Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

Recent advances in cobalt phosphide-based materials for electrocatalytic water splitting:From catalytic mechanism and synthesis method to optimization design

Electrochemical water splitting has long been considered an effective energy conversion technology for trans-ferring intermittent renewable electricity into hydrogen fuel,and the exploration of cost-effective and high-performance electrocatalysts is crucial in making electrolyzed water technology commercially viable.Cobalt phosphide(Co-P)has emerged as a catalyst of high potential owing to its high catalytic activity and durability in water splitting.This paper systematically reviews the latest advances in the development of Co-P-based materials for use in water splitting.The essential effects of P in enhancing the catalytic performance of the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction are first outlined.Then,versatile synthesis techniques for Co-P electrocatalysts are summarized,followed by advanced strategies to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of Co-P materials,including heteroatom doping,composite construction,integration with well-conductive sub-strates,and structure control from the viewpoint of experiment.Along with these optimization strategies,the understanding of the inherent mechanism of enhanced catalytic performance is also discussed.Finally,some existing challenges in the development of highly active and stable Co-P-based materials are clarified,and pro-spective directions for prompting the wide commercialization of water electrolysis technology are proposed.

Tuning the reactivity of TiO_(2)layer with uniform distribution of Sub-5 nm Fe_(2)O_(3)particles via in situ voltage-assisted oxidation for robust catalytic reduction

The trade-off between efficiency and stability has limited the application of TiO_(2)as a catalyst due to its poor surface reactivity.Here,we present a modification of a TiO_(2)layer with highly stable Sub-5 nm Fe_(2)O_(3)nanoparticles(NP)by modulating its structure-surface reactivity relationship to attain efficiency-stability balance via a voltage-assisted oxidation approach.In situ simultaneous oxidation of the Ti substrate and Fe precursor using high-energy plasma driven by high voltage resulted in uniform distribution of Fe_(2)O_(3)NP embedded within porous TiO_(2)layer.Comprehensive surface characterizations with density functional theory demonstrated an improved electronic transition in TiO_(2)due to the presence of surface defects from reactive oxygen species and possible charge transfer from Ti to Fe;it also unexpectedly increased the active site in the TiO_(2)layer due to uncoordinated electrons in Sub-5 nm Fe_(2)O_(3)NP/TiO_(2)catalyst,thereby enhancing the adsorption of chemical functional groups on the catalyst.This unique embedded structure exhibited remarkable improvement in reducing 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol,achieving approximately 99%efficiency in 20 min without stability decay after 20 consecutive cycles,outperforming previously reported TiO_(2)-based catalysts.This finding proposes a modified-electrochemical strategy enabling facile construction of TiO_(2)with nanoscale oxides extandable to other metal oxide systems.

MXene multi-functionalization of polyrotaxane based PCMs and the applications in electronic devices thermal management

The aim of this work was to improve the thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding of the leakage proof phase change materials(PCMs),in which a polyrotaxane(PLR)was used as a support material to encapsulate PEG 1k or PEG 6k and MXene as multi-functional filler.The PCMs can be processed conveniently by a hot press and the PEG 1k containing samples showed excellent flexibility.We conducted a systematic evaluation of the phase transition behavior of the material,thermal conductivity and electromagnetic shielding performance tests.Notably,the PCMs achieved a high enthalpy values(123.9–159.6 J/g).The PCMs exhibited an increase of 44.3%,and 137.5%in thermal conductivity values with higher MXene content(5 wt%)for PLR-PEG6k and PLR-PEG1k,respectively,and show high shape stability and no leakage during and after phase transition.The introduction of MXene can significantly improve the electromagnetic shielding performance of PCM composites.Typically,higher conductive samples(samples which contain high MXene contents)offer a higher EMI SE shielding,reaching a maximum of 4.67 dB at 5.6 GHz for PLR-1K-MX5.These improvements solve the main problems of organic PEG based PCMs,thus making PLR-PEG-MXene based PCMs good candidates for thermoregulators of both solid-state disks and smart phone.It is worth pointing out that the sample PLR-1k-MX5 can decrease 4.3C of the reference temperature during cellphone running.Moreover,the temperature of the protecting sheet in the simulated solid state disk with PCM was significantly lower(showing a decreasing of 7.9℃)compared with the blank sample.

