Small titanate nanowires with NaTi2O4（OH） formulation were directly synthesized via the hydrothermal reaction of amorphous titanate particles with concentrated Na OH solution.The average width of these nanowires is ...Small titanate nanowires with NaTi2O4（OH） formulation were directly synthesized via the hydrothermal reaction of amorphous titanate particles with concentrated Na OH solution.The average width of these nanowires is smaller than 20 nm,and the surface area is higher than 200 m-2/g.Compared with the larger nanowires obtained by the hydrothermal treatment of crystalline titania in alkaline solution,these small nanowires exhibit larger adsorption capacities and faster adsorption rate in the removal of both heavy metal ions and dyes.展开更多
The reaction of Cd（NO_3）_2·4H_2O with 4,4？-dipyridylacetylene（4,4？-DPA） and 2-nitroterephthalic acid（2-NO_2-H_2BDC） in DMF/H_2O mixed solvent has afforded a compound {[Cd（2-NO_2-BDC）（4,4？-DPA）]·...The reaction of Cd（NO_3）_2·4H_2O with 4,4？-dipyridylacetylene（4,4？-DPA） and 2-nitroterephthalic acid（2-NO_2-H_2BDC） in DMF/H_2O mixed solvent has afforded a compound {[Cd（2-NO_2-BDC）（4,4？-DPA）]·（DMF）}_n（1）. Compound 1 has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry analysis, and IR spectrum. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n, with a = 12.1488（3）, b = 14.6689（3）, c = 13.1615（3） ？, β = 111.809（3）o, V = 2177.63（9） ？~3, Z = 4, C_（23）H_（18）N_4O_7 Cd, M_r = 574.81, D_c = 1.753 g/cm^3, μ = 8.523 mm^（-1）, F（000） = 1152, the final R = 0.0411 and wR = 0.1064 for 3589 observed reflections with I 〉 2s（I）. In compound 1, the Cd（Ⅱ） ions are linked by the carboxylate groups of 2-NO_2-BDC ligands to give a two-dimensional layered structure based on the centrosymmetric dinuclear Cd_2（COO）_2 units, which are further connected by the 4,4？-DPA ligands to produce a three-dimensional framework with pcu topology. Careful examination revealed that compound 1 is a 2-fold interpenetrating framework. Furthermore, the gas adsorption properties of 1 for N_2 and CO_2 have also been investigated.展开更多
We research the adsorption geometries graphene （Li-GR） before and after CO and electronic structures of pristine graphene （p-GR） and Li-doped adsorption by first-principles. The adsorption energies Ead of CO on p-...We research the adsorption geometries graphene （Li-GR） before and after CO and electronic structures of pristine graphene （p-GR） and Li-doped adsorption by first-principles. The adsorption energies Ead of CO on p-GR and Li-GR are calculated. The results demonstrate that Ead of CO on Li-GR is from -3.3 eV to -3.5 eV, meanwhile Q is up to 0.13e, which indicate that strong electrostatic attractions occur between CO and Li-GR, while CO is physically adsorbed on p-GR. The obvious accumulated charge in electron density difference and increasing carrier density suggest that the conductivity of Li-GR is improved considerably after CO adsorp- tion. An adsorption mechanism is also proposed. Our results provide a path to achieving CO sensors with high performance.展开更多
CTS-g-（AA-co-SS）/ISC hybrid hydrogel adsorbent with crosslinked network structure and superior adsorption performance for rare-earth metal ions was successfully synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple one-step f...CTS-g-（AA-co-SS）/ISC hybrid hydrogel adsorbent with crosslinked network structure and superior adsorption performance for rare-earth metal ions was successfully synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple one-step free-radical grafting polymerization reaction among acrylic acid（AA）, sodium p-styrenesulfonate（SS） and chitosan（CTS） using illite/smectite clay（ISC） as the inorganic additive. The structure of the as-prepared CTS-g-（AA-co-SS）/ISC hydrogel adsorbent was characterized, and the reaction parameters such as AA/SS molar ratio and ISC content were optimized, and the effects of pH values, initial concentration and contact time on the adsorption performance for Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） were systematically evaluated. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacities of the hydrogel adsorbent toward Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） reached 174.05 and 223.79 mg/g, respectively, and the adsorption quickly achieved equilibrium within 15–20 min. The adsorbed Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） could be easily desorbed for recovery, and the used adsorbent was able to be regenerated for reuse. After five adsorption-desorption cycles, the regenerated adsorbent could still retain the adsorption capacities that were close to the initial value. The adsorption process was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic mode and the Langmuir isotherm model, and the chemical complexation between ions and –COO~–was mainly responsible for the high adsorption capacity. As a whole, the hybrid hydrogel adsorbent was potential to be used for the adsorption and recovery of Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） from water.展开更多
