Special Issue "Multifunctional Nanomaterials for Energy Applications"

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy and Catalysis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Federico Cesano
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Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria, 7, 10125 Torino, Italy
Interests: 2D materials; carbons; oxides; polymers and their composite/hybrid materials and nanomaterials; piezoelectric and piezoresistive materials; functional materials; magnetic materials; interface and surface properties; microscopies and spectroscopies; electrical properties
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Simas Rackauskas
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania
Interests: 1D nanomaterial synthesis;1D growth mechanism investigation; ZnO nanowires for chemosensors
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Mohammed Jasim Uddin
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 1201 W Univ Dr., Edinburg, TX 78539, USA
Interests: green energy; nanotechnology; surface science; photocatalysis; catalysis

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

In the last few decades, global energy requirements have grown exponentially, and increased demand is expected in the upcoming decades. Traditional energy resources have remarkably impacted energy production so far, but the use of renewable energy sources has constantly increased and is gradually substituting fossil fuels. Such non-renewable energy resources are limited in nature, and their use for energy purposes affects climate change. The new paradigm is materials for sustainable energy, and when materials are nanostructured, new key concepts are involved. Nanomaterials exhibit properties very different from their bulk counterparts due to their significant surface boundary and quantum confinement characteristics. Furthermore, the structure (or nanophase assembly) is also relevant to explain various novel and interesting properties, notably when energy applications are taken into consideration. Remarkably, the aggregation and interface properties of nanostructures, even at lower dimensionality, are expected to boost energy applications.

Among all materials, polymers and polymer-based composites have emerged as potential energy conversion and storage materials thanks to their blend of stability, flexibility, workability, resistance to corrosion, and electrical properties (either alone or combined with conductive filler). Supercapacitors and electrochemical capacitors are two examples of efficient energy storage because they have a very high current density and use low-cost polymer-based materials, as compared to other electrode materials. Among all materials, inorganic structures, as well as their combinations and composites, have achieved record values in harvesting efficiency of solar and thermal energies and for electrode materials.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest energy advances in the field of materials, in particular low-dimensional materials. Various topics related to synthesis and characterization methods, properties, and energy application uses are covered.

Prof. Dr. Federico Cesano
Dr. Simas Rackauskas
Dr. Mohammed Jasim Uddin
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 papers will be 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. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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

  • batteries
  • electrode materials
  • energy-harvesting materials
  • energy-saving materials
  • fuel production and storage
  • low-dimensionality materials
  • nanomaterials
  • piezoelectric materials
  • smart materials
  • solar energy harvesting
  • supercapacitors
  • thermal energy storage
  • thermoelectric materials
  • triboelectric materials

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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Article
Li4(OH)3Br-Based Shape Stabilized Composites for High-Temperature TES Applications: Selection of the Most Convenient Supporting Material
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(5), 1279; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11051279 - 13 May 2021
Viewed by 443
Abstract
Peritectic compound Li4(OH)3Br has been recently proposed as phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) applications at approx. 300 °C Compared to competitor PCM materials (e.g., sodium nitrate), the main assets of this compound are high volumetric [...] Read more.
Peritectic compound Li4(OH)3Br has been recently proposed as phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) applications at approx. 300 °C Compared to competitor PCM materials (e.g., sodium nitrate), the main assets of this compound are high volumetric latent heat storage capacity (>140 kWh/m3) and very low volume changes (<3%) during peritectic reaction and melting. The objective of the present work was to find proper supporting materials able to shape stabilize Li4(OH)3Br during the formation of the melt and after its complete melting, avoiding any leakage and thus obtaining a composite apparently always in the solid state during the charge and discharge of the TES material. Micro-nanoparticles of MgO, Fe2O3, CuO, SiO2 and Al2O3 have been considered as candidate supporting materials combined with the cold-compression route for shape-stabilized composites preparation. The work carried out allowed for the identification of the most promising composite based on MgO nanoparticles through a deep experimental analysis and characterization, including chemical compatibility tests, anti-leakage performance evaluation, structural and thermodynamic properties analysis and preliminary cycling stability study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials for Energy Applications)
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Review

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Review
Colloidal Lithography for Photovoltaics: An Attractive Route for Light Management
Nanomaterials 2021, 11(7), 1665; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11071665 - 24 Jun 2021
Viewed by 830
Abstract
The pursuit of ever-more efficient, reliable, and affordable solar cells has pushed the development of nano/micro-technological solutions capable of boosting photovoltaic (PV) performance without significantly increasing costs. One of the most relevant solutions is based on light management via photonic wavelength-sized structures, as [...] Read more.
The pursuit of ever-more efficient, reliable, and affordable solar cells has pushed the development of nano/micro-technological solutions capable of boosting photovoltaic (PV) performance without significantly increasing costs. One of the most relevant solutions is based on light management via photonic wavelength-sized structures, as these enable pronounced efficiency improvements by reducing reflection and by trapping the light inside the devices. Furthermore, optimized microstructured coatings allow self-cleaning functionality via effective water repulsion, which reduces the accumulation of dust and particles that cause shading. Nevertheless, when it comes to market deployment, nano/micro-patterning strategies can only find application in the PV industry if their integration does not require high additional costs or delays in high-throughput solar cell manufacturing. As such, colloidal lithography (CL) is considered the preferential structuring method for PV, as it is an inexpensive and highly scalable soft-patterning technique allowing nanoscopic precision over indefinitely large areas. Tuning specific parameters, such as the size of colloids, shape, monodispersity, and final arrangement, CL enables the production of various templates/masks for different purposes and applications. This review intends to compile several recent high-profile works on this subject and how they can influence the future of solar electricity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multifunctional Nanomaterials for Energy Applications)
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