Recent advances in transition metal phosphide materials:Synthesis and applications in supercapacitors

Supercapacitors(SCs)are considered promising energy storge systems because of their outstanding power density,fast charge and discharge rate and long-term cycling stability.The exploitation of cheap and efficient electrode materials is the key to improve the performance of supercapacitors.As the battery-type materials,transition metal phosphides(TMPs)possess high theoretical specific capacity,good electrical conductivity and superior structural stability,which have been extensively studied to be electrode materials for supercapacitors.In this review,we summarize the up-to-date progress on TMPs materials from diversified synthetic methods,diverse nanostructures and several prominent TMPs and their composites in application of supercapacitors.In the end,we also propose the remaining challenges toward the rational discovery and synthesis of high-performance TMP electrodes materials for energy storage.

A dynamic database of solid-state electrolyte(DDSE)picturing all-solid-state batteries

All-solid-state batteries(ASSBs)are a class of safer and higher-energy-density materials compared to conventional devices,from which solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)are their essential components.To date,investigations to search for high ion-conducting solid-state electrolytes have attracted broad concern.However,obtaining SSEs with high ionic conductivity is challenging due to the complex structural information and the less-explored structure-performance relationship.To provide a solution to these challenges,developing a database containing typical SSEs from available experimental reports would be a new avenue to understand the structureperformance relationships and find out new design guidelines for reasonable SSEs.Herein,a dynamic experimental database containing>600 materials was developed in a wide range of temperatures(132.40–1261.60 K),including mono-and divalent cations(e.g.,Li^(+),Na^(+),K^(+),Ag^(+),Ca^(2+),Mg^(2+),and Zn^(2+))and various types of anions(e.g.,halide,hydride,sulfide,and oxide).Data-mining was conducted to explore the relationships among different variates(e.g.,transport ion,composition,activation energy,and conductivity).Overall,we expect that this database can provide essential guidelines for the design and development of high-performance SSEs in ASSB applications.This database is dynamically updated,which can be accessed via our open-source online system.

Phase composition,conductivity,and sensor properties of cerium-doped indium oxide

The hydrothermal synthesis of In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2)–In_(2)O_(3)is investigated as well as the properties of sensor layers based on these compounds.During the synthesis of In_(2)O_(3),intermediate products In(OH)_(3)and InOOH are formed,which are the precursors of stable cubic(c-In_(2)O_(3))and metastable rhombohedral(rh-In_(2)O_(3))phases,respectively.A transition from c-In_(2)O_(3)to rh-In_(2)O_(3)is observed with the addition of CeO_(2).The introduction of cerium into rh-In_(2)O_(3)results in a decrease in the sensor response to hydrogen,while it increases in composites based on c-In_(2)O_(3).The data on the sensor activity of the composites correlate with XPS results in which CeO_(2)causes a decrease in the concentrations of chemisorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancies in rh-In_(2)O_(3).The reverse situation is observed in composites based on c-In_(2)O_(3).Compared to In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2)–In_(2)O_(3)obtained by other methods,the synthesized composites demonstrate maximum response to H_(2)at low temperatures by 70–100℃,and have short response time(0.2–0.5 s),short recovery time(6–7 s),and long-term stability.A model is proposed for the dependence of sensitivity on the direction of electron transfer between In_(2)O_(3)and CeO_(2).

Structural effects induced by dialysis-based purification of carbon nanomaterials

Dialysis plays a crucial role in the purification of nanomaterials but its impact on the structural properties of carbon nanomaterials was never investigated.Herein,a carbon-based nanomaterial generated electrochemically in potassium phosphate buffer,was characterized before and after dialysis against pure water.It is shown that dialysis affects the size of the carbon domains,structural organization,surface functionalization,oxidation degree of carbon,and grade of amorphicity.Accordingly,dialysis drives the nanomaterial organization from discrete roundish carbon domains,with sizes ranging from 70 to 160 nm,towards linear stacking structures of small nanoparticles(<15 nm).In parallel,alcohol and ether(epoxide)surface groups evolve into more oxidized carbon groups(e.g.,ketone and ester groups).Investigation of the as-prepared nanomaterial by electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)revealed a resonance signal consistent with carbon-oxygen centred radicals.Additionally,this study brings to light the selective affinity of the carbon nanomaterial under study to capture Na^(+)ions,a property greatly enhanced by the dialysis process,and its high ability to trap oxygen,particularly before dialysis.These findings open new perspectives for the application of carbon-based nanomaterials and raise awareness of the importance of structural changes that can occur during the purification of carbon-based nanomaterials.

