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Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials
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Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "2D and Carbon Nanomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 November 2022) | Viewed by 28094

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marcel Popa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
“Cristofor Simionescu” Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment Protection, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, Iasi, Romania
Interests: polysaccharide modification; bioactive polymers; biomaterials; hydrogels; interpenetrated networks; micro- and nanoparticles (spheres and capsules); hybrid and functionalized nanoparticles for drug targeting; drug delivery; polymer–drug conjugates
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Leonard Ionut Atanase

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Faculty of Medical Dentistry, “Apollonia” University of Iasi, Romania-11, Pacurari Street, 700511 Iasi, Romania
Interests: block and graft copolymers; micelles; colloids; emulsions; drug delivery; polysaccharides
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit an article within our Special Issue entitled Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials. Carbon is an element well known for its allotropic states, which are determined by various structures that are found in diamond, graphite, graphene, etc., that have various uses. The last four decades have marked a relaunch of carbon-based materials, beginning with the discovery of new nanostructures such as fullerenes (1985, with Nobel Prize for Robert Curl, Harold Kroto, and Richard Smalley in 1996), carbon nanotubes (1991), graphenes (Nobel Prize for Andre Geim in 2004 and Konstantin Novoselov in 2010), carbon dots. The preparation of carbon nanostructures can be achieved through several strategies, two of which stand out as the most important: pyrolysis of organic precursors under an inert atmosphere, which is applicable to large scale production but offers limited control over the carbon nanostructure; physical/chemical vapor deposition techniques, which offer atomic scale precision in controlling the nanostructure but require complex equipment. Carbon nanostructures have found a wide range of applications, such as in electron transport and nanoscale electronics, advanced fillers, adsorbents, active materials in energy accumulating systems (batteries), hydrogen storage systems, supercapacitors, additives for polymers, ceramics, metals and metal alloys, glasses, textiles and composite materials, filtering media, catalysts or supports for catalysts, delivery of moisture and essential elements for plants growth, theranostic platform (drug immobilization, transport, and delivery, medical imaging, etc.)

This Special Issue aims to present the latest research regarding the preparation, characterization, and application of carbon nanostructures and intends to serve as a platform for debating and disseminating new results in this very versatile and practical research domain.

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following: carbon nanostructures and nanocomposites, energy storage, medical applications, and carbon dots.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Marcel Popa
Prof. Dr. Leonard Ionut Atanase
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon nanostructures
  • graphene
  • fullerene
  • nanotube
  • carbon dots
  • carbon nanocomposites
  • support for catalysts
  • medical applications
  • energy storage
  • fuel storage (including hydrogen)

Published Papers (14 papers)

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13 pages, 6115 KiB  
Article
Intense Blue Photo Emissive Carbon Dots Prepared through Pyrolytic Processing of Ligno-Cellulosic Wastes
by Loredana Stan, Irina Volf, Corneliu S. Stan, Cristina Albu, Adina Coroaba, Laura E. Ursu and Marcel Popa
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(1), 131; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano13010131 - 27 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1561
Abstract
In this work, Carbon Dots with intense blue photo-luminescent emission were prepared through a pyrolytic processing of forestry ligno-cellulosic waste. The preparation path is simple and straightforward, mainly consisting of drying and fine grinding of the ligno-cellulosic waste followed by thermal exposure and [...] Read more.
