Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100586
Saurabh (Shiv) Patel , Carole Emilie Baddour
This proof-of-concept study explores the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes directly on stainless steel 304 cylinders using a thermal chemical vapor deposition process, without the addition of an external catalyst. The stainless steel cylinders were pre-treated using hydrochloric acid and then subjected to a heat treatment at 850 °C to generate the active catalytic sites directly on the stainless steel surface. The effect of etching time in acid on carbon nanotube growth was determined and field-emission scanning electron micrographs of the surface were obtained. A dense, uniform, and complete coverage of randomly oriented carbon nanotubes is observed on the surface of the cylinders that were etched for 5 and 8 min in hydrochloric acid. The study suggests that these nanotubes could act as “nano-fins”, improving heat transfer by increasing the surface area. Initial results demonstrate that the nanotube-covered cylinders had up to an 803 % increase in the heat transfer rate when compared to stainless steel alone in static water-cooling tests. This research builds on established procedures while expanding knowledge of carbon nanotube synthesis on cylindrical geometries for real world applications in heat management technologies.
{"title":"Carbon nanotube growth on stainless steel cylinders for heat transfer applications","authors":"Saurabh (Shiv) Patel , Carole Emilie Baddour","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This proof-of-concept study explores the synthesis of multi-walled carbon nanotubes directly on stainless steel 304 cylinders using a thermal chemical vapor deposition process, without the addition of an external catalyst. The stainless steel cylinders were pre-treated using hydrochloric acid and then subjected to a heat treatment at 850 °C to generate the active catalytic sites directly on the stainless steel surface. The effect of etching time in acid on carbon nanotube growth was determined and field-emission scanning electron micrographs of the surface were obtained. A dense, uniform, and complete coverage of randomly oriented carbon nanotubes is observed on the surface of the cylinders that were etched for 5 and 8 min in hydrochloric acid. The study suggests that these nanotubes could act as “nano-fins”, improving heat transfer by increasing the surface area. Initial results demonstrate that the nanotube-covered cylinders had up to an 803 % increase in the heat transfer rate when compared to stainless steel alone in static water-cooling tests. This research builds on established procedures while expanding knowledge of carbon nanotube synthesis on cylindrical geometries for real world applications in heat management technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100586"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100587
Dinorah I. Rodríguez-Otamendi , Monserrat Bizarro , Brian Monroy-Torres , Edgar Álvarez-Zauco , Víctor Meza-Laguna , Petra Rudolf , Vladimir A. Basiuk , Elena V. Basiuk
We report a simple, rapid, and efficient method for synthesizing paper-like graphene oxide (GO) nanohybrids decorated with palladium nanoparticles. The GO paper was first covalently functionalized with aliphatic amines – 1-octadecylamine and 1,8-diaminooctane – via a direct, non-destructive gas-phase method. This step was followed by in situ deposition of Pd nanoparticles using palladium chloride as the precursor and citric acid as a green reducing agent. Functionalization with octadecylamine introduced long hydrocarbon chains that turned the inherently hydrophilic GO paper hydrophobic, an effect further enhanced by Pd decoration. The resulting hybrid materials show exceptional mechanical stability, withstanding over 30 min of ultrasonic treatment without degradation. Spectroscopic analyses confirm successful amine functionalization through amidation and epoxy ring-opening reactions. Thermal analysis revealed a higher Pd content in non-aminated samples compared to amine-functionalized ones. Scanning electron microscopy showed that octadecylamine–Pd functionalized papers were the thickest. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated a greater Pd nanoparticle density on the filter-contact side, where GO sheets are more densely packed. Bright-field and dark-field transmission electron microscopy revealed Pd nanoparticles with varied morphologies and sizes from 3 to 7 nm. Large agglomerates (∼100 nm) were observed in samples functionalized with diaminooctane.
