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Innovation through specific and rational design and functionalization has led to the development of a wide range of mesoporous materials with varying morphologies (hexagonal, cubic, rod-like), structures (silicates, carbons, metal oxides), and unique functionalities (doping, acid functionalization) that currently makes this field one of the most exciting in materials science and energy applications. This book focuses primarily on the rapid progress in their application in energy conversion and storage technologies, including supercapacitor, Li-ion battery, fuel cells, solar cells, and photocatalysis (water splitting) and will serve as a valuable reference for researchers in the field

This highly informative and carefully presented book covers the most recent advances as well as comprehensive reviews addressing novel and state-of-the-art topics from active researchers in innovative advanced materials and hybrid materials, concerning not only their synthesis, preparation, and characterization but especially focusing on the applications of such materials with outstanding performance.

This first volume in the series on nanocarbons for advanced applications presents the latest achievements in the design, synthesis, characterization, and applications of these materials for electrochemical energy storage. The highly renowned series and volume editor, Xinliang Feng, has put together an internationally acclaimed expert team who covers nanocarbons such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, graphenes, and porous carbons. The first two parts focus on nanocarbon-based anode and cathode materials for lithium ion batteries, while the third part deals with carbon material-based supercapacitors with various applications in power electronics, automotive engineering and as energy storage elements in portable electric devices. This book will be indispensable for materials scientists, electrochemists, physical chemists, solid state physicists, and those working in the electrotechnical industry.

Energy Storage explains the underlying scientific and engineering fundamentals of all major energy storage methods. These include the storage of energy as heat, in phase transitions and reversible chemical reactions, and in organic fuels and hydrogen, as well as in mechanical, electrostatic and magnetic systems. Updated coverage of electrochemical storage systems considers exciting developments in materials and methods for applications such as rapid short-term storage in hybrid and intermittent energy generation systems, and battery optimization for increasingly prevalent EV and stop-start automotive technologies. This nuanced coverage of cutting-edge advances is unique in that it does not require prior knowledge of electrochemistry. Traditional and emerging battery systems are explained, including lithium, flow and liquid batteries. Energy Storage provides a comprehensive overview of the concepts, principles and practice of energy storage that is useful to both students and professionals.

This book details the latest R&D in electrochemical energy storage technologies for portable electronics and electric vehicle applications. During the past three decades, great progress has been made in R & D of various batteries in terms of energy density increase and cost reduction. One of the biggest challenges is increasing the energy density to achieve longer endurance time. In this book, recent research and development in advanced electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage devices is covered. Topics covered in this important book include: Carbon anode materials for sodium-ion batteries Lithium titanate-based lithium-ion batteries Rational material design and performance optimization of transition metal oxide-based lithium ion battery anodes Effects of graphene on the electrochemical properties of the electrode of lithium ion batteries Silicon-based lithium-ion battery anodes Mo-based anode materials for alkali metal ion batteries Lithium-sulfur batteries Graphene in Lithium-Ion/Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Graphene-ionic liquid supercapacitors Battery electrodes based on carbon species and conducting polymers Doped graphene for electrochemical energy storage systems Processing of graphene oxide for enhanced electrical properties

Nanostructured, Functional, and Flexible Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage Systems gathers and reviews developments within the field of nanostructured functional materials towards energy conversion and storage. Contributions from leading research groups involved in interdisciplinary research in the fields of chemistry, physics and materials science and engineering are presented. Chapters dealing with the development of nanostructured materials for energy conversion processes, including oxygen reduction, methanol oxidation, oxygen evolution, hydrogen evolution, formic acid oxidation and solar cells are discussed. The work concludes with a look at the application of nanostructured functional materials in energy storage system, such as supercapacitors and batteries. With its distinguished international team of expert contributors, this book will be an indispensable tool for anyone involved in the field of energy conversion and storage, including materials engineers, scientists and academics. Covers the importance of energy conversion and storage systems and the application of nanostructured functional materials toward energy-relevant catalytic processes Discusses the basic principles involved in energy conversion and storage systems Presents the role of nanostructured functional materials in the current scenario of energy-related research and development

This first book devoted to this hot field of science covers materials with bimodal, trimodal and multimodal pore size, with an emphasis on the successful design, synthesis and characterization of all kinds of hierarchically porous materials using different synthesis strategies. It details formation mechanisms related to different synthesis strategies while also introducing natural phenomena of hierarchy and perspectives of hierarchical science in polymers, physics, engineering, biology and life science. Examples are given to illustrate how to design an optimal hierarchically porous material for specific applications ranging from catalysis and separation to biomedicine, photonics, and energy conversion and storage. With individual chapters written by leading experts, this is the authoritative treatment, serving as an essential reference for researchers and beginners alike.