In this work, Carbon Dots with intense blue photo-luminescent emission were prepared through a pyrolytic processing of forestry ligno-cellulosic waste. The preparation path is simple and straightforward, mainly consisting of drying and fine grinding of the ligno-cellulosic waste followed by thermal exposure and dispersion in water. The prepared Carbon Dots presented characteristic excitation wavelength dependent emission peaks ranging within 438–473 nm and a remarkable 28% quantum yield achieved at 350 nm excitation wavelength. Morpho-structural investigations of the prepared Carbon Dots were performed through EDX, FT-IR, Raman, DLS, XRD, and HR-SEM while absolute PLQY, steady state, and lifetime fluorescence were used to highlight their luminescence properties. Due to the wide availability of this type of ligno-cellulosic waste, an easy processing procedure achieved photo-luminescent properties, and the prepared Carbon Dots could be an interesting approach for various applications ranging from sensors, contrast agents for biology investigations, to photonic conversion mediums in various optoelectronic devices. Additionally, their biocompatibility and waste valorization in new materials might be equally good arguments in their favor, bringing a truly “green” approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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9 pages, 5743 KiB  
Article
Vertical and In-Plane Electronic Transport of Graphene Nanoribbon/Nanotube Heterostructures
by Antonio Bernardo Felix, Monica Pacheco, Pedro Orellana and Andrea Latgé
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3475; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12193475 - 04 Oct 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1369
Abstract
All-carbon systems have proven to present interesting transport properties and are often used in electronic devices. Motivated by recent resonant responses measured on graphene/fullerene junction, we propose coupled nanoribbons/carbon-nanotube heterostructures for use as charge filters and to allow tuned transport. These hybrid systems [...] Read more.
All-carbon systems have proven to present interesting transport properties and are often used in electronic devices. Motivated by recent resonant responses measured on graphene/fullerene junction, we propose coupled nanoribbons/carbon-nanotube heterostructures for use as charge filters and to allow tuned transport. These hybrid systems are engineered as a four-terminal device, and we explore multiple combinations of source and collector leads. The armchair-edge configuration results in midgap states when the transport is carried through top/bottom terminals. Such states are robust against the lack of perfect order on the tube and are revealed as sharp steps in the characteristic current curves when a bias potential is turned on. The zigzag-edge systems exhibit differential negative resistance, with features determined by the details of the hybrid structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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19 pages, 2243 KiB  
Article
Contact Effects on Thermoelectric Properties of Textured Graphene Nanoribbons
by David M. T. Kuo and Yia-Chung Chang
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3357; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12193357 - 27 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2611
Abstract
The transport and thermoelectric properties of finite textured graphene nanoribbons (t-GNRs) connected to electrodes with various coupling strengths are theoretically studied in the framework of the tight-binding model and Green’s function approach. Due to quantum constriction induced by the indented edges, such t-GNRs [...] Read more.
The transport and thermoelectric properties of finite textured graphene nanoribbons (t-GNRs) connected to electrodes with various coupling strengths are theoretically studied in the framework of the tight-binding model and Green’s function approach. Due to quantum constriction induced by the indented edges, such t-GNRs behave as serially coupled graphene quantum dots (SGQDs). These types of SGQDs can be formed by tailoring zigzag GNRs (ZGNRs) or armchair GNRs (AGNRs). Their bandwidths and gaps can be engineered by varying the size of the quantum dot and the neck width at indented edges. Effects of defects and junction contact on the electrical conductance, Seebeck coefficient, and electron thermal conductance of t-GNRs are calculated. When a defect occurs in the interior site of textured ZGNRs (t-ZGNRs), the maximum power factor within the central gap or near the band edges is found to be insensitive to the defect scattering. Furthermore, we found that SGQDs formed by t-ZGNRs have significantly better electrical power outputs than those of textured ANGRs due to the improved functional shape of the transmission coefficient in t-ZGNRs. With a proper design of contact, the maximum power factor (figure of merit) of t-ZGNRs could reach 90% (95%) of the theoretical limit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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27 pages, 4976 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Carbon Nanotubes–Graphene Nanostructures: Modeling, Formation, Characterization
by Alexander Yu. Gerasimenko, Artem V. Kuksin, Yury P. Shaman, Evgeny P. Kitsyuk, Yulia O. Fedorova, Denis T. Murashko, Artemiy A. Shamanaev, Elena M. Eganova, Artem V. Sysa, Mikhail S. Savelyev, Dmitry V. Telyshev, Alexander A. Pavlov and Olga E. Glukhova
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(16), 2812; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12162812 - 16 Aug 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2142
Abstract
A technology for the formation and bonding with a substrate of hybrid carbon nanostructures from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by laser radiation is proposed. Molecular dynamics modeling by the real-time time-dependent density functional tight-binding (TD-DFTB) method made it [...] Read more.
