Furfurylation,a renowned chemical modification technique,uses furfuryl alcohol to enhance the properties of wood.This technology can be further refined by incorporating renewable tannins,which promote cross-linking wi...Furfurylation,a renowned chemical modification technique,uses furfuryl alcohol to enhance the properties of wood.This technology can be further refined by incorporating renewable tannins,which promote cross-linking with furfuryl alcohol.This study investigates the effects of furfurylation and tannin-modified furfurylation on the physical and mechanical properties of tropical Gmelina wood(Gmelina arborea Roxb.).Experiments involved impregnating Gmelina wood with aqueous solutions of furfuryl alcohol(FA)at 40%and 70%concentrations,as well as FA-tannin combinations(FA 40%-TA and FA 70%-TA),followed by polymerization at 103℃.The results demonstrated that both FA and FA-tannin treatments significantly improved the wood’s physical and mechanical properties.Notably,FA-tannin treatments achieved anti-swelling efficiency comparable to FA alone.However,the addition of tannins(FA 70%-TA)enhanced leaching resistance by up to 47%,contributing to a more environmentally sustainable modification process.Mechanically,the inclusion of tannins in FA 70%-TA slightly increased the modulus of elasticity(14%~8732 kg/cm^(2))and the modulus of rupture(9%~40.9 kg/cm^(2)).Furthermore,the tannin addition imparted a darker color to the modified wood,enhancing its aesthetic appeal.This study highlights the potential of tannin-modified furfurylation to advance wood modification technology,combining improved performance with environmental benefits.展开更多
Furfuryl ethyl ether(FEE)is considered as one of the most important candidates for biofuels due to its high-octane number.However,it is still challenging to produce FEE via the biomass-based route under mild condition...Furfuryl ethyl ether(FEE)is considered as one of the most important candidates for biofuels due to its high-octane number.However,it is still challenging to produce FEE via the biomass-based route under mild conditions.Here,we developed a photoinduced catalytic transfer hydrogenation(CTH)process for the efficient production of FEE through the reduction etherification of furfural(FF)using Na_(4)W_(10)O_(32)(NaDT),Pd/C,and ethanol as the hydrogen atom transfer(HAT)catalyst,hydrogenation catalyst,and the H donor,respectively.Notably,the introduction of brominated benzene(PhBr)as an additive significantly promoted the yield of FEE to 92.7%.A series of experiments and characterization results indicated that the attachment and detachment of Br atoms on Pd/C catalyst surface effectively regulate the balance between H^(+)sites and Pd sites in the NaDT+Pd/C catalytic system.The balance facilitates the preferential acetalization of FF catalyzed by H^(+)sites,followed by hydrogenation to efficiently produce FEE catalyzed by Pd sites.This photoinduced CTH process exhibits good stability and recyclability as well as universality for the transformation of various organic substrates under mild conditions.展开更多
Tannins are polyphenols widely present in the plant kingdom,commonly divided into two groups:condensed and hydrolysable tannins.Sustainable furanic bio-foams based on condensed tannins have been largely studied,but li...Tannins are polyphenols widely present in the plant kingdom,commonly divided into two groups:condensed and hydrolysable tannins.Sustainable furanic bio-foams based on condensed tannins have been largely studied,but little is described about the use of hydrolysable tannins for this material.This study examined the potential of hydrolysable chestnut tannin in comparison to condensed mimosa tannins to produce furanic foams by chemical expansion.Due to the low reactivity of the hydrolysable tannin,the use of an external source for its polymerization and curing was necessary.Through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)chromatography,it was possible to observe that the new foams presented small differences in functional groups compared to the condensed tannin foams,presenting peaks related to carboxyl groups.In terms of physical properties,the chestnut foams showed an apparent density 36%higher than the conventional mimosa tannin foams and a superior hydrophilic character.In terms of thermal properties,both foams exhibit high thermal stability,with the acacia tannin foam being slightly superior.In summary,this research paves the way for new applications of hydrolysable tannins in bio-foams and materials science.展开更多
Selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol is a great challenge in the hydrogenation field due to thermodynamic preference for hydrogenation of C=C over C=O.Herein,a novel Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u hybrid catalyst,...Selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol is a great challenge in the hydrogenation field due to thermodynamic preference for hydrogenation of C=C over C=O.Herein,a novel Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u hybrid catalyst,composed of N-modified dendritic carbon networks supporting Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles,was successfully prepared via carbonizing the freeze-dried gel from spontaneous cross-linking of alginate,Al3+and urea.The obtained carbon-supported Al_(2)O_(3)hybrid catalyst has a high ratio (31%) of Al species in pentahedral-coordinated state.The introduction of urea enhances the surface N content,the ratio of pyrrolic N,and specific surface area of catalyst,leading to improved adsorption capacity of C=O and the accessibility of active sites.In the furfural hydrogenation reaction with isopropyl alcohol as hydrogen donor,Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u catalyst achieved a 90%conversion of furfural with 98.0% selectivity to furfuryl alcohol,outperforming that of commercial γ-Al_(2)O_(3).Moreover,Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u demonstrates excellent catalytic stability in the recycling tests attributed to the synergistic effect of abundant weak Lewis acid sites and the anchoring effect of the carbon network on Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles.This work provides an innovative and facile strategy for fabrication of carbon-supported Al_(2)O_(3)hybrid catalysts with rich AlVspecies,serving as a high selective hydrogenation catalyst through MPV reaction route.展开更多
Furfurylated wood exhibits excellent dimensional stability and corrosion resistance,making it a promising material for constructing buildings,but it is highly flammable.Herein,flame-retardant furfurylated poplar wood ...Furfurylated wood exhibits excellent dimensional stability and corrosion resistance,making it a promising material for constructing buildings,but it is highly flammable.Herein,flame-retardant furfurylated poplar wood was produced via a two-step process utilizing boric acid(BA)and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate(ADP)as flame-retardant components,and biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol(FA)as a modifier.The acidity of BA and ADP allowed them to catalyze the polymerization of FA,which formed a cross-linked network that immobilized BA and ADP inside the wood.The addition of BA/ADP substantially delayed the time to ignition from 10 to 385 s and reduced the total heat release and total smoke release by 58.75%and 77.31%,respectively.Analysis of the pyrolysis process showed that the decomposition products of BA and ADP protected the underlying furfurylated wood and diluted combustible gases.This method significantly improved the fire retardancy and smokeless properties of furfurylated wood,providing promising prospects for its application as an engineering material.展开更多
