An-Hui Lu

Bio: An-Hui Lu is an academic researcher from Dalian University of Technology. The author has contributed to research in topics: Carbon & Catalysis. The author has an hindex of 61, co-authored 132 publications receiving 17033 citations. Previous affiliations of An-Hui Lu include Max Planck Society.

Magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application

Abstract: This review focuses on the synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles, as well as the magnetic properties of nanostructured systems. Substantial progress in the size and shape control of magnetic nanoparticles has been made by developing methods such as co-precipitation, thermal decomposition and/or reduction, micelle synthesis, and hydrothermal synthesis. A major challenge still is protection against corrosion, and therefore suitable protection strategies will be emphasized, for example, surfactant/polymer coating, silica coating and carbon coating of magnetic nanoparticles or embedding them in a matrix/support. Properly protected magnetic nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of various functional systems, and their application in catalysis and biotechnology will be briefly reviewed. Finally, some future trends and perspectives in these research areas will be outlined.

Rapid synthesis of nitrogen-doped porous carbon monolith for CO2 capture.

Abstract: M M U Rapid Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Monolith for CO2 Capture N IC By Guang-Ping Hao, Wen-Cui Li, Dan Qian, and An-Hui Lu* A T IO N The development of novel materials and new technologies for CO2 capture and storage has gained great attention over the past decades. The necessity for reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is a very important issue, since CO2 is considered as a greenhouse gas causing global warming. In addition, higher concentrations of CO2 are toxic for humans, especially in space-limited chambers like submarines and space ships. Traditional technologies for CO2 capture including absorption and adsorption-coupled membrane separation along with the corresponding sorbents such as aqueous amines, microporous coordination polymers (MCPs), zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), different types of nitrogen-doped zeolite, mesoporous silica, and activated carbons have been widely explored. However, MCPs and ZIFs synthesized with nitrogen-containing organic compounds as the crosslinker often suffer from structural instability and inefficiency for CO2 selectivity in the presence of water and thus are limited in their widespread use. For aminemodified solids, the main drawback is the possible loss of ammonia associated with the temperature needed for regeneration and the energy-intensive nature of the regeneration process. For instance, amine-surface-modified or amineimpregnated porous silica (e.g., MCM-41, MCM-48, SBA-15, SBA-16) and zeolite 13X materials fail to capture CO2 effectively, require high temperature and long regeneration times and lack stability over many cycles. It should be pointed out that amine-modified silica-based solids are usually prepared by a post-treatment, which is a time-consuming and costly procedure and often involves the use of toxic and corrosive reagents. Porous carbon materials have many specific features such as high surface area, thermal and chemical stability, and hydrophobic surface properties. The incorporation of basic nitrogen groups into the carbon framework ensures an improved adsorption/absorption for acidic gases. Up to date, porous carbon materials used for CO2 capture were mostly prepared by post-synthetic amine modification or ammonia treatment, which again leads to materials lacking stability and, in addition, the reagents are corrosive, which brings the same disadvantages as for modified silica and zeolites. Alternatively, nitrogencontaining porous carbons can be prepared directly from

Nanocasting: A Versatile Strategy for Creating Nanostructured Porous Materials

Abstract: Nanocasting is a powerful method for creating materials that are more difficult to synthesize by conventional processes. We summarize recent developments in the synthesis of various structured porous solids, covering silica, carbon, and other nonsiliceous solids that are created by a nanocasting pathway. Structure replication on the nanometer length scale allows materials' properties to be manipulated in a controlled manner, such as tunable composition, controllable structure and morphology, and specific functionality. The nanocasting pathway with hard templates opens the door to the design of highly porous solids with multifunctional properties and interesting application perspectives.

Structurally designed synthesis of mechanically stable poly(benzoxazine-co-resol)-based porous carbon monoliths and their application as high-performance CO2 capture sorbents.

Abstract: Porous carbon monoliths with defined multilength scale pore structures, a nitrogen-containing framework, and high mechanical strength were synthesized through a self-assembly of poly(benzoxazine-co-resol) and a carbonization process. Importantly, this synthesis can be easily scaled up to prepare carbon monoliths with identical pore structures. By controlling the reaction conditions, porous carbon monoliths exhibit fully interconnected macroporosity and mesoporosity with cubic Im3m symmetry and can withstand a press pressure of up to 15.6 MPa. The use of amines in the synthesis results in a nitrogen-containing framework of the carbon monolith, as evidenced by the cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR characterization. With such designed structures, the carbon monoliths show outstanding CO2 capture and separation capacities, high selectivity, and facile regeneration at room temperature. At ∼1 bar, the equilibrium capacities of the monoliths are in the range of 3.3–4.9 mmol g–1 at 0 °C and of 2.6–3.3 m...

Phd by thesis

Abstract: Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

A review of electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors

Abstract: In this critical review, metal oxides-based materials for electrochemical supercapacitor (ES) electrodes are reviewed in detail together with a brief review of carbon materials and conducting polymers. Their advantages, disadvantages, and performance in ES electrodes are discussed through extensive analysis of the literature, and new trends in material development are also reviewed. Two important future research directions are indicated and summarized, based on results published in the literature: the development of composite and nanostructured ES materials to overcome the major challenge posed by the low energy density of ES (476 references).

Magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application

Abstract: This review focuses on the synthesis, protection, functionalization, and application of magnetic nanoparticles, as well as the magnetic properties of nanostructured systems. Substantial progress in the size and shape control of magnetic nanoparticles has been made by developing methods such as co-precipitation, thermal decomposition and/or reduction, micelle synthesis, and hydrothermal synthesis. A major challenge still is protection against corrosion, and therefore suitable protection strategies will be emphasized, for example, surfactant/polymer coating, silica coating and carbon coating of magnetic nanoparticles or embedding them in a matrix/support. Properly protected magnetic nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of various functional systems, and their application in catalysis and biotechnology will be briefly reviewed. Finally, some future trends and perspectives in these research areas will be outlined.

Graphitic carbon nitride materials: variation of structure and morphology and their use as metal-free catalysts

Abstract: Graphitic carbon nitride, g-C3N4, can be made by polymerization of cyanamide, dicyandiamide or melamine. Depending on reaction conditions, different materials with different degrees of condensation, properties and reactivities are obtained. The firstly formed polymeric C3N4 structure, melon, with pendant amino groups, is a highly ordered polymer. Further reaction leads to more condensed and less defective C3N4 species, based on tri-s-triazine (C6N7) units as elementary building blocks. High resolution transmission electron microscopy proves the extended two-dimensional character of the condensation motif. Due to the polymerization-type synthesis from a liquid precursor, a variety of material nanostructures such as nanoparticles or mesoporous powders can be accessed. Those nanostructures also allow fine tuning of properties, the ability for intercalation, as well as the possibility to give surface-rich materials for heterogeneous reactions. Due to the special semiconductor properties of carbon nitrides, they show unexpected catalytic activity for a variety of reactions, such as for the activation of benzene, trimerization reactions, and also the activation of carbon dioxide. Model calculations are presented to explain this unusual case of heterogeneous, metal-free catalysis. Carbon nitride can also act as a heterogeneous reactant, and a new family of metal nitride nanostructures can be accessed from the corresponding oxides.