Increasing concerns for the escalating issues activated by the effect of carbon dioxide emissions on the global climate from extensive use of fossil fuels and the limited amount of fossil resources has led to an in-depth search for alternative energy systems, primarily based on nuclear or renewable energy sources. Recent innovations in the production of more efficient devices for energy harvesting, storage, and conversion are based on the incorporation of nanostructured materials into electrochemical systems. The aforementioned nano-electrochemical energy systems hold particular promise for alternative energy transportation related technologies including fuel cells, hydrogen storage, and electrochemical supercapacitors. In each of these devices, nanostructured materials can be used to increase the surface area where the critical chemical reactions occur within the same volume and mass, thereby increasing the energy density, power density, electrical efficiency, and physical robustness of the system. Durable corrosion resistant carbon support materials for fuel cells have been designed by adding conductive low cost carbon materials with chemically robust ceramic materials. Since a strict control of the pore size is mandatory to optimize properties for improved performance, chemical activation agents have been utilized as porogens to tune surface areas, pore size distributions, and composition of carbon-based mesoporous materials. Through the use of evaporative self-assembly methods, both randomly disordered and surfactant-templated, ordered carbon-silica nanocomposites have been synthesized with controlled surface area, pore volume, and pore size ranging from 50-800 m2/g, 0.025-0.75 cm3/g, and 2-10 nm, respectively. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) ranging from 0.05-1.0 wt. % were added to the aforementioned carbon-silica nanocomposites, which provided an additional increase in surface area and improved conductivity. Initially, a conductivity value of 0.0667 S/cm was measured for the composite without carbon nanotubes and the conductivity value improved by over an order of magnitude to 1 S/cm with the addition of 0.5 wt.% CNTs. Triggered by dispersion issues, the agglomeration of MWNTs during the drying process prevented each nanotube from being loaded over a maximum interfacial area. In order to improve the dispersion of carbon nanotubes within the carbon-silica network, electrospinning was explored as a method to improve the alignment of the carbon nanotubes. The electrospun fibers produced with the highest concentration of MWNTs at 1.0 wt.% produced the largest surface area and electrical conductivity values of 333.36 m2/g and 2.09 S/cm, respectively. Capacitance measurements were calculated to examine if improved conductivity results in higher capacitance values. The best capacitance performance was 148 F/g from a carbon-based mesoporous composite with 0.5 wt. % MWNTs in an aqueous electrolyte with a 2.0 mV/s scan rate. An 80% increase in capacitance occurs with the addition of 0.5 wt. % MWNTs. This is in the range of capacitance values produced by hierarchically ordered mesoporous-microporous carbons, reported at 180 F/g. Fibrous carbon tubes assembled from hydrofluoric acid etched perylenetetracarboxylic diimide bridged silsesquioxane (PDBS) were capable of hydrogen adsorption on the order of 1.3-2.5 wt. % at 77K. Lastly chemically activated phenol- formaldehyde resins produced microporous carbon with 1500 m3/g surface areas and pore sizes ranging from 0.3-0.5 nm, which has potential for asymmetric super-capacitor electrodes. Judicious control over the composition and pore structure of carbon-based nanocomposites can lead to improved performance of various alternative energy materials.

This book introduces the synthesis of functional mesoporous carbon-based films and their applications in energy systems. In the last decades, the consumption of fossil fuels has led to many problems such as the energy crisis and climate change. The rapidly increasing energy demands and environmental issues have attracted lots of attention to develop new functional materials for sustainable energy technology. Mesoporous carbon-based films show unique properties and have been regarded as a promising material applied in highly efficient energy storage and conversion systems. Interfacial assembly strategies are usually employed to construct such film devices. In this book, recent developments in synthesis of mesoporous carbon-based film devices through interfacial assembly strategies are illustrated. Additionally, the applications of mesoporous carbon-based film devices for electrochemical energy systems including batteries and electrocatalysis are introduced to demonstrate their potential, as well as describing the mechanisms to enhance the performance of these systems. Finally, some challenges and future outlooks are presented to inspire better development and contributions to this field in coming years. Given its scope, this book appeals to undergraduate students, graduate students, engineers, and researchers involved in related fields.

In recent years the Japanese have funded a comprehensive study of carbon materials which incorporate other elements including boron, nitrogen and fluorine, hence the title of the project "Carbon Alloys".Coined in 1992, the phrase "Carbon Alloys" can be applied to those materials mainly composed of carbon materials in multi-component systems. The carbon atoms of each component have a physical and/or chemical interactive relationship with other atoms or compounds. The carbon atoms of the components may have different hybrid bonding orbitals to create quite different carbon components.Eiichi Yasuda and his team consider the definition of Carbon Alloys, present the results of the Carbon Alloys projects, describe typical Carbon Alloys and their uses, discuss recent techniques for their characterization, and finally, illustrate potential applications and future developments for Carbon Alloy science. The book contains over thirty chapters on these studies from as many researchers.The most modern of techniques, particularly in the area of spectroscopy, were used as diagnostic tools, and many of these are applicable to pure carbons also. Porosity in carbons received considerable attention.