Bimetallic CuCo catalysts with different Cu to Co ratios on N-doped porous carbon materials(N-C)were achieved using impregnation method and applied in the hydrogenation of furfural(FAL)to furfuryl alcohol(FOL).The hig...Bimetallic CuCo catalysts with different Cu to Co ratios on N-doped porous carbon materials(N-C)were achieved using impregnation method and applied in the hydrogenation of furfural(FAL)to furfuryl alcohol(FOL).The high hydrogenation activity of FAL over Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C was originated from the synergistic interactions of Cu and Co species,where Co^(0)and Cu^(0)simultaneously adsorb and activate H_(2),and Cu^(+) served as Lewis acid sites to activate C]O.Meanwhile,electrons transfer from Cu to Co promoted the formation of Cu^(+).In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C adsorbed FAL with a tilted η^(1)-(O)configuration.The superior Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C showed excellent adsorbed ability towards H_(2) and FAL,but weak adsorption for FOL.Therefore,Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C possessed 93.1%FAL conversion and 99.0% FOL selectivity after 5 h reaction,which also exhibited satisfactory reusability in FAL hydrogenation for five cycles.展开更多
Cu nanoparticles supported on a variety of oxide supports, including SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, MgO and ZnO, were investigated for the hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol to1,2‐pentanediol and 1,5‐pent...Cu nanoparticles supported on a variety of oxide supports, including SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, MgO and ZnO, were investigated for the hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol to1,2‐pentanediol and 1,5‐pentanediol. A Cu‐Al2O3 catalyst with 10 wt% Cu loading prepared by a co‐precipitation method exhibited the best performance in terms of producing pentanediols compared with the other materials. This catalyst generated an 85.8% conversion and a 70.3% combined selectivity for the target pentanediols at 413 K and 8 MPa H2 over an 8‐h reaction. The catalyst could also be recycled over repeated reaction trials without any significant decrease in productivity. Characterizations with X‐ray diffraction, NH3/CO2‐temperature programmed desorption, N2 adsorption,transmission electron microscopy and N2 O chemisorption demonstrated that intimate and effective interactions between Cu particles and the acidic Al2O3 support in this material greatly enhanced its activity and selectivity. The promotion of the hydrogenolysis reaction was found to be especially sensitive to the Cu particle size, and the catalyst with Cu particles 1.9 to 2.4 nm in size showed the highest turnover frequency during the synthesis of pentanediols.展开更多
A theoretical study of poly furfuryle alcohol (PFA), rhodamine B (Rh B) dye and their blends (PFA-Rh B) is carried out by using the density functional theory (DFT). Electronic states and opto-electronic properties are...A theoretical study of poly furfuryle alcohol (PFA), rhodamine B (Rh B) dye and their blends (PFA-Rh B) is carried out by using the density functional theory (DFT). Electronic states and opto-electronic properties are investigated. The electronic states indicate that the oligomers of FA are insulators and Rh B is a wide band gap semiconductor. Their blends have a narrow band gap of about 0.75 eV. The optoelectronic properties are studied using TDDFT, which indicates that the chain length of poly furfuryl alcohol is an effective parameter to control both energies and intensities of absorption in which longer chain causes absorption with high intensity within long wavelength. A single broad baned of electron excitations is more like 8-oligomer-RhB case, which centers at wavelengths about 599 nm and 625 nm. This band of absorption covers the whole visible region of spectrum.展开更多
Selective hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol(FFA)to 1,5‐and 1,2‐pentanediol(PeD)was conducted over Cu‐LaCoO3 catalysts with different Cu loadings;the catalysts were derived from perovskite structur...Selective hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol(FFA)to 1,5‐and 1,2‐pentanediol(PeD)was conducted over Cu‐LaCoO3 catalysts with different Cu loadings;the catalysts were derived from perovskite structures prepared by a one‐step citrate complexing method.The catalytic performances of the Cu‐LaCoO3 catalysts were found to depend on the Cu loading and pretreatment conditions.The catalyst with 10 wt%Cu loading exhibited the best catalytic performance after prereduction in 5%H2‐95%N2,achieving a high FFA conversion of 100%and selectivity of 55.5%for 1,5‐pentanediol(40.3%)and 1,2‐pentanediol(15.2%)at 413 K and 6 MPa H2.This catalyst could be reused four times without a loss of FFA conversion but it resulted in a slight decrease in pentanediol selectivity.Correlation between the structural changes in the catalysts at different states and the simultaneous variation in the catalytic performance revealed that cooperative catalysis between Cu0 and CoO promoted the hydrogenolysis of FFA to PeDs,especially to 1,5‐PeD,while Co0 promoted the hydrogenation of FFA to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol(THFA).Therefore,it is suggested that a synergetic effect between balanced Cu0 and CoO sites plays a critical role in achieving a high yield of PeDs with a high 1,5‐/1,2‐pentanediol selectivity ratio during FFA hydrogenolysis.展开更多
Silicoaluminophosphate-34(SAPO-34) molecular sieves have important applications in the petrochemical industry as a result of their shape selectivity and suitable acidity. In this work, nanoaggregate SAPO-34 with a lar...Silicoaluminophosphate-34(SAPO-34) molecular sieves have important applications in the petrochemical industry as a result of their shape selectivity and suitable acidity. In this work, nanoaggregate SAPO-34 with a large external surface area was obtained by dissolving pseudoboehmite and tetraethylorthosilicate in an aqueous solution of tetraethylammonium hydroxide and subsequently adding phosphoric acid. After hydrolysis in an alkaline solution, the aluminum and silicon precursors exist as Al(OH)4-and SiO2(OH)-, respectively;this is beneficial for rapid nucleation and the formation of nanoaggregates in the following crystallization process. Additionally, to study the effect of the external surface area and pore size on the catalytic performance of different SAPO-34 structures, the alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol to ethyl levulinate(EL) was chosen as a model reaction. In a comparison with the traditional cube-like SAPO-34, nanoaggregate SAPO-34 generated a higher yield of 74.1% of EL, whereas that with cube-like SAPO-34 was only 19.9%. Moreover, the stability was remarkably enhanced for nanoaggregate SAPO-34. The greater external surface area and larger number of external surface acid sites are helpful in improving the catalytic performance and avoiding coke deposition.展开更多
