| 1. |
- Gracia-Espino, Eduardo, et al.
(författare)
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Self-assembly synthesis of decorated nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes with ZnO nanoparticles : anchoring mechanism and the effects of sulfur
- 2015
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Ingår i: The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1932-7447 .- 1932-7455. ; 119:1, s. 741-747
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hybrid systems consisting of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) anchored on the surface of nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNX-MWNTs) have been synthesized. The anchoring process consists of a self-assembly method involving the mixing of CNX-MWNTs in a solution with N,N-dimethylformamide, zinc acetylacetonate, and thiophene. Thiophene is used as a capping agent for controlling the size and distribution of ZnO-NPs, as well as an anchoring element between the NPs and the nanotube walls. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy characterization revealed that the ZnO-NPs are homogeneously deposited on the surface of CNX-MWNTs. X-ray powder diffraction analysis demonstrated that the ZnO-NPs exhibit a Wurtzite-type crystal structure with an average particle diameter of 5 nm. We also show that the ZnO-NPs do not exhibit a preferential growth direction with respect to the nanotube surface, and their formation is simply controlled by the concentration of the passivating agent. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm that sulfur (from thiophene) is an effective passivating agent for ZnO by preferentially binding low-coordinated Zn atoms. However, the ZnO-NPs could be chemically bonded to the nanotubes through oxygen atoms close to the nitrogenated sites of the tubes. Our results also demonstrate that isolated and sulfur passivated ZnO-NPs become magnetic and exhibit half-metallicity (electronic states with only one spin component are present at the Fermi level). Sulfur-passivated ZnO retains these properties even after forming ZnO/CNX-MWNT hybrid materials.
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| 2. |
- Gracia-Espino, Eduardo, et al.
(författare)
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Temperature Dependence of Sensors Based on Silver-Decorated Nitrogen-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Sensors. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 1687-725X .- 1687-7268.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vapor sensors are easily fabricated onto alumina substrates using foils of silver-decorated nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNX-MWNTs-Ag) as active sensing material. The vapor sensors are tested using carbon disulfide, acetone, ethanol, and chloroform vapors. The CNX-MWNTs are produced by chemical vapor deposition process and then decorated with 14 nm Ag nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). The samples are characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Our results demonstrate that Ag-decorated CNX-MWNTs exhibit a better response and sensitivity when compared with pristine CNX-MWNTs based sensors, making them promising candidates for air-pollutants environmental monitoring. The temperature effect on the sensor performance is also studied; we found that the detection mechanism could be tuned from physisorption, at room temperature, to chemisorption at higher working temperature. Finally, first-principles density functional calculations are carried out to understand the interactions between the systems involved in the sensors, finding good agreement between experimental results and the theoretical approach.
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| 3. |
- Jehova Gonzalez, Viviana, et al.
(författare)
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Biotin molecules on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes enhance the uniform anchoring and formation of Ag nanoparticles
- 2015
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Ingår i: Carbon. - : Elsevier BV. - 0008-6223 .- 1873-3891. ; 88, s. 51-59
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- An efficient method for anchoring silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on the surface of nitrogendoped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNx-MWCNTs) is reported. The process involves the attachment of biotin molecules on the surface of CNx-MWCNTs (both, pristine and acid treated) that act as a reducing agent for AgNO3, thus generating an efficient and homogeneous coating of Ag-NPs (similar to 3 nm in diameter). The reduction of AgNO3 on either pristine CNx-MWCNTs or acid treated CNx-MWCNTs (without biotin) results in Ag-NPs of large diameters and size distribution, in addition to a low anchoring efficiency. We confirmed that the use of biotin substantially improves the Ag-NPs anchoring efficiency, especially on acid treated CNx-MWCNTs. In order to elucidate the mechanism whereby Ag-NPs strongly bind to the surface of CNx-MWCNTs, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out. These revealed the existence of covalent bonds established between one side of the biotin molecule and the CNx-MWCNT surface through oxygen atoms, leaving accessible the exposed sulfur atoms at the other end, which further provided an excellent interaction with the Ag-NPs via S Ag bonds. Finally, we demonstrate that these Ag-NPs coated CNx-MWCNTs could be used as efficient sensors of CS2. (c) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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