A technology for the formation and bonding with a substrate of hybrid carbon nanostructures from single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by laser radiation is proposed. Molecular dynamics modeling by the real-time time-dependent density functional tight-binding (TD-DFTB) method made it possible to reveal the mechanism of field emission centers formation in carbon nanostructures layers. Laser radiation stimulates the formation of graphene-nanotube covalent contacts and also induces a dipole moment of hybrid nanostructures, which ensures their orientation along the force lines of the radiation field. The main mechanical and emission characteristics of the formed hybrid nanostructures were determined. By Raman spectroscopy, the effect of laser radiation energy on the defectiveness of all types of layers formed from nanostructures was determined. Laser exposure increased the hardness of all samples more than twice. Maximum hardness was obtained for hybrid nanostructure with a buffer layer (bl) of rGO and the main layer of SWCNT—rGO(bl)-SWCNT and was 54.4 GPa. In addition, the adhesion of rGO to the substrate and electron transport between the substrate and rGO(bl)-SWCNT increased. The rGO(bl)-SWCNT cathode with an area of ~1 mm2 showed a field emission current density of 562 mA/cm2 and stability for 9 h at a current of 1 mA. The developed technology for the formation of hybrid nanostructures can be used both to create high-performance and stable field emission cathodes and in other applications where nanomaterials coating with good adhesion, strength, and electrical conductivity is required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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9 pages, 11209 KiB  
Article
Computational Evaluation of Al-Decorated g-CN Nanostructures as High-Performance Hydrogen-Storage Media
by Peng Gao, Xihao Chen, Jiwen Li, Yue Wang, Ya Liao, Shichang Liao, Guangyu Zhu, Yuebin Tan and Fuqiang Zhai
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2580; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12152580 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1412
Abstract
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to solve the electronic structure of aluminum (Al)-doped g-CN and further to evaluate its performance in hydrogen storage. Within our configurations, each 2 × 2 supercell of this two-dimensional material can accommodate four Al atoms, and [...] Read more.
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to solve the electronic structure of aluminum (Al)-doped g-CN and further to evaluate its performance in hydrogen storage. Within our configurations, each 2 × 2 supercell of this two-dimensional material can accommodate four Al atoms, and there exist chemical bonding and partial charge transfer between pyridinic nitrogen (N) and Al atoms. The doped Al atom loses electrons and tends to be electronically positive; moreover, a local electronic field can be formed around itself, inducing the adsorbed H2 molecules to be polarized. The polarized H2 molecules were found to be adsorbed by both the N and Al atoms, giving rise to the electrostatic attractions between the H2 molecules and the Al-doped g-CN surface. We found that each 2 × 2 supercell can adsorb at most, 24 H2 molecules, and the corresponding adsorption energies ranged from −0.11 to −0.31 eV. The highest hydrogen-storage capacity of the Al-doped g-CN can reach up to 6.15 wt%, surpassing the goal of 5.50 wt% proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Additionally, effective adsorption sites can be easily differentiated by the electronic potential distribution map of the optimized configurations. Such a composite material has been proven to possess a high potential for hydrogen storage, and we have good reasons to expect that in the future, more advanced materials can be developed based on this unit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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11 pages, 1871 KiB  
Article
Palladium-Doped Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as a New Adsorbent for Detecting and Trapping Volatile Organic Compounds: A First Principle Study
by Mehdi Yoosefian, Elaheh Ayoubi and Leonard Ionut Atanase
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(15), 2572; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12152572 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1435
