Bulk and surface structural investigations of diesel engine soot and carbon black

White light emission from helically stacked humin-mimic based H-aggregates in heteroatom free carbon dots

White light emission (WLE), particularly from heteroatom free carbon dots (CDs), is unusual. Besides, deciphering the origin of WLE from a H-aggregated molecular fluorophore in such kinds of CDs is a challenging task due to their non-fluorescent character resulting from a forbidden transition from a lower-energy excitonic state. Therefore, rigorous investigation on their elusive excited state photophysical properties along with their steady-state optical phenomena has to be carried out to shed light on the nature of distinct emissive states formed in the CDs. Herein, for the first time, we report WLE from imperfect H-aggregates of co-facially π-π stacked humin-like structures comprising furfural monomer units as a unique molecular fluorophore in CDs, as revealed from combined spectroscopic and microscopic studies, synthesized through hydrothermal treatment of the single precursor, dextrose. H-aggregates in CDs show a broad range of excitation-dependent emission spectra with color coordinates close to pure white light, i.e., CIE (0.35, 0.37) and a color temperature of 6000 K. Imperfect orientation between the transition dipole moments of adjacent monomer units in the H-aggregate's molecular arrangement is expected to cause ground state symmetry breaking, as confirmed by Circular Dichroism (CD) studies, which established helically stacked nature in molecular aggregates and produced significant oscillatory strength at lower energy excitonic states to enable fluorescence. TRES and TAS investigations have been performed to minimise the intricacies associated with excited state photophysics, which is regarded as an essential step in gaining a grasp on emissive states. Based on the observation of two isoemissive spots in the time-resolved area normalized emission spectra (TRANES), the existence of three oligomeric species in the excited state equilibrium of the pure/hybrid H-aggregates has been established. The exciton dynamics through electron relaxation from the higher to the lower excitonic states, charge transfer (CT) states, and surface trap mediated emission in excimer states of H-aggregates have also been endorsed as three distinct emissive states from femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) studies corroborating with their steady-state absorption and emission behavior. The results would demonstrate the usage of CDs as a cutting-edge fluorescent material for creating aggregate-induced white light emission.

Octylammonium Iodide Induced In-situ Healing at "perovskite/Carbon" Interface to Achieve 85% RH-moisture Stable, Hole-Conductor-Free Perovskite Solar Cells with Power Conversion Efficiency >19

"Perovskite/carbon" interface is a bottle-neck for hole-conductor-free, carbon-electrode basing perovskite solar cells due to the energy mismatch and concentrated defects. In this article, in-situ healing strategy is proposed by doping octylammonium iodide into carbon paste that used to prepare carbon-electrode on perovskite layer. This strategy is found to strengthen interfacial contact and reduce interfacial defects on one hand, and slightly elevate the work function of the carbon-electrode on other hand. Due to this effect, charge extraction is accelerated, while recombination is obviously reduced. Accordingly, power conversion efficiency of the hole-conductor-free, planar perovskite solar cells is upgraded by ≈50%, or from 11.65 (± 1.59) % to 17.97 (± 0.32) % (AM1.5G, 100 mW cm-2 ). The optimized device shows efficiency of 19.42% and open-circuit voltage of 1.11 V. Meanwhile, moisture-stability is tested by keeping the unsealed devices in closed chamber with relative humidity of 85%. The "in-situ healing" strategy helps to obtain T80 time of >450 h for the carbon-electrode basing devices, which is four times of the reference ones. Thus, a kind of "internal encapsulation effect" has also been reached. The "in situ healing" strategy facilitates the fabrication of efficient and stable hole-conductor-free devices basing on carbon-electrode.

Electron Beam Transparent Boron Doped Diamond Electrodes for Combined Electrochemistry-Transmission Electron Microscopy

The majority of carbon based transmission electron microscopy (TEM) platforms (grids) have a significant sp2 carbon component. Here, we report a top down fabrication technique for producing freestanding, robust, electron beam transparent and conductive sp3 carbon substrates from boron doped diamond (BDD) using an ion milling/polishing process. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements reveal the sp3 carbon character and advantageous electrochemical properties of a BDD electrode are retained during the milling process. TEM diffraction studies show a dominant (110) crystallographic orientation. Compared with conventional carbon TEM films on metal supports, the BDD-TEM electrodes offer superior thermal, mechanical and electrochemical stability properties. For the latter, no carbon loss is observed over a wide electrochemical potential range (up to 1.80 V vs RHE) under prolonged testing times (5 h) in acid (comparable with accelerated stress testing protocols). This result also highlights the use of BDD as a corrosion free electrocatalyst TEM support for fundamental studies, and in practical energy conversion applications. High magnification TEM imaging demonstrates resolution of isolated, single atoms on the BDD-TEM electrode during electrodeposition, due to the low background electron scattering of the BDD surface. Given the high thermal conductivity and stability of the BDD-TEM electrodes, in situ monitoring of thermally induced morphological changes is also possible, shown here for the thermally induced crystallization of amorphous electrodeposited manganese oxide to the electrochemically active γ-phase.