Two novel clusters [Mn~Ⅲ_3（μ_3-O）（phendox）3]X·13H_2O（X = Cl（1）, Br（2]） have been obtained from the solvothermal reactions of 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarbaldehyde dioxime（H_2phendox） with MnCl_2...Two novel clusters [Mn~Ⅲ_3（μ_3-O）（phendox）3]X·13H_2O（X = Cl（1）, Br（2]） have been obtained from the solvothermal reactions of 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarbaldehyde dioxime（H_2phendox） with MnCl_2·4H_2O or anhydrous MnBr_2, and their structures were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in trigonal, space group P3_1/c. X-ray analysis reveals that the neighbouring [Mn_3（μ_3-O）（phendox）_3]＋ cores are linked by C–H···Cl hydrogen bonds and form an infinite supramolecular chain along the c-axis. Neighbouring chains are packed with each other by off-set p-p interactions of the aromatic rings on phenox2-. A 3D supramolecular architecture in a honeycomb topology is formed with 1D hexagonal channel in the dimensions of 13？ × 13？ along the c-axis. The gas adsorption studies show that compound 1·13H_2O is stable upon the removal of vip molecules and the desolvated compound absorbed considerable amount of CO_2.展开更多
Water is the most abundant molecule found on the earth’s surface and is a key factor in multiscale rock destruction.However,given the fine-grained nature of rock and the complexity of its internal structure,the micro...Water is the most abundant molecule found on the earth’s surface and is a key factor in multiscale rock destruction.However,given the fine-grained nature of rock and the complexity of its internal structure,the microstructural evolution of rock under the action of water has not yet been elucidated in detail,and little is understood about the relationship between the rock structure and solideliquid unit.A variety of techniques were used in this study to track the mechanical properties,pore and crack characteristics,and mineral structure degradation characteristics of sandstone at different stages under the action of deionized water,and the evolution mechanisms of the microstructure were analyzed at the molecular scale.The results showed that during the watererock interaction process,water was adsorbed onto the surface of dolomite minerals and the hydrophilic surface of clay minerals,forming a high-density hydrogen bond network.However,different mineral surface structures had different water adsorption structures,resulting in the strain of the dense clay mineral aggregates under expansion action.Stress concentrated at crack tips under the capillary force of dolomite minerals(very weak dolomite dissolution).These effects resulted in a substantial increase in the number of small pores and enhancements in poreecrack connectivity,and the rock strength exhibited varying degrees of decline at different stages of wet-dry cycles.In general,the results of this paper will help to further elucidate the internal connections between molecular-scale and macroscale processes in rock science.展开更多
Based on SEM observance,the methods of low-temperature nitrogen and isothermal adsorption were used to test and analyze the coal samples of Hancheng,and pore structure characteristics of tectonic coals were discussed....Based on SEM observance,the methods of low-temperature nitrogen and isothermal adsorption were used to test and analyze the coal samples of Hancheng,and pore structure characteristics of tectonic coals were discussed.The results indicate that in the same coal rank,stratification and crack are well developed in cataclastic coal,which is mostly filled by mineral substance in the geohydrologic element abundance,results in pore connectivity variation.Granulated and mylonitic coal being of these characteristics,as develop microstructures and exogenous fractures as well as large quantity of pores resulted from gas generation and strong impermeability,stimulate the recovery of seepage coal,improve coal connectivity and enhance reservoir permeability.Absorption pore(micro-pore) is dominant in coal pore for different coal body structure,the percentage of which pore aperture is from 1 to 100 nm is 71.44% to 88.15%,including large of micro-pore with the 74.56%-94.70%;with the deformation becoming more intense in the same coal rank,mesopore enlarge further,open-end pores become thin-neck-bottle-shaped pores step by step,specific surface area of micro-pore for cataclastic coal is 0.0027 m 2 /g,while mylonitic coal increases to 7.479 m 2 /g,micro-pore gradually play a dominant role in effecting pore structural parameters.展开更多