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are in the vapor state in the atmosphere and are considered pollutants. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with the wb97xd exchange correlation functional and the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set are carried out to explore the potential possibility of palladium-doped single-walled [...] Read more.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are in the vapor state in the atmosphere and are considered pollutants. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations with the wb97xd exchange correlation functional and the 6-311+G(d,p) basis set are carried out to explore the potential possibility of palladium-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes (Pd/SWCNT-V), serving as the resource for detecting and/or adsorbing acetonitrile (ACN), styrene (STY), and perchloroethylene (PCE) molecules as VOCs. The suggested adsorbent in this study is discussed with structural parameters, frontier molecular orbital theory, molecular electrical potential surfaces (MEPSs), natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses, and the density of states. Furthermore, following the Bader theory of atoms in molecules (AIM), the topological properties of the electron density contributions for intermolecular interactions are analyzed. The obtained results show efficient VOC loading via a strong chemisorption process with a mean adsorption energy of −0.94, −1.27, and −0.54 eV for ACN, STY, and PCE, respectively. Our results show that the Pd/SWCNT-V can be considered a good candidate for VOC removal from the environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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14 pages, 4205 KiB  
Article
Moss-like Hierarchical Architecture Self-Assembled by Ultrathin Na2Ti3O7 Nanotubes: Synthesis, Electrical Conductivity, and Electrochemical Performance in Sodium-Ion Batteries
by Denis P. Opra, Anton I. Neumoin, Sergey L. Sinebryukhov, Anatoly B. Podgorbunsky, Valery G. Kuryavyi, Vitaly Yu. Mayorov, Alexander Yu. Ustinov and Sergey V. Gnedenkov
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1905; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12111905 - 02 Jun 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1813
Abstract
Nanocrystalline layer-structured monoclinic Na2Ti3O7 is currently under consideration for usage in solid state electrolyte applications or electrochemical devices, including sodium-ion batteries, fuel cells, and sensors. Herein, a facile one-pot hydrothermal synthetic procedure is developed to prepare self-assembled moss-like [...] Read more.
Nanocrystalline layer-structured monoclinic Na2Ti3O7 is currently under consideration for usage in solid state electrolyte applications or electrochemical devices, including sodium-ion batteries, fuel cells, and sensors. Herein, a facile one-pot hydrothermal synthetic procedure is developed to prepare self-assembled moss-like hierarchical porous structure constructed by ultrathin Na2Ti3O7 nanotubes with an outer diameter of 6–9 nm, a wall thickness of 2–3 nm, and a length of several hundred nanometers. The phase and chemical transformations, optoelectronic, conductive, and electrochemical properties of as-prepared hierarchically-organized Na2Ti3O7 nanotubes have been studied. It is established that the obtained substance possesses an electrical conductivity of 3.34 × 10−4 S/cm at room temperature allowing faster motion of charge carriers. Besides, the unique hierarchical Na2Ti3O7 architecture exhibits promising cycling and rate performance as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries. In particular, after 50 charge/discharge cycles at the current loads of 50, 150, 350, and 800 mA/g, the reversible capacities of about 145, 120, 100, and 80 mA∙h/g, respectively, were achieved. Upon prolonged cycling at 350 mA/g, the capacity of approximately 95 mA∙h/g at the 200th cycle was observed with a Coulombic efficiency of almost 100% showing the retention as high as 95.0% initial storage. At last, it is found that residual water in the un-annealed nanotubular Na2Ti3O7 affects its electrochemical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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10 pages, 6701 KiB  
Article
The Use of Diatomite as a Catalyst Carrier for the Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes
by Meruyert Nazhipkyzy, Renata R. Nemkayeva, Araylim Nurgain, Aigerim R. Seitkazinova, Balaussa K. Dinistanova, Almagul T. Issanbekova, Nurzhamal Zhylybayeva, Nurgul S. Bergeneva and Gulnar U. Mamatova
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1817; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12111817 - 26 May 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1645
Abstract
In this article, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been synthesized on the surface of a diatomite mineral impregnated with transition metal salts using a propane-butane mixture in a chemical vapor deposition reactor at atmospheric pressure. The catalyst concentration and synthesis temperature have been [...] Read more.