A robust and green strategy for the selective upgrading of biomass-derived platform chemicals towards highly valuable products is important for the sustainable development.Herein,the efficient electrocatalytic oxidati...A robust and green strategy for the selective upgrading of biomass-derived platform chemicals towards highly valuable products is important for the sustainable development.Herein,the efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol(FFA)into furoic acid(FurAc)catalyzed by the electrodeposited non-precious NiFe microflowers was successfully reached under the low temperature and ambient pressure.The 3D hierarchical NiFe microflowers assembled from ultrathin nanosheets were controllably synthesized by the electrodeposition method and uniformly grown on carbon fiber paper(CFP).Electrochemical analysis confirmed that NiFe nanosheets more preferred in the selective oxidation of FFA(FFAOR)than oxygen evolution reaction(OER).The linear sweep voltammetry(LSV)in FFAOR displayed a clear decrease towards lower potential,resulting in 30 mV reduction of overpotential at 20 mA cm^(-2) compared with that of OER.The optimal catalyst Ni_(1)Fe_(2) nanosheets exhibited the highest selectivity of FurAc(94.0%)and 81.4%conversion of FFA within 3 h.Besides,the influence of various reaction parameters on FFAOR was then explored in details.After that,the reaction pathway was investigated and rationally proposed.The outstanding performance for FFAOR can be ascribed to the unique structure of 3D flower-like NiFe nanosheets and oxygen vacancies,resulting in large exposure of active sites,faster electron transfer and enhanced adsorption of reactants.Our findings highlight a facile and convenient mean with a promising green future,which is promising for processing of various biomass-derived platform chemicals into value-added products.展开更多
The conversion of hemicellulose-derived xylose to furfuryl alcohol is a practical procedure for producing value-added chemicals from biomass.In this study,a bifunctional Cu/SBA-15-SO3 H catalyst was employed for the o...The conversion of hemicellulose-derived xylose to furfuryl alcohol is a practical procedure for producing value-added chemicals from biomass.In this study,a bifunctional Cu/SBA-15-SO3 H catalyst was employed for the one-pot catalytic conversion of xylose to furfuryl alcohol with a yield of up to 62.6% at the optimized conditions of 140℃,4 MPa,and for 6 h in a biphasic water/n-butanol solvent.A high reaction temperature resulted in further hydrogenation to 2-methyl furan,while a high hydrogen pressure led to a side hydrogenation reaction to xylitol.The biphasic solvent allowed xylose solvation as well as furfuryl product extraction.The acidic-SO3 H sites and Cu sites co-existed,maintained a balance,and cooperatively catalyzed the cascade conversion.Excessive acidic sites and large pores could promote the xylose conversion,although a low furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained.This catalytic system could be potentially applied to the one-pot synthesis of furfuryl alcohol from hemicellulose-derived xylose.展开更多
At present, furan resin is the largest selling no-bake system of moulding sands. The most commonly used furan no-bake binders(FNB) are condensation products of furfuryl alcohol(FA) urea, formaldehyde and phenol. They ...At present, furan resin is the largest selling no-bake system of moulding sands. The most commonly used furan no-bake binders(FNB) are condensation products of furfuryl alcohol(FA) urea, formaldehyde and phenol. They are generally cured by exposure to organic sulfonic acids. FNB provide excellent mold and core strength, cure rapidly and allow the sand to be reclaimed at fairly high yields, generally 75%-80%, especially in applications where due allowance is made for the need to keep total sulfur content below 0.1%. However, due to probable carcinogenic properties of furfuryl alcohol, the EU Directive limits the content of this substance(in a monomer form in resin) to 25%. The classification of furfuryl alcohol and the resulting furan resin products has changed from "harmful" to "toxic by inhalation". The aim of this study was to determine the effect of free furfuryl alcohol content in the resin on the emission of harmful substances from the BTEX(Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene & Xylene) and PAHs(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) group exposed to high temperature and how it affects the emissions allowance of reclaimed sand in the matrix. Three resins from a leading manufacturer were examined, which contain a free furfuryl alcohol content of 71%-72%, about 50% and < 25%, respectively. The hardener for each resin was 65% aqueous solution of paratoluenesulfonic acid. Tests were carried out in semi-industrial conditions where liquid cast-iron was poured into sample sand mold at 1,350 °C. The matrix of the studied sands was reclaimed in the amount of 0, 50%, 100%, respectively.With the increase of free furfuryl alcohol content, the volume of evolved gases decreased. For all resins the main component from the BTEX group dominating in the emitted gases was benzene; however toluene also appeared in the amount of a few percentages. In contrast, ethylbenzene and xylenes occurred only in the gases emitted from resin-bonded sands with the largest furfuryl alcohol content. The increase in the share of reclaimed sands resulted in very significant increase in the volume of gas generated and participation of benzene in these gases. In terms of emission of compounds from the PAHs group virtually for all resins, the total content of these substances was comparable(within the limits of error). The main components were: fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo(a) anthracene.展开更多
Catalytic transfer hydroge nation(CTH)of furfural(FF)to furfu ryl alcohol(FFA)has received great intere st in recent years.He rein,Cu-Cs bimetallic supported catalyst,CuCs(2)-MCM,was developed for the CTH of FF to FFA...Catalytic transfer hydroge nation(CTH)of furfural(FF)to furfu ryl alcohol(FFA)has received great intere st in recent years.He rein,Cu-Cs bimetallic supported catalyst,CuCs(2)-MCM,was developed for the CTH of FF to FFA using formic as hydrogen donor.CuCs(2)-MCM achieved a 99.6%FFA yield at an optimized reaction conditions of 170℃,1 h.Cu species in CuCs(2)-MCM had dual functions in catalytically decomposing formic acid to generate hydrogen and hydrogenating FF to FFA.The doping of Cs made the size of Cu particles smaller and improved the dispersion of the Cu active sites.Impo rtantly,the Cs species played a favorable role in enhancing the hydrogenation activity as a promoter by adjusting the surface acidity of Cu species to an appropriate level.Correlation analysis showed that surface acidity is the primary factor to affect the catalytic activity of CuCs(2)-MCM.展开更多
