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Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion

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Special Issue Information
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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 28377

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sasha Omanovic

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C5, Canada
Interests: electrochemistry; electrocatalysis; electrochemical functionalization of surfaces; corrosion

Dr. Mahmoud Rammal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C5, Canada
Interests: electrochemistry; electrocatalysis; corrosion; material synthesis; material characterization; nanotechnology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The threat of climate change is looming over the planet, and the need for radical actions to curb the rampant rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has never been more important. One of the approaches is the use of renewable energies (wind and solar), which have been gradually gaining more presence in the global energy mix and have increasingly become more cost-effective. However, these sustainable energy resources are negatively affected by intermittency, which makes their performance dependent on the prevalent surrounding conditions. To address this, storing surplus renewable electrical energy would be a viable option to achieve a fully sustainable virtuous energy cycle.

The field of electrochemistry offers many strategies that could improve the prospects of renewable resources in a future clean-energy, zero-emission landscape. The wide-scale deployment of electric cars powered by Li-ion batteries has become one of the major directions in limiting the use of oil. In parallel with this, the use of fuel cells, powered by green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis using surplus renewable energy, is gaining an increasing interest for many applications (heavy-vehicles, trains, ships, steel and ammonia production, etc.). Other interesting electrochemistry-based approaches that can help in the fight against climate change include the electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into value-added products, flow batteries, supercapacitors, among others.

However, most of these electrochemical systems are currently either too expensive for a wider-scale use (fuel cells and water electrolysers), or require further improvement in terms of energy and power density (batteries and supercapacitors), or in long-term stability and efficiency (bio- and electrochemical CO₂ conversion systems).

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to present recent research achievements in the field of synthesis and characterization of functional materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems, with the goal of contributing to the global efforts in decreasing GHG emissions. Researchers are invited to contribute original research submissions related to the above-mentioned issues, as well as other related areas.

Prof. Dr. Sasha Omanovic
Dr. Mahmoud Rammal
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

energy storage and conversion
electrochemical systems
batteries
hydrogen
supercapacitors
CO₂ conversion

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 2470 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Catholytes on the Removal of Sulfate/Sulfide and Electricity Generation in Sulfide-Oxidizing Fuel Cell

by Thi Quynh Hoa Kieu, Thi Yen Nguyen and Chi Linh Do

Molecules 2023, 28(17), 6309; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28176309 - 29 Aug 2023

Viewed by 692

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells are one of the alternative methods that generate green, renewable sources of energy from wastewater. In this study, a new bio-electrochemical system called the sulfide-oxidizing fuel cell (SOFC) is developed for the simultaneous removal of sulfide/sulfide and electricity generation. To improve the application capacity of the SOFC, a system combining sulfate-reducing and sulfide-oxidizing processes for sulfate/sulfide removal and electricity generation was designed. Key factors influencing the sulfide-removal efficiency and electricity-generation capacity of the SOFC are the anolytes and catholytes. The sulfide produced from the sulfate-reducing process is thought to play the key role of an electron mediator (anolyte), which transfers electrons to the electrode to produce electricity. Sulfide can be removed in the anodic chamber of the SOFC when it is oxidized to the element sulfur (S°) through the biochemical reaction at the anode. The performance of wastewater treatment for sulfate/sulfide removal and electricity generation was evaluated by using different catholytes (dissolved oxygen in deionized water, a phosphate buffer, and ferricyanide). The results showed that the sulfate-removal efficiency is 92 ± 1.2% during a 95-day operation. A high sulfide-removal efficiency of 93.5 ± 1.2 and 83.7 ± 2% and power density of 18.5 ± 1.1 and 15.2 ± 1.2 mW/m² were obtained with ferricyanide and phosphate buffers as the catholyte, respectively, which is about 2.6 and 2.1 times higher than dissolved oxygen being used as a catholyte, respectively. These results indicated that cathode electron acceptors have a direct effect on the performance of the treatment system. The sulfide-removal efficiency and power density of the phosphate buffer SOFC were only slightly less than the ferricyanide SOFC. Therefore, a phosphate buffer could serve as a low-cost and effective pH buffer for practical applications, especially for wastewater treatment. The results presented in this study clearly revealed that the integrated treatment system can be effectively applied for sulfate/sulfide removal and electricity generation simultaneously. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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12 pages, 2102 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of Activated Carbon from Rice Husk for Enhanced Energy Storage Devices