Experimental and computational study of annealed nickel sulfide quantum dots for catalytic and antibacterial activity

This research investigates the hydrothermal synthesis and annealing duration effects on nickel sulfide(NiS_(2) quantum dots(QDs)for catalytic decolorization of methylene blue(MB)dye and antimicrobial efficacy.QD size increased with longer annealing,reducing catalytic activity.UV–vis,XRD,TEM,and FTIR analyses probed optical structural,morphological,and vibrational features.XRD confirmed NiS2's anorthic structure,with crystallite size growing from 6.53 to 7.81 nm during extended annealing.UV–Vis exhibited a bathochromic shift,reflecting reduced band gap energy(Eg)in NiS_(2).TEM revealed NiS_(2)QD formation,with agglomerated QD average size increasing from 7.13 to 9.65 nm with prolonged annealing.Pure NiS_(2) showed significant MB decolorization(89.85%)in acidic conditions.Annealed NiS_(2) QDs demonstrated notable antibacterial activity,yielding a 6.15mm inhibition zone against Escherichia coli(E.coli)compared to Ciprofloxacin.First-principles computation supported a robust interaction between MB and NiS_(2),evidenced by obtained adsorption energies.This study highlights the nuanced relationship between annealing duration,structural changes,and functional properties in NiS_(2)QDs,emphasizing their potential applications in catalysis and antibacterial interventions.

Electronic properties of 2D materials and their junctions

With an extensive range of distinctive features at nano meter-scale thicknesses,two-dimensional(2D)materials drawn the attention of the scientific community.Despite tremendous advancements in exploratory research on 2D materials,knowledge of 2D electrical transport and carrier dynamics still in its infancy.Thus,here we highlighted the electrical characteristics of 2D materials with electronic band structure,electronic transport,dielectric constant,carriers mobility.The atomic thinness of 2D materials makes substantially scaled field-effect transistors(FETs)with reduced short-channel effects conceivable,even though strong carrier mobility required for high performance,low-voltage device operations.We also discussed here about factors affecting 2D materials which easily enhanced the activity of those materials for various applications.Presently,Those 2D materials used in state-of-the-art electrical and optoelectronic devices because of the extensive nature of their electronic band structure.2D materials offer unprecedented freedom for the design of novel p-n junction device topologies in contrast to conventional bulk semiconductors.We also,describe the numerous 2D p-n junctions,such as homo junction and hetero junction including mixed dimensional junctions.Finally,we talked about the problems and potential for the future.

Chemical incorporation of SiO_(2) into TiO_(2) layer by green plasma enhancer and quencher agents for synchronized improvements in the protective and bioactive properties

This study explores the dynamic interaction between environmentally sustainable plasma enhancer and quencher agents during the incorporation of SiO_(2) into a TiO_(2) layer,with the primary objective of simultaneously augmenting protective and bioactive attributes.This enhancement is realized through the synergistic utilization of Tetraethyl orthosilicate(TE)and Stevia(ST)within a plasma-assisted oxidation process.To achieve this goal,Ti–6Al–4V alloy underwent oxidation in an electrolyte solution containing acetate-glycerophosphate,with the addition of TE and ST separately and in combination.TE,as a silicon oxide(SiO_(2))precursor,facilitates the creation of a calcium-rich,rough,porous layer by undergoing hydrolysis to generate silanol groups(Si–OH),which subsequently condense into silicon-oxygen-silicon(Si–O–Si)bonds,resulting in SiO_(2) formation.In contrast,ST acts as a plasma quencher,absorbing highly reactive plasma species during the oxidation process,reducing energy levels,and diminishing sparking intensity.The combination of TE and ST results in moderate sparking,balancing Stevia's quenching effect and TE's sparking influence.As a result,this coating exhibits enhanced corrosion resistance and bioactivity compared to using either ST or TE alone.The study highlights the potential of this synergistic approach for advanced TiO_(2)-based coatings.

Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets from sugarcane dry leaves by two-stage pyrolysis for antibacterial activity

Oxidative-exfoliation methods were in vogue in the production of rGO from graphite.Processing of such synthetic graphite needs high temperatures(2500℃).Thus,such process is not cost-effective.The present study is made on the dry leaves of sugarcane(Saccharum officinarum)as an alternative raw material so as to be economical and environmentally benign.The dry leaves are subjected to two-step pyrolysis without any catalyst or reducing agent in far divergent temperatures to produce as prepared and acid treated rGOs.They were evaluated by UV–Vis.,FTIR,XRD,Raman spectroscopy,TGA/DTG,BET,FESEM-EDS and TEM.The as prepared rGO has few layers with irregular and folded architecture whereas acid-treated rGO has thinly stacked crumpled sheets with many wrinkles on its surface.The prepared rGOs have multilayered graphitic structure due to the unique ratio between G and D bands.Acid treated rGO has poor thermal stability as compared to that of as-prepared rGO at high temperatures due to the variation in the oxygen-containing functional groups.Acid treated rGO has low antibacterial activity as compared to that of the as-prepared rGO due to the paucity of the functional groups.

Nickel-based superalloy architectures with surface mechanical attrition treatment: Compressive properties and collapse behaviour

Surface modifications can introduce natural gradients or structural hierarchy into human-made microlattices,making them simultaneously strong and tough.Herein,we describe our investigations of the mechanical properties and the underlying mechanisms of additively manufactured nickel–chromium superalloy(IN625)microlattices after surface mechanical attrition treatment(SMAT).Our results demonstrated that SMAT increased the yielding strength of these microlattices by more than 64.71%and also triggered a transition in their mechanical behaviour.Two primary failure modes were distinguished:weak global deformation,and layer-by-layer collapse,with the latter enhanced by SMAT.The significantly improved mechanical performance was attributable to the ultrafine and hard graded-nanograin layer induced by SMAT,which effectively leveraged the material and structural effects.These results were further validated by finite element analysis.This work provides insight into collapse behaviour and should facilitate the design of ultralight yet buckling-resistant cellular materials.

A nano-sheet graphene-based enhanced thermal radiation composite for passive heat dissipation from vehicle batteries

In response to thermal runaway(TR)of electric vehicles,recent attention has been focused on mitigation strategies such as efficient heat dredging in battery thermal management.Thermal management with particular focus on battery cooling has been becoming increasingly significant.TR usually happened when an electric vehicle is unpowered and charged.In this state,traditional active battery cooling schemes are disabled,which can easily lead to dangerous incidents due to loss of cooling ability,and advanced passive cooling strategies are therefore gaining importance.Herein,we developed an enhanced thermal radiation material,consisting of~1μm thick multilayered nano-sheet graphene film coated upon the heat dissipation surface,thereby enhancing thermal radiation in the nanoscale.The surface was characterized on the nanoscale,and tested in a battery-cooling scenario.We found that the graphene-based coating's spectral emissivity is between 91% and 95% in the mid-infrared region,and thermal experiments consequently illustrated that graphene-based radiative cooling yielded up to15.1% temperature reduction when compared to the uncoated analogue.Using the novel graphene surface to augment a heat pipe,the temperature reduction can be further enlarged to 25.6%.The new material may contribute to transportation safety,global warming mitigation and carbon neutralization.

Progress in doping and crystal deformation for polyanions cathode based lithium-ion batteries

Polyanion-based materials are considered one of the most attractive and promising cathode materials for lithiumion batteries(LIBs)due to their good stability,safety,cost-effectiveness,suitable voltages,and minimal environmental impact.However,these materials suffer from poor rate capability and low-temperature performance owing to limited electronic and ionic conductivity,which restricts their practical applicability.Recent developments,such as coating material particles with carbon or a conductive polymer,crystal deformation through the doping of foreign metal ions,and the production of nanostructured materials,have significantly enhanced the electrochemical performances of these materials.The successful applications of polyanion-based materials,especially in lithium-ion batteries,have been extensively reported.This comprehensive review discusses the current progress in crystal deformation in polyanion-based cathode materials,including phosphates,fluorophosphates,pyrophosphates,borates,silicates,sulfates,fluorosilicates,and oxalates.Therefore,this review provides detailed discussions on their synthesis strategies,electrochemical performance,and the doping of various ions.

LDH sealing for PEO coated friction stir welded AZ31/AA5754 materials

The need to combine various metals in light-weight constructions requires the development of coatings that prevent galvanic corrosion.Layered double hydroxides(LDHs)can be an example of such coatings,which were previously successfully obtained in situ on individual materials.In addition,the possibility of LDH growth(including LDH growth in the presence of chelating agents)on the surface of plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)-coated metals was previously shown.This PEO+LDH combination could improve both corrosion and mechanical characteristics of the system.The possibility of LDHs formation in situ on the surface of PEO-coated friction stir welded(FSW)magnesium-aluminum materials(AZ31/AA5754 system was selected as a model one)was demonstrated in the presence of 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid(DHPTA)as a chelating agent,which was selected based on analysis of respective metal-ligand compounds stability.LDHs growth was achieved under ambient pressure without addition of carbonates in the electrolyte.The effectiveness of the resulting coating is shown both for corrosion resistance and hardness.

