Sharif Digital Repository

A novel approach named a magnetic flowable electrode (MFE) is proposed for the first time to enable enhancement of redox flow batteries (RFBs) performance. This approach enables the formation of a high active surface area electrode from magnetic nanomaterials, without the need to fabricate a self-supporting three-dimensional electrode structure. To form a simple MFE, magnetic modified carbon nanotubes are dispersed in the electrolyte, and permanent magnets are embedded behind the current feeder to apply a magnetic field across the flow cell channels. With circulating electrolyte, magnetic carbon nanotubes are aggregated on the graphite bipolar plate to form a well-structured nanoscale... 

The effects of graphite content on the density and oxidation behavior of MgO-C refractory samples were studied. The samples were formulated with various amounts of graphite and their oxidation behavior was investigated (in an isothermal condition); using a Thermo Gravimetric system (TG), in air and at temperatures ranging from 900"C to 1450"C. The preliminary results showed that the porosity and density of tempered samples were decreased when the graphite content was increased. However, after heating the samples at higher temperatures, the decreasing rate of porosity was lowered. At the beginning of the oxidation process, the rate of weight loss was high, but was gradually decreased when the... 

Introduction: The application of doxorubicin (DOX) in cancer therapy has been limited due to its drug resistance and poor internalization. Graphene oxide (GO) nanostructures have the capacity for DOX delivery while promoting its cytotoxicity in cancer. Areas covered: The favorable characteristics of GO nanocomposites, preparation method, and application in cancer therapy are described. Then, DOX resistance in cancer, GO-mediated photothermal therapy, and DOX delivery for cancer suppression are described. Preparation of stimuli-responsive GO nanocomposites, surface functionalization, hybrid nanoparticles, and theranostic applications are emphasized in DOX chemotherapy. Expert opinion: GO... 

Nickel modified graphite electrodes (G/Ni) prepared by galvanostatic deposition were examined for their redox process and electrocatalytic activities towards the oxidation of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol in alkaline solutions. The methods of cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed. In CV studies, the electrochemical response, peak current varied in the order of MeOH > EtOH > 1-PrOH > 2-PrOH. Under the CA regime, a higher catalytic rate constant obtained for methanol oxidation was in agreement with CV measurements. Lower charge transfer resistance was obtained for low carbon alcohols oxidation and significantly higher... 

Hydrogen storage capacities of raw, oxidized, purified and Fe-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were studied by electrochemical method. Based on transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopic data, thermal oxidation removed defective graphite shells at the outer walls of MWCNTs. The analysis results indicated that the acid treatment dissolved most of the catalysts and opened some tips of the MWCNTs. Thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry results illustrated that by oxidation and purification of MWCNTs, the weight loss peak shifts toward a higher temperature. N2 adsorption isotherms of the purified and oxidized MWCNTs showed an increase in N2... 

A modified carbon paste electrode was prepared by incorporating TiO2 nanoparticles with bis[bis(salicylidene-1,4-phenylenediamine)molybdenum(VI)]. A mixture of fine graphite powder with 4 wt% of TiO2 nanoparticles was applied for the preparation of the carbon paste (by dispersing in paraffin) and finally modified with a molybdenum (VI) complex. The electrocatalytic oxidation of guanine (G) was investigated on the surface of the molybdenum (VI) complex-TiO2 nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode (MCTNMCPE) using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), chronoamperometry (CHA) and chronocoloumetry (CHC). Using the modified electrode, the kinetics of G... 

Multi-walled carbon nanotube decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs-MWCNT) is used as an effective strategy for modification of the surface of pyrolytic graphite electrode (PGE). This modification procedure improved colloidal dispersion of the decorated MWCNTs in water, affording uniform and stable thin films for altering the surface properties of the working electrode. Robust electrode for sensing applications is obtained in a simple solvent evaporation process. The electrochemical behavior of sumatriptan (Sum) at the bare PGE and AgNPs-MWCNT modified PGE is investigated. The results indicate that the AgNPs-MWCNT modified PGE significantly enhanced the oxidation peak current of Sum. A... 

In this study, spinel CuCo2O4 (CCO) with a hierarchical hollow sphere morphology was encapsulated in V2O5-decorated ultra-wrinkled graphitic carbon-nitride (VO-UCN) for the first time via a facile glycerol-assisted solvothermal method in the interest of developing a novel high-efficiency double Z-type nano-photocatalyst (denoted as VO-UCN@CCO). The remarkable physicochemical features of the as-prepared nano-photocatalysts were verified using diverse characterization techniques including TGA, XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM, BET, UV–vis DRS, PL, EIS, and transient photocurrent techniques. Herein, VO-UCN@CCO nanocomposite was employed for the photodisintegration of levofloxacin (LVOF) antibiotic under... 