Black carbon toxicity dependence on particle coating: Measurements with a novel cell exposure method

Black carbon (BC) is a component of ambient particulate matter which originates from incomplete combustion emissions. BC is regarded as an important short-lived climate forcer, and a significant public health hazard. These two concerns have made BC a focus in aerosol science. Even though, the toxicity of BC particles is well recognized, the mechanism of toxicity for BC as a part of the total gas and particle emission mixture from combustion is still largely unknown and studies concerning it are scarce. In the present study, using a novel thermophoresis-based air-liquid interface (ALI) in vitro exposure system, we studied the toxicity of combustion-generated aerosols containing high levels of BC, diluted to atmospheric levels (1 to 10 μg/m³). Applying multiple different aerosol treatments, we simulated different sources and atmospheric aging processes, and utilizing several toxicological endpoints, we thoroughly examined emission toxicity. Our results revealed that an organic coating on the BC particles increased the toxicity, which was seen as larger genotoxicity and immunosuppression. Furthermore, aging of the aerosol also increased its toxicity. A deeper statistical analysis of the results supported our initial conclusions and additionally revealed that toxicity increased with decreasing particle size. These findings regarding BC toxicity can be applied to support policies and technologies to reduce the most hazardous compositions of BC emissions. Additionally, our study showed that the thermophoretic ALI system is both a suitable and useful tool for toxicological studies of emission aerosols.

Impact of the initial hydrophilic ratio on black carbon aerosols in the Arctic

Black carbon (BC) contributes to patterns of Arctic warming, yet the initial hydrophilic ratio (IHR) of BC emitted from various sources and its impact on Arctic BC remain uncertain. With the use of a tagged tracer method of BC implemented in the global chemistry transport model GEOS-Chem, IHRs were partitioned into 7 BC combustion source categories according to the PKU-BC-v2 emission inventory. The results show that as the IHR increased, the concentration of BC decreased globally. The impact on Arctic BC was mainly reflected in the vertical profile and the burden rather than at the surface. Specifically, the greatest impact of IHR on Arctic BC appeared in summer, with the largest perturbation appearing at an altitude of approximately 600 hPa, reaching 8%. This change in BC vertical profile was mainly caused by the IHR change of wildfire combustion in Russia (44%) and Canada (51%), and the emissions from these two regions were also the two most important contributors to the BC concentration and burden in the middle and lower Arctic atmosphere in summer. In the other three seasons, anthropogenic combustion sources (oil, coal, and biomass) in East Asia, Russia, and Europe accounted for 19-40%, 14-28%, and 7-23%, respectively, of the monthly BC burden. Emissions from Russia were the most important contributor (27-43%) to the monthly BC surface concentration. Due to the large adjustment in IHR from 20% to 70%, biomass burning in Europe was shown to be the dominant contributor causing both burden (39%) and surface concentration (88%) changes in all seasons except summer.

Niobium oxide promoted with alkali metal nitrates for soot particulate combustion: elucidating the vital role of active surface nitrate groups

With the target of developing efficient base metal oxide catalysts for soot particulate combustion, Nb₂O₅ catalysts promoted using different alkali metal nitrates have been prepared via an impregnation method. The activity of all the modified catalysts is better than that of the pure Nb₂O₅, and follows the sequence of CsNb1-9 > KNb1-9 > NaNb1-9 > LiNb1-9 > Nb₂O₅. It has been discovered that the original LiNO₃ and NaNO₃ precursors were decomposed into inert Li₂O and Na₂O on LiNb1-9 and NaNb1-9 during the calcination process. However, the KNO₃ and CsNO₃ precursors were intact on KNb1-9 and CsNb1-9 due to the strong stabilization effect of the K⁺ and Cs⁺ cations. As confirmed using different means, surface nitrates are the predominant active centers that contribute to the soot oxidation activity, through the redox cycles between nitrate (NO₃^-) and nitrite (NO₂^-) groups. Due to the existence of a large quantity of active surface NO₃^- groups, KNb1-9 and CsNb1-9 thus exhibit a much better reaction performance than LiNb1-9 and NaNb1-9.