{"title":"Deposition of palladium nanoparticles onto graphene oxide paper: an eco-friendly approach","authors":"Dinorah I. Rodríguez-Otamendi , Monserrat Bizarro , Brian Monroy-Torres , Edgar Álvarez-Zauco , Víctor Meza-Laguna , Petra Rudolf , Vladimir A. Basiuk , Elena V. Basiuk","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a simple, rapid, and efficient method for synthesizing paper-like graphene oxide (GO) nanohybrids decorated with palladium nanoparticles. The GO paper was first covalently functionalized with aliphatic amines – 1-octadecylamine and 1,8-diaminooctane – via a direct, non-destructive gas-phase method. This step was followed by in situ deposition of Pd nanoparticles using palladium chloride as the precursor and citric acid as a green reducing agent. Functionalization with octadecylamine introduced long hydrocarbon chains that turned the inherently hydrophilic GO paper hydrophobic, an effect further enhanced by Pd decoration. The resulting hybrid materials show exceptional mechanical stability, withstanding over 30 min of ultrasonic treatment without degradation. Spectroscopic analyses confirm successful amine functionalization through amidation and epoxy ring-opening reactions. Thermal analysis revealed a higher Pd content in non-aminated samples compared to amine-functionalized ones. Scanning electron microscopy showed that octadecylamine–Pd functionalized papers were the thickest. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated a greater Pd nanoparticle density on the filter-contact side, where GO sheets are more densely packed. Bright-field and dark-field transmission electron microscopy revealed Pd nanoparticles with varied morphologies and sizes from 3 to 7 nm. Large agglomerates (∼100 nm) were observed in samples functionalized with diaminooctane.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100587"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145520025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have been widely employed in areas such as, but not limited to, biomedical applications like drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and epidermal care. This bibliometric study is one of the preliminary attempts, focusing on performance analysis such as publication growth, citation trends, leading authors, journals, institutions, countries, and highly cited papers with science mapping like collaboration networks, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence, complemented by thematic evaluation and trending topics and global collaboration patterns of CNMs in epidermal care and maintenance. Herein, we have performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1175 Scopus-indexed journal articles published during 2010–2024 using Bibliometrix (RStudio) and VOSviewer. Results reveal a sharp rise in the number of publications after 2020, with a significant contribution from chemistry (18.1 %), materials science (14.2 %), and Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology (12.4 %). China (19.4 %), India (11.4 %), and the USA (7.6 %) dominate in publication volume, while Saudi Arabia (total link strength 104) demonstrates a strong international collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence and thematic mapping highlight emerging priorities in graphene-based materials, transdermal delivery systems, biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and wound healing. Further, research gaps such as toxicity assessment, sustainable synthesis, and clinical translation have been identified. This study will be helpful for researchers, formulators, and policymakers in advancing safe, effective, and environmentally responsible nano cosmetic and nanocosmeceuticals.
{"title":"Mapping the evolution and impact of carbon nanomaterials for epidermal care: A bibliometric analysis","authors":"Vishesh Kumar Gangwar , Sanjesh Singh , Anuj Rana , Sarita Dhaka , Rahul Kumar Dhaka , S.K. Pandey , Krishna Pal Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) have been widely employed in areas such as, but not limited to, biomedical applications like drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and epidermal care. This bibliometric study is one of the preliminary attempts, focusing on performance analysis such as publication growth, citation trends, leading authors, journals, institutions, countries, and highly cited papers with science mapping like collaboration networks, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrence, complemented by thematic evaluation and trending topics and global collaboration patterns of CNMs in epidermal care and maintenance. Herein, we have performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 1175 Scopus-indexed journal articles published during 2010–2024 using Bibliometrix (RStudio) and VOSviewer. Results reveal a sharp rise in the number of publications after 2020, with a significant contribution from chemistry (18.1 %), materials science (14.2 %), and Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology (12.4 %). China (19.4 %), India (11.4 %), and the USA (7.6 %) dominate in publication volume, while Saudi Arabia (total link strength 104) demonstrates a strong international collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence and thematic mapping highlight emerging priorities in graphene-based materials, transdermal delivery systems, biocompatibility, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, and wound healing. Further, research gaps such as toxicity assessment, sustainable synthesis, and clinical translation have been identified. This study will be helpful for researchers, formulators, and policymakers in advancing safe, effective, and environmentally responsible nano cosmetic and nanocosmeceuticals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100585"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-22DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100584
Beemkumar Nagappan , Kulmani Mehar , S P Prashanth , Divyesh Rameshbhai Vaghela , Sikata Samantaray , Chandra Prabha Sahu , Aseel Smerat , K Kamakshi Priya
This comprehensive review aims to rigorously assess how sophisticated functionalization methodologies enhance the structural, electronic, and interfacial properties of diamond and diamond-like carbon (DLC) materials, thereby facilitating their integration into high-performance sensors, electronic devices, and energy conversion systems. In particular, we investigate heteroatom doping, covalent grafting, nanostructuring, and hybridization with two-dimensional (2D) materials, thereby establishing explicit correlations between processing techniques and performance metrics. Notable findings documented in the literature indicate that boron doping reduces the resistivity of diamond to approximately 10⁻²Ω·cm while preserving electrochemical stability, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers permit nanotesla-level quantum magnetometry with coherence durations surpassing 100µs, nanostructuring amplifies the electroactive surface area by as much as tenfold and diminishes the oxygen evolution overpotential by approximately 100 mV, and diamond/DLC–graphene composites achieve specific capacitance values exceeding 250F g⁻¹ with sheet resistances below 50Ω sq⁻¹. These advancements have led to significant improvements in electrochemical biosensors, high-frequency field-effect transistors, flexible supercapacitors, and robust fuel cell electrodes. Furthermore, the review delineates ongoing challenges associated with lattice distortions, surface instability, and scalable manufacturing, while proposing future directions focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted material design, eco-friendly synthesis routes, and standardized benchmarking protocols to expedite industrial implementation.
