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Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications
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Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Carbon Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2025) | Viewed by 14896

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Valery N. Khabashesku

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Materials Science and Nanoengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
Interests: materials chemistry; carbon nanomaterials; composites; coatings; energy storage; aerospace; biomedical; oilfield applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Carbon is an extremely versatile element, characterized by a variety of allotropes and structures with different properties due to their sp, sp2 or sp3 hybridization. Tremendous progress has been made in the area of carbon nanomaterials since the discovery of buckminsterfullerene in 1985 by Smalley, Kroto and Curl. In the following decades, a great number of novel nanostructured modifications of carbon, namely nanoscale diamonds, carbon nano-onions, carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon nanocones and nanocarbon dots, have been prepared and over a hundred more carbon allothropes theoretically predicted. Due to their unique structural dimensions and excellent mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical and chemical properties, these materials have attracted significant interest in diverse areas. The chemical functionalization of carbon nanomaterials was shown to play an important role in engineering and expanding their functional applications. For this reason, methods of surface modification are, for instance, extensively explored in the biomedical field for the imaging of cells and tissues and delivery of therapeutic molecules for disease treatment and tissue repair. Carbon-based nanomaterials have been widely investigated as the catalysts and key components of hydrogen storage systems. Due to their intrinsic characteristics, carbon-based materials are a desired material as electrodes in capacitors and batteries for enegy applications.

The scope of this Special Issue, entitled “Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications”, is to illuminate the most recent developments of research on the production, characterization, properties and broad applications of multifunctional carbon-based nanomaterials, as well as to cover the current challenges and opportunities in their industrial acceptance and potential technological scale-up.  

Prof. Dr. Valery N. Khabashesku
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbon nanomaterials
  • chemical functionalization
  • carbon nanotubes
  • nanoscale diamonds
  • preparation
  • properties
  • applications
  • catalysis
  • energy
  • biomedical