by Meir S. Yerdauletov, Kuanysh Nazarov, Bagdaulet Mukhametuly, Mukhtar A. Yeleuov, Chingis Daulbayev, Roza Abdulkarimova, Almas Yskakov, Filipp Napolskiy and Victor Krivchenko

Molecules 2023, 28(15), 5818; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28155818 - 02 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1888

Abstract

The production of activated carbon (AC) from lignocellulosic biomass through chemical activation is gaining global attention due to its scalability, economic viability, and environmental advantages. Chemical activation offers several benefits, including energy efficiency, reduced carbonization time, and lower temperature requirements. In this study, potassium hydroxide (KOH) was employed for chemical activation, resulting in activated carbon with a high specific surface area of ~3050 m²/g. The structural analysis revealed the presence of graphitized carbon in the activated carbon matrix, accounting for over 15%. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was employed to investigate the activated carbon derived from rice husk (RH). The potential applications of activated carbon obtained from rice husks through chemical activation were explored, including its use for heavy metal removal, elimination of organic pollutants, and as an active material in hybrid energy storage devices. Furthermore, a scaling methodology for the production of activated carbon was proposed, facilitating its industrial implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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16 pages, 5124 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Flowers Like α-MoO₃/CNTs/PANI Nanocomposites as Anode Materials for High-Performance Lithium Storage

by Laraib Kiran, Mehmet Kadri Aydınol, Awais Ahmad, Syed Sakhawat Shah, Doruk Bahtiyar, Muhammad Imran Shahzad, Sayed M. Eldin and Aboud Ahmed Awadh Bahajjaj

Molecules 2023, 28(8), 3319; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28083319 - 08 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2493

Abstract

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been explored to meet the current energy demands; however, the development of satisfactory anode materials is a bottleneck for the enhancement of the electrochemical performance of LIBs. Molybdenum trioxide (MoO₃) is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its high theoretical capacity of 1117 mAhg⁻¹ along with low toxicity and cost; however, it suffers from low conductivity and volume expansion, which limits its implementation as the anode. These problems can be overcome by adopting several strategies such as carbon nanomaterial incorporation and polyaniline (PANI) coating. Co-precipitation method was used to synthesize α-MoO₃, and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs) were introduced into the active material. Moreover, these materials were uniformly coated with PANI using in situ chemical polymerization. The electrochemical performance was evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). XRD analysis revealed the presence of orthorhombic crystal phase in all the synthesized samples. MWCNTs enhanced the conductivity of the active material, reduced volume changes and increased contact area. MoO₃-(CNT)_12% exhibited high discharge capacities of 1382 mAhg⁻¹ and 961 mAhg⁻¹ at current densities of 50 mAg⁻¹ and 100 mAg⁻¹, respectively. Moreover, PANI coating enhanced cyclic stability, prevented side reactions and increased electronic/ionic transport. The good capacities due to MWCNT_S and the good cyclic stability due to PANI make these materials appropriate for application as the anode in LIBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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12 pages, 6674 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Electrochemical Exfoliation of Graphite to Graphene-Based Nanomaterials

by Michael Salverda, Antony Raj Thiruppathi, Farnood Pakravan, Peter C. Wood and Aicheng Chen

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8643; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248643 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2203