Influence of Onion-like Carbonaceous Particles on the Aggregation Process of Hydrocarbons

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to characterize the nucleation behavior of organic compounds in the gas phase. Six basic molecular species are considered-ethylene, propylene, toluene, styrene, ethylbenzene, and para-xylene-in interaction with onion-like carbon nanostructures that model soot nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature. We identify a shell-to-island aggregation process during the physisorption of aromatic molecules on the soot surface: The molecules tend to first cover the NP in a shell, on top of which additional adsorbates form island-shaped aggregates. We present results for the binding energy, suggesting that the NPs lead to the formation of more stable molecular aggregates in comparison with the pure gas phase. Our findings describe a plausible microscopic mechanism for the active role of soot in the formation and growth of organic particulate matter.

Combined analyses of hygroscopic properties of organic and inorganic components of three representative black carbon samples recovered from pyrolysis

Hygroscopicity of black carbon (BC) aerosols is a key factor determining their climate forcing effect and atmospheric lifetime. However, the compositional dependence of BC hygroscopicity is not well understood. Here, a variety of different compositional components were separated from three representative BC samples recovered from pyrolysis (grass and wheat straw derived BC, household soot), including water extracted fraction of BC (WEBC, 9-21 wt%), residue fraction of BC after water extraction (R-WEBC, 79-91 wt%), water extracted minerals (WEM, 9-18 wt%), alkali extracted organic carbon (OC_AE, 1-9 wt%), and elemental carbon (EC, 37-48 wt%). The bulk BC and separated BC components were analyzed in detail by elemental analysis and combined spectroscopic analyses. Their equilibrium hygroscopicity was measured by gravimetric method over a range of relative humidity (RH) levels (10-94%). Compared with the two organic components (OC_AE and EC), the inorganic component (WEM) exhibited much stronger water uptake at all RH levels. At 94% RH level, WEM accounted for 16-139% of the overall water uptake by BC, whereas OC_AE and EC accounted for only 1-3% and 6-26%, respectively. The XRD analysis of WEBC and WEM from household soot at varying RH levels indicated that the enhanced water uptake by these two components as well as that by bulk BC at high RH levels was due to the deliquescent salts (e.g., KCl, NH₄Cl, KNO₃, and NaCl). The strong hysteresis loops observed for bulk BC and WEBC could be attributed to the organic-facilitated drastic structural and morphological rearrangement of mineral particles as evidenced by the optical microscope analysis. The diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analysis reaffirmed the dominant role played by the inorganic component in the hygroscopic behaviors of BC.

Preparation of an N-doped mesoporous carbon sphere and sheet composite as a high-performance supercapacitor

Carbon-based materials with multidimensional structures generally exhibit improved properties compared with single-morphology carbon materials for various applications including catalysis, adsorption, and energy storage. Here, an N-doped mesoporous carbon sphere and sheet composite is prepared by a co-assembly strategy using an ionic liquid ([C18Mim]Br) as the structure-directing agent, ethylenediamine as the catalyst, tetraethyl orthosilicate as the pore-forming agent, and resorcinol formaldehyde resin as the carbon precursor. [C18Mim]Br and ethylenediamine not only induce formation of the unique structure but also lead to in situ nitrogen doping on the N-doped mesoporous carbon skeleton. The obtained N-doped mesoporous carbon shows a unique composite structure of thin sheets embedded with carbon spheres, having high a specific surface area and uniform mesopore distribution. When used as an electrode material, the N-doped mesoporous carbon shows a good specific capacity of 273 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1 and a good rate capability (82.1% of the capacitance is retained at a high current density of 10 A g−1). Moreover, the N-doped mesoporous carbon exhibited ideal stability behavior (91.6% capacitive retention after 10,000 cycles), indicating a promising role as an electrode material for excellent performance supercapacitors.

Diverse Phases of Carbonaceous Materials from Stochastic Simulations

Amorphous carbon systems are emerging to have unparalleled properties at multiple length scales, making them the preferred choice for creating advanced materials in many sectors, but the lack of long-range order makes it difficult to establish structure/property relationships. We propose an original computational approach to predict the morphology of carbonaceous materials for arbitrary densities that we apply here to graphitic phases at low densities from 1.15 to 0.16 g/cm³, including glassy carbon. This approach, dynamic reactive massaging of the potential energy surface (DynReaxMas), uses the ReaxFF reactive force field in a simulation protocol that combines potential energy surface (PES) transformations with global optimization within a multidescriptor representation. DynReaxMas enables the simulation of materials synthesis at temperatures close to experiment to correctly capture the interplay of activated vs entropic processes and the resulting phase morphology. We then show that DynReaxMas efficiently and semiautomatically produces atomistic configurations that span wide relevant regions of the PES at modest computational costs. Indeed, we find a variety of distinct phases at the same density, and we illustrate the evolution of competing phases as a function of density ranging from uniform vs bimodal distributions of pore sizes at higher and intermediate density (1.15 g/cm³ and 0.50 g/cm³) to agglomerated vs sparse morphologies, further partitioned into boxed vs hollow fibrillar morphologies, at lower density (0.16 g/cm³). Our observations of diverse phases at the same density agree with experiment. Some of our identified phases provide descriptors consistent with available experimental data on local density, pore sizes, and HRTEM images, showing that DynReaxMas provides a systematic classification of the complex field of amorphous carbonaceous materials that can provide 3D structures to interpret experimental observations.

