In recent years, due to its unparalleled advantages, the biomimetic and bioinspired synthesis of nanomaterials/nanostructures has drawn increasing interest and attention. Generally, biomimetic synthesis can be conducted either by mimicking the functions of natural materials/structures or by mimicking the biological processes that organisms employ to produce substances or materials. Biomimetic synthesis is therefore divided here into "functional biomimetic synthesis" and "process biomimetic synthesis". Process biomimetic synthesis is the focus of this review. First, the above two terms are defined and their relationship is discussed. Next different levels of biological processes that can be used for process biomimetic synthesis are compiled. Then the current progress of process biomimetic synthesis is systematically summarized and reviewed from the following five perspectives: i) elementary biomimetic system via biomass templates, ii) high-level biomimetic system via soft/hard-combined films, iii) intelligent biomimetic systems via liquid membranes, iv) living-organism biomimetic systems, and v) macromolecular bioinspired systems. Moreover, for these five biomimetic systems, the synthesis procedures, basic principles, and relationships are discussed, and the challenges that are encountered and directions for further development are considered.

Biomimetic and Bioinspired Synthesis of Nanomaterials/Nanostructures.

Dendritic Ni33.8Co66.2 alloy microstructures with hexagonal closed-packed phase have been prepared in large-scale by a simple and facile solution phase chemical route, while flowerlike Ni33.4Co66.6 in size of 2.5–5.5 μm was synthesized by solvothermal routes. Experimental results show that the reaction temperature, total concentration of [Ni2+] + [Co2+], and kinds of solvent and surfactants are key factors for controlling the morphology and crystal phase of the NiCo alloy. The possible formation mechanism for the Ni33.8Co66.2 dendrites has been discussed. Magnetic measurements revealed that both of the NiCo2 alloys obtained are ferromagnetic at room temperature. The saturation magnetization value of the Ni33.8Co66.2 dendrites (163.55 emu/g) is lower than that of the flowerlike Ni33.4Co66.6 (195.79 emu/g), but the Ni33.8Co66.2 dendritic structures exhibit an enhanced coercivity value. NiCo2 alloys with different shapes (Ni33.8Co66.2 dendrites and flowerlike Ni33.4Co66.6) have been used as reusable heteroge...

NiCo2 Alloys: Controllable Synthesis, Magnetic Properties, and Catalytic Applications in Reduction of 4-Nitrophenol

To design and fabricate rational surface architecture of individual particles is one of the key factors that affect their magnetic properties and microwave absorption capability, which is still a great challenge. Herein, a series of Co20Ni80 hierarchical structures with different surface morphologies, including flower-, urchin-, ball-, and chain-like morphologies, were obtained using structure-directing templates via a facile one-step solvothermal treatment. The microwave reflection loss (RL) of urchin-like Co20Ni80 hierarchical structures reaches as high as −33.5 dB at 3 GHz, with almost twice the RL intensity of the ball- and chain-like structures, and the absorption bandwidth (<−10 dB) is about 5.5 GHz for the flower-like morphology, indicating that the surface nanospikes and nanoflakes on the Co20Ni80 microsphere surfaces have great influences on their magnetic microwave absorption properties. Electron holography analysis reveals that the surface nanospikes and nanoflakes could generate a high density of stray magnetic flux lines and contribute a large saturation magnetization (105.62 emu g−1 for urchin-like and 96.41 emu g−1 for flower-like morphology), leading the urchin-like and flower-like Co20Ni80 to possess stronger microwave RL compared with the ball-like and chain-like Co20Ni80 alloys. The eddy-current absorption mechanism μ′′(μ′)−2(f)−1 is dominant in the frequency region above 8 GHz, implying that eddy-current loss is a vital factor for microwave RL in the high frequency range. It can be supposed from our findings that different surface morphologies of magnetic hierarchical structures might become an effective path to achieve high-performance microwave absorption for electromagnetic shielding and stealth camouflage applications.

Dependency of magnetic microwave absorption on surface architecture of Co20Ni80 hierarchical structures studied by electron holography.

Nanoalloys (NAs), which are distinctly different from bulk alloys or single metals, take on intrinsic features including tunable components and ratios, variable constructions, reconfigurable electronic structures, and optimizable performances, which endow NAs with fascinating prospects in the catalysis field. Here, the focus is on NA materials for chemical catalysis (except photocatalysis or electrocatalysis). In terms of composition, NA systems are divided into three groups, noble metal, base metal, and noble/base metal mixed NAs. Their design and fabrication for the optimization of catalytic performance are systematically summarized. Additionally, the correlations between the composition/structure and catalytic properties are also mentioned. Lastly, the challenges faced in current research are discussed, and further pathways toward their development are suggested.