Modern lifestyle demands consistent supply of energy for our daily need and comfort. To encounter global demands for energy and to permit for diminution of fossil fuels, there is an urgent need for efficient, sustainable and clean energy sources. Carbonaceous material such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, mesoporous carbon, carbon nanofibres and their composites are extensively studied material. They are playing important role to alternative clean energy sources. This book reviews the roadmap of various form of carbonaceous materials used in several energy devices and provides guideline of future perspective.

Explores the sustainable production of carbon materials and their applications Of increasing interest to practitioners and researchers in a variety of areas, biomass-derived carbon materials can be easily produced and possess the large surface areas and porosities that enable many applications in materials science, biochemistry, chemistry, and energy research. In Biomass-Derived Carbon Materials: Production and Applications, a team of accomplished researchers delivers a thorough and up-to-date exploration of the preparation and activation processes of biomass-derived carbon materials, the fabrication of composites, and assorted and multidisciplinary applications of the technology. The book also covers future opportunities for research and application. Introductory chapters provide information about the production, functionalization, and characterization of biomass-derived carbon materials, while the latter parts of this edited volume discuss the applications of biomass-derived carbon materials such as catalysis, sensors, microbicidal activity, toxic chemicals removal, drug delivery, and energy conversion and storage applications. The book also includes: A thorough introduction to the production of biomass-derived carbon materials, as well as their characterization Comprehensive explorations of biomass-derived carbon-based materials for microbicidal applications and carbon-based nanomaterials prepared from biomass for catalysis Practical discussions of biomass-derived carbon quantum dots for fluorescence sensors and mesoporous carbon nanomaterials for drug delivery and imaging applications In-depth examinations of biomass-derived carbon as electrode materials for batteries and porous carbon synthesized from biomass for fuel cells Ideal for materials scientists as well as industrial chemists and biochemists, Biomass-Derived Carbon Materials: Production and Applications also belongs in the libraries of electrochemists and sensor developers.

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

Porous carbon materials are at the heart of many applications, including renewable energy storage and generation, due to their superior physical properties and availability. The environmentally-friendly production of these materials is crucial for a sustainable future. This book focuses on the transformation of sustainable precursors into functional, porous carbonaceous materials via the two most significant approaches: Starbon® and Hydrothermal Carbonisation. Covering cutting-edge research and emerging areas, chapters cover applications of porous carbon materials in catalysis and separation science as well as in energy science. Moreover, the challenges of characterization of these materials and their commercialization are explained by worldwide experts. The content will be accessible and valuable to post-graduate students and senior researchers alike and it will serve as a significant reference for academics and industrialists working in the areas of materials science, catalysis and separation science.

An authoritative and robust overview of the synthesis, characterization, and application of carbon-based materials In Enhanced Carbon-Based Materials and Their Applications, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a timely and carefully referenced overview of carbon-based materials and their applications. Following a summary of carbon-based materials and their synthesis methods, the authors move on to highlight advanced topics regarding enhanced carbon-based materials and their applications. Discussions of the discovery of memristor-based memory, substrate options, and the effect of electrodes materials are accompanied by a review of the developments in carbonous materials, an explanation of the working principle of thermoelectric energy harvesting, and the applications of carbon-enhanced piezoelectric materials, sensors, optoelectronic devices, actuators, and display applications as well. The book concludes with a presentation of anticipated future prospects and challenges in this area, including those obstacles that must be addressed before the large-scale production of carbon-based products can begin. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to carbon-based nanomaterials, including their synthesis and characterization Comprehensive explorations of functional carbon-based nanomaterials and sensor applications, as well as fabrication techniques of resistive switching carbon-based memories Practical discussions of carbonous-based optoelectronic devices, thermoelectric energy harvesters, and their applications Fulsome treatments of carbon-enhanced piezoelectric materials and their applications Perfect for a multi-disciplinary audience in the broader scientific and industrial communities, Enhanced Carbon-Based Materials and Their Applications will also earn a place in the libraries of researchers and industry professionals with an interest in the synthesis and characterization of carbon nanomaterials.

Nanocarbon-Inorganic Hybrids is dedicated exclusively to the new family of functional materials, covering a multidisciplinary research field that combines materials science, chemistry and physics with nanotechnology and applied energy science. It provides a concise introduction into fundamental principles of nanocarbons, defines hybrids and composites, explains the physics behind sustainability, and illustrates requirements for successful implementation in energy applications. It further reviews the current research on developing concepts for designing nanocarbon hybrids, unravels mechanistic details of interfacial electron transfer processes and highlights future challenges and perspectives associated with exploiting these exciting new materials in commercial energy applications and beyond. This comprehensively written book is indispensable for Master and PhD students seeking to become familiar with a modern fi eld of knowledge-driven material science as well as for senior researchers and industrial staff scientists who explore the frontiers of knowledge.