A Review of Terminology Used to Describe Soot Formation and Evolution under Combustion and Pyrolytic Conditions

This review presents a glossary and review of terminology used to describe the chemical and physical processes involved in soot formation and evolution and is intended to aid in communication within the field and across disciplines. There are large gaps in our understanding of soot formation and evolution and inconsistencies in the language used to describe the associated mechanisms. These inconsistencies lead to confusion within the field and hinder progress in addressing the gaps in our understanding. This review provides a list of definitions of terms and presents a description of their historical usage. It also addresses the inconsistencies in the use of terminology in order to dispel confusion and facilitate the advancement of our understanding of soot chemistry and particle characteristics. The intended audience includes senior and junior members of the soot, black carbon, brown carbon, and carbon black scientific communities, researchers new to the field, and scientists and engineers in associated fields with an interest in carbonaceous material production via high-temperature hydrocarbon chemistry.

On determining soot maturity: A review of the role of microscopy- and spectroscopy-based techniques

Incomplete combustion is the main source of airborne soot, which has negative impacts on public health and the environment. Understanding the morphological and chemical evolution of soot is important for assessing and mitigating the impact of soot emissions. Morphological and chemical structures of soot are commonly studied using microscopy or spectroscopy, and the best technique depends on the parameter of interest and the stage of soot formation considered (i.e., maturity). For the earliest stages of soot formation, particles exhibit simple morphology yet complex and reactive chemical composition, which is best studied by spectroscopic techniques sensitive to the large number of soot precursor species. The only microscope that can offer some morphological information at this stage is the scanning probe microscopy, which can image single polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the precursors of soot. A broader range of types of spectrometers and microscopes can be used by increasing the soot maturity. Mature soot is primarily carbon, and exhibits complex fractal-like morphology best studied with electron microscopy and techniques sensitive to thin oxide or organic coatings. Each characterization technique can target different morphological and chemical properties of soot, from the early to the late stage of its formation. Thus, a guideline for the selection of the appropriate technique can facilitates studies on environmental samples involving the presence of soot.

Quantitative Analysis Method for Nitrogen Electron Energy-Loss Near-Edge Structures in Nanocarbons Based on Density Functional Theory Calculations and Linear Regression

Nonmetallic heteroatoms found in carbon nanomaterials act as active sites and exhibit excellent catalytic performance. Owing to structural complexity and the limitations of characterization technology, the identification of active sites in nanocarbon is challenging and controversial. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy is an electron microscope technique with high spatial resolution and a powerful tool for identifying the arrangement of heteroatoms. However, structural information regarding the configuration and distribution of heteroatoms is difficult to obtain using existing analytical methods. Herein, we have developed a method for the quantitative analysis of electron energy-loss near-edge structures to identify accurately nitrogen species in nanocarbon. Based on this approach, the relative amounts of nitrogen species were obtained from linear regression with calculated spectra. The concentration distribution of nanocarbon obtained by this method was consistent with the result of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis at different depths. Therefore, this fitting method can be used for the quantitative analysis of nitrogen K-edge structures. This provides a new strategy for studying the structure-activity relationships of carbon-based materials and the further design of custom nanocarbon catalysts with high active site densities.

In Situ Construction of Hierarchical Diamond Supported on Carbon Nanowalls/Diamond for Enhanced Electron Field Emission

The integration of sp²-/sp³-bonded carbon has aroused increasing attention on attaining a great electron field emission (EFE) performance. Herein, a novel hierarchical diamond@carbon nanowalls/diamond (D@C/D) architecture is facilely prepared through the growth of the hybrid carbon nanowalls/diamond (C/D) film followed by the in situ hydrogen plasma treatment using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. The hierarchical D@C/D architecture is composed of thin diamond nanoplatelets sandwiched into carbon nanowalls (CNWs) as the bottom layer and the thickened nanoplatelets constituted by diamond nanograins as the upper layer. The hydrogen plasma plays an effective role in the transformation of sacrificial sp²-bonded CNWs to sp³-bonded diamond, eventually leading to the template thickening of diamond nanoplatelets in the upper layer. Impressively, the D@C/D-90 film demonstrates much better EFE behaviors of low turn-on potential (E_o = 4.3 V μm^-1), high current density (J_e@8 V μm^-1 = 20.81 mA cm^-1), and superior long-term stability, in comparison with the pristine C/D film (E_o = 6 V μm^-1, J_e@8 V μm^-1 = 0.33 mA cm^-1). The enhanced EFE performance of the hierarchical D@C/D film is ascribed to the well-established graphite pathway for electrons transported from the bottom to the top and the increased diamond emitting sites with negative electron-affinity and robust nature at the top. This work will promote the development of the high-performance cathode EFE material based on hybrid sp²/sp³-bonded carbon, and the method proposed here also provides an effective strategy to construct a diamond nanostructure for various applications.