Abstract

Here, we report on a new automated electrochemical process for the production of graphene oxide (GO) from graphite though electrochemical exfoliation. The effects of the electrolyte and applied voltage were investigated and optimized. The morphology, structure and composition of the electrochemically exfoliated GO (EGO) were probed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), FTIR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Important metrics such as the oxygen content (25.3 at.%), defect density (I_D/I_G = 0.85) and number of layers of the formed EGO were determined. The EGO was also compared with the GO prepared using the traditional chemical method, demonstrating the effectiveness of the automated electrochemical process. The electrochemical properties of the EGO, CGO and other carbon-based materials were further investigated and compared. The automated electrochemical exfoliation of natural graphite powder demonstrated in the present study does not require any binders; it is facile, cost-effective and easy to scale up for a large-scale production of graphene-based nanomaterials for various applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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16 pages, 4109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One-Step Synthesis of Aminobenzoic Acid Functionalized Graphene Oxide by Electrochemical Exfoliation of Graphite for Oxygen Reduction to Hydrogen Peroxide and Supercapacitors

by Yuting Lei, Ludmila dos Santos Madalena, Benjamin D. Ossonon, Fausto Eduardo Bimbi Junior, Jiyun Chen, Marcos R. V. Lanza and Ana C. Tavares

Molecules 2022, 27(21), 7629; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27217629 - 07 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1652

Abstract

Graphene-based materials have attracted considerable attention as promising electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and as electrode materials for supercapacitors. In this work, electrochemical exfoliation of graphite in the presence of 4-aminebenzoic acid (4-ABA) is used as a one-step method to prepare graphene oxide materials (EGO) functionalized with aminobenzoic acid (EGO-ABA). The EGO and EGO-ABAs materials were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the EGO-ABA materials have smaller flake size and higher density of oxygenated functional groups compared to bare EGO. The electrochemical studies showed that the EGO-ABA catalysts have higher activity for the ORR to H₂O₂ in alkaline medium compared to EGO due to their higher density of oxygenated functional groups. However, bare EGO has a higher selectivity for the 2-electron process (81%) compared to the EGO-ABA (between 64 and 72%) which was related to a lower content of carbonyl groups. The specific capacitance of the EGO-ABA materials was higher than that of EGO, with an increase by a factor of 3 for the materials prepared from exfoliation in 5 mM 4-ABA/0.1 M H₂SO₄. This electrode material also showed a remarkable cycling capability with a loss of only 19.4% after 5000 cycles at 50 mVs⁻¹. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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10 pages, 1374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Binder-Free Fabrication of Prussian Blue Analogues Based Electrocatalyst for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation

by Ruqia, Muhammad Adeel Asghar, Sana Ibadat, Saghir Abbas, Talha Nisar, Veit Wagner, Muhammad Zubair, Irfan Ullah, Saqib Ali and Ali Haider

Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6396; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196396 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1568

Abstract

Developing a cost-effective, efficient, and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst is of great importance for sustainable energy conversion and storage. In this study, we report a facile one-step fabrication of cationic surfactant-assisted Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) M_x[Fe(CN)₅CH₃C₆H₄NH₂]∙yC₁₉H₃₄NBr abbreviated as SF[Fe-Tol-M] (where SF = N-tridecyl-3-methylpyridinium bromide and M = Mn, Co and Ni) as efficient heterogeneous OER electrocatalysts. The electrocatalysts have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In the presence of cationic surfactant (SF), PBAs-based electrodes showed enhanced redox current, high surface area and robust stability compared to the recently reported PBAs. SF[Fe-Tol-Co] hybrid catalyst shows superior electrochemical OER activity with a much lower over-potential (610 mV) to attain the current density of 10 mA cm⁻² with the Tafel slope value of 103 mV·dec⁻¹ than that for SF[Fe-Tol-Ni] and SF[Fe-Tol-Mn]. Moreover, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) unveiled that SF[Fe-Tol-Co] exhibits smaller charge transfer resistance, which results in a faster kinetics towards OER. Furthermore, SF[Fe-Tol-Co] offered excellent stability for continues oxygen production over extended reaction time. This work provides a surface assisted facile electrode fabrication approach for developing binder-free OER electrocatalysts for efficient water oxidation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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15 pages, 4617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methanol Oxidation at Platinum Coated Black Titania Nanotubes and Titanium Felt Electrodes

by Aikaterini Touni, Xin Liu, Xiaolan Kang, Chrysanthi Papoulia, Eleni Pavlidou, Dimitra Lambropoulou, Mihalis N. Tsampas, Athanasios Chatzitakis and Sotiris Sotiropoulos