Effect of cathodic enzymatic decolorization of reactive blue 221 (RB221) on the performance of a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) was investigated. Immobilized laccase on the surface of a modified graphite electrode was used in the cathode compartment in order to decolorize the azo dye and enhance the oxygen reduction reaction. First, methylene blue which is an electroactive polymer was electropolymerized on the surface of a graphite bar to prepare the modified electrode. Utilization of the modified electrode with no enzyme in the MFC increased the power density up to 57% due to the reduction of internal resistance from 1000 to 750 Ω. Using the electropolymerized-enzymatic cathode... 

Graphene oxide nanowalls with extremely sharp edges and preferred vertical orientation were deposited on a graphite electrode by using electrophoretic deposition in an Mg 2+-GO electrolyte. Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), reduced graphene nanowalls (RGNWs) were applied for the first time, in developing an ultra-high-resolution electrochemical biosensor for detection of the four bases of DNA (G, A, T, and C) by monitoring the oxidation signals of the individual nucleotide bases. The extremely enhanced electrochemical reactivity of the four free bases of DNA, single-stranded DNA, and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) at the surface of the RGNW electrode was compared to electrochemical... 

In this paper, a bottom-up hydrothermal route is reported for the synthesis of oxygen and nitrogen co-decorated carbon quantum dots (CQDs) using ammonium hydrogen citrate (AHC) as a single precursor. DLS data approved the formation of 4.0 nm (average size) CQDs. XRD pattern shows the interlayer spacing (002) of 3.5 Å for CQDs, which is exactly the same as that of crystalline graphite. XPS and FTIR spectra verified the formation of oxygen and nitrogen functional groups on the CQDs surface. Co-decorated carboxyl, hydroxyl and amine groups on the CQDs surfaces make them as promising polyelectrolyte for gene delivery. Toxicity assay showed a survival rate of 70% under different incubation times... 

Conductive self -electrical stimuli bioactive scaffolds could be used the potential for peripheral nerve regeneration with the maximum efficiency. To produce such conductive self-electrical stimuli bioactive scaffolds, chopped spun piezoelectric nanofibers of polyvinylidene fluoride/mesoporous silica nanoparticle (PVDF/MCM41) are prepared and incorporated in gellan/polyaniline/graphene (gellan/PAG) nanocomposites which have been previously prepared by incorporation of polyaniline/graphene (PAG) nanoparticles in gellan gel at 80 °C. Highly conductive binary doped polyaniline/graphene nanoparticles are prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer using in-suite... 

The potential of carbon-based nanosheet membranes with functionalized pores is great as water treatment membranes. Using the molecular dynamic simulation technique, the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) separation from the water/DMSO binary solution is investigated, and the functionalized graphene nanosheets are used as a membrane. This membrane was functionalized by –F (fluorine) and –H (hydrogen) functional groups. For the separation of DMSO, external hydrostatic pressures up to 100 MPa were applied to the considered systems. The separation mechanism was based on molecular size. Multiple analyses were done to study the capability of considered membranes for the separation of DMSO molecules from... 

In this study, Cu-TiC nanocomposites were produced by high energy ball milling of elemental powders and in-situ formation of TiC in the copper matrix. Cu-40wt% Ti powder mixture were milled for 60 h, then graphite powder was added, subsequently milling was continued for further 10 h. Based on theoretical calculations, at this composite, the amount of TiC as reinforcement should be 60.25vol% (45.47wt%). The effect of milling time on solution progress of titanium in the copper lattice was studied by X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD) with CuKα radiation. Considering XRD of Cu-40wt%TiC after 60 h milling data and Williamson-Hall relation, crystallite size and lattice strain of copper were... 

Electrochemical deposition, as a well-controlled synthesis procedure, has been used for subsequently layer-by-layer preparation of nickel hydroxide nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (Ni(OH)2-RGO) on a graphene oxide (GO) film pre-cast on a glassy carbon electrode surface. The surface morphology and nature of the nano-hybrid film (Ni(OH)2-RGO) was thoroughly characterized by scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. The modified electrode appeared as an effective electro-catalytic model for analysis of rifampicin (RIF) by using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The prepared modified electrode exhibited a distinctly higher activity... 

Reduced graphene oxide nanomesh (rGONM), as one of the recent structures of graphene with a surprisingly strong near-infrared (NIR) absorption, is used for achieving ultraefficient photothermal therapy. First, by using TiO2 nanoparticles, graphene oxide nanoplatelets (GONPs) are transformed into GONMs through photocatalytic degradation. Then rGONMs functionalized by polyethylene glycol (PEG), arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD)-based peptide, and cyanine 7 (Cy7) are utilized for in vivo tumor targeting and fluorescence imaging of human glioblastoma U87MG tumors having ανβ3 integrin receptors, in mouse models. The rGONM-PEG suspension (1 μg mL -1) exhibits about 4.2- and 22.4-fold higher NIR...