In this article, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been synthesized on the surface of a diatomite mineral impregnated with transition metal salts using a propane-butane mixture in a chemical vapor deposition reactor at atmospheric pressure. The catalyst concentration and synthesis temperature have been varied in order to understand their effects on the formation of MWCNTs and their morphology. Diatomite was chosen as a catalyst carrier due to its elemental composition. It is mainly composed of amorphous silica, quartz and also contains such metals as Fe, K, Ca, Mn, Cr, Ti, and Zn, which makes it a promising material for use as a catalyst carrier when synthesizing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by catalytic chemical vapor deposition (C-CVD). For the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by C-CVD on the surface of the diatomite, the following salts were used as a catalyst: CoCl2·6H2O; Ni(NO3)2·6H2O, and the concentrations of the solutions were 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 M. Natural diatomite was characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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15 pages, 3724 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Biomechanical and Biochemical Markers of Rat Muscle Soleus Fatigue Processes Development during Long-Term Use of C60 Fullerene and N-Acetylcysteine
by Dmytro Nozdrenko, Svitlana Prylutska, Kateryna Bogutska, Vsevolod Cherepanov, Anton Senenko, Oksana Vygovska, Sergii Khrapatyi, Uwe Ritter, Yuriy Prylutskyy and Jacek Piosik
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(9), 1552; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12091552 - 04 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1801
Abstract
The development of an effective therapy aimed at restoring muscle dysfunctions in clinical and sports medicine, as well as optimizing working activity in general remains an urgent task today. Modern nanobiotechnologies are able to solve many clinical and social health problems, in particular, [...] Read more.
The development of an effective therapy aimed at restoring muscle dysfunctions in clinical and sports medicine, as well as optimizing working activity in general remains an urgent task today. Modern nanobiotechnologies are able to solve many clinical and social health problems, in particular, they offer new therapeutic approaches using biocompatible and bioavailable nanostructures with specific bioactivity. Therefore, the nanosized carbon molecule, C60 fullerene, as a powerful antioxidant, is very attractive. In this study, a comparative analysis of the dynamic of muscle soleus fatigue processes in rats was conducted using 50 Hz stimulation for 5 s with three consistent pools after intraperitoneal administration of the following antioxidants: C60 fullerene (a daily dose of 1 mg/kg one hour prior to the start of the experiment) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC; a daily dose of 150 mg/kg one hour prior to the start of the experiment) during five days. Changes in the integrated power of muscle contraction, levels of the maximum and minimum contraction force generation, time of reduction of the contraction force by 50% of its maximum value, achievement of the maximum force response, and delay of the beginning of a single contraction force response were analyzed as biomechanical markers of fatigue processes. Levels of creatinine, creatine phosphokinase, lactate, and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as pro- and antioxidant balance (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, hydrogen peroxide, reduced glutathione, and catalase activity) in the blood of rats were analyzed as biochemical markers of fatigue processes. The obtained data indicate that applied therapeutic drugs have the most significant effects on the 2nd and especially the 3rd stimulation pools. Thus, the application of C60 fullerene has a (50–80)% stronger effect on the resumption of muscle biomechanics after the beginning of fatigue than NAC on the first day of the experiment. There is a clear trend toward a positive change in all studied biochemical parameters by about (12–15)% after therapeutic administration of NAC and by (20–25)% after using C60 fullerene throughout the experiment. These findings demonstrate the promise of using C60 fullerenes as potential therapeutic nanoagents that can reduce or adjust the pathological conditions of the muscular system that occur during fatigue processes in skeletal muscles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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9 pages, 19876 KiB  
Article
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Docetaxel Adsorption on Graphene Quantum Dots Surface Modified by PEG-b-PLA Copolymers
by Mehdi Yoosefian, Mitra Fouladi and Leonard Ionut Atanase
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(6), 926; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12060926 - 11 Mar 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2475
Abstract
Cancer is associated with a high level of morbidity and mortality, and has a significant economic burden on health care systems around the world in almost all countries due to poor living and nutritional conditions. In recent years, with the development of nanomaterials, [...] Read more.