{"title":"Advanced functionalization strategies of diamond and diamond-like carbon for emerging applications in sensing, electronics, and energy conversion","authors":"Beemkumar Nagappan , Kulmani Mehar , S P Prashanth , Divyesh Rameshbhai Vaghela , Sikata Samantaray , Chandra Prabha Sahu , Aseel Smerat , K Kamakshi Priya","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100584","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100584","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This comprehensive review aims to rigorously assess how sophisticated functionalization methodologies enhance the structural, electronic, and interfacial properties of diamond and diamond-like carbon (DLC) materials, thereby facilitating their integration into high-performance sensors, electronic devices, and energy conversion systems. In particular, we investigate heteroatom doping, covalent grafting, nanostructuring, and hybridization with two-dimensional (2D) materials, thereby establishing explicit correlations between processing techniques and performance metrics. Notable findings documented in the literature indicate that boron doping reduces the resistivity of diamond to approximately 10⁻²Ω·cm while preserving electrochemical stability, nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers permit nanotesla-level quantum magnetometry with coherence durations surpassing 100µs, nanostructuring amplifies the electroactive surface area by as much as tenfold and diminishes the oxygen evolution overpotential by approximately 100 mV, and diamond/DLC–graphene composites achieve specific capacitance values exceeding 250F g⁻¹ with sheet resistances below 50Ω sq⁻¹. These advancements have led to significant improvements in electrochemical biosensors, high-frequency field-effect transistors, flexible supercapacitors, and robust fuel cell electrodes. Furthermore, the review delineates ongoing challenges associated with lattice distortions, surface instability, and scalable manufacturing, while proposing future directions focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted material design, eco-friendly synthesis routes, and standardized benchmarking protocols to expedite industrial implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100584"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145465447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-13DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100580
Jenille Cruz , Hector Gomez , Michael N. Groves , Mahesh R. Neupane
Diamond combines exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties, making it a prime candidate for high-power and high-frequency electronics. Its performance, however, is strongly influenced by atmospheric contaminants and the resulting surface chemistry. Using density functional theory (DFT), we investigated the (100) surface with H, OH, O (C–O–C), and O (C=O) terminations, as well as mixed H/O motifs across different coverages. Oxygenated surfaces were thermodynamically favored, with O stabilizing at partial coverage and O favoring full coverage. Passivation removed mid-gap states, but band gap evolution depended strongly on termination. Specifically, H and OH preserved wide gaps, while O and O produced non-monotonic trends, including collapse at low and high coverages. Mixed terminations further expanded tunability, spanning semiconducting to metallic states. The electron affinities () showed similar dependence, remaining negative for H, OH consistently near the NEA-PEA boundary, and strongly positive for O-rich surfaces. These results demonstrate that termination and coverage together dictate the stability and the electronic properties, offering a framework for the rational design of diamond (100) surfaces that will support next-generation electronic devices.
