A method for making an oil- and water-resistant nanocomposite material includes preparing F-doped TiO.sub.2 nanorods, dispersing the F-doped TiO.sub.2 nanorods into a transparent adhesive to obtain a nanocomposite adhesive, and treating a surface of the nanocomposite adhesive to roughen the surface and expose some of the F-doped TiO.sub.2 nanorods. A transparent nanocomposite material suitable for use as transparent packaging for example is thereby obtained. The present disclosure also provides the nanocomposite material, and an encapsulating structure using the nanocomposite material.

A general methodology for the development of sensitive and selective sensors that can achieve a low cost detection of glucose without using enzymes is disclosed. The method uses carbon nanofiber (CNF) array electrodes for the electrochemical detection of glucose. CNFs grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) with diameters ranging from 13-160 nm and a height of approximately one micrometer are preferred. The CNFs have a sensitivity of 2.7 μA/mM cm.sup.2 and detection limit of 2 mM. Also provided are methods of preparing the CNF sensors and kit components. Methods of using such CNF sensors for detecting target agents, particularly glucose, are also provided.

This invention relates to a photocatalytic material, a hot water process method to synthesize the photocatalytic material and a method for water treatment with the photocatalytic material. The photocatalytic material includes metal oxide semiconductor nanostructures synthesized from a metallic material by a hot water process, wherein the hot water process comprises treating the metallic material with hot water under a treatment condition for a period of time so as to form the metal oxide semiconductor nanostructures on a surface of the metallic material.

A multiferroic material for magnetic and electric switching including Iron selenide (Fe.sub.3Se.sub.4) nanoparticles and its derivatives or doped with at least one element selected from transitional metals, rare earths elements or combination of the two and chalcogens. Ferroelectric polarization and coupling of magnetic and ferroelectric behavior in the doped Fe3Se4 is observed at a temperature ranging from 15 to 30° C.

Cellulose-nanofiber carbon which can achieve a large specific surface area, and a method of producing the same are provided. The method for heat treating a cellulose nanofiber for carbonization includes: a freezing step of freezing a solution or gel containing the cellulose nanofiber to obtain a frozen product a drying step of drying the frozen product in a vacuum to obtain a dried product and a carbonizing step of heating and carbonizing the dried product in an atmosphere which does not burn the dried product to obtain the cellulose-nanofiber carbon.

A method of preparing hollow molybdate composite microspheres includes steps of: (1) dissolving 1-4 mmol of MCl.sub.2 in 20 ml of water to obtain a solution A and dissolving 1-4 mmol. of molybdic acid in 20 ml of water to obtain a solution B, followed by mixing the solution A and the solution B, in which M is Co, Ni, or Cu; (2) dissolving 10-40 mmol of urea in 40 ml of water, adding the mixed solution of step (1) and stirring uniformly; (3) placing the mixed solution of step (2) into a reaction vessel and reacting at 120-160° C. for 6-12 hours; (4) suction filtrating and water washing, followed by drying in a vacuum oven at 40-60° C.; (5) calcination at 350-500° C. for 2-4 hours in a Muffle furnace.

Provided is a metal nanowire heater and a method of fabricating the metal nanowire heater that includes providing a substrate; coating on the substrate a nanowire film containing metal nanowires that are laser-etchable; thermally joining portions of the metal nanowires to enhance connection between contact parts of the metal nanowires and provide an enhanced nanowire film by at least one unit cycle of supplying the ionic liquid onto the nanowire film and applying heat from outside to cause the ionic liquid to change its phase; and forming electrodes on the enhanced nanowire film to provide the metal nanowire heater.

The present invention relates to a positive electrode active material having improved electrical characteristics by adjusting an aspect ratio gradient of primary particles included in a secondary particle, a positive electrode including the positive electrode active material, and a lithium secondary battery using the positive electrode.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a material made of silicon and/or germanium nanowires, comprising the steps of: i) placing a source of silicon and/or a source of germanium in contact with a catalyst comprising a binary metal sulfide or a multinary metal sulfide, said metal(s) being selected from among Sn, In, Bi, Sb, Ga, Ti, Cu, and Zn, by means of which silicon and/or germanium nanowires are obtained, ii) optionally recovering the silicon and/or germanium nanowires obtained in step (i); the catalyst and, optionally, the source of silicon and/or the source of germanium being heated before, during and/or after being placed in contact under temperature and pressure conditions that allow the growth of the silicon and/or germanium nanowires.

Methods for making nanocomposites are provided. In an embodiment, such a method comprises combining a first type of nanostructure with a bulk material in water or an aqueous solution, the first type of nanostructure functionalized with a functional group capable of undergoing van der Waals interactions with the bulk material, whereby the first type of nanostructure induces exfoliation of the bulk material to provide a second, different type of nanostructure while inducing association between the first and second types of nanostructures to form the nanocomposite.