Nanoalloy Materials for Chemical Catalysis

Tuning the composition and magnetostructure of dysprosium iron garnets by Co-substitution: An XRD, FT-IR, XPS and VSM study

Two-dimensional handkerchief-like nanostructures of Ni and NiCo magnetic amorphous alloys have been synthesized by a double composite structure-inducing template. High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the morphology and the dimensions. The self-assembly of fine handkerchief-like Ni and NiCo nanoalloys is attributed to the cooperation between ion-selected delivery of a hard collodion membrane by nitro-group chemical complexations and the size-controlled action of a reverse microemulsion. Importantly, the coordinations of ethylenediamine with Ni2+ and Co2+ can restrict the structure-inducing action. The phase transformation behavior was recorded by differential scanning calorimetry. Substituting Co for Ni can slow phase transformation, and the kinetic ordering temperature increases with the Co concentration increasing. The magnetic property measurement results show that the saturation magnetizations increase as the Co concentration is increased, but the coercivity is not ...

Nanostructures of Ni and NiCo Amorphous Alloys Synthesized by a Double Composite Template Approach

Inducing synthesis of amorphous EuFePt nanorods and their comprehensive enhancement of magnetism, thermostability and photocatalysis.

The new one-dimensional (1D) FePtDy nanolayers-assemblied superstructures are first synthesized by inducing synthesis through a phase transfer process. The morphology, structure, magnetic property, thermal stability, and photocatalysis have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, vibration sample magnetometry measurement, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The as-prepared 1D FePtDy nanolayers-assembly superstructures can induce excellent visible light photocatalysis effect for TiO2 by only simply mixing. Especially Fe39Pt53Dy8 nanolayers-assemblied 1D superstructures exhibit the strongest enhancement for the photocatalytic reactivity of TiO2 under visible light irradiation. In addition, phase transformation behaviors indicate that Dy inhibites transformation of L10 phase. The magnetic properties influenced by both the alloy component and shape, show that the coercivity has the parabolic type variation in which the Fe38Pt58Dy4 nanolayers-assemblied 1D superstructures get the largest.

Inducing nanolayers-assembly of FePtDy 1D superstructure and its induced visible light photocatalysis effect for TiO2

Newly designed magnetic FeNi-Pt match-like heterostructured nanorods were synthesized by means of induced growth of FeNi nanorods on Pt nanotips. The proposed synthesis mechanism is corroborated by SEM, TEM, XRD and XPS. The magnetic behavior shows that the magnetic saturation and coercivity are strongly dependent on both the shape and the alloy composition. The saturation magnetizations (Ms) and the coercivity (Hc) of nanorods synthesized are larger than those of nanoparticles because of the relatively large anisotropy of nanorods. Maximum saturation magnetization is obtained for Fe(82) Ni(15) -Pt(3) at 226.6 emu g(-1), whereas maximum coercivity is obtained for Fe(20)Ni(77)-Pt(3) at 136.8 Oe. Shape-dependent reactivity toward the reduction of chlorinated solvents was observed for the FeNi-Pt heterostructured nanomaterials. In particular, the Fe(82)Ni(15)-Pt(3) nanorods are highly reactive in the dechlorination process of 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane.

Inducing Growth of FeNi–Pt Match‐Like Magnetic Nanoheterostructures on Pt Nanotips and Dechlorination of Hydrochloric Ether

The invention belongs to the technical field of nano materials, in particular to a preparation method of a Pt-endpoint FeNi nano rod. In the invention, a template is formed by taking hydrothermal synthesis as a reaction system through adding surfactant oleic acid, and sodium oleate is used as a reaction medium and is reduced and induced under the action of polyalcohol to obtain a one-dimensional superstructure with noble metal Pt as an endpoint. The invention has simple preparation method, high yield, no environmental pollution and low cost and is easy to realize for future industrial production.

Fan Zhang

Papers

Nanostructures of Ni and NiCo Amorphous Alloys Synthesized by a Double Composite Template Approach

Inducing synthesis of amorphous EuFePt nanorods and their comprehensive enhancement of magnetism, thermostability and photocatalysis.

Inducing nanolayers-assembly of FePtDy 1D superstructure and its induced visible light photocatalysis effect for TiO2

Inducing Growth of FeNi–Pt Match‐Like Magnetic Nanoheterostructures on Pt Nanotips and Dechlorination of Hydrochloric Ether

Preparation method of Pt-endpoint FeNi nano rod