金刚石结合了特殊的机械、热学和电子特性，使其成为大功率和高频电子器件的首选材料。然而，它的性能受到大气污染物和由此产生的表面化学的强烈影响。利用密度泛函理论（DFT），我们研究了具有H， OH, ether （C - O - C）和o酮（C=O）末端的（100）表面，以及不同覆盖范围的混合H/O基序。氧合表面在热力学上是有利的，酮稳定在部分覆盖，乙醚有利于完全覆盖。钝化消除了中隙态，但带隙的演变强烈依赖于端接。具体来说，氢和氢氧保留了较大的间隙，而乙醚和奥酮产生了非单调趋势，包括低覆盖率和高覆盖率的崩溃。混合端接进一步扩展了可调性，从半导体态跨越到金属态。电子亲和（χ）表现出类似的依赖性，在靠近NEA-PEA边界处，H、OH始终为负，而在富o表面呈强正。这些结果表明，终止和覆盖共同决定了稳定性和电子特性，为合理设计钻石（100）表面提供了框架，将支持下一代电子器件。
{"title":"Structural and electronic properties of H- and O-functionalized diamond (100) with variable coverage","authors":"Jenille Cruz , Hector Gomez , Michael N. Groves , Mahesh R. Neupane","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diamond combines exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties, making it a prime candidate for high-power and high-frequency electronics. Its performance, however, is strongly influenced by atmospheric contaminants and the resulting surface chemistry. Using density functional theory (DFT), we investigated the (100) surface with H, OH, O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> (C–O–C), and O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> (C=O) terminations, as well as mixed H/O motifs across different coverages. Oxygenated surfaces were thermodynamically favored, with O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> stabilizing at partial coverage and O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> favoring full coverage. Passivation removed mid-gap states, but band gap evolution depended strongly on termination. Specifically, H and OH preserved wide gaps, while O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>h</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> and O<span><math><msub><mrow></mrow><mrow><mi>k</mi><mi>e</mi><mi>t</mi><mi>o</mi><mi>n</mi><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math></span> produced non-monotonic trends, including collapse at low and high coverages. Mixed terminations further expanded tunability, spanning semiconducting to metallic states. The electron affinities (<span><math><mi>χ</mi></math></span>) showed similar dependence, remaining negative for H, OH consistently near the NEA-PEA boundary, and strongly positive for O-rich surfaces. These results demonstrate that termination and coverage together dictate the stability and the electronic properties, offering a framework for the rational design of diamond (100) surfaces that will support next-generation electronic devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100580"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145416218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-10DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100583
Dimitrios Nikolis , Tyn Suthanaruk , Korn Amnauypanit , Sumathy Raman , Adam B. Burns , Klaus Hellgardt
Methane pyrolysis can produce hydrogen without direct carbon dioxide emissions, but large co-product streams of solid carbon must be valorized for the process to be economically viable at scale. Because carbon properties vary strongly with processing route, fragmented characterizations hinder informed selection. This study presents a comprehensive, side-by-side comparison of pyrolytic carbons across various methane-pyrolysis methods by combining new measurements (molten salts, coke-seed growth, and transition-metal catalysis) with existing literature datasets and reference carbons. An integrated program of structural, spectroscopic, microscopic, thermal stability, and bulk property measurements establishes route-specific fingerprints and quantifies how method choice governs properties, including ordering, morphology, oxidation stability, density, and electrical conductivity. Cross-technique correlations link indicators of graphitic order and bonding environment to stability, yielding a systematic structure–stability perspective that turns disparate datasets into a comparative decision resource. The resulting analysis highlights how different methane pyrolysis routes tend to produce carbons with varying property profiles aligned to different technological needs, supporting early-stage decision-making in process development by providing comparable structure–property benchmarks for screening and prioritization.
