Nanyang Technological University

About: Nanyang Technological University is a education organization based out in Singapore, Singapore. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Computer science & Catalysis. The organization has 48003 authors who have published 112815 publications receiving 3294199 citations. The organization is also known as: NTU & Universiti Teknologi Nanyang.

Chitosan-functionalized graphene oxide as a nanocarrier for drug and gene delivery.

Abstract: The covalent functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) with chitosan (CS) is successfully accomplished via a facile amidation process. The CS-grafted GO (GO-CS) sheets consist of about 64 wt.% CS, which imparts them with a good aqueous solubility and biocompatibility. Additionally, the physicochemical properties of GO-CS are studied. As a novel nanocarrier, GO-CS is applied to load a water-insoluble anticancer drug, camptothecin (CPT), via π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions. It is demonstrated that GO-CS possesses a superior loading capacity for CPT, and the GO-CS-CPT complexes show remarkably high cytotoxicity in HepG2 and HeLa cell lines compared to the pure drug. At the same time, GO-CS is also able to condense plasmid DNA into stable, nanosized complexes, and the resulting GO-CS/pDNA nanoparticles exhibit reasonable transfection efficiency in HeLa cells at certain nitrogen/phosphate ratios. Therefore, the GO-CS nanocarrier is able to load and deliver both anticancer drugs and genes.

Hollow Carbon Nanofibers Filled with MnO2 Nanosheets as Efficient Sulfur Hosts for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Abstract: Lithium–sulfur batteries have been investigated as promising electrochemical-energy storage systems owing to their high theoretical energy density. Sulfur-based cathodes must not only be highly conductive to enhance the utilization of sulfur, but also effectively confine polysulfides to mitigate their dissolution. A new physical and chemical entrapment strategy is based on a highly efficient sulfur host, namely hollow carbon nanofibers (HCFs) filled with MnO2 nanosheets. Benefiting from both the HCFs and birnessite-type MnO2 nanosheets, the MnO2@HCF hybrid host not only facilitates electron and ion transfer during the redox reactions, but also efficiently prevents polysulfide dissolution. With a high sulfur content of 71 wt % in the composite and an areal sulfur mass loading of 3.5 mg cm−2 in the electrode, the MnO2@HCF/S electrode delivered a specific capacity of 1161 mAh g−1 (4.1 mAh cm−2) at 0.05 C and maintained a stable cycling performance at 0.5 C over 300 cycles.

Metal-organic frameworks and their derived materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion: Promises and challenges.

Abstract: In addition to their conventional uses, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as an interesting class of functional materials and precursors of inorganic materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies. This class of MOF-related materials can be broadly categorized into two groups: pristine MOF-based materials and MOF-derived functional materials. Although the diversity in composition and structure leads to diverse and tunable functionalities of MOF-based materials, it appears that much more effort in this emerging field is devoted to synthesizing MOF-derived materials for electrochemical applications. This is in view of two main drawbacks of MOF-based materials: the low conductivity nature and the stability issue. On the contrary, MOF-derived synthesis strategies have substantial advantages in controlling the composition and structure of MOF-derived materials. From this perspective, we review some emerging applications of both groups of MOF-related materials as electrode materials for rechargeable batteries and electrochemical capacitors, efficient electrocatalysts, and even electrolytes for electrochemical devices. By highlighting the advantages and challenges of each class of materials for different applications, we hope to shed some light on the future development of this highly exciting area.

Covalent Organic Frameworks for CO2 Capture

Abstract: As an emerging class of porous crystalline materials, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are excellent candidates for various applications. In particular, they can serve as ideal platforms for capturing CO2 to mitigate the dilemma caused by the greenhouse effect. Recent research achievements using COFs for CO2 capture are highlighted. A background overview is provided, consisting of a brief statement on the current CO2 issue, a summary of representative materials utilized for CO2 capture, and an introduction to COFs. Research progresses on: i) experimental CO2 capture using different COFs synthesized based on different covalent bond formations, and ii) computational simulation results of such porous materials on CO2 capture are summarized. Based on these experimental and theoretical studies, careful analyses and discussions in terms of the COF stability, low- and high-pressure CO2 uptake, CO2 selectivity, breakthrough performance, and CO2 capture conditions are provided. Finally, a perspective and conclusion section of COFs for CO2 capture is presented. Recent advancements in the field are highlighted and the strategies and principals involved are discussed.