Molecules 2022, 27(19), 6382; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196382 - 27 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1539

Abstract

Optimized Pt-based methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) anodes are essential for commercial direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) and methanol electrolyzers for hydrogen production. High surface area Ti supports are known to increase Pt catalytic activity and utilization. Pt has been deposited on black titania nanotubes (bTNTs), Ti felts and, for comparison, Ti foils by a galvanic deposition process, whereby Pt(IV) from a chloroplatinate solution is spontaneously reduced to metallic Pt (at 65 °C) onto chemically reduced (by CaH₂) TNTs (resulting in bTNTs), chemically etched (HCl + NaF) Ti felts and grinded Ti foils. All Pt/Ti-based electrodes prepared by this method showed enhanced intrinsic catalytic activity towards MOR when compared to Pt and other Pt/Ti-based catalysts. The very high/high mass specific activity of Pt/bTNTs (ca 700 mA mg_Pt⁻¹ at the voltammetric peak of 5 mV s⁻¹ in 0.5 M MeOH) and of Pt/Ti-felt (ca 60 mA mg_Pt⁻¹, accordingly) make these electrodes good candidates for MOR anodes and/or reactive Gas Diffusion Layer Electrodes (GDLEs) in DMFCs and/or methanol electrolysis cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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10 pages, 460 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sonochemical Synthesis of Cu@Pt Bimetallic Nanoparticles

by Henrik E. Hansen, Daniel Ø. Fakhri, Frode Seland, Svein Sunde, Odne S. Burheim and Bruno G. Pollet

Molecules 2022, 27(16), 5281; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27165281 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1210

Abstract

Reducing the amount of noble metals in catalysts for electrochemical conversion devices is paramount if these devices are to be commercialized. Taking advantage of the high degree of particle property control displayed by the sonochemical method, we set out to synthesize Cu@Pt bimetallic nanocatalysts in an effort to improve the mass activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction. At least 17 times higher mass activity was found for the carbon supported Cu@Pt bimetallic nanocatalyst (737 mA mg⁻¹, E =

- 20

m

V

) compared to carbon supported Pt nanocatalysts prepared with the same ultrasound conditions (44 mA mg⁻¹, E =

- 20

m

V

). The synthesis was found to proceed with the sonochemical formation of Cu and Cu₂O nanoparticles with the addition of PtCl₄ leading to galvanic displacement of the Cu-nanoparticles and the formation of a Pt-shell around the Cu-core. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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14 pages, 5357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Three-Dimensional Pinecone-like Binder-Free Pt–TiO₂ Nanorods on Ti Mesh Structures: Synthesis, Characterization and Electroactivity towards Ethanol Oxidation

by Naser Mohammadi, Juan Carlos Abrego-Martinez and Mohamed Mohamedi

Molecules 2022, 27(6), 1921; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27061921 - 16 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1831

