holmium MOF, where evidence of fluorinated clusters is observed. The mechanism of fluorine extraction from 2-fba is discussed as well as the implications that these results have for previously reported RE MOF structures.

Hybrid supercapacitors using electrodes from fibers comprising polymer blend-metal oxide composites with polymethacrylic acid as chelating agent.

Hybrid supercapacitors (SCs) made of carbon-metal oxide composites are devices which combine the advantages of electric double layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors viz high energy density, high power density and high cyclability. This is best achieved when the pseudocapacitive components are uniform in size and distribution on the conducting carbon support. Electrodes mats, fabricated from carbonized electrospun fibers generated from solutions of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the carbon source, cobalt (III) acetylacetonate as a metal oxide precursor, and polymethacrylic acid (PMAA) as a metal oxide precursor carrier were utilized in coin cell SCs. Fibers without the PMMA carrier were prepared for comparison. XRD and TGA showed conversion of the cobalt precursor to a mixture of cobalt and cobalt oxide (Co3O4). When the PMAA carrier was used, specific capacitance increased from 68 F g-1in PAN-Co3O4to 125 F g-1in PAN-PMAA-Co3O4. The addition of PMAA to the system results in better uniformity, accessibility and dispersion of metal and metal oxide particles. Due to the relatively low surface area of carbonized samples, Co3O4nanoparticles are the primary contributors to charge storage. The fabricated fibers show an energy density of 8.9 at 750 W kg-1, which is twice that of the fibers made without PMAA.

The Importance of Evaluating the Lot-to-Lot Batch Consistency of Commercial Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Products.

The biological response of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) is related to their physicochemical properties and a thorough MWNT characterization should accompany an assessment of their biological activity, including their potential toxicity. Beyond characterizing the physicochemical properties of MWNTs from different sources or manufacturers, it is also important to characterize different production lots of the same MWNT product from the same vendor (i.e., lot-to-lot batch consistency). Herein, we present a comprehensive physicochemical characterization of two lots of commercial pristine MWNTs (pMWNTs) and carboxylated MWNTs (cMWNTs) used to study the response of mammalian macrophages to MWNTs. There were many similarities between the physicochemical properties of the two lots of cMWNTs and neither significantly diminished the 24-h proliferation of RAW 264.7 macrophages up to the highest concentration tested (200 µg cMWNTs/mL). Conversely, several physicochemical properties of the two lots of pMWNTs were different; notably, the newer lot of pMWNTs displayed less oxidative stability, a higher defect density, and a smaller amount of surface oxygen species relative to the original lot. Furthermore, a 72-h half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC-50) of ~90 µg pMWNTs/mL was determined for RAW 264.7 cells with the new lot of pMWNTs. These results demonstrate that subtle physicochemical differences can lead to significantly dissimilar cellular responses, and that production-lot consistency must be considered when assessing the toxicity of MWNTs.

Biphenyl Wrinkled Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for pH-Responsive Doxorubicin Drug Delivery.

Biphenyl wrinkled mesoporous silica nanoparticles with controlled particle size and high surface area were evaluated for the storage and delivery of doxorubicin. The average particle size and surface area were ~70 nm and ~1100 m2/g. The doxorubicin loading efficiency was 38.2 ± 1.5 (w/w)% and the release was pH dependent. The breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7) was used for the in vitro drug release study. The cytotoxicity of doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles was significantly higher than free doxorubicin. Fluorescence images showed biphenyl wrinkled mesoporous silica (BPWS) uptake by the MCF-7 cells. The biphenyl bridged wrinkled silica nanoparticles appear promising for hydrophobic drug loading and delivery.

Characterization of a Holmium 4,4'-Biphenyldicarboxylate Metal-Organic Framework and Its Potential as a Holmium Carrier System.

There is growing interest in Holmium carriers for radiotherapeutic applications. In this work, a holmium-based metal-organic framework (MOF) using the 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid (H2BPDC) linker was synthesized and characterized to explore its potential as a radiotherapeutic carrier. The 3D MOF [Ho(BPDC)2]·(CH3)2NH2 was characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, FTIR, TGA and PXRD. A challenge to overcome in lanthanide-based MOFs is the deformation or collapse of the framework that can occur after evacuation of the pores. This structure displays high thermal stability and no collapse was observed when the molecules confined in the pores were removed. The coordination around the holmium center (CN = 8) is the key to this stability since only the organic linker and no solvent molecules coordinate to the metallic center. The porosity of the material was confirmed by high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption-desorption analysis. The stability of the MOF, its holmium content (28 wt%) and its porosity are features that make this material a potential holmium carrier for radiotherapeutic applications.

Binder free carbon nanofiber electrodes derived from polyacrylonitrile-lignin blends for high performance supercapacitors.

Lignin was blended with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in different ratios and fabricated into carbon nanofiber electrodes by electrospinning followed by thermal stabilization, carbonization and subsequent activation by CO2 of the carbonized mats. These carbon fiber electrodes exhibit high surface area, high mesoporosity, high graphitic content and high electrical conductivity. Activated carbon nanofiber mats derived from PAN:Lignin 70:30 blends display a surface area of 2370 m2 g-1 with 0.635 cm3 g-1 mesopore volume. These results are due to the selective partial removal of carbonized lignin during the activation step. Coin cell supercapacitors employing these electrodes exhibit 128 Fg-1 specific capacitance, 59 Wh kg-1 energy density and a 15 kW kg-1 power density when operated at 3.5 V using an ionic liquid electrolyte. Since lignin is an inexpensive, abundant, and green polymer, incorporating it into carbon blends enhances the scalability of such materials in energy storage applications.