{"title":"Comprehensive characterization of pyrolytic carbons from diverse methane pyrolysis processes: A comparative study","authors":"Dimitrios Nikolis , Tyn Suthanaruk , Korn Amnauypanit , Sumathy Raman , Adam B. Burns , Klaus Hellgardt","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Methane pyrolysis can produce hydrogen without direct carbon dioxide emissions, but large co-product streams of solid carbon must be valorized for the process to be economically viable at scale. Because carbon properties vary strongly with processing route, fragmented characterizations hinder informed selection. This study presents a comprehensive, side-by-side comparison of pyrolytic carbons across various methane-pyrolysis methods by combining new measurements (molten salts, coke-seed growth, and transition-metal catalysis) with existing literature datasets and reference carbons. An integrated program of structural, spectroscopic, microscopic, thermal stability, and bulk property measurements establishes route-specific fingerprints and quantifies how method choice governs properties, including ordering, morphology, oxidation stability, density, and electrical conductivity. Cross-technique correlations link indicators of graphitic order and bonding environment to stability, yielding a systematic structure–stability perspective that turns disparate datasets into a comparative decision resource. The resulting analysis highlights how different methane pyrolysis routes tend to produce carbons with varying property profiles aligned to different technological needs, supporting early-stage decision-making in process development by providing comparable structure–property benchmarks for screening and prioritization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100583"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145361576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100582
Mohammad Abu Shuheil , Shaker Al-Hasnaawei , M M Rekha , Subhashree Ray , Kattela Chennakesavulu , Vipasha Sharma , Arsham Banimadadi
Carbon-based nanocomposites are key to advancing lithium-ion batteries due to their tunable conductivity and interfacial stability. In this work, Nb₂O₅/carbon nanocomposites were engineered with a carbon quantum dot (CQD)-derived matrix to regulate solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) chemistry and optimize mesoporous architecture. Multiphysics simulations show that the carbon framework suppresses uncontrolled SEI growth, reducing interfacial resistance and stabilizing capacity retention. Optimized mesopores (∼10 nm, porosity 0.5) enhance lithium-ion transport by increasing the effective diffusion coefficient by 35.4 %, yielding ∼15 mAh g⁻¹ higher capacity compared with non-optimized designs. The synergy between SEI regulation and mesoporosity enables high-rate capability and prolonged cycle life, outperforming pristine Nb₂O₅. These findings highlight the pivotal role of carbon integration in balancing interfacial chemistry and ion transport, providing a scalable design strategy for advanced Nb₂O₅/carbon anodes. Overall, this study establishes a framework for carbon-engineered electrode architectures that accelerate the development of high-performance, durable, and sustainable energy storage systems.
碳基纳米复合材料具有可调的导电性和界面稳定性，是推进锂离子电池发展的关键。在这项工作中，用碳量子点（CQD）衍生的基质设计Nb₂O₅/碳纳米复合材料，以调节固体电解质界面（SEI）化学并优化介孔结构。多物理场模拟表明，碳框架抑制了不受控制的SEI生长，降低了界面阻力并稳定了容量保留。优化的介孔（~ 10 nm，孔隙度0.5）通过增加35.4%的有效扩散系数来增强锂离子的传输，与未优化的设计相比，产生~ 15 mAh g⁻¹的容量。SEI调节和介孔之间的协同作用可实现高速率能力和延长循环寿命，优于原始Nb₂O₅。这些发现突出了碳集成在平衡界面化学和离子传输方面的关键作用，为先进的Nb₂O₅/碳阳极提供了可扩展的设计策略。总的来说，本研究为碳工程电极架构建立了一个框架，加速了高性能、耐用和可持续能源存储系统的发展。
{"title":"Tuning SEI chemistry and mesoporous carbon architecture in Nb₂O₅ nanocomposites for next-generation Lithium-Ion batteries","authors":"Mohammad Abu Shuheil , Shaker Al-Hasnaawei , M M Rekha , Subhashree Ray , Kattela Chennakesavulu , Vipasha Sharma , Arsham Banimadadi","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon-based nanocomposites are key to advancing lithium-ion batteries due to their tunable conductivity and interfacial stability. In this work, Nb₂O₅/carbon nanocomposites were engineered with a carbon quantum dot (CQD)-derived matrix to regulate solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) chemistry and optimize mesoporous architecture. Multiphysics simulations show that the carbon framework suppresses uncontrolled SEI growth, reducing interfacial resistance and stabilizing capacity retention. Optimized mesopores (∼10 nm, porosity 0.5) enhance lithium-ion transport by increasing the effective diffusion coefficient by 35.4 %, yielding ∼15 mAh g⁻¹ higher capacity compared with non-optimized designs. The synergy between SEI regulation and mesoporosity enables high-rate capability and prolonged cycle life, outperforming pristine Nb₂O₅. These findings highlight the pivotal role of carbon integration in balancing interfacial chemistry and ion transport, providing a scalable design strategy for advanced Nb₂O₅/carbon anodes. Overall, this study establishes a framework for carbon-engineered electrode architectures that accelerate the development of high-performance, durable, and sustainable energy storage systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100582"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is a promising next-generation material for electrochemical energy storage because of its high electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, tailored porosity, and large surface area. However, traditional synthesis methods are often environmentally harmful, limited in scalability, and require significant energy and time. Therefore, this study introduces an optimized microwave-assisted hydrothermal method for the rapid, energy-efficient, and sustainable production of rGO under different conditions. The study systematically optimized the key experimental parameters, including microwave power, reaction temperature, and time. Accordingly, the optimum results are achieved at 300 W, 140 °C, and 5 min, yielding rGO with a high reduction efficiency of 94.56 wt%, a red shift in UV–Vis absorption to 268 nm, and effective removal of oxygen functionalities. The rGO also exhibited a high specific surface area of 845.6 m²/g, a mesoporous structure, strong thermal stability with 80 % residual mass up to 480 °C, and improved electrical conductivity. Electrochemical tests showed effective charge transport, low interfacial resistance (Rs = 1490.86 mΩ, Rct = 727.42 mΩ), and reversible redox activity (Ipa/Ipc =0.9304), confirming its suitability for use in supercapacitors and batteries. Compared to traditional chemical synthesis methods, the microwave-assisted hydrothermal process offers faster production, greener synthesis, and adjustable properties for high-performance energy-storage devices.