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 11976 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Antibacterial and Ultraviolet Protective Wool Fabric Using Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized with Guanidinylated Hyperbranched Polyethyleneimine Derivative
by Nikolaos S. Heliopoulos, Kyriaki-Marina Lyra, Aggeliki Papavasiliou, Fotios K. Katsaros, Kostas Stamatakis, Sergios K. Papageorgiou and Zili Sideratou
Materials 2025, 18(9), 1993; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18091993 - 28 Apr 2025
Viewed by 74
Abstract
Wool textiles with multifunctional properties such as self-cleaning, antibacterial, electrical conductivity, UV blocking etc. have recently attracted interest. Among the materials employed towards their development, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely investigated due to their unique chemical, mechanical and electrical properties, exhibiting also [...] Read more.
Wool textiles with multifunctional properties such as self-cleaning, antibacterial, electrical conductivity, UV blocking etc. have recently attracted interest. Among the materials employed towards their development, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely investigated due to their unique chemical, mechanical and electrical properties, exhibiting also notable UV-blocking properties. However, their limited dispersibility in solvents, particularly in water, has hindered their extensive industrial application and diminished their significant potential. In this work, two guanidinylated derivatives of hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (GPEI5k and PEI 25K) functionalized oxCNTs (oxCNTs@GPEI5K and oxCNTs@GPEI5K), with exceptional aqueous compatibility and colloidal stability, developed in our recent publication, were evaluated as to their antibacterial activity on Gram (-) Escherichia coli and Gram (+) Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and their cytotoxicity against mammalian cells, and the most promising, i.e., oxCNTs@GPEI5K, was subsequently used as finishing agent of wool fabric. The resulting wool textiles were evaluated for color, wash fastness, antibacterial properties, and UV-blocking performance. The GPEI-functionalized oxCNTs derivative, exhibited uniform distribution and good adhesion onto the wool fabrics yielding multifunctional wool fabrics with sustained antibacterial properties even after multiple washing cycles. Additionally, the modified textiles exhibited improved ultraviolet protection, highlighting their potential for multifunctional applications in antibacterial and UV-shielding textiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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12 pages, 3929 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Storage of Ti3C2Tx Aqueous Dispersion with Stable Electrochemical Properties
by Ting Peng, Ruiqing Wu, Bohai Wang, Tomasz Liskiewicz and Shengwei Shi
Materials 2024, 17(22), 5414; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17225414 - 6 Nov 2024
Viewed by 705
Abstract
MXenes possess high metallic conductivity and excellent dispersion quality and pseudocapcitance. Their good hydrophilicity makes them particularly suitable as eco-friendly inks for printing applications. However, MXenes are prone to oxidization in aqueous dispersions, and it is very important to improve their stability. Here, [...] Read more.
MXenes possess high metallic conductivity and excellent dispersion quality and pseudocapcitance. Their good hydrophilicity makes them particularly suitable as eco-friendly inks for printing applications. However, MXenes are prone to oxidization in aqueous dispersions, and it is very important to improve their stability. Here, the long-term storage of MXene aqueous dispersions was realized by the introduction of sodium L-ascorbate (NaAsc) as the antioxidant. The preserved MXenes exhibited very stable electrochemical properties. Even after 60-day storage, the supercapacitor with preserved MXenes as the electrode still demonstrated an excellent specific capacitance of 381.1 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and a good retention rate of 92.6% after 10,000 consecutive cyclic voltammetry measurements, which was nearly the same as that of fresh MXenes. The results indicate a facile and efficient method to realize the long-term storage of MXene aqueous dispersions for mass use in future energy storage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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7 pages, 3381 KiB  
Communication
A-C/Au Film with Low Humidity Sensitivity of Friction by Forming Au Transfer Film
by Lulu Pei, Li Ji, Hongxuan Li, Haichao Cai and Yujun Xue
Materials 2024, 17(20), 4941; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17204941 - 10 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 904
Abstract
Amorphous carbon is recognized as an excellent lubricating material; however, its tribological properties are significantly influenced by humidity. To elucidate the mechanism underlying this humidity dependence and to propose a novel enhancement method, we investigated and compared the tribological properties of hydrogenated amorphous [...] Read more.
Amorphous carbon is recognized as an excellent lubricating material; however, its tribological properties are significantly influenced by humidity. To elucidate the mechanism underlying this humidity dependence and to propose a novel enhancement method, we investigated and compared the tribological properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) and amorphous carbon/gold (a-C/Au) composite films. First, the friction coefficient of these carbon films under different humidity conditions was tested using a rotational ball-on-disk tribometer. Subsequently, we analyzed the morphology and structure of the sliding interface employing optical microscopy (OM), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Finally, first-principle calculations were carried out to calculate the adsorption energy of water molecules on different surfaces. The results indicate that the friction coefficient of a-C:H film and the area of transfer film increase with the increase of humidity. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fact that water molecules enhance the interaction between the a-C:H film and steel counterfaces. Notably, in contrast, the friction coefficient of a-C/Au film demonstrates low sensitivity to humidity due to the formation of an Au transfer film that exhibits weak interaction with water molecules. These findings provide a promising strategy for developing environment-adaptive amorphous carbon films and play an important role in promoting the development of intelligent lubricating film. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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13 pages, 4593 KiB  
Article
Effect of Carbon Fiber Paper with Thickness Gradient on Electromagnetic Shielding Performance of X-Band
by Zhi Liu, Meiping Song, Weiqi Liang, Xueping Gao and Bo Zhu
Materials 2024, 17(11), 2767; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112767 - 6 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1206
Abstract
Flexible paper-based materials play a crucial role in the field of flexible electromagnetic shielding due to their thinness and controllable shape. In this study, we employed the wet paper forming technique to prepare carbon fiber paper with a thickness gradient. The electromagnetic shielding [...] Read more.
Flexible paper-based materials play a crucial role in the field of flexible electromagnetic shielding due to their thinness and controllable shape. In this study, we employed the wet paper forming technique to prepare carbon fiber paper with a thickness gradient. The electromagnetic shielding performance of the carbon fiber paper varies with the ladder-like thickness distribution. Specifically, an increase in thickness gradient leads to higher reflectance of the carbon fiber paper. Within the X-band frequency range (8.2–12.4 GHz), reflectivity decreases as electromagnetic wave frequency increases, indicating enhanced penetration of electromagnetic waves into the interior of the carbon fiber paper. This enhancement is attributed to an increased fiber content per unit area resulting from a greater thickness gradient, which further enhances reflection loss and promotes internal multiple reflections and scattering effects, leading to increased absorption loss. Notably, at a 5 mm thickness, our carbon fiber paper exhibits an impressive average overall shielding performance, reaching 63.46 dB. Moreover, it exhibits notable air permeability and mechanical properties, thereby assuming a pivotal role in the realm of flexible wearable devices in the foreseeable future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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22 pages, 10440 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Bioadsorbents from Organic Municipal Waste