Since the first and second industrial revolutions, the development of energy conversion and storage technologies have brought great progress and convenience to modern society. Most of the innovations and technologies focus on the carbon-based fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, which are not only limited resources and but also harmful for the environment. Meanwhile, the power demand from industries and societies has been growing rapidly in the recent years. In this consideration, a number of research efforts have been intensively applied to pursue alternative clean energy resources and new energy storage and conversion systems, such as supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, metal-oxygen, water electrolysis and so on. In this dissertation, we report the synthesis and preparation of a series of polymer and nanomaterials with controllable composition and structure, to fit for the specific requirement in different systems and promote the device performance.In order to prevent the aggregation of graphene sheets, we designed a method to fabricate 3D macro porous graphene by using bi-continuous polymer templates. The structure and pore size of the graphene can be controlled by corresponding polymer templates. The resulting graphene monolith materials were used as the supercapacitor electrode and exhibited excellent stability (over 6000 cycles with capacity retention of 98%). This work provides a novel way to fabricate high-quality, macroporous graphene that can be useful in applications such as electrochemical energy storage electrodes and high surface area catalyst scaffolds.To investigate the Li-oxygen battery discharge reaction pathway, patterned Au-nanodots as surface-enhanced Raman substrates are prepared by using a universal method of metal deposition through a nano-shadow mask. The discharge products on different electrodes (graphene and gold) were analyzed and the results indicated that the reaction process on the lithium-air cathode was significantly dependent upon the change of cathode materials. To develop a stable, efficient, non-noble metal-based electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction, we have synthesized hollow and conductive iron-cobalt phosphide (Fe-Co-P) alloy nanostructures using a Fe-Co metal organic complex as a precursor. The Fe-Co-P alloy exhibits excellent OER activity with a specific current density of 10 mA/cm2 being achieved at an overpotential of 252 mV. Our results conclude that the electrochemical-induced high-valent iron stabilizes the cobalt in a low-valent state, leading to the simultaneous enhancement of activity and stability of the OER catalyst.For the purpose of developing high energy storage lithium ion batteries, we have synthesized highly porous Mn3O4/C nanospheres with the hierarchical structure as anode materials by self-assembly to form a spherical Mn-based metal organic complex, followed by a facile thermal annealing process. The Mn3O4/C nanospheres consisted of homogeneously distributed Mn3O4 nanocrystals with a conformal carbon coating. Such a hierarchical, porous structure provided both good electrical conductivity and volume changes accommodation capability. In order to mitigate the dendrite formation on the Li-metal electrode, 2D Ni3 (2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene)2 (Ni3 (HITP)2) metal-organic framework was also explored as the nano-host for Li deposition. During cycling, the high intrinsic electrical conductivity of Ni3 (HITP)2 evens potential difference on the Li metal surface and the nano-channel structure enables fast Li-ion and organic molecules through 2D nanosheets and endows nano hosts for Li nucleation and deposition. The 2D conductive MOF modified Li electrode exhibits an excellent coulombic efficiency of 99.95% in the Li/ Li2 Ti5 O12 (LTO) cell for 500 cycles. In order to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries, we have explored a high yield method to prepare surface-modified glass fiber pillars strengthened shear thickening electrolyte from the conventional Li-ion battery electrolyte. The volume fraction of the fillers could be lowered compared with the spherical fillers due to the high aspect ratio of the glass fiber pillars. The electrochemical stability of this impact resistant electrolyte was further evaluated in the half-cell and full-cell characterizations. Ballistic tests were also carried out to monitor the voltage variation with different impact energies. In this thesis, we have introduced a number of synthesis and preparation methods to fabricate structured polymer and nanomaterials. These materials are employed as electrodes, electrolyte fillers and catalyst by adjusting the composition, structure, and surface of the materials. The fabrication and evaluation of the energy storage and conversion devices (supercapacitors, Li-ion, Li-oxygen batteries, and alkaline water electrolysis) are also included.