Selective identification of cyclopentaring-fused PAHs and side-substituted PAHs in a low pressure premixed sooting flame by photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy

Selective on-line identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) formed in a low-pressure methane sooting flame, carried out using the double imaging Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence Spectroscopy method (i²PEPICO).

Generalized reactivity descriptor of defective carbon catalysts for acetylene hydrochlorination: the ratio of sp2 : sp3 hybridization

Surface engineering of sp² and sp³ oriented carbons with optimized hybridization configuration makes excellent metal free catalysts for acetylene hydrochlorination

Removal of phenol and chlorine from wastewater using steam activated biomass soot and tire carbon black

This study aims to demonstrate a novel method for removing toxic chemicals using soot produced from wood and herbaceous biomass pyrolyzed in a drop tube reactor and tire pyrolytic carbon black. The influence of ash content, nanostructure, particle size, and porosity on the filter efficiency of steam activated carbon materials was studied. It has been shown for the first time that steam activated soot and carbon black can remove phenol and chloride with filter efficiencies as high as 95%. The correlation of filter efficiency to material properties showed that the presence of alkali and steam activation time were the key parameters affecting filter efficiencies. This study shows that steam activated biomass soot and tire carbon black are promising alternatives for the cleaning of wastewater.

The offset droplet: a new methodology for studying the solid/water interface using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The routine study of the solid-water interface by XPS is potentially revolutionary as this development opens up whole new areas of study for photoelectron spectroscopy. To date this has been realised by only a few groups worldwide and current techniques have significant restrictions on the type of samples which can be studied. Here we present a novel and uniquely flexible approach to the problem. By introducing a thin capillary into the NAP-XPS, a small droplet can be injected onto the sample surface, offset from the analysis area by several mm. By careful control of the droplet size a water layer of controllable thickness can be established in the analysis area-continuous with the bulk droplet. We present results from the solid-water interface on a vacuum prepared TiO₂(110) single crystal and demonstrate that the solid/liquid interface is addressable.

Crystal nucleation initiated by transient ion-surface interactions at aerosol interfaces

Particle collisions are a common occurrence in the atmosphere, but no empirical observations exist to fully predict the potential effects of these collisions on air quality and climate projections. The current consensus of heterogeneous crystal nucleation pathways relevant to the atmosphere dictates that collisions with amorphous particles have no effect on the crystallization relative humidity (RH) of aqueous inorganic aerosols because there is no stabilizing ion-surface interaction to facilitate the formation of crystal nuclei. In contrast to this view of heterogeneous nucleation, we report laboratory observations demonstrating that collisions with hydrophobic amorphous organic aerosols induced crystallization of aqueous inorganic microdroplets at high RH, the effect of which was correlated with destabilizing water-mediated ion-specific surface interactions. These same organic aerosols did not induce crystallization once internally mixed in the droplet, pointing toward a previously unconsidered transient ion-specific crystal nucleation pathway that can promote aerosol crystallization via particle collisions.

Insights into the surface chemistry and electronic properties of sp2 and sp3-hybridized nanocarbon materials for catalysis

Ultra-dispersed nanodiamond and its derivatives (UNDDs), including bucky nanodiamond and onion-like carbon, offer superior catalytic behavior relative to other nanocarbons. However, a systematic study of their unique properties has been rarely achieved. Their surface chemistry and electronic properties are therefore studied to reveal the essential differences of UNDDs compared to other nanocarbons for catalysis.

Impact of ferrocene on the nanostructure and functional groups of soot in a propane/oxygen diffusion flame

Ferrocene influences soot oxidation activity by changing its nanostructure and functional groups on the surface. Reactions between oxygen and ferrocene reduce the oxygen-containing functional groups on the soot.

High performance of nitrogen-modified carbon nanotubes for selective oxidation of allyl alcohol

Nitrogen-modified carbon nanotubes (N-CNT) as a novel heterogeneous catalyst exhibit excellent performance in selective oxidation of allyl alcohol (C₃H₆O).