by Marcelina Sołtysik, Izabela Majchrzak-Kucęba and Dariusz Wawrzyńczak
Materials 2024, 17(9), 1954; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17091954 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1008
Abstract
This article describes the production of bioadsorbents coming from seven different kinds of organic waste, produced in huge quantities in households, in a two-stage process. In order to determine the influence of the process parameters of carbonization (I stage) and activation with potassium [...] Read more.
This article describes the production of bioadsorbents coming from seven different kinds of organic waste, produced in huge quantities in households, in a two-stage process. In order to determine the influence of the process parameters of carbonization (I stage) and activation with potassium hydroxide solution (II stage), the following analysis of the physicochemical properties of each sample at each stage processing was performed: base elemental composition, structure properties, surface morphology, thermal stability, crystallinity, and transmittance spectra characteristic bands. There was a lack of research on samples after each stage of waste processing in the literature. Addressing this allowed us to evaluate the transformative potential of each kind of organic waste included in the research and select the best waste for the production of bioadsorbents commonly used in environmental protection. Moreover, the results were compared with the ones in the literature. The utilization of particular kinds of organic waste seems to be especially important taking into account the strategy of waste management and sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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17 pages, 4384 KiB  
Article
Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials as Tools for Controlling the Kinetics of Tribochemical Reactions
by Dariusz Ozimina, Andrzej Kulczycki, Dawid Janas, Tomasz Desaniuk and Maciej Deliś
Materials 2024, 17(4), 785; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040785 - 6 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1290
Abstract
The aim of this article is to experimentally determine the role of the environment, consisting of a base oil (PAO), carbon nanomaterials, and optional other additives, as well as the kind of metal in contact with the lubrication film, in the stimulation of [...] Read more.
The aim of this article is to experimentally determine the role of the environment, consisting of a base oil (PAO), carbon nanomaterials, and optional other additives, as well as the kind of metal in contact with the lubrication film, in the stimulation of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) additives’ effectiveness during protective film formation. This paper focuses on the role of carbon nanostructures in energy transportation and conversion during tribological processes. An antistatic additive (ASA) (not used in lubricating oils) for jet fuels was added to disturb the process of energy conduction (electric charges) through the lubricant film and thus determine how this disturbance affects the kinetics of the ZDDP triboreaction and, consequently, the linear wear. To achieve this research goal, two types of tribological testing devices were used: an Anton Paar tribometer (TRB) and a triboelectric tribometer (TET). The novelty of the present research is in the use of the method for disturbing the flow of charge/energy through the lubricant film with an antistatic additive for jet fuels, ASA, to influence the impact of this energy on the antiwear properties of ZDDP. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) carbon-based nanostructures, i.e., CNTs, AuCNTs, graphene, and fullerenes, are able to change the rate of chemical reactions of ZDDP during tribological processes; (2) CNTs have the ability to catalyze tribochemical reactions of ZDDP, while graphene and fullerenes are not able to perform this effectively; (3) AuCNT takes the role of an inhibitor during ZDDP’s triboreaction; and (4) by discharging electric charge/energy, ASA, in cooperation with CNT and AuCNT significantly reduces the rate of the ZDDP reaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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12 pages, 3061 KiB  
Article
Purification of Quinoline Insolubles in Heavy Coal Tar and Preparation of Meso-Carbon Microbeads by Catalytic Polycondensation
by Lei Zhang, Ruikang Song, Yang Jia, Zhuorui Zou, Ya Chen and Qi Wang
Materials 2024, 17(1), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17010143 - 27 Dec 2023
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6432
Abstract
The quinoline-insoluble (QI) matter in coal tar and coal tar pitch is an important factor affecting the properties of subsequent carbon materials. In this paper, catalytic polycondensation was used to remove QI from heavy coal tar, and meso-carbon microbeads could be formed during [...] Read more.
The quinoline-insoluble (QI) matter in coal tar and coal tar pitch is an important factor affecting the properties of subsequent carbon materials. In this paper, catalytic polycondensation was used to remove QI from heavy coal tar, and meso-carbon microbeads could be formed during the purification process. The results showed that AlCl3 had superior catalytic performance to CuCl2, and the content of QI and heavy components, including pitch, in the coal tar was lower after AlCl3 catalytic polycondensation. Under the condition of catalytic polycondensation (AlCl3 0.9 g, temperature 200 °C, and time 9 h), AlCl3 could reduce the QI content in heavy coal tar. The formed small particles could be filtered and removed, and good carbon materials could be obtained under the condition of catalytic polycondensation (AlCl3 0.9 g, temperature 260 °C, and time 3 h). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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16 pages, 13032 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Laser-Induced Graphene Based Flexible Sensors Using 355 nm Ultraviolet Laser and Their Application in Human–Computer Interaction System
by Binghua Sun, Qixun Zhang, Xin Liu, You Zhai, Chenchen Gao and Zhongyuan Zhang
Materials 2023, 16(21), 6938; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16216938 - 29 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2418
Abstract
In recent years, flexible sensors based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) have played an important role in areas such as smart healthcare, smart skin, and wearable devices. This paper presents the fabrication of flexible sensors based on LIG technology and their applications in human–computer [...] Read more.
In recent years, flexible sensors based on laser-induced graphene (LIG) have played an important role in areas such as smart healthcare, smart skin, and wearable devices. This paper presents the fabrication of flexible sensors based on LIG technology and their applications in human–computer interaction (HCI) systems. Firstly, LIG with a sheet resistance as low as 4.5 Ω per square was generated through direct laser interaction with commercial polyimide (PI) film. The flexible sensors were then fabricated through a one-step method using the as-prepared LIG. The applications of the flexible sensors were demonstrated by an HCI system, which was fabricated through the integration of the flexible sensors and a flexible glove. The as-prepared HCI system could detect the bending motions of different fingers and translate them into the movements of the mouse on the computer screen. At the end of the paper, a demonstration of the HCI system is presented in which words were typed on a computer screen through the bending motion of the fingers. The newly designed LIG-based flexible HCI system can be used by persons with limited mobility to control a virtual keyboard or mouse pointer, thus enhancing their accessibility and independence in the digital realm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Functional Nanomaterials: Preparation, Properties and Applications)
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