Cancer is associated with a high level of morbidity and mortality, and has a significant economic burden on health care systems around the world in almost all countries due to poor living and nutritional conditions. In recent years, with the development of nanomaterials, research into the drug delivery system has become a new field of cancer treatment. With increasing interest, much research has been obtained on carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs); however, their use has been limited, due to their impact on human health and the environment. The scientific community has turned its research efforts towards developing new methods of producing CBN. In this work, by utilizing theoretical methods, including molecular dynamics simulation, graphene quantum dots (GQD) oxide was selected as a carbon-based nanocarriers, and the efficiency and loading of the anticancer drug docetaxel (DTX) onto GQD oxide surfaces in the presence and in the absence of a PEG-b-PLA copolymer, as a surface modifier, were investigated. According to the results and analyzes performed (total energy, potential energy, and RMSD), it can be seen that the two systems have good stability. In addition, it was determined that the presence of the copolymer at the interface of GQD oxide delays the adsorption of the drug at first; but then, in time, both the DTX adsorption and solubility are increased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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12 pages, 8714 KiB  
Article
Control of Ni/β-Ga2O3 Vertical Schottky Diode Output Parameters at Forward Bias by Insertion of a Graphene Layer
by Madani Labed, Nouredine Sengouga and You Seung Rim
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(5), 827; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12050827 - 01 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1969
Abstract
Controlling the Schottky barrier height (ϕB) and other parameters of Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) is critical for many applications. In this work, the effect of inserting a graphene interfacial monolayer between a Ni Schottky metal and a β- [...] Read more.
Controlling the Schottky barrier height (ϕB) and other parameters of Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) is critical for many applications. In this work, the effect of inserting a graphene interfacial monolayer between a Ni Schottky metal and a β-Ga2O3 semiconductor was investigated using numerical simulation. We confirmed that the simulation-based on Ni workfunction, interfacial trap concentration, and surface electron affinity was well-matched with the actual device characterization. Insertion of the graphene layer achieved a remarkable decrease in the barrier height (ϕB), from 1.32 to 0.43 eV, and in the series resistance (RS), from 60.3 to 2.90 mΩ.cm2. However, the saturation current (JS) increased from 1.26×10−11  to 8.3×10−7(A/cm2). The effects of a graphene bandgap and workfunction were studied. With an increase in the graphene workfunction and bandgap, the Schottky barrier height and series resistance increased and the saturation current decreased. This behavior was related to the tunneling rate variations in the graphene layer. Therefore, control of Schottky barrier diode output parameters was achieved by monitoring the tunneling rate in the graphene layer (through the control of the bandgap) and by controlling the Schottky barrier height according to the Schottky–Mott role (through the control of the workfunction). Furthermore, a zero-bandgap and low-workfunction graphene layer behaves as an ohmic contact, which is in agreement with published results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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16 pages, 4879 KiB  
Article
Nelumbo nucifera Seed–Derived Nitrogen-Doped Hierarchically Porous Carbons as Electrode Materials for High-Performance Supercapacitors
by Lok Kumar Shrestha, Rekha Goswami Shrestha, Rashma Chaudhary, Raja Ram Pradhananga, Birendra Man Tamrakar, Timila Shrestha, Subrata Maji, Ram Lal Shrestha and Katsuhiko Ariga
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(12), 3175; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11123175 - 23 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2545
Abstract
Biomass-derived activated carbon materials with hierarchically nanoporous structures containing nitrogen functionalities show excellent electrochemical performances and are explored extensively in energy storage and conversion applications. Here, we report the electrochemical supercapacitance performances of the nitrogen-doped activated carbon materials with an ultrahigh surface area [...] Read more.