Abstract

We report here the synthesis of binderless and template-less three-dimensional (3D) pinecone-shaped Pt/TiO₂/Ti mesh structure. The TiO₂ hydrothermally synthesized onto Ti mesh is composed of a mixture of flower-like nanorods and vertically aligned bar-shaped structures, whereas Pt film grown by pulsed laser deposition displays a smooth surface. XRD analyses reveal an average crystallite size of 41.4 nm and 68.5 nm of the TiO₂ nanorods and Pt, respectively. In H₂SO₄ solution, the platinum oxide formation at the Pt/TiO₂/Ti mesh electrode is 180 mV more negative than that at the Pt/Ti mesh electrode, indicating that TiO₂ provides oxygeneous species at lower potentials, which will facilitate the removal of CO-like intermediates and accelerate an ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Indeed, the Pt/TiO₂/Ti mesh catalyst exhibits current activity of 1.19 mA towards an EOR at a remarkably superior rate of 4.4 times that of the Pt/Ti mesh electrode (0.27 mA). Moreover, the presence of TiO₂ as a support to Pt delivers a steady-state current of 2.1 mA, with an increment in durability of 6.6 times compared to Pt/Ti mesh (0.32 mA). Pt is chosen here as a benchmark catalyst and we believe that with catalysts that perform better than Pt, such 3D pinecone structures can be useful for a variety of catalytic or photoelectrochemical reactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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34 pages, 8251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Part II: NiMoO₄ Nanostructures Synthesized by the Solution Combustion Method: A Parametric Study on the Influence of Material Synthesis and Electrode-Fabrication Parameters on the Electrocatalytic Activity in the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

by Mahmoud Bassam Rammal, Vincent El-Ghoubaira and Sasha Omanovic

Molecules 2022, 27(4), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27041199 - 10 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1908

Abstract

Earth-abundant NiMo-oxide nanostructures were investigated as efficient electrocatalytic materials for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media. Synthesis and non-synthesis parameters were thoroughly studied. For the non-synthesis parameters, the variation in Nafion loading resulted in a volcano-like trend, while the change in the electrocatalyst loading showed that the marginal benefit of high loadings attenuates due to mass-transfer limitations. The addition of carbon black to the electrocatalyst layer improved the HER performance at low loadings. Different carbon black grades showed a varying influence on the HER performance. Regarding the synthesis parameters, a calcination temperature of 500 °C, a calcination time between 20 and 720 min, a stoichiometric composition (Ni/Mo = 1), an acidic precursor solution, and a fuel-lean system were conditions that yielded the highest HER activity. The in-house NiMoO₄/CB/Nafion electrocatalyst layer was found to offer a better long-term performance than the commercial Pt/C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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37 pages, 4412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Part I: NiMoO₄ Nanostructures Synthesized by the Solution Combustion Method: A Parametric Study on the Influence of Synthesis Parameters on the Materials’ Physicochemical, Structural, and Morphological Properties

by Mahmoud Bassam Rammal and Sasha Omanovic

Molecules 2022, 27(3), 776; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27030776 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2472

Abstract

The impact of process conditions on the synthesis of NiMoO₄ nanostructures using a solution combustion synthesis (SCS) method, in which agar powder and Ni(NO₃)₂ were utilized as fuel and as the oxidant, respectively, was thoroughly studied. The results show that the calcination temperature had a significant implication on the specific surface area, phase composition, particle size, band gap, and crystallite size. The influence of calcination time on the resulting physicochemical/structural/morphological properties of NiMoO₄ nanostructures was found to be a major effect during the first 20 min, beyond which these properties varied to a lesser extent. The increase in the Ni/Mo atomic ratio in the oxide impacted the combustion dynamics of the system, which led to the formation of higher surface area materials, with the prevalence of the β-phase in Ni-rich samples. Likewise, the change in the pH of the precursor solution showed that the combustion reaction is more intense in the high-pH region, entailing major implications on the physicochemical properties and phase composition of the samples. The change in the fuel content showed that the presence of agar is important, as it endows the sample with a fluffy, porous texture and is also vital for the preponderance of the β-phase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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Review

Jump to: Research

25 pages, 9713 KiB

Open AccessReview

Supercapatteries as Hybrid Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices: Current Status and Future Prospects

by Subarna Rudra, Hyun Woo Seo, Subrata Sarker and Dong Min Kim

Molecules 2024, 29(1), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010243 - 02 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1894