The biomass valorization is of great importance as an alternative for the production of transport fuels and fine chemicals.Furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol is a prevailing industrial route for the utilizatio...The biomass valorization is of great importance as an alternative for the production of transport fuels and fine chemicals.Furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol is a prevailing industrial route for the utilization of hemicellulose component of biomass.The toxicity of the chromium species in commercial copper chromite catalyst for furfuryl alcohol production motivates the development of efficient chromium-free catalyst.Thus,a highly efficient silica supported copper catalyst is developed in this study.The catalyst is prepared by freeze drying of a gel precursor that is synthesized by ammonia evaporation,followed by calcination and H_(2)reduction.The catalyst exhibits higher furfural hydrogenation activity than oven dried catalyst,commercial copper chromite catalyst and a plant supplied commercial silica supported copper catalyst.The catalyst also shows good stability.The superior performance of the freeze dried catalyst has resulted from its developed pore structure and higher amount of Cu^(0)as well as Cu^(+)active sites.展开更多
Based on a special synthesis process of furan resin,the furfuryl alcohol(FA),the main component of typical no-bake furan resins is substituted by ethanol and xylitol mother liquor which is relatively low price and che...Based on a special synthesis process of furan resin,the furfuryl alcohol(FA),the main component of typical no-bake furan resins is substituted by ethanol and xylitol mother liquor which is relatively low price and chemically active.Through orthogonal test,the optimal amount of xylitol liquor,ethanol and modifier has been determined.Finally,the test results on technical properties show that the performance can meet the production requirement well,which indicate a success in this substituting attempt.展开更多
The Ni（Ⅱ） complex with ligand 2-N-（2-hydroxy-benzylidene） furanmethanoamine has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic...The Ni（Ⅱ） complex with ligand 2-N-（2-hydroxy-benzylidene） furanmethanoamine has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c with a = 2.0280（4）, b =0.57700（12）, c = 1.7340（4） nm, β = 94.74（3）°, Z = 4, Dc = 1.508 g/cm^3, the final R = 0.0434 and wR = 0.1112 for 1843 observed reflections with 1 〉 2σ（I）. X-ray analysis revealed that the Ni（Ⅱ） ion is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of Schiff base and two oxygen atoms of salicylaldehyde in the equatorial plane, and the coordination geometry can be described as a square.展开更多
An effect of phase compositions(rutile,Rut and anatase,Ant)of TiO_(2)supports on the selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol was investigated.The 15%wt Ni/TiO_(2)catalysts were prepared by incipient im...An effect of phase compositions(rutile,Rut and anatase,Ant)of TiO_(2)supports on the selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol was investigated.The 15%wt Ni/TiO_(2)catalysts were prepared by incipient impregnation method.The result showed that Ni supported on anatase-rutile mixed phase TiO_(2)(91%Rut and 9%Ant,A2)provided the highest furfuryl alcohol yield at 43.8%due to the relatively strong Ni-TiO_(2)interaction,its appropriate crystallite sizes,and high average pore sizes.Furthermore,the effect of cobalt as a promoter on Ni/TiO_(2)-A2 catalysts was studied.The result showed that the Ni-Co/TiO_(2)-A2 catalysts exhibited poorer catalyst performances compared to the monometallic Ni/TiO_(2),probably because addition of cobalt can lower the reduction temperatures of Ni/TiO_(2)and weaken the metal-support interaction.展开更多
The catalytic transformation of furfuryl alcohol and hexose into value-added chemicals have been investigated with a series of polymer-based catalysts including poly(styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS),graphite oxide-doped pol...The catalytic transformation of furfuryl alcohol and hexose into value-added chemicals have been investigated with a series of polymer-based catalysts including poly(styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS),graphite oxide-doped poly(styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS-GO),and graphite-doped poly(-styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS-C).It is found that the selective conversion of furfuryl alcohol to methyl levulinate(MLE)was successfully performed with PSS as the catalyst,in which a 96.4%yield is attained in methanol solvent.Moreover,the efficient dehydration of D-fructose to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)has also been achieved using PSS-GO as the catalyst,where a 76.5%yield of HMF was obtained in Nmethylpyrrodinone solvent.The effects of reaction temperature,time and solvent were investigated.Furthermore,the used catalysts have been respectively characterized by XRD,TG,FTIR,SEM and TEM techniques to reveal the physical properties and structures of these polymeric catalytic materials.展开更多
A rod-rod diblock copolymer (diBCP), poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-poly(furfuryl isocyanate)(P3HT-b-PFIC), was synthesized through the anionic polymerization with an oxyanionic macroinitiator of P3HT. The properties of...A rod-rod diblock copolymer (diBCP), poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-poly(furfuryl isocyanate)(P3HT-b-PFIC), was synthesized through the anionic polymerization with an oxyanionic macroinitiator of P3HT. The properties of the diBCP (molecular weight, dispersity, composition, thermal stability, UV-visible absorption, and thin film morphology) were determined by various analytical methods. P3HT-b-PFIC was blended with C60 in a toluene solution to prepare a thin film of binary electron donor/acceptor system. Such blending enabled partial conjugation of the two components by the Diels-Alder reaction between furan and C60 at 60℃ for 3 h;the mixture was then spin-cast as a thin film, and annealed at 250℃ for 24 h. Tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that P3HT and C60 domains had nanoscale interfaces without a large phase segregation. This result indicated that the microphase separation of C60-functionalized P3HT-b-PFIC preserved even at high temperature provided free C60 molecules with channels to diffuse on the sides of P3HT domain, thus preventing the macroscopic crystallization of free C60 through the interfacial stabilization.展开更多
基金funded by the Directorate General of Higher Education,Research,and Technology,Ministry of Education,Culture,Research,and Technology,Indonesia,which sponsored the research grant via the National Competitive Basic Research Scheme,No.027/E5/PG.02.00.PL/2024facilitated by IPB University(Bogor Agricultural University)through Research Contract No.22055/IT3.D10/PT.01.03/P/B/2024+1 种基金funded by Research Organization for Nanotechnology and Materials No.3/III.10/HK/2023National Research and Innovation Agency(BRIN),Indonesia.
