In this paper, a one-pot and easy-to-handle method at room temperature without additional chemicals for the modification of graphene oxide (GO) with surfactant is found. Removal of nickel (II) ions from aqueous solutions by GO and surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) modified graphene oxide (SDS-GO) was studied spectrophotometrically at room temperature as a function of time, initial concentration and pH. Adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was increased dramatically (from 20.19 to 55.16 mg/g found by Langmuir model) due to the functionalization of the surface by SDS. The driving force of the adsorption of Ni(II) ions is electrostatic attraction and Ni(II) ions adsorbed on the GO surface chemically besides ion exchange.

Aerogels are the least dense and most porous materials known to man, with potential applications from lightweight superinsulators to smart energy materials. To date their use has been seriously hampered by their synthesis methods, which are laborious and expensive. Taking inspiration from the life cycle of the damselfly, a novel ambient pressure‐drying approach is demonstrated in which instead of employing low‐surface‐tension organic solvents to prevent pore collapse during drying, sodium bicarbonate solution is used to generate pore‐supporting carbon dioxide in situ, significantly reducing energy, time, and cost in aerogel production. The generic applicability of this readily scalable new approach is demonstrated through the production of granules, monoliths, and layered solids with a number of precursor materials.

The effect of atomic hydrogen treatment upon the surface of partially graphitized nanodiamonds has been studied by photoemission spectroscopy. The $\mathrm{C}1s$ core level peak and valence band spectra of a partially graphitized nanodiamond sample were compared with those following hydrogen treatment and following subsequent annealing. We have observed a difference in the binding energy of the $s{p}^3$ component of the $\mathrm{C}1s$ peak and in the valence band which we believe can be assigned to either upward or downward band bending due to surface graphitization and hydrogenation of nanodiamonds, respectively. The data confirms that the graphitic layers which initially cover the nanodiamond particles can be removed through exposure to atomic hydrogen. This method could enable the preparation of hydrogen terminated and separate nanodiamond particles.

Photoemission spectroscopy demonstrates the formation of a surface gold nitride upon irradiation of a $\mathrm{Au}\left(110\right)$ surface with $500\mathrm{eV}$ nitrogen ions at room temperature. After irradiation two $\mathrm{N}1s$ peaks are observed at binding energies of $396.7\pm 0.2\mathrm{eV}$ and $397.7\pm 0.2\mathrm{eV}$ along with a broadening of the $\mathrm{Au}4d_{5∕2}$ line. Changes in valence-band spectra are also observed, including an additional density of states at $1.6\mathrm{eV}$ binding energy and new states at $\sim 3.1\mathrm{eV}$. Annealing experiments indicate that the two $\mathrm{N}1s$ lines are associated with nitrogen compounds of differing thermal stability, possibly due to the formation of more than one nitride phase. To further investigate the properties of gold nitride we have undertaken ab initio pseudopotential calculations on the most likely nitride stoichiometry, ${\mathrm{Au}}_3\mathrm{N}$, and identified a novel triclinic crystal structure of a significantly lower energy than the anti-${\mathrm{ReO}}_3$ expected from a simple consideration of the periodic table, although the latter structure is also found to be stable. The triclinic structure is determined to be metallic, of importance to possible applications.

The formation of surface nitrides on gold films is a particularly attractive proposition, addressing the need to produce harder, but still conductive, gold coatings which reduce wear but avoid the pollution associated with conventional additives. Here we report production of large area gold nitride films on silicon substrates, using reactive ion sputtering and plasma etching, without the need for ultrahigh vacuum. Nanoindentation data show that gold nitride films have a hardness $\sim 50\%$ greater than that of pure gold. These results are important for large-scale applications of gold nitride in coatings and electronics.