{"title":"Systematic optimization of high-throughput microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of reduced graphene oxide for electrochemical energy storage applications","authors":"Adissu Getahun Adugna , Addisu Alemayehu Assegie , Molla Asmare Alemu","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100581","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100581","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is a promising next-generation material for electrochemical energy storage because of its high electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, tailored porosity, and large surface area. However, traditional synthesis methods are often environmentally harmful, limited in scalability, and require significant energy and time. Therefore, this study introduces an optimized microwave-assisted hydrothermal method for the rapid, energy-efficient, and sustainable production of rGO under different conditions. The study systematically optimized the key experimental parameters, including microwave power, reaction temperature, and time. Accordingly, the optimum results are achieved at 300 W, 140 °C, and 5 min, yielding rGO with a high reduction efficiency of 94.56 wt%, a red shift in UV–Vis absorption to 268 nm, and effective removal of oxygen functionalities. The rGO also exhibited a high specific surface area of 845.6 m²/g, a mesoporous structure, strong thermal stability with 80 % residual mass up to 480 °C, and improved electrical conductivity. Electrochemical tests showed effective charge transport, low interfacial resistance (Rs = 1490.86 mΩ, Rct = 727.42 mΩ), and reversible redox activity (Ipa/Ipc =0.9304), confirming its suitability for use in supercapacitors and batteries. Compared to traditional chemical synthesis methods, the microwave-assisted hydrothermal process offers faster production, greener synthesis, and adjustable properties for high-performance energy-storage devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100581"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145319481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-30DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100579
Howyn Tang , Chao Lu , Oltion Kodra , Jin Zhang
Carbon dots (CDs) produced by microwave-assisted methods have been extensively used in many applications such as theranostics. The microstructures and properties of CDs are highly associated with their precursors. However, few studies have reported on the effects of precursors on functional group-associated properties of CDs. Herein, different precursors were used to produce CDs with a microwave-assisted method, namely CDs made of (1) citric acid/urea (CA/U-CDs), (2) chitosan (CCDs), (3) glucose (G-CDs), and (4) spermine/glucose (SG-CDs). CDs are all negatively charged except SG-CDs which show some positive charges. The photoluminescence of the CDs was measured at excitation of 480 nm, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to analyze the relative proportion of functional groups on CD surfaces, with results further confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The more oxygen-containing groups compared to nitrogen-containing groups CDs have, the longer the emission wavelength (λem). In addition, the cytotoxicity of different CDs was investigated on NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. In particular, CCDs improved cell growth with cell viability >100% after 24 h but decreased viability at longer incubations, likely due to increased uptake and lysosomal stress. In contrast, G-CDs exhibited stable biocompatibility over 72 h. This study demonstrates the effect of functional groups on CDs made with different precursors on their surface charge, emission, and cytotoxicity, which may provide guidance to the design and development of CDs with tunable photoluminescence and biocompatible properties.