文摘Furfurylation,a renowned chemical modification technique,uses furfuryl alcohol to enhance the properties of wood.This technology can be further refined by incorporating renewable tannins,which promote cross-linking with furfuryl alcohol.This study investigates the effects of furfurylation and tannin-modified furfurylation on the physical and mechanical properties of tropical Gmelina wood(Gmelina arborea Roxb.).Experiments involved impregnating Gmelina wood with aqueous solutions of furfuryl alcohol(FA)at 40%and 70%concentrations,as well as FA-tannin combinations(FA 40%-TA and FA 70%-TA),followed by polymerization at 103℃.The results demonstrated that both FA and FA-tannin treatments significantly improved the wood’s physical and mechanical properties.Notably,FA-tannin treatments achieved anti-swelling efficiency comparable to FA alone.However,the addition of tannins(FA 70%-TA)enhanced leaching resistance by up to 47%,contributing to a more environmentally sustainable modification process.Mechanically,the inclusion of tannins in FA 70%-TA slightly increased the modulus of elasticity(14%~8732 kg/cm^(2))and the modulus of rupture(9%~40.9 kg/cm^(2)).Furthermore,the tannin addition imparted a darker color to the modified wood,enhancing its aesthetic appeal.This study highlights the potential of tannin-modified furfurylation to advance wood modification technology,combining improved performance with environmental benefits.
文摘Furfuryl ethyl ether(FEE)is considered as one of the most important candidates for biofuels due to its high-octane number.However,it is still challenging to produce FEE via the biomass-based route under mild conditions.Here,we developed a photoinduced catalytic transfer hydrogenation(CTH)process for the efficient production of FEE through the reduction etherification of furfural(FF)using Na_(4)W_(10)O_(32)(NaDT),Pd/C,and ethanol as the hydrogen atom transfer(HAT)catalyst,hydrogenation catalyst,and the H donor,respectively.Notably,the introduction of brominated benzene(PhBr)as an additive significantly promoted the yield of FEE to 92.7%.A series of experiments and characterization results indicated that the attachment and detachment of Br atoms on Pd/C catalyst surface effectively regulate the balance between H^(+)sites and Pd sites in the NaDT+Pd/C catalytic system.The balance facilitates the preferential acetalization of FF catalyzed by H^(+)sites,followed by hydrogenation to efficiently produce FEE catalyzed by Pd sites.This photoinduced CTH process exhibits good stability and recyclability as well as universality for the transformation of various organic substrates under mild conditions.
基金supported by a grant overseen by the French National Research Agency(ANR),as part of the“Investissements d’Avenir”program(ANR-11-LABX-0002-01,Lab of Excellence ARBRE)supported by“Lorraine Universitéd’Excellence”Master Grant,ORION program and by the French Ministry of Foreign Office through EIFFEL program.
文摘Tannins are polyphenols widely present in the plant kingdom,commonly divided into two groups:condensed and hydrolysable tannins.Sustainable furanic bio-foams based on condensed tannins have been largely studied,but little is described about the use of hydrolysable tannins for this material.This study examined the potential of hydrolysable chestnut tannin in comparison to condensed mimosa tannins to produce furanic foams by chemical expansion.Due to the low reactivity of the hydrolysable tannin,the use of an external source for its polymerization and curing was necessary.Through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)chromatography,it was possible to observe that the new foams presented small differences in functional groups compared to the condensed tannin foams,presenting peaks related to carboxyl groups.In terms of physical properties,the chestnut foams showed an apparent density 36%higher than the conventional mimosa tannin foams and a superior hydrophilic character.In terms of thermal properties,both foams exhibit high thermal stability,with the acacia tannin foam being slightly superior.In summary,this research paves the way for new applications of hydrolysable tannins in bio-foams and materials science.
基金China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M733451)Dalian Innovation Team in Key Areas(2020RT06)Engineering Research Center for Key Aromatic Compounds and LiaoNing Key Laboratory,Liaoning Provincial Natural Science Foundation (Doctoral Research Start-up Fund 2024-BSBA-37)。
文摘Selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol is a great challenge in the hydrogenation field due to thermodynamic preference for hydrogenation of C=C over C=O.Herein,a novel Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u hybrid catalyst,composed of N-modified dendritic carbon networks supporting Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles,was successfully prepared via carbonizing the freeze-dried gel from spontaneous cross-linking of alginate,Al3+and urea.The obtained carbon-supported Al_(2)O_(3)hybrid catalyst has a high ratio (31%) of Al species in pentahedral-coordinated state.The introduction of urea enhances the surface N content,the ratio of pyrrolic N,and specific surface area of catalyst,leading to improved adsorption capacity of C=O and the accessibility of active sites.In the furfural hydrogenation reaction with isopropyl alcohol as hydrogen donor,Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u catalyst achieved a 90%conversion of furfural with 98.0% selectivity to furfuryl alcohol,outperforming that of commercial γ-Al_(2)O_(3).Moreover,Al_(2)O_(3)/C-u demonstrates excellent catalytic stability in the recycling tests attributed to the synergistic effect of abundant weak Lewis acid sites and the anchoring effect of the carbon network on Al_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles.This work provides an innovative and facile strategy for fabrication of carbon-supported Al_(2)O_(3)hybrid catalysts with rich AlVspecies,serving as a high selective hydrogenation catalyst through MPV reaction route.