Biomass-derived activated carbon materials with hierarchically nanoporous structures containing nitrogen functionalities show excellent electrochemical performances and are explored extensively in energy storage and conversion applications. Here, we report the electrochemical supercapacitance performances of the nitrogen-doped activated carbon materials with an ultrahigh surface area prepared by the potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation of the Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus) seed in an aqueous electrolyte solution (1 M sulfuric acid: H2SO4) in a three-electrode cell. The specific surface areas and pore volumes of Lotus-seed–derived carbon materials carbonized at a different temperatures, from 600 to 1000 °C, are found in the range of 1059.6 to 2489.6 m2 g−1 and 0.819 to 2.384 cm3 g−1, respectively. The carbons are amorphous materials with a partial graphitic structure with a maximum of 3.28 atom% nitrogen content and possess hierarchically micro- and mesoporous structures. The supercapacitor electrode prepared from the best sample showed excellent electrical double-layer capacitor performance, and the electrode achieved a high specific capacitance of ca. 379.2 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 current density. Additionally, the electrode shows a high rate performance, sustaining 65.9% capacitance retention at a high current density of 50 A g−1, followed by an extraordinary long cycle life without any capacitance loss after 10,000 subsequent charging/discharging cycles. The electrochemical results demonstrate that Nelumbo nucifera seed–derived hierarchically porous carbon with nitrogen functionality would have a significant probability as an electrical double-layer capacitor electrode material for the high-performance supercapacitor applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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15 pages, 4141 KiB  
Article
Functionalized Activated Carbon Derived from Palm Kernel Shells for the Treatment of Simulated Heavy Metal-Contaminated Water
by Rabia Baby, Mohd Zobir Hussein, Zulkarnain Zainal and Abdul Halim Abdullah
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(11), 3133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11113133 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2273
Abstract
Heavy metal contamination in water poses a great risk to human health as well as to the lives of other creatures. Activated carbon is a useful material to be applied for the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water. In this study, functionalized activated carbon [...] Read more.
Heavy metal contamination in water poses a great risk to human health as well as to the lives of other creatures. Activated carbon is a useful material to be applied for the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water. In this study, functionalized activated carbon (FAC) was produced by the induction of nitro groups onto activated carbon using nitric acid. The resulting material was characterized in detail using the XRD, Raman, BET, FTIR, and FESEM techniques. The FAC was used for the treatment of heavy metal-contaminated water using different adsorption parameters, i.e., solution pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage and heavy metal ion concentrations, and these parameters were systematically optimized. It was found that FAC requires 90 min for the maximum adsorption of the heavy metal ions; Cr6+, Pb2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+. The kinetic study revealed that the metal ion adsorption follows the pseudo-second-order. The Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms were applied to determine the best fitting adsorption isotherm models. The adsorption capacities were also determined for each metal ion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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Review

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18 pages, 1742 KiB  
Review
A Structural Analysis of Proteinaceous Nanotube Cavities and Their Applications in Nanotechnology
by Fabian Heide and Jörg Stetefeld
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(22), 4080; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12224080 - 20 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1791
Abstract
Protein nanotubes offer unique properties to the materials science field that allow them to fulfill various functions in drug delivery, biosensors and energy storage. Protein nanotubes are chemically diverse, modular, biodegradable and nontoxic. Furthermore, although the initial design or repurposing of such nanotubes [...] Read more.
Protein nanotubes offer unique properties to the materials science field that allow them to fulfill various functions in drug delivery, biosensors and energy storage. Protein nanotubes are chemically diverse, modular, biodegradable and nontoxic. Furthermore, although the initial design or repurposing of such nanotubes is highly complex, the field has matured to understand underlying chemical and physical properties to a point where applications are successfully being developed. An important feature of a nanotube is its ability to bind ligands via its internal cavities. As ligands of interest vary in size, shape and chemical properties, cavities have to be able to accommodate very specific features. As such, understanding cavities on a structural level is essential for their effective application. The objective of this review is to present the chemical and physical diversity of protein nanotube cavities and highlight their potential applications in materials science, specifically in biotechnology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon Nanostructures as Promising Future Materials)
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