Anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) is attracting attention for hydrogen production owing to its ability to employ nonprecious metal catalysts and high energy conversion efficiency. Spinel-structured transition metal oxides exhibit excellent potential in oxygen evolution reaction (OERs). Nevertheless, the research on highly active and durable spinel-structured electrodes for the anodic OER of AEMWE is deficient. Herein, a self-supported S-CoCu oxide/nickel foam (S-CoCuOx/NF) anode was synthesized through a two-step method (electrodeposition and sulfidation). The formation of abundant oxygen vacancies and heterostructure collaboratively enhances the electron and mass transfer, resulting in an overpotential of 313 mV at 100 mA cm-2 for OER. For the lab-scale AEMWE system with the S-CoCuOx/NF anode, a current density of 1 A cm-2 was obtained at 1.87 V (cell voltage) with high durability for 110 h (1 A cm-2) at 60 °C. The results will provide insights into developing the spinel structure-derived anode for high-performance AEMWE.

CO2 capture based on hydrate formation is intensified by an oil-in-water phase-change slurry (PCS) in which the n-tetradecane particles are taken as nucleation centers and are used to directly remove. he hydration heat through their solid-to-liquid phase change. In this study, experiments, on hydration were conducted at a temperature of 277.6 K and under isobaric pressures in the range of 2.1-2.4 MPa. All measurements were performed at a stirring speed of 450 rpm in PCSs of 25-45 wt % n-tetradecane. Two kinetics models, transport and reversible hydration, were established to regress and analyze the experimental data from the isothermal hydration of CO2 in a semibatch hydrator. For each model, the effects of pressure and PCS composition were examined in detail. As the experimental results show, the induction time before hydration initiated was less than 1 min for all rims, and the duration of the entire hydration process was,approximately 13-15 min for each measurement. Furthermore, the average hydration rate reached 197 mol m(-3) min(-1) at 2.3 MPa. in 45 wt % oil-in-water PCS, which demonstrates that the presence of n-tetradecane particles contributes significantly to the enhancement of hydrate formation rate. As the modeling results show, the parameters of the two models were determined by correlating the experimental data, and the interpretations of the measurements by the two models are satisfactory.

A hydrothermal method for α-Fe2O3 nanotube preparation is described which requires no surfactants or templates. The crystalline structure and morphology of the as-prepared powder have been characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the average length, diameter, and wall thickness of the highly crystalline α-Fe2O3 nanotubes were about 200–1000nm, 100–150nm, and 25–30nm, respectively. The α-Fe2O3 nanotubes were used as a catalyst for thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate at low temperature. A detailed reaction mechanism for ammonium perchlorate decomposition over α-Fe2O3 nanotubes is proposed.

A series of Ca2Fe2O5 photocatalysts have been prepared by a precipitation-calcination method.The specimen was characterized by powder X-ray diffractiont,ransmission electron microscopy(TEM) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra.UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra revealed that Ca2Fe2O5 samples exhibited absorptions in a range of 250-300 and 400-600 nm.By using photocatalytic degrading methyl blue as the model reactiont,he degradable ratio of Ca2Fe2O5 has reached 94% within 150 min,and the Ca2Fe2O5 photocatalyst showed a certain degree of catalytic activity.In additiont,he calcined tem-perature and preparation method has great effect on the activity of Ca2Fe2O5.Howevert,he Ca2Fe2O5 concentration effect on the activity is not obvious.

Lead hydrogen phosphate nanorods/nanowires with controlled aspect ratios were synthesized through a direct reaction of Pb(NO3)2 and H3PO4 under solvoththermal microemulsion system consisting of water,hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide(CTAB),cyclohexane and 1-pentanol.X-ray diffraction(XRD)and transmission electron microscope(TEM)were employed for the characterization of the structure,compositions and morphology of the obtained products.The results showed that the molar ratio of water to the surfactant CTAB(ω),concentration of Pb(NO3)2,reactant temperature and reactant time all could affect the morphology and size of the lead hydrogen phosphate nanorods/nanowires.The possible growth mechanism of PbHPO4 nanorods/ nanowires was explored.

S–N-codoped TiO2 powders have been synthesized through a facile one-step sol–gel method by using tetrabutyltitanate and thiourea as precursors. The S–N-codoped TiO2 treated at 500 °C showed the highest photocatalytic activity for degrading methylene blue under visible light irradiation. XRD, XPS and UV–vis studies revealed that the high visible-light photocatalytic activity of the doped TiO2 may originate from the synergetic effect of sulfur and nitrogen codoping into TiO2.

Hollow α-PbF2 nanospheres were synthesized through a direct reaction of Pb(NO3)2 and HF under solvoththermal microemulsion system consisting of water,hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide(CTAB),cyclohexane and 1-pentanol. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was utilized to characterize the morphology of α-PbF2 as-prepared. Several key variables were investigated to reveal the formation and mechanism as well as the shape and size changing of α-PbF2 under different conditions. The results showed that the system of protection of surfactant CTAB and generation of nitric acid corrosion is the formation of hollow α-PbF2 the main reason; Addition,α-PbF2 hollow nanospheres size and wall thickness by changing the water and the molar ratio of surfactant to control.

A series of ternary Zn0.2Cd0.8S photocatalysts were synthesized by a solvothermal method and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis). The photocatalytic reaction was carried out in a quartz reactor irradiated under a 300-W Xe lamp. The experimental results showed that the Zn0.2Cd0.8S photocatalysts exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue. The effects of the thermal treatment of photocatalysts, the concentration of methylene blue aqueous solutions, and of the different sulfides in the preparation process on photocatalytic performance were also discussed.

A novel visible-light-sensitive strontium carbonate photocatalyst with high photocatalytic activity was prepared from strontium hydroxide by calcination in air at moderate temperature. The SrCO3 photocatalyst was characterized by UV–vis diffuse reflection spectrum, X-ray powder diffraction and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller. The photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst was evaluated by photocatalytic oxidation of methyl blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation (λ>400nm). The results show that the photodegradation efficiency of MB on the SrCO3 catalyst reached 98.2% after irradiation for 180min, which is much higher than that of commercial TiO2 (P25). Effects of heat treatment on the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst SrCO3 were also investigated.

Spinel CoCo2O4 nanotubes and porous nanostructures have been synthesized by a novel hydrothermal method from Co(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O in mixtures of ammonia and cyclohexane at 220 degrees C. The morphology and phase of CoCo2O4 can be controlled by adjusting the experimental parameters that include the Co2+ concentration and the volume ratio of ammonia to cyclohexane. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses were used to characterize the products. The formation mechanisms of CoCo2O4 nanostructures is proposed in detail. The electrochemical properties of the as-prepared samples have been investigated. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V.

A series of NiO–CaO photocatalysts have been successfully prepared by a precipitation–calcination method. The specimen was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra revealed that the NiO–CaO samples exhibited absorptions in a wide visible-light range of 400–600 and 700–800 nm. These results showed that the NiO–CaO samples might possess excellent photocatalytic performances in the wide visible-light region. By using photocatalytic degrading methyl blue as the model reaction, the NiO–CaO samples showed higher photocatalytic activity than those of NiO, CaO, and commercial TiO2 under visible-light illumination.