基金financially supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province,China(2023NK2038)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32201485)+2 种基金Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province,China(2022JJ40863,2023JJ60161)Scientific Research Project of Hunan Provincial Education Department,China(21B0238,22A0177)Hunan Provincial Technical Innovation Platform and Talent Program in Science and Technology,China(2023RC3159).
文摘Furfurylated wood exhibits excellent dimensional stability and corrosion resistance,making it a promising material for constructing buildings,but it is highly flammable.Herein,flame-retardant furfurylated poplar wood was produced via a two-step process utilizing boric acid(BA)and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate(ADP)as flame-retardant components,and biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol(FA)as a modifier.The acidity of BA and ADP allowed them to catalyze the polymerization of FA,which formed a cross-linked network that immobilized BA and ADP inside the wood.The addition of BA/ADP substantially delayed the time to ignition from 10 to 385 s and reduced the total heat release and total smoke release by 58.75%and 77.31%,respectively.Analysis of the pyrolysis process showed that the decomposition products of BA and ADP protected the underlying furfurylated wood and diluted combustible gases.This method significantly improved the fire retardancy and smokeless properties of furfurylated wood,providing promising prospects for its application as an engineering material.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22108189, 22278286)Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholar of Shanxi Province(202303021223001)SINOPEC 122027
文摘Bimetallic CuCo catalysts with different Cu to Co ratios on N-doped porous carbon materials(N-C)were achieved using impregnation method and applied in the hydrogenation of furfural(FAL)to furfuryl alcohol(FOL).The high hydrogenation activity of FAL over Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C was originated from the synergistic interactions of Cu and Co species,where Co^(0)and Cu^(0)simultaneously adsorb and activate H_(2),and Cu^(+) served as Lewis acid sites to activate C]O.Meanwhile,electrons transfer from Cu to Co promoted the formation of Cu^(+).In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C adsorbed FAL with a tilted η^(1)-(O)configuration.The superior Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C showed excellent adsorbed ability towards H_(2) and FAL,but weak adsorption for FOL.Therefore,Cu_(1)Co_(1)/N-C possessed 93.1%FAL conversion and 99.0% FOL selectivity after 5 h reaction,which also exhibited satisfactory reusability in FAL hydrogenation for five cycles.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(2113301121203221+1 种基金21473224)the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province(1308RJZA281)~~
文摘Cu nanoparticles supported on a variety of oxide supports, including SiO2, TiO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, MgO and ZnO, were investigated for the hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol to1,2‐pentanediol and 1,5‐pentanediol. A Cu‐Al2O3 catalyst with 10 wt% Cu loading prepared by a co‐precipitation method exhibited the best performance in terms of producing pentanediols compared with the other materials. This catalyst generated an 85.8% conversion and a 70.3% combined selectivity for the target pentanediols at 413 K and 8 MPa H2 over an 8‐h reaction. The catalyst could also be recycled over repeated reaction trials without any significant decrease in productivity. Characterizations with X‐ray diffraction, NH3/CO2‐temperature programmed desorption, N2 adsorption,transmission electron microscopy and N2 O chemisorption demonstrated that intimate and effective interactions between Cu particles and the acidic Al2O3 support in this material greatly enhanced its activity and selectivity. The promotion of the hydrogenolysis reaction was found to be especially sensitive to the Cu particle size, and the catalyst with Cu particles 1.9 to 2.4 nm in size showed the highest turnover frequency during the synthesis of pentanediols.
文摘A theoretical study of poly furfuryle alcohol (PFA), rhodamine B (Rh B) dye and their blends (PFA-Rh B) is carried out by using the density functional theory (DFT). Electronic states and opto-electronic properties are investigated. The electronic states indicate that the oligomers of FA are insulators and Rh B is a wide band gap semiconductor. Their blends have a narrow band gap of about 0.75 eV. The optoelectronic properties are studied using TDDFT, which indicates that the chain length of poly furfuryl alcohol is an effective parameter to control both energies and intensities of absorption in which longer chain causes absorption with high intensity within long wavelength. A single broad baned of electron excitations is more like 8-oligomer-RhB case, which centers at wavelengths about 599 nm and 625 nm. This band of absorption covers the whole visible region of spectrum.
文摘Selective hydrogenolysis of biomass‐derived furfuryl alcohol(FFA)to 1,5‐and 1,2‐pentanediol(PeD)was conducted over Cu‐LaCoO3 catalysts with different Cu loadings;the catalysts were derived from perovskite structures prepared by a one‐step citrate complexing method.The catalytic performances of the Cu‐LaCoO3 catalysts were found to depend on the Cu loading and pretreatment conditions.The catalyst with 10 wt%Cu loading exhibited the best catalytic performance after prereduction in 5%H2‐95%N2,achieving a high FFA conversion of 100%and selectivity of 55.5%for 1,5‐pentanediol(40.3%)and 1,2‐pentanediol(15.2%)at 413 K and 6 MPa H2.This catalyst could be reused four times without a loss of FFA conversion but it resulted in a slight decrease in pentanediol selectivity.Correlation between the structural changes in the catalysts at different states and the simultaneous variation in the catalytic performance revealed that cooperative catalysis between Cu0 and CoO promoted the hydrogenolysis of FFA to PeDs,especially to 1,5‐PeD,while Co0 promoted the hydrogenation of FFA to tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol(THFA).Therefore,it is suggested that a synergetic effect between balanced Cu0 and CoO sites plays a critical role in achieving a high yield of PeDs with a high 1,5‐/1,2‐pentanediol selectivity ratio during FFA hydrogenolysis.