Photocurrent generation in carbon nanotube/cubic-phase HfO2 nanoparticle hybrid nanocomposites

A hybrid material consisting of nonfunctionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and cubic-phase HfO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with an average diameter of 2.6 nm has been synthesized. Free standing HfO2 NPs present unusual optical properties and a strong photoluminescence emission in the visible region, originating from surface defects. Transmission electron microscopy studies show that these NPs decorate the MWCNTs on topological defect sites. The electronic structure of the C K-edge in the nanocomposites was probed by electron energy loss spectroscopy, highlighting the key role of the MWCNT growth defects in anchoring HfO2 NPs. A combined optical emission and absorption spectroscopy approach illustrated that, in contrast to HfO2 NPs, the metallic MWCNTs do not emit light but instead expose their discrete electronic structure in the absorption spectra. The hybrid material manifests characteristic absorption features with a gradual merger of the MWCNT π-plasmon resonance band with the intrinsic defect band and fundamental edge of HfO2. The photoluminescence of the nanocomposites indicates features attributed to combined effects of charge desaturation of HfO2 surface states and charge transfer to the MWCNTs with an overall reduction of radiative recombination. Finally, photocurrent generation under UV-vis illumination suggests that a HfO2 NP/MWCNT hybrid system can be used as a flexible nanodevice for light harvesting applications.

Formation and emission of large furans and oxygenated hydrocarbons from flames

Many oxygenated hydrocarbon species formed during combustion, such as furans, are highly toxic and detrimental to human health and the environment. These species may also increase the hygroscopicity of soot and strongly influence the effects of soot on regional and global climate. However, large furans and associated oxygenated species have not previously been observed in flames, and their formation mechanism and interplay with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are poorly understood. We report on a synergistic computational and experimental effort that elucidates the formation of oxygen-embedded compounds, such as furans and other oxygenated hydrocarbons, during the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels. We used ab initio and probabilistic computational techniques to identify low-barrier reaction mechanisms for the formation of large furans and other oxygenated hydrocarbons. We used vacuum-UV photoionization aerosol mass spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to confirm these predictions. We show that furans are produced in the high-temperature regions of hydrocarbon flames, where they remarkably survive and become the main functional group of oxygenates that incorporate into incipient soot. In controlled flame studies, we discovered ∼100 oxygenated species previously unaccounted for. We found that large alcohols and enols act as precursors to furans, leading to incorporation of oxygen into the carbon skeletons of PAHs. Our results depart dramatically from the crude chemistry of carbon- and oxygen-containing molecules previously considered in hydrocarbon formation and oxidation models and spearhead the emerging understanding of the oxidation chemistry that is critical, for example, to control emissions of toxic and carcinogenic combustion by-products, which also greatly affect global warming.

Characterization at Atomic Resolution of Carbon Nanotube/Resin Interface in Nanocomposites by Mapping sp 2-Bonding States Using Electron Energy-Loss Spectroscopy

Functionalization is critical for improving mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/polymer nanocomposites. A fundamental understanding of the role of the CNT/polymer interface and bonding structure is key to improving functionalization procedures for higher mechanical performance. In this study, we investigated the effects of chemical functionalization on the nanocomposite interface at atomic resolution to provide direct and quantifiable information of the interactions and interface formation between CNT surfaces and adjacent resin molecules. We observed and compared electronic structures and their changes at the interfaces of nonfunctionalized and functionalized CNT/polymer nanocomposite samples via scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum imaging techniques. The results show that the state of sp 2 bonding and its distribution at the CNT/resin interface can be clearly visualized through EELS mapping. We found that the functionalized CNT/polymer samples exhibited a lower fraction of sp 2 bonding and a lower π*/σ* ratio compared with the nonfunctionalized cases. A good correlation between near-edge fine structures and low-loss plasmon energies was observed.

Inherently-Forced Tensile Strain in Nanodiamond-Derived Onion-like Carbon: Consequences in Defect-Induced Electrochemical Activation

We analyzed the nanodiamond-derived onion-like carbon (OLC) as function of synthesis temperature (1000~1400 °C), by high-resolution electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, visible-Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. The temperature dependences of the obtained properties (averaged particle size, tensile strain, defect density, density of states, electron transfer kinetics, and electrochemical oxidation current) unanimously coincided: they initially increased and saturated at 1200 °C. It was attributed to the inherent tensile strains arising from (1) the volume expansion associated with the layer-wise diamond-to-graphite transformation of the core, which caused forced dilation of the outer shells during their thermal synthesis; (2) the extreme curvature of the shells. The former origin was dominant over the latter at the outermost shell, of which the relevant evolution in defect density, DOS and electron transfer kinetics determined the electrochemical performances. In detection of dopamine (DA), uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA) using the OLC as electrode, their oxidation peak currents were enhanced by factors of 15~60 with annealing temperature. Their limit of detection and the linear range of detection, in the post-treatment-free condition, were as excellent as those of the nano-carbon electrodes post-treated by Pt-decoration, N-doping, plasma, or polymer.