Long-chainα-olefins have a high added value as important raw materials for many highly marketable products.Fishcher-Tropsch synthesis products contain ultrahigh-contentα-olefins,which are of great value if the chall...Long-chainα-olefins have a high added value as important raw materials for many highly marketable products.Fishcher-Tropsch synthesis products contain ultrahigh-contentα-olefins,which are of great value if the challenging separation ofα-olefin/paraffin is achieved through energy-saving ways,for which adsorption separation is an attractive technology.One of the most significant differences between the adsorption separation of long-chain and light hydrocarbons is the steric hindrance of the molecular chain.Herein,we propose a combination of window size,metal node spacing,and bending degree to quantitatively describe the adsorption cavity structure for the separation of long-chainα-olefin/paraffin.The general cavity structural characteristics of microporous materials with good separation performance for long-chainα-olefin/paraffin are revealed.The selective adsorption of liquid C6 and C_(8)α-olefin/paraffin mixtures on CuBTC(BTC=benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate)was studied in detail to reveal the influence of the cavity structure on the adsorption and interaction using a combination of batch adsorption experiments and molecular simulation techniques.CuBTC exhibited 360 and 366 mg/g olefin adsorption capacities for C6 and C8 linearα-olefins,respectively.The adsorption energies were−0.540 and−0.338 eV for C8 linearα-olefin and paraffin,respectively.The contributions of different types of interactions to the overall adsorption energy were quantified to illustrate the adsorption energy difference betweenα-olefin/paraffin and CuBTC.This work provides a new understanding of the long-chain hydrocarbon adsorption behavior different from ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane,which guides the design of adsorbents forα-olefin/paraffin separation.展开更多
MnO2-Al2O3 （MOAO） binary nanocomposite with a 1：3 MnO2 to Al2O3 molar ratio was synthesized by impregnation technique using mesoporous alumina （MA） precursor. The MOAO product consisted of MA and amorphous MnO2. ...MnO2-Al2O3 （MOAO） binary nanocomposite with a 1：3 MnO2 to Al2O3 molar ratio was synthesized by impregnation technique using mesoporous alumina （MA） precursor. The MOAO product consisted of MA and amorphous MnO2. The manganese valence in MOAO was ＋4, indicative of MnO2 being coated on the surface of MA during the impregnation process. MOAO had a large specific surface area （385.266 m^2/g） and wormhole-like mesoporous structure. The average pore size, which could be precisely controlled over the range of 3.4-4.1 nm. The optimum removal of fluoride was obtained when the initial pH was in the range of 4-10. The defluorination efficiency of MOAO was far superior to that of MA when the initial fluoride concentration exceeded 40 mg/L. The large surface area and bimodal porous structure of MOAO after coating MnO2 may be responsible for the high removal efficiency in the defluorination process.展开更多
As part of an effort to build a prototype flow battery system using a nano-suspension containing β-Ni（OH）2 nanoparticles as the cathode material, nano-sized β-Ni（OH）2 particles with well-controlled particle size...As part of an effort to build a prototype flow battery system using a nano-suspension containing β-Ni（OH）2 nanoparticles as the cathode material, nano-sized β-Ni（OH）2 particles with well-controlled particle size and morphology were synthesized via the one-step precipitation of a NiCl2 precursor. The composition and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The XRD patterns confirmed that β-Ni（OH）2 was successfully synthesized, while SEM results showed that the particle sizes range from 70 to 150 nm. To ensure that Ni（OH）2 could be employed in the nano-suspension flow battery, the electrochemical performance of the synthesized 13-Ni（OH）2 was initially tested in pouch cells through charge/discharge cycling. The phase transformations occurring during charge/discharge were investigated using in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy to obtain the shift in the oxidation state of Ni （X-ray adsorption near edge structure, XANES） and the distances between Ni and surrounding atoms in charged and discharged states （extended X-ray absorption fine structure, EXAFS）. XANES results indicated that the electrode in the discharged state was a mixture of phases because the edge position did not shift back completely. XAFS results further proved that the discharge capacity was provided by β-NiOOH and the ratio between β-Ni（OH）2 and γ-NiOOH in the electrode in the discharged state was 71：29. Preliminary nano-suspension tests in a lab-scale cell were conducted to understand the behavior of the nano-suspension during charge/discharge cycling and to optimize the operating conditions.展开更多