文摘Silicoaluminophosphate-34(SAPO-34) molecular sieves have important applications in the petrochemical industry as a result of their shape selectivity and suitable acidity. In this work, nanoaggregate SAPO-34 with a large external surface area was obtained by dissolving pseudoboehmite and tetraethylorthosilicate in an aqueous solution of tetraethylammonium hydroxide and subsequently adding phosphoric acid. After hydrolysis in an alkaline solution, the aluminum and silicon precursors exist as Al(OH)4-and SiO2(OH)-, respectively;this is beneficial for rapid nucleation and the formation of nanoaggregates in the following crystallization process. Additionally, to study the effect of the external surface area and pore size on the catalytic performance of different SAPO-34 structures, the alcoholysis of furfuryl alcohol to ethyl levulinate(EL) was chosen as a model reaction. In a comparison with the traditional cube-like SAPO-34, nanoaggregate SAPO-34 generated a higher yield of 74.1% of EL, whereas that with cube-like SAPO-34 was only 19.9%. Moreover, the stability was remarkably enhanced for nanoaggregate SAPO-34. The greater external surface area and larger number of external surface acid sites are helpful in improving the catalytic performance and avoiding coke deposition.
基金supported by Key Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (2019B110209003)Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2019B1515120058,2020A1515011149)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (22078374,21776324)National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFD0800703)National Ten Thousand Talent Plan,the Fundamental Research Funds for the Cornell University (19lgzd25)and Hundred Talent Plan (201602)from Sun Yat-sen University.
文摘A robust and green strategy for the selective upgrading of biomass-derived platform chemicals towards highly valuable products is important for the sustainable development.Herein,the efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of biomass-derived furfuryl alcohol(FFA)into furoic acid(FurAc)catalyzed by the electrodeposited non-precious NiFe microflowers was successfully reached under the low temperature and ambient pressure.The 3D hierarchical NiFe microflowers assembled from ultrathin nanosheets were controllably synthesized by the electrodeposition method and uniformly grown on carbon fiber paper(CFP).Electrochemical analysis confirmed that NiFe nanosheets more preferred in the selective oxidation of FFA(FFAOR)than oxygen evolution reaction(OER).The linear sweep voltammetry(LSV)in FFAOR displayed a clear decrease towards lower potential,resulting in 30 mV reduction of overpotential at 20 mA cm^(-2) compared with that of OER.The optimal catalyst Ni_(1)Fe_(2) nanosheets exhibited the highest selectivity of FurAc(94.0%)and 81.4%conversion of FFA within 3 h.Besides,the influence of various reaction parameters on FFAOR was then explored in details.After that,the reaction pathway was investigated and rationally proposed.The outstanding performance for FFAOR can be ascribed to the unique structure of 3D flower-like NiFe nanosheets and oxygen vacancies,resulting in large exposure of active sites,faster electron transfer and enhanced adsorption of reactants.Our findings highlight a facile and convenient mean with a promising green future,which is promising for processing of various biomass-derived platform chemicals into value-added products.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFB1501600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21572212,51821006,51961135104)+2 种基金the Major Science and Technology Projects of Anhui Province(18030701157)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA21060101)the Local Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program(2017BT01N092)~~
文摘The conversion of hemicellulose-derived xylose to furfuryl alcohol is a practical procedure for producing value-added chemicals from biomass.In this study,a bifunctional Cu/SBA-15-SO3 H catalyst was employed for the one-pot catalytic conversion of xylose to furfuryl alcohol with a yield of up to 62.6% at the optimized conditions of 140℃,4 MPa,and for 6 h in a biphasic water/n-butanol solvent.A high reaction temperature resulted in further hydrogenation to 2-methyl furan,while a high hydrogen pressure led to a side hydrogenation reaction to xylitol.The biphasic solvent allowed xylose solvation as well as furfuryl product extraction.The acidic-SO3 H sites and Cu sites co-existed,maintained a balance,and cooperatively catalyzed the cascade conversion.Excessive acidic sites and large pores could promote the xylose conversion,although a low furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained.This catalytic system could be potentially applied to the one-pot synthesis of furfuryl alcohol from hemicellulose-derived xylose.
基金supported by the National Centre for Research and Development(PolandNo PBS2/A5/30/2013)
文摘At present, furan resin is the largest selling no-bake system of moulding sands. The most commonly used furan no-bake binders(FNB) are condensation products of furfuryl alcohol(FA) urea, formaldehyde and phenol. They are generally cured by exposure to organic sulfonic acids. FNB provide excellent mold and core strength, cure rapidly and allow the sand to be reclaimed at fairly high yields, generally 75%-80%, especially in applications where due allowance is made for the need to keep total sulfur content below 0.1%. However, due to probable carcinogenic properties of furfuryl alcohol, the EU Directive limits the content of this substance(in a monomer form in resin) to 25%. The classification of furfuryl alcohol and the resulting furan resin products has changed from "harmful" to "toxic by inhalation". The aim of this study was to determine the effect of free furfuryl alcohol content in the resin on the emission of harmful substances from the BTEX(Benzene Toluene Ethylbenzene & Xylene) and PAHs(polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) group exposed to high temperature and how it affects the emissions allowance of reclaimed sand in the matrix. Three resins from a leading manufacturer were examined, which contain a free furfuryl alcohol content of 71%-72%, about 50% and < 25%, respectively. The hardener for each resin was 65% aqueous solution of paratoluenesulfonic acid. Tests were carried out in semi-industrial conditions where liquid cast-iron was poured into sample sand mold at 1,350 °C. The matrix of the studied sands was reclaimed in the amount of 0, 50%, 100%, respectively.With the increase of free furfuryl alcohol content, the volume of evolved gases decreased. For all resins the main component from the BTEX group dominating in the emitted gases was benzene; however toluene also appeared in the amount of a few percentages. In contrast, ethylbenzene and xylenes occurred only in the gases emitted from resin-bonded sands with the largest furfuryl alcohol content. The increase in the share of reclaimed sands resulted in very significant increase in the volume of gas generated and participation of benzene in these gases. In terms of emission of compounds from the PAHs group virtually for all resins, the total content of these substances was comparable(within the limits of error). The main components were: fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo(a) anthracene.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Fund of China(Nos.21776234,21978246)。