C60 fullerenes from combustion of common fuels

Releases of C60 fullerenes to the environment will increase with the growth of nanotechnology. Assessing the potential risks of manufactured C60 requires an understanding of how its prevalence in the environment compares to that of natural and incidental C60. This work describes the characterization of incidental C60 present in aerosols generated by combustion of five common fuels: coal, firewood, diesel, gasoline, and propane. C60 was found in exhaust generated by all five fuels; the highest concentrations in terms of mass of C60 per mass of particulate matter were associated with diesel and coal. Individual aerosols from these combustion processes were examined by transmission electron microscopy. No relationship was found between C60 content and either the separation of graphitic layers (lamellae) within the particles, nor the curvature of those lamellae. Estimated global emissions of incidental C60 to the atmosphere from coal and diesel combustion range from 1.6 to 6.3 t yr(-1), depending upon combustion conditions. These emissions may be similar in magnitude to the total amount of manufactured C60 produced on an annual basis. Consequent loading of incidental C60 to the environment may be several orders of magnitude higher than has previously been modeled for manufactured C60.

Quantitative Aspects of the Interfacial Catalytic Oxidation of Dithiothreitol by Dissolved Oxygen in the Presence of Carbon Nanoparticles

The catalytic nature of particulate matter is often advocated to explain its ability to generate reactive oxygen species, but quantitative data are lacking. We have performed molecular characterization of three different carbonaceous nanoparticles (NP) by 1. identifying and quantifying their surface functional groups based on probe gas-particle titration; 2. studying the kinetics of dissolved oxygen consumption in the presence of suspended NP's and dithiothreitol (DTT). We show that these NP's can reversibly change their oxidation state between oxidized and reduced functional groups present on the NP surface. By comparing the amount of O2 consumed and the number of strongly reducing sites on the NP, its average turnover ranged from 35 to 600 depending on the type of NP. The observed quadratic rate law for O2 disappearance points to a Langmuir-Hinshelwood surface-based reaction mechanism possibly involving semiquinone radical. In the proposed model, the strongly reducing surface site is assumed to be a polycyclic aromatic hydroquinone whose oxidation to the corresponding conjugated quinone is rate-limiting in the catalytic chain reaction. The presence and strength of the reducing surface functional groups are important for explaining the catalytic activity of NP in the presence of oxygen and a reducing agent like DTT.

Heteroaggregation of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles and Nanoparticles of Pyrolyzed Biomass

Heteroaggregation with indigenous particles is critical to the environmental mobility of engineered nanomaterials (ENM). We studied heteroaggregation of ceria nanoparticles (n-CeO2), as a model for metal oxide ENM, with nanoparticles of pyrogenic carbonaceous material (n-PCM) derived from pecan shell biochar, a model for natural chars and human-made chars used in soil remediation and agriculture. The TEM and STEM images of n-PCM identify both hard and soft particles, both C-rich and C,O,Ca-containing particles (with CaCO3 crystals), both amorphous and "onion-skin" C-rich particles, and traces of nanotubes. Heteroaggregation was evaluated at constant n-CeO2, variable n-PCM concentration by monitoring hydrodynamic diameter by dynamic light scattering and ζ-potential under conditions where n-PCM is "invisible". At pH 5.3, where n-CeO2 and n-PCM are positively and negatively charged, respectively, and each stable to homoaggregation, heteroaggregation is favorable and occurs by a charge neutralization-charge reversal mechanism (CNCR): in this mechanism, primary heteroaggregates that form in the initial stage are stable at low or high n-PCM concentration due to electrostatic repulsion, but unstable at intermediate n-PCM concentration, leading to secondary heteroaggregation. The greatest instability coincides with full charge neutralization. At pH 7.1, where n-CeO2 is neutral and unstable alone, and n-PCM is negative and stable alone, heteroaggregation occurs by a charge-accumulation, core-shell stabilization (CACS) mechanism: n-PCM binds to and forms a negatively charged shell on the neutral surface of the nascent n-CeO2 core, stabilizing the core-shell heteraggregate at a size that decreases with n-PCM concentration. The CNCR and CACS mechanisms give fundamental insight into heteroaggregation between oppositely charged, and between neutral and charged nanoparticles.

Is Carbon Black a Suitable Model Colloidal Substrate for Diesel Soot?