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(2015j01231)the Chunmiao Project of Haixi Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences(CMZX-2014-005)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFB0701003)
文摘Small titanate nanowires with NaTi2O4（OH） formulation were directly synthesized via the hydrothermal reaction of amorphous titanate particles with concentrated Na OH solution.The average width of these nanowires is smaller than 20 nm,and the surface area is higher than 200 m-2/g.Compared with the larger nanowires obtained by the hydrothermal treatment of crystalline titania in alkaline solution,these small nanowires exhibit larger adsorption capacities and faster adsorption rate in the removal of both heavy metal ions and dyes.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21361011 and 21101081)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province(No.20151BAB203002)
文摘The reaction of Cd（NO_3）_2·4H_2O with 4,4？-dipyridylacetylene（4,4？-DPA） and 2-nitroterephthalic acid（2-NO_2-H_2BDC） in DMF/H_2O mixed solvent has afforded a compound {[Cd（2-NO_2-BDC）（4,4？-DPA）]·（DMF）}_n（1）. Compound 1 has been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry analysis, and IR spectrum. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n, with a = 12.1488（3）, b = 14.6689（3）, c = 13.1615（3） ？, β = 111.809（3）o, V = 2177.63（9） ？~3, Z = 4, C_（23）H_（18）N_4O_7 Cd, M_r = 574.81, D_c = 1.753 g/cm^3, μ = 8.523 mm^（-1）, F（000） = 1152, the final R = 0.0411 and wR = 0.1064 for 3589 observed reflections with I 〉 2s（I）. In compound 1, the Cd（Ⅱ） ions are linked by the carboxylate groups of 2-NO_2-BDC ligands to give a two-dimensional layered structure based on the centrosymmetric dinuclear Cd_2（COO）_2 units, which are further connected by the 4,4？-DPA ligands to produce a three-dimensional framework with pcu topology. Careful examination revealed that compound 1 is a 2-fold interpenetrating framework. Furthermore, the gas adsorption properties of 1 for N_2 and CO_2 have also been investigated.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos 51372282,51072024 and 51132002the National College Students’Innovative and Entrepreneurial Training Program of Beijing Institute of Technology under Grant No201410007050
文摘We research the adsorption geometries graphene （Li-GR） before and after CO and electronic structures of pristine graphene （p-GR） and Li-doped adsorption by first-principles. The adsorption energies Ead of CO on p-GR and Li-GR are calculated. The results demonstrate that Ead of CO on Li-GR is from -3.3 eV to -3.5 eV, meanwhile Q is up to 0.13e, which indicate that strong electrostatic attractions occur between CO and Li-GR, while CO is physically adsorbed on p-GR. The obvious accumulated charge in electron density difference and increasing carrier density suggest that the conductivity of Li-GR is improved considerably after CO adsorp- tion. An adsorption mechanism is also proposed. Our results provide a path to achieving CO sensors with high performance.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51403221,21377135,U1407114)the“863”Project of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology(2013AA032003)
文摘CTS-g-（AA-co-SS）/ISC hybrid hydrogel adsorbent with crosslinked network structure and superior adsorption performance for rare-earth metal ions was successfully synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple one-step free-radical grafting polymerization reaction among acrylic acid（AA）, sodium p-styrenesulfonate（SS） and chitosan（CTS） using illite/smectite clay（ISC） as the inorganic additive. The structure of the as-prepared CTS-g-（AA-co-SS）/ISC hydrogel adsorbent was characterized, and the reaction parameters such as AA/SS molar ratio and ISC content were optimized, and the effects of pH values, initial concentration and contact time on the adsorption performance for Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） were systematically evaluated. It was found that the maximum adsorption capacities of the hydrogel adsorbent toward Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） reached 174.05 and 223.79 mg/g, respectively, and the adsorption quickly achieved equilibrium within 15–20 min. The adsorbed Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） could be easily desorbed for recovery, and the used adsorbent was able to be regenerated for reuse. After five adsorption-desorption cycles, the regenerated adsorbent could still retain the adsorption capacities that were close to the initial value. The adsorption process was well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic mode and the Langmuir isotherm model, and the chemical complexation between ions and –COO~–was mainly responsible for the high adsorption capacity. As a whole, the hybrid hydrogel adsorbent was potential to be used for the adsorption and recovery of Ce（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） from water.