文摘Catalytic transfer hydroge nation(CTH)of furfural(FF)to furfu ryl alcohol(FFA)has received great intere st in recent years.He rein,Cu-Cs bimetallic supported catalyst,CuCs(2)-MCM,was developed for the CTH of FF to FFA using formic as hydrogen donor.CuCs(2)-MCM achieved a 99.6%FFA yield at an optimized reaction conditions of 170℃,1 h.Cu species in CuCs(2)-MCM had dual functions in catalytically decomposing formic acid to generate hydrogen and hydrogenating FF to FFA.The doping of Cs made the size of Cu particles smaller and improved the dispersion of the Cu active sites.Impo rtantly,the Cs species played a favorable role in enhancing the hydrogenation activity as a promoter by adjusting the surface acidity of Cu species to an appropriate level.Correlation analysis showed that surface acidity is the primary factor to affect the catalytic activity of CuCs(2)-MCM.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.21721004,21808217,21932005)Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province (No.2020-MS-018)+1 种基金Dalian Young Star of Science and Technology Project (No.2020RQ023)Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (Nos.DICP ZZBS201812,DICPI201936)。
文摘The biomass valorization is of great importance as an alternative for the production of transport fuels and fine chemicals.Furfural hydrogenation to furfuryl alcohol is a prevailing industrial route for the utilization of hemicellulose component of biomass.The toxicity of the chromium species in commercial copper chromite catalyst for furfuryl alcohol production motivates the development of efficient chromium-free catalyst.Thus,a highly efficient silica supported copper catalyst is developed in this study.The catalyst is prepared by freeze drying of a gel precursor that is synthesized by ammonia evaporation,followed by calcination and H_(2)reduction.The catalyst exhibits higher furfural hydrogenation activity than oven dried catalyst,commercial copper chromite catalyst and a plant supplied commercial silica supported copper catalyst.The catalyst also shows good stability.The superior performance of the freeze dried catalyst has resulted from its developed pore structure and higher amount of Cu^(0)as well as Cu^(+)active sites.
文摘Based on a special synthesis process of furan resin,the furfuryl alcohol(FA),the main component of typical no-bake furan resins is substituted by ethanol and xylitol mother liquor which is relatively low price and chemically active.Through orthogonal test,the optimal amount of xylitol liquor,ethanol and modifier has been determined.Finally,the test results on technical properties show that the performance can meet the production requirement well,which indicate a success in this substituting attempt.
文摘The Ni（Ⅱ） complex with ligand 2-N-（2-hydroxy-benzylidene） furanmethanoamine has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/c with a = 2.0280（4）, b =0.57700（12）, c = 1.7340（4） nm, β = 94.74（3）°, Z = 4, Dc = 1.508 g/cm^3, the final R = 0.0434 and wR = 0.1112 for 1843 observed reflections with 1 〉 2σ（I）. X-ray analysis revealed that the Ni（Ⅱ） ion is coordinated by two nitrogen atoms of Schiff base and two oxygen atoms of salicylaldehyde in the equatorial plane, and the coordination geometry can be described as a square.
文摘An effect of phase compositions(rutile,Rut and anatase,Ant)of TiO_(2)supports on the selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol was investigated.The 15%wt Ni/TiO_(2)catalysts were prepared by incipient impregnation method.The result showed that Ni supported on anatase-rutile mixed phase TiO_(2)(91%Rut and 9%Ant,A2)provided the highest furfuryl alcohol yield at 43.8%due to the relatively strong Ni-TiO_(2)interaction,its appropriate crystallite sizes,and high average pore sizes.Furthermore,the effect of cobalt as a promoter on Ni/TiO_(2)-A2 catalysts was studied.The result showed that the Ni-Co/TiO_(2)-A2 catalysts exhibited poorer catalyst performances compared to the monometallic Ni/TiO_(2),probably because addition of cobalt can lower the reduction temperatures of Ni/TiO_(2)and weaken the metal-support interaction.
基金financially supported from the Tianjin Research Program of Application Foundation and Advanced Technology (No. 17JCYBJC20200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21878235)
文摘The catalytic transformation of furfuryl alcohol and hexose into value-added chemicals have been investigated with a series of polymer-based catalysts including poly(styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS),graphite oxide-doped poly(styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS-GO),and graphite-doped poly(-styrenesulfonic acid)(PSS-C).It is found that the selective conversion of furfuryl alcohol to methyl levulinate(MLE)was successfully performed with PSS as the catalyst,in which a 96.4%yield is attained in methanol solvent.Moreover,the efficient dehydration of D-fructose to produce 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF)has also been achieved using PSS-GO as the catalyst,where a 76.5%yield of HMF was obtained in Nmethylpyrrodinone solvent.The effects of reaction temperature,time and solvent were investigated.Furthermore,the used catalysts have been respectively characterized by XRD,TG,FTIR,SEM and TEM techniques to reveal the physical properties and structures of these polymeric catalytic materials.
基金financially supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF)funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (Nos. NRF-2015R1A2A1A01002493 and NRF-2018R1A2B6003616)supported by “Nobel Research Project” grant for Grubbs Center for Polymers and Catalysis funded by the GIST in 2019
文摘A rod-rod diblock copolymer (diBCP), poly(3-hexylthiophene)-block-poly(furfuryl isocyanate)(P3HT-b-PFIC), was synthesized through the anionic polymerization with an oxyanionic macroinitiator of P3HT. The properties of the diBCP (molecular weight, dispersity, composition, thermal stability, UV-visible absorption, and thin film morphology) were determined by various analytical methods. P3HT-b-PFIC was blended with C60 in a toluene solution to prepare a thin film of binary electron donor/acceptor system. Such blending enabled partial conjugation of the two components by the Diels-Alder reaction between furan and C60 at 60℃ for 3 h;the mixture was then spin-cast as a thin film, and annealed at 250℃ for 24 h. Tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that P3HT and C60 domains had nanoscale interfaces without a large phase segregation. This result indicated that the microphase separation of C60-functionalized P3HT-b-PFIC preserved even at high temperature provided free C60 molecules with channels to diffuse on the sides of P3HT domain, thus preventing the macroscopic crystallization of free C60 through the interfacial stabilization.