Abstract

Among electrochemical energy storage (EES) technologies, rechargeable batteries (RBs) and supercapacitors (SCs) are the two most desired candidates for powering a range of electrical and electronic devices. The RB operates on Faradaic processes, whereas the underlying mechanisms of SCs vary, as non-Faradaic in electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), Faradaic at the surface of the electrodes in pseudo-capacitors (PCs), and a combination of both non-Faradaic and Faradaic in hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs). EDLCs offer high power density but low energy density. HSCs take advantage of the Faradaic process without compromising their capacitive nature. Unlike batteries, supercapacitors provide high power density and numerous charge–discharge cycles; however, their energy density lags that of batteries. Supercapatteries, a generic term that refers to hybrid EES devices that combine the merits of EDLCs and RBs, have emerged, bridging the gap between SCs and RBs. There are numerous articles and reviews on EES, and many of those articles have emphasized various aspects of HSCs and supercapatteries. However, there are no recent reviews that dealt with supercapatteries in general. Here, we review recently published critically selected articles on supercapatteries. The review discusses different EES devices and how supercapatteries are different from others. Also discussed are properties, design strategies, and future perspectives on supercapatteries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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24 pages, 5915 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on Graphite-Derived Materials for Electrocatalysis in Energy Conversion and Storage

by Shuaijie He, Mingjie Wu, Song Li, Zhiyi Jiang, Hanlie Hong, Sylvain G. Cloutier, Huaming Yang, Sasha Omanovic, Shuhui Sun and Gaixia Zhang

Molecules 2022, 27(24), 8644; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27248644 - 07 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2262

Abstract

High-performance electrocatalysts are critical to support emerging electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies. Graphite-derived materials, including fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, have been recognized as promising electrocatalysts and electrocatalyst supports for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Effective modification/functionalization of graphite-derived materials can promote higher electrocatalytic activity, stability, and durability. In this review, the mechanisms and evaluation parameters for the above-outlined electrochemical reactions are introduced first. Then, we emphasize the preparation methods for graphite-derived materials and modification strategies. We further highlight the importance of the structural changes of modified graphite-derived materials on electrocatalytic activity and stability. Finally, future directions and perspectives towards new and better graphite-derived materials are presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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33 pages, 6368 KiB

Open AccessReview

Borate-Based Compounds as Mixed Polyanion Cathode Materials for Advanced Batteries

by Giancarlo Dominador D. Sanglay, Jayson S. Garcia, Mecaelah S. Palaganas, Maurice Sorolla II, Sean See, Lawrence A. Limjuco and Joey D. Ocon

Molecules 2022, 27(22), 8047; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27228047 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3504

Abstract

Rational design of new and cost-effective advanced batteries for the intended scale of application is concurrent with cathode materials development. Foundational knowledge of cathode materials’ processing–structure–properties–performance relationship is integral. In this review, we provide an overview of borate-based compounds as possible mixed polyanion cathode materials in organic electrolyte metal-ion batteries. A recapitulation of lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode materials development provides that rationale. The combined method of data mining and high-throughput ab initio computing was briefly discussed to derive how carbonate-based compounds in sidorenkite structure were suggested. Borate-based compounds, albeit just close to stability (viz., <30 meV at⁻¹), offer tunability and versatility and hence, potential effectivity as polyanion cathodes due to (1) diverse structures which can host alkali metal intercalation; (2) the low weight of borate relative to mature polyanion families which can translate to higher theoretical capacity; and a (3) rich chemistry which can alter the inductive effect on earth-abundant transition metals (e.g., Ni and Fe), potentially improving the open-circuit voltage (OCV) of the cell. This review paper provides a reference on the structures, properties, and synthesis routes of known borate-based compounds [viz., borophosphate (BPO), borosilicate (BSiO), and borosulfate (BSO)], as these borate-based compounds are untapped despite their potential for mixed polyanion cathode materials for advanced batteries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Characterization of Functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion)

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