基金supported by Guangdong Ocean University with doctor start-up fund(1112263)the Science and Technology Plan Projects of Zhanjiang City(No.2013B01073)
文摘Two novel clusters [Mn~Ⅲ_3（μ_3-O）（phendox）3]X·13H_2O（X = Cl（1）, Br（2]） have been obtained from the solvothermal reactions of 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarbaldehyde dioxime（H_2phendox） with MnCl_2·4H_2O or anhydrous MnBr_2, and their structures were characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, MS and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in trigonal, space group P3_1/c. X-ray analysis reveals that the neighbouring [Mn_3（μ_3-O）（phendox）_3]＋ cores are linked by C–H···Cl hydrogen bonds and form an infinite supramolecular chain along the c-axis. Neighbouring chains are packed with each other by off-set p-p interactions of the aromatic rings on phenox2-. A 3D supramolecular architecture in a honeycomb topology is formed with 1D hexagonal channel in the dimensions of 13？ × 13？ along the c-axis. The gas adsorption studies show that compound 1·13H_2O is stable upon the removal of vip molecules and the desolvated compound absorbed considerable amount of CO_2.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41922055 and 42090054)Zhejiang Huadong Construction Engineering Co.,Ltd.(Grant No.KY2019-HDJS-07).
文摘Water is the most abundant molecule found on the earth’s surface and is a key factor in multiscale rock destruction.However,given the fine-grained nature of rock and the complexity of its internal structure,the microstructural evolution of rock under the action of water has not yet been elucidated in detail,and little is understood about the relationship between the rock structure and solideliquid unit.A variety of techniques were used in this study to track the mechanical properties,pore and crack characteristics,and mineral structure degradation characteristics of sandstone at different stages under the action of deionized water,and the evolution mechanisms of the microstructure were analyzed at the molecular scale.The results showed that during the watererock interaction process,water was adsorbed onto the surface of dolomite minerals and the hydrophilic surface of clay minerals,forming a high-density hydrogen bond network.However,different mineral surface structures had different water adsorption structures,resulting in the strain of the dense clay mineral aggregates under expansion action.Stress concentrated at crack tips under the capillary force of dolomite minerals(very weak dolomite dissolution).These effects resulted in a substantial increase in the number of small pores and enhancements in poreecrack connectivity,and the rock strength exhibited varying degrees of decline at different stages of wet-dry cycles.In general,the results of this paper will help to further elucidate the internal connections between molecular-scale and macroscale processes in rock science.
基金funded by the National Major Research Program for Science and Technology of China (Nos. 2009ZX05062and 2011ZX05062-009)
文摘Based on SEM observance,the methods of low-temperature nitrogen and isothermal adsorption were used to test and analyze the coal samples of Hancheng,and pore structure characteristics of tectonic coals were discussed.The results indicate that in the same coal rank,stratification and crack are well developed in cataclastic coal,which is mostly filled by mineral substance in the geohydrologic element abundance,results in pore connectivity variation.Granulated and mylonitic coal being of these characteristics,as develop microstructures and exogenous fractures as well as large quantity of pores resulted from gas generation and strong impermeability,stimulate the recovery of seepage coal,improve coal connectivity and enhance reservoir permeability.Absorption pore(micro-pore) is dominant in coal pore for different coal body structure,the percentage of which pore aperture is from 1 to 100 nm is 71.44% to 88.15%,including large of micro-pore with the 74.56%-94.70%;with the deformation becoming more intense in the same coal rank,mesopore enlarge further,open-end pores become thin-neck-bottle-shaped pores step by step,specific surface area of micro-pore for cataclastic coal is 0.0027 m 2 /g,while mylonitic coal increases to 7.479 m 2 /g,micro-pore gradually play a dominant role in effecting pore structural parameters.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21878169 and 21991102)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2019YFA0905100)the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program(No.2018Z05JZY010).
