A Stable Graphitic,Nanocarbon‐Encapsulated,Cobalt‐Rich Core–Shell Electrocatalyst as an Oxygen Electrode in a Water Electrolyzer

The oxygen electrode plays a vital role in the successful commercialization of renewable energy technologies, such as fuel cells and water electrolyzers. In this study, the Prussian blue analogue‐derived nitrogen‐doped nanocarbon (NC) layer‐trapped, cobalt‐rich, core–shell nanostructured electrocatalysts (core–shell Co@NC) are reported. The electrode exhibits an improved oxygen evolution activity and stability compared to that of the commercial noble electrodes. The core–shell Co@NC‐loaded nickel foam exhibits a lower overpotential of 330 mV than that of IrO₂ on nickel foam at 10 mA cm^?2 and has a durability of over 400 h. The commercial Pt/C cathode‐assisted, core–shell Co@NC–anode water electrolyzer delivers 10 mA cm^?2 at a cell voltage of 1.59 V, which is 70 mV lower than that of the IrO₂–anode water electrolyzer. Over the long‐term chronopotentiometry durability testing, the IrO₂–anode water electrolyzer shows a cell voltage loss of 230 mV (14%) at 95 h, but the loss of the core–shell Co@NC–anode electrolyzer is only 60 mV (4%) even after 350 h cell‐operation. The findings indicate that the Prussian blue analogue is a class of inorganic nanoporous materials that can be used to derive metal‐rich, core–shell electrocatalysts with enriched active centers.     

Fe?N4 Sites Embedded into Carbon Nanofiber Integrated with Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene for Oxygen Evolution in Acidic Medium

Development of inexpensive and efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in acidic environment is very challenging, but it is important for practical proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. A molecular iron–nitrogen coordinated carbon nanofiber is developed, which is supported on an electrochemically exfoliated graphene (FeN₄/NF/EG) electrocatalyst through carbonizing the precursor composed of iron ions absorbed on polyaniline‐electrodeposited EG. Benefitting from the unique 3D structure, the FeN₄/NF/EG hybrid exhibits a low overpotential of ≈294 mV at 10 mA cm^?2 for the OER in acidic electrolyte, which is much lower than that of commercial Ir/C catalysts (320 mV) as well as all previously reported acid transitional metal‐derived OER electrocatalysts. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy coupled with a designed poisoning experiment reveals that the molecular Fe? N₄ species are identified as active centers for the OER in acid. The first‐principles‐based calculations verify that the Fe? N₄–doped carbon structure is capable of reducing the potential barriers and boosting the electrocatalytic OER activity in acid.     

施用纳米碳对烤烟氮素吸收和利用的影响

为明确纳米碳在提高烤烟氮素吸收利用方面的效果,在盆栽条件下,研究了纳米碳不同用量对烤烟根系生长发育、干物质积累和氮素吸收利用的影响。结果表明,在常规肥料中添加纳米碳能够促进烤烟根系生长发育,明显提高烟株根系活力和单株根系生物量,增加植株干物质积累量。施用纳米碳增加了烤烟植株成熟期各器官氮素含量和积累量,而未明显影响氮素在植株不同器官的分配。施用纳米碳不仅增加了植株对肥料氮的吸收量,还增加了对土壤氮的吸收量,这与其促进烤烟根系生长发育、提高根系吸收能力有密切关系。纳米碳无论做基肥还是做追肥,均显著提高了氮肥利用率,提高幅度分别达到14.44%和9.62%,有效降低了氮素土壤残留和损失。     

Application of activated charcoal and nanocarbon to callus induction and plant regeneration in aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The investigations of nanotechnology with the application on agricultural products also have been few reported, especially the plant regeneration. The effects of activated charcoal and nanocarbon on the callus induction and plant regeneration of aromatic rice were studied. Activated charcoal was added into the callus induction and regeneration medium. The presence of activated charcoal in the callus induction medium (100–500 mg L^?1), activated charcoal significantly reduced the percentage of the callus induction and biomass accumulation (fresh weight, dry weight and size). Whereas, the regeneration medium supplemented with 100 mg L^?1 of activated charcoal showed the highest percentage of plant regeneration (61.90%) and the ratio of the number of seedlings to the number of regenerated calli (RSR; 3.06) that derived from the callus induction medium (without activated charcoal). Moreover, the induced calli derived from the callus induction medium supplemented with nanocarbon at 5 mg L^?1 showed the highest percentage of callus induction (94.70%), the percentage of green spots (95.83%), the percentage of plant regeneration (60.42%) and the RSR (3.12) when transferred the calli into the regeneration medium (without nanocarbon). After that, nanocarbon was also added into the regeneration medium. The percentage of green spots (96.08%), the percentage of plant regeneration (62.75%) and the RSR (3.16) obtained from the regeneration medium supplemented with 20 mg L^?1 of nanocarbon showed the highest values. This experiment showed that the optimum concentration of activated charcoal and nanocarbon had potential to enhance the callus induction and plant regeneration frequencies in tissue culture medium of aromatic rice.     

FeN4 Sites Embedded into Carbon Nanofiber Integrated with Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene for Oxygen Evolution in Acidic Medium

Development of inexpensive and efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts in acidic environment is very challenging, but it is important for practical proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. A molecular iron–nitrogen coordinated carbon nanofiber is developed, which is supported on an electrochemically exfoliated graphene (FeN₄/NF/EG) electrocatalyst through carbonizing the precursor composed of iron ions absorbed on polyaniline‐electrodeposited EG. Benefitting from the unique 3D structure, the FeN₄/NF/EG hybrid exhibits a low overpotential of ≈294 mV at 10 mA cm^?2 for the OER in acidic electrolyte, which is much lower than that of commercial Ir/C catalysts (320 mV) as well as all previously reported acid transitional metal‐derived OER electrocatalysts. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy coupled with a designed poisoning experiment reveals that the molecular Fe?N₄ species are identified as active centers for the OER in acid. The first‐principles‐based calculations verify that the Fe?N₄–doped carbon structure is capable of reducing the potential barriers and boosting the electrocatalytic OER activity in acid.