graphene composite

CARBON

6 3 ( 2 0 1 3 ) 5 9 3 –5 9 5

Available at www.sciencedirect.com

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/carbon

Abstracts of New Carbon Materials 2013(3) Graphene-based

macroform:

preparation,

properties

and

process. The CuO/graphene composite exhibits enhanced electro-

applications

chemical performance compared with pure CuO and graphene,

Li-fang Zhang a, Wei Wei a, Wei Lu b, Jiao-jing Shao a, Hong-da Du b,

such as improved initial coulombic efficiency (69.9%) and a

Quan-hong Yang a,b

reversible capacity of 748.3 mAh/g with 81.3% retention after 50

a

cycles.

School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University,

Tianjin 300072, China b

Engineering Laboratory for Functional Carbon Materials, Graduate

School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China The graphene-based macroform (GM) is a new category of macroscopic carbon materials assembled from graphene nanosheets. It possesses superior physical and chemical properties

[New Carbon Materials 2013, 28(3): 172-177] doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.06.054

Preparation of corn starch-based monolithic porous carbons Jiang-bo Duan, Chang Yu, Li-man Fan, Meng Chen, Jie-shan Qiu

inherited from individual graphene nanosheets, and moreover,

Liaoning Key Lab for Energy Materials and Chemical Engineer, State Key

has a tunable micro-texture and controlled macro-morphology,

Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian

which is useful in various areas. In this paper, different macro-

University of Technology, Dalian 116024, Liaoning, China

scopic forms and preparation methods of GM are reviewed, where the self-assembly method is highlighted. The physical and chem-

Corn starch-based monolithic porous carbons were prepared

ical properties of GM are briefly introduced, and the potential

by gelatinization of corn starch with or without nickel acetate

applications including energy storage and conversion, catalysis,

as a structure modifier, followed by freeze drying and carboniza-

bio-medicine and other aspects are discussed in detail. Finally,

tion. The effect of gelatinization parameters such as the concen-

the opportunities and challenges of research and applications of

trations of the starch and addition of nickel acetate on the pore

GM are commented on, and it is concluded that the assembly of

structures of the monoliths was investigated. It was found that

graphenes into fibers, films and blocks is an effective strategy

the crystallinity of the gelled starch was lower than that of the

towards their practical applications.

pristine starch. The concentrations of the starch and nickel ace-

[New Carbon Materials 2013, 28(3): 161-171]

tate simultaneously had an important influence on the pore structure of the gelled starch and the porous carbon monoliths

doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.06.053

produced. The gelled starch or Ni-doped gelled starch can be obtained using a 10 wt.% starch concentration without or with the addition of 0.1 M nickel acetate. The carbon monoliths

Preparation and electrochemical performance of a CuO/graphene

derived from the Ni-doped or undoped gelled starch had a

composite

semi-closed or open pore structure. The semi-closed pores

Xiang Ding, Zheng-hong Huang, Wan-ci Shen, Fei-yu Kang

resulted from a severe volume contraction of nearly 80% with the addition of nickel acetate.

Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials (MOE), School of Materials

[New Carbon Materials 2013, 28(3): 178–183]

Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.06.055 Graphene oxide was synthesized from expanded graphite powder by a simple one-step oxidation method. A CuO/graphene composite was then obtained using a hydrothermal method. The

Electromagnetic wave absorbing properties of multi-wall carbon

samples were characterized using AFM, XRD, SEM, TEM and elec-

nanotube/Fe3O4 hybrid materials

trochemical measurements. Results show that CuO acts as a

Cui-ling Hou, Tie-hu Li, Ting-kai Zhao, He-guang Liu, Le-hao Liu,

spacer to prevent the agglomeration of graphene sheets. The

Wen-juan Zhang

graphene formed a 3D conducting network for fast electron transfer, as well as space to accommodate the volume

School of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical

expansion/contraction of CuO during the discharge/charge

University, Xi’an 710072, China

doi:10.1016/S0008-6223(13)00573-3