Soot formation in diesel engines is known to cause premature engine wear. Unfortunately, genuine diesel soot is expensive to generate, so carbon blacks are often used as diesel soot mimics. Herein, the suitability of a commercial carbon black (Regal 250R) as a surrogate for diesel soot dispersed in engine base oil is examined in the presence of two commonly used polymeric lubricant additives. The particle size, morphology, and surface composition of both substrates are assessed using BET surface area analysis, TEM, and XPS. The extent of adsorption of a poly(ethylene-co-propylene) (dOCP) statistical copolymer or a polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-co-propylene) (PS-PEP) diblock copolymer onto carbon black or diesel soot from n-dodecane is compared indirectly using a supernatant depletion assay technique via UV spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis is also used to directly determine the extent of copolymer adsorption. Degrees of dispersion are examined using optical microscopy, TEM, and analytical centrifugation. SAXS studies reveal some structural differences between carbon black and diesel soot particles. The mean radius of gyration determined for the latter is significantly smaller than that calculated for the former, and in the absence of any copolymer, diesel soot suspended in n-dodecane forms relatively loose mass fractals compared to carbon black. SAXS provides evidence for copolymer adsorption and indicates that addition of either copolymer transforms the initially compact agglomerates into relatively loose aggregates. Addition of dOCP or PS-PEP does not significantly affect the structure of the carbon black primary particles, with similar results being observed for diesel soot. In favorable cases, remarkably similar data can be obtained for carbon black and diesel soot when using dOCP and PS-PEP as copolymer dispersants. However, it is not difficult to identify simple copolymer-particle-solvent combinations for which substantial differences can be observed. Such observations are most likely the result of dissimilar surface chemistries, which can profoundly affect the colloidal stability.

Diesel exhaust particle exposure in vitro impacts T lymphocyte phenotype and function

Background

Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) are major constituents of ambient air pollution and their adverse health effect is an area of intensive investigations. With respect to the immune system, DEP have attracted significant research attention as a factor that could influence allergic diseases interfering with cytokine production and chemokine expression. With this exception, scant data are available on the impact of DEP on lymphocyte homeostasis. Here, the effects of nanoparticles from Euro 4 (E4) and Euro 5 (E5) light duty diesel engines on the phenotype and function of T lymphocytes from healthy donors were evaluated.

Methods

T lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood obtained from healthy volunteers and subsequently stimulated with different concentration (from 0.15 to 60 μg/ml) and at different time points (from 24 h to 9 days) of either E4 or E5 particles. Immunological parameters, including apoptosis, autophagy, proliferation levels, mitochondrial function, expression of activation markers and cytokine production were evaluated by cellular and molecular analyses.

Results

DEP exposure caused a pronounced autophagic-lysosomal blockade, thus interfering with a key mechanism involved in the maintaining of T cell homeostasis. Moreover, DEP decreased mitochondrial membrane potential but, unexpectedly, this effect did not result in changes of the apoptosis and/or necrosis levels, as well as of intracellular content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Finally, a down-regulation of the expression of the alpha chain of the interleukin (IL)-2 receptor (i.e., the CD25 molecule) as well as an abnormal Th1 cytokine expression profile (i.e., a decrease of IL-2 and interferon (IFN)-γ production) were observed after DEP exposure. No differences between the two compounds were detected in all studied parameters.

Conclusions

Overall, our data identify functional and phenotypic T lymphocyte parameters as relevant targets for DEP cytotoxicity, whose impairment could be detrimental, at least in the long run, for human health, favouring the development or the progression of diseases such as autoimmunity and cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12989-014-0074-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Proinflammatory effects of diesel exhaust nanoparticles on scleroderma skin cells

Autoimmune diseases are complex disorders of unknown etiology thought to result from interactions between genetic and environmental factors. We aimed to verify whether environmental pollution from diesel engine exhaust nanoparticulate (DEP) of actually operating vehicles could play a role in the development of a rare immune-mediated disease, systemic sclerosis (SSc), in which the pathogenetic role of environment has been highlighted. The effects of carbon-based nanoparticulate collected at the exhaust of newer (Euro 5) and older (Euro 4) diesel engines on SSc skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts were evaluated in vitro by assessing the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) and fibroblast chemical mediators (metalloproteases 2, 3, 7, 9, and 12; collagen types I and III; VEGF). DEP was shown to stimulate cytokine gene expression at a higher extent in SSc keratinocytes versus normal cells. Moreover, the mRNA gene expression of all MMPs, collagen types, and VEGF genes was significantly higher in untreated SSc fibroblasts versus controls. Euro 5 particle exposure increased the mRNA expression of MMP-2, -7, and -9 in SSc fibroblasts in a dose dependent manner and only at the highest concentration in normal cells. We suggest that environmental DEP could trigger the development of SSc acting on genetically hyperreactive cell systems.