Ultrasound-assisted facile one-pot synthesis of ternary MWCNT/MnO2/rGO nanocomposite for high performance supercapacitors with commercial-level mass loadings

Preparation of MnO2-Carbon Materials and Their Applications in Photocatalytic Water Treatment

Water pollution is one of the most important problems in the field of environmental protection in the whole world, and organic pollution is a critical one for wastewater pollution problems. How to solve the problem effectively has triggered a common concern in the area of environmental protection nowadays. Around this problem, scientists have carried out a lot of research; due to the advantages of high efficiency, a lack of secondary pollution, and low cost, photocatalytic technology has attracted more and more attention. In the past, MnO₂ was seldom used in the field of water pollution treatment due to its easy agglomeration and low catalytic activity at low temperatures. With the development of carbon materials, it was found that the composite of carbon materials and MnO₂ could overcome the above defects, and the composite had good photocatalytic performance, and the research on the photocatalytic performance of MnO₂-carbon materials has gradually become a research hotspot in recent years. This review covers recent progress on MnO₂-carbon materials for photocatalytic water treatment. We focus on the preparation methods of MnO₂ and different kinds of carbon material composites and the application of composite materials in the removal of phenolic compounds, antibiotics, organic dyes, and heavy metal ions in water. Finally, we present our perspective on the challenges and future research directions of MnO₂-carbon materials in the field of environmental applications.

Electrochemical Properties of the Composites Based on Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Nanoparticles of Mixed Cobalt and Nickel Hydroxides

A simple and reproducible method of chemical deposition was used to modify carbon nanotubes cobalt and nickel hydroxides. Thus the composites containing 5 and 10 wt.% Co0.5Ni0.5(OH)2(the ratio of hydroxides1:1)were obtained based on the matrix of multiwall carbon nanotubes: non-functionalized (MWCNT) and functionalized (MWCNT-f). The physicochemical properties of the obtained nanocomposites were investigated with a focus on the characteristics that are relevant for use as the electrode materials of supercapacitors. Electrical capacity characteristics (specific electrical capacitance, internal resistance, etc.) of nanocomposites were determined using cyclic voltammetry and impedancemetry. The effect of matrix functionalization and filler content on the electrochemical characteristics of the composites was considered. It is established that the surface of carbon nanotubes allows the accumulation of the charge in the electrical double layer, in particular at high polarization rates. At low rates, the contribution from the pseudo-capacity component increases on the filler nanoparticles, on the surface of channels in nanotubes, and pore surface in hydroxide aggregates. An increase in the specific electrical capacitance of the composites by a factor of 1.5 to the capacitance of MWCNTs was achieved. The schemes of electrode processes in the nanocomposite are proposed, and the nature of redox peaks on voltammetric curves providing the occurrence of the pseudo-capacity component is revealed. Relying on the analysis of impedancemetry results, the equivalent series resistance and the charge transfer resistance are evaluated. An equivalent circuit of the cell with the working composite electrode is proposed, and its major parameters are calculated.