文摘Long-chainα-olefins have a high added value as important raw materials for many highly marketable products.Fishcher-Tropsch synthesis products contain ultrahigh-contentα-olefins,which are of great value if the challenging separation ofα-olefin/paraffin is achieved through energy-saving ways,for which adsorption separation is an attractive technology.One of the most significant differences between the adsorption separation of long-chain and light hydrocarbons is the steric hindrance of the molecular chain.Herein,we propose a combination of window size,metal node spacing,and bending degree to quantitatively describe the adsorption cavity structure for the separation of long-chainα-olefin/paraffin.The general cavity structural characteristics of microporous materials with good separation performance for long-chainα-olefin/paraffin are revealed.The selective adsorption of liquid C6 and C_(8)α-olefin/paraffin mixtures on CuBTC(BTC=benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate)was studied in detail to reveal the influence of the cavity structure on the adsorption and interaction using a combination of batch adsorption experiments and molecular simulation techniques.CuBTC exhibited 360 and 366 mg/g olefin adsorption capacities for C6 and C8 linearα-olefins,respectively.The adsorption energies were−0.540 and−0.338 eV for C8 linearα-olefin and paraffin,respectively.The contributions of different types of interactions to the overall adsorption energy were quantified to illustrate the adsorption energy difference betweenα-olefin/paraffin and CuBTC.This work provides a new understanding of the long-chain hydrocarbon adsorption behavior different from ethylene/ethane and propylene/propane,which guides the design of adsorbents forα-olefin/paraffin separation.
文摘MnO2-Al2O3 （MOAO） binary nanocomposite with a 1：3 MnO2 to Al2O3 molar ratio was synthesized by impregnation technique using mesoporous alumina （MA） precursor. The MOAO product consisted of MA and amorphous MnO2. The manganese valence in MOAO was ＋4, indicative of MnO2 being coated on the surface of MA during the impregnation process. MOAO had a large specific surface area （385.266 m^2/g） and wormhole-like mesoporous structure. The average pore size, which could be precisely controlled over the range of 3.4-4.1 nm. The optimum removal of fluoride was obtained when the initial pH was in the range of 4-10. The defluorination efficiency of MOAO was far superior to that of MA when the initial fluoride concentration exceeded 40 mg/L. The large surface area and bimodal porous structure of MOAO after coating MnO2 may be responsible for the high removal efficiency in the defluorination process.
文摘As part of an effort to build a prototype flow battery system using a nano-suspension containing β-Ni（OH）2 nanoparticles as the cathode material, nano-sized β-Ni（OH）2 particles with well-controlled particle size and morphology were synthesized via the one-step precipitation of a NiCl2 precursor. The composition and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electronic microscopy （SEM） and X-ray diffraction （XRD）. The XRD patterns confirmed that β-Ni（OH）2 was successfully synthesized, while SEM results showed that the particle sizes range from 70 to 150 nm. To ensure that Ni（OH）2 could be employed in the nano-suspension flow battery, the electrochemical performance of the synthesized 13-Ni（OH）2 was initially tested in pouch cells through charge/discharge cycling. The phase transformations occurring during charge/discharge were investigated using in-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy to obtain the shift in the oxidation state of Ni （X-ray adsorption near edge structure, XANES） and the distances between Ni and surrounding atoms in charged and discharged states （extended X-ray absorption fine structure, EXAFS）. XANES results indicated that the electrode in the discharged state was a mixture of phases because the edge position did not shift back completely. XAFS results further proved that the discharge capacity was provided by β-NiOOH and the ratio between β-Ni（OH）2 and γ-NiOOH in the electrode in the discharged state was 71：29. Preliminary nano-suspension tests in a lab-scale cell were conducted to understand the behavior of the nano-suspension during charge/discharge cycling and to optimize the operating conditions.