{"title":"Precursor effects on surface functionalization, photoluminescence, and cytotoxicity of carbon dots synthesized via microwave-assisted methods","authors":"Howyn Tang , Chao Lu , Oltion Kodra , Jin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbon dots (CDs) produced by microwave-assisted methods have been extensively used in many applications such as theranostics. The microstructures and properties of CDs are highly associated with their precursors. However, few studies have reported on the effects of precursors on functional group-associated properties of CDs. Herein, different precursors were used to produce CDs with a microwave-assisted method, namely CDs made of (1) citric acid/urea (CA/U-CDs), (2) chitosan (C<img>CDs), (3) glucose (G-CDs), and (4) spermine/glucose (SG-CDs). CDs are all negatively charged except SG-CDs which show some positive charges. The photoluminescence of the CDs was measured at excitation of 480 nm, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to analyze the relative proportion of functional groups on CD surfaces, with results further confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The more oxygen-containing groups compared to nitrogen-containing groups CDs have, the longer the emission wavelength (λ<sub>em</sub>). In addition, the cytotoxicity of different CDs was investigated on NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. In particular, C<img>CDs improved cell growth with cell viability >100% after 24 h but decreased viability at longer incubations, likely due to increased uptake and lysosomal stress. In contrast, G-CDs exhibited stable biocompatibility over 72 h. This study demonstrates the effect of functional groups on CDs made with different precursors on their surface charge, emission, and cytotoxicity, which may provide guidance to the design and development of CDs with tunable photoluminescence and biocompatible properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100579"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266448","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-26DOI: 10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100578
P.E. Cardoso-Ávila , J.L. Pichardo-Molina , L. Aparicio-Ixta , M.M. Martínez-García , A. Benitez-Lara , M.C. Mendoza-Ramirez
We report a facile, low-temperature, and environmentally friendly base-catalyzed hydrothermal method for synthesizing nitrogen and sulfur co-doped fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (N,S-FCNPs) from l-cysteine as a single precursor. The reaction proceeds at only 60 °C in aqueous medium, eliminating the need for high-energy input or post-synthesis purification steps. By adjusting the alkaline reaction conditions, the optical absorption, band gap, and surface chemistry of the nanoparticles were tuned, as confirmed by FT–IR, XRD, EDS, XPS, and HR-TEM analyses. The as-prepared N,S-FCNPs exhibited an average size of 31.4 ± 1.8 nm, stable green emission at 535 nm under 400 nm excitation, and a fluorescence quantum yield of 3.9 %. Among the synthesized variants, the C4 formulation displayed outstanding performance as a Fe³⁺ sensor in aqueous media, with high selectivity and a detection limit of 7 ppb, well below the WHO guideline for drinking water. Compared to conventional carbon-dot syntheses requiring higher temperatures, this low-temperature route offers significant energy savings, reduced environmental impact, and preservation of surface functionalities derived from the precursor. The method provides a scalable platform for producing heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials with tailored optical properties for environmental sensing and other advanced applications.
{"title":"Low-temperature synthesis of N,S-Co-doped fluorescent carbon nanoparticles for highly sensitive Fe³⁺ detection in water","authors":"P.E. Cardoso-Ávila , J.L. Pichardo-Molina , L. Aparicio-Ixta , M.M. Martínez-García , A. Benitez-Lara , M.C. Mendoza-Ramirez","doi":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cartre.2025.100578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report a facile, low-temperature, and environmentally friendly base-catalyzed hydrothermal method for synthesizing nitrogen and sulfur co-doped fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (N,S-FC<img>NPs) from <span>l</span>-cysteine as a single precursor. The reaction proceeds at only 60 °C in aqueous medium, eliminating the need for high-energy input or post-synthesis purification steps. By adjusting the alkaline reaction conditions, the optical absorption, band gap, and surface chemistry of the nanoparticles were tuned, as confirmed by FT–IR, XRD, EDS, XPS, and HR-TEM analyses. The as-prepared N,S-FC<img>NPs exhibited an average size of 31.4 ± 1.8 nm, stable green emission at 535 nm under 400 nm excitation, and a fluorescence quantum yield of 3.9 %. Among the synthesized variants, the C4 formulation displayed outstanding performance as a Fe³⁺ sensor in aqueous media, with high selectivity and a detection limit of 7 ppb, well below the WHO guideline for drinking water. Compared to conventional carbon-dot syntheses requiring higher temperatures, this low-temperature route offers significant energy savings, reduced environmental impact, and preservation of surface functionalities derived from the precursor. The method provides a scalable platform for producing heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials with tailored optical properties for environmental sensing and other advanced applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":52629,"journal":{"name":"Carbon Trends","volume":"21 ","pages":"Article 100578"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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