Centre of Plasma Physics - Institute for Plasma Research

Highly efficient removal of metal ion pollutants, such as toxic and nuclear waste-related metal ions, remains a serious task from the biological and environmental standpoint because of their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Recently, highly porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), with excellent chemical stability and abundant functional groups, have represented a new addition to the area of capturing various types of hazardous metal ion pollutants. This review focuses on recent progress in reported MOFs and MOF-based composites as superior adsorbents for the efficient removal of toxic and nuclear waste-related metal ions. Aspects related to the interaction mechanisms between metal ions and MOF-based materials are systematically summarized, including macroscopic batch experiments, microscopic spectroscopy analysis, and theoretical calculations. The adsorption properties of various MOF-based materials are assessed and compared with those of other widely used adsorbents. Finally, we propose our personal insights into future research opportunities and challenges in the hope of stimulating more researchers to engage in this new field of MOF-based materials for environmental pollution management.

This textbook provides a modern and accessible introduction to magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). It describes the two main applications of plasma physics, laboratory research on thermo-nuclear fusion energy and plasma astrophysics of the solar system, stars and accretion disks, from the single viewpoint of MHD. This approach provides effective methods and insights for the interpretation of plasma phenomena on virtually all scales, from the laboratory to the universe. It equips the reader with the necessary tools to understand the complexities of plasma dynamics in extended magnetic structures. The classical MHD model is developed in detail without omitting steps in the derivations and problems are included at the end of each chapter. This text is ideal for senior-level undergraduate and graduate courses in plasma physics and astrophysics.

Graphene oxide nanosheets have attracted multidisciplinary attention due to their unique physicochemical properties. Herein, few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets were synthesized from graphite using a modified Hummers method and were characterized by TEM, AFM, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, FTIR spectroscopy, TG-DTA and acid-base titrations. The prepared few-layered graphene oxide nanosheets were used as adsorbents for the preconcentration of U(VI) ions from large volumes of aqueous solutions as a function of pH, ionic strength and temperature. The sorption of U(VI) ions on the graphene oxide nanosheets was strongly dependent on pH and independent of the ionic strength, indicating that the sorption was mainly dominated by inner-sphere surface complexation rather than by outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange. The abundant oxygen-containing functional groups on the surfaces of the graphene oxide nanosheets played an important role in U(VI) sorption. The sorption of U(VI) on graphene oxide nanosheets increased with an increase in temperature and the thermodynamic parameters calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms suggested that the sorption of U(vi) on graphene oxide nanosheets was an endothermic and spontaneous process. The maximum sorption capacities (Q(max)) of U(VI) at pH 5.0 ± 0.1 and T = 20 °C was 97.5 mg g(-1), which was much higher than any of the currently reported nanomaterials. The graphene oxide nanosheets may be suitable materials for the removal and preconcentration of U(VI) ions from large volumes of aqueous solutions, for example, U(VI) polluted wastewater, if they can be synthesized in a cost-effective manner on a large scale in the future.

Significantly enhanced HER kinetics were achieved by controllably fabricating a stepped MoS₂surface structure which possesses more optimal free energy of H-adsorption.

Carbon-stabilized Fe/Fe₃C nanoparticles with excellent adsorption capacity for dyes were fabricated through a facile <italic>in situ</italic> synthetic strategy.

A novel MPL bifunctional material fabricated by an easy and green approach was applied for the simultaneous removal of potentially toxic metals and anionic dyes.

Fe₃O₄@MnO₂ ball-in-ball hollow spheres are fabricated through a facile and simple strategy, exhibiting excellent catalytic activity and stability.

The individual and competitive adsorption of benzene, aniline and naphthylamine on reduced graphene oxides were studied by batch experiments and theoretical density functional theory (DFT).

Following on from the companion volume Principles of Magnetohydrodynamics, this textbook analyzes the applications of plasma physics to thermonuclear fusion and plasma astrophysics from the single viewpoint of MHD. This approach turns out to be ever more powerful when applied to streaming plasmas (the vast majority of visible matter in the Universe), toroidal plasmas (the most promising approach to fusion energy), and nonlinear dynamics (where it all comes together with modern computational techniques and extreme transonic and relativistic plasma flows). The textbook interweaves theory and explicit calculations of waves and instabilities of streaming plasmas in complex magnetic geometries. It is ideally suited to advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in plasma physics and astrophysics.

Carbon aerogels were made from waste cotton for the efficient removal of pollutants from aqueous solution.

Metal foil targets were irradiated with $1\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ wavelength ($\ensuremath{\lambda}$) laser pulses of 5 ps duration and focused intensities ($I$) of up to $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{19}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{W}\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, giving values of both $I{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{2}$ and pulse duration comparable to those required for fast ignition inertial fusion. The divergence of the electrons accelerated into the target was determined from spatially resolved measurements of x-ray ${K}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$ emission and from transverse probing of the plasma formed on the back of the foils. Comparison of the divergence with other published data shows that it increases with $I{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{2}$ and is independent of pulse duration. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations reproduce these results, indicating that it is a fundamental property of the laser-plasma interaction.

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Graphene oxide-based nanomaterials are suitable materials for the preconcentration of radionuclides and heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup.

The ground breaking studies of the past several years have ushered in a golden era of binary nonmetal transition metal compounds (BN-TMCs) in HER electrocatalysis. Here, we round up the recent developments in BN-TMCs from the viewpoint of its tunable physicochemical properties.

Correction for 'Plasma-induced grafting of polyacrylamide on graphene oxide nanosheets for simultaneous removal of radionuclides' by Wencheng Song et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2015, 17, 398-406.

Oxygen vacancy-rich WO_x/C nanowire networks are fabricated by a one-pot and high yield solvothermal method, exhibiting ultrafast and high adsorption capacities.

The current methods for chromium and natural organic matter decontamination from wastewater present limitations, such as high cost, poor reproducibility, and detrimental environmental effects as well as by secondary waste.

Sub-nanometer Cu-FeOOH clusters/CNNS exhibited ultrafast degradation of organic pollutants, good stability, recyclability, and large-scale application at 15 L.

The FeSe2 films with controllable morphologies (including 3D flower-like and sphere-shaped) have been applied as the counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). It is found that 3D flower-like FeSe2 CEs perform comparably to conventional platinum CEs (power conversion efficiencies of 8.00 and 7.87%, respectively).

This review describes the application of conjugated polymer (polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene) based composites in wastewater purification.