Advanced strategies for marine antifouling based on nanomaterial-enhanced functional PDMS coatings

Marine biofouling seriously affects human marine exploitation and transportation activities,to which marine antifouling(AF)coatings are considered to be the most cost-effective solution.Since the mid-20th century,human beings have dedicated their efforts on developing AF coatings with long cycle and high performance,leading to a large number of non-target organisms?distortion,death and marine environmental pollution.Polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS),is considered as one of the representative environment-friendly AF materials thanks to its non-toxic,hydrophobic,low surface energy and AF properties.However,PDMS AF coatings are prone to mechanical damage,weak adhesion strength to substrate,and poor static AF effect,which seriously restrict their use in the ocean.The rapid development of various nanomaterials provides an opportunity to enhance and improve the mechanical properties and antifouling properties of PDMS coating by embedding nanomaterials.Based on our research background and the problems faced in our laboratory,this article presents an overview of the current progress in the fields of PDMS composite coatings enhanced by different nanomaterials,with the discussion focused on the advantages and main bottlenecks currently encountered in this field.Finally,we propose an outlook,hoping to provide fundamental guidance for the development of marine AF field.

Gradient honeycomb metastructure with broadband microwave absorption and effective mechanical resistance

Multifunctional metastructure integrated broadband microwave absorption and effective mechanical resistance has attracted much attention.However,multifunctional performance is limited by the lack of theoretical approaches to integrated design.Herein,a multi-layer impedance gradient honeycomb(MIGH)was designed through theoretical analysis and simulation calculation,and fabricated using 3D printing technique.A theoretical calculation strategy for impedance gradient structure was established based on the electromagnetic parameter equivalent method and the multi-layer finite iterative method.The impedance of MIGH was analyzed by the theoretical calculation strategy to resolve the broadband absorption.Intrinsic loss mechanism of matrix materials and distributions of electric fields,magnetic fields and power loss were analyzed to investigate the absorption mechanism.Experimental results indicated that a 15 mm thick designed metastructure can achieve the absorption more than 88.9%in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz.Moreover,equivalent mechanical parameters of MIGH was calculated by integral method according to the Y-shaped model.Finite Element analysis of stress distributions were carried out to predict the deformation behavior.Mechanical tests demonstrate that MIGH achieved the compression modulus of 22.89 MPa and flexure modulus of 17.05 MPa.The integration of broadband electromagnetic absorption and effective mechanical resistance was achieved by the proposed design principle and fabrication methodology.

Efficient processed carbon Soot@MoS_(2) hybrid Bi-functional electrode for dye-sensitized solar cell and asymmetric supercapacitor devices

A feasible approach to rectify the world's energy demand using sustainable development of adequate energy generation and storage technologies in a single channel.In this respect,we made a holistic approach with a bifunctional electrode material to perform effectively in energy generation and storage applications.MoS_(2) nanosheets were produced by the eco-friendly method and reduced graphene oxide is used to prepared by carbon soot which is derived from castor oil.The prepared soot and rGO were combined with MoS_(2) nanosheets using a simple sonication method.The as-prepared sample was introduced in the supercapacitor and DSSC application.The combination MoS_(2)@rGO provides an enhanced conversion efficiency of 11.81%and the reproducibility of DSSC is also studied.Further,MoS_(2)@rGO is used to fabricate an asymmetric supercapacitor to investigate its real-time application.The device produced the maximum power density(1666.6 mW/kg)and energy density(25.69 mWh/Kg)at 1 A/g.The asymmetric supercapacitor device holds a cyclic stability of 81.4%for 5000 cycles and it powered up an LED device for 4 min.

Utilizing a defective MgO layer for engineering multifunctional Co-MOF hybrid materials with tailored leaf-like and polyhedral structures for optimal electrochemical and photocatalytic activities

The hybridization of metal-organic framework(MOF)with inorganic layers would lead to the discovery of novel hybrid materials that can provide a compelling strategy for enhancing its photocatalytic and electrochemical response.In the present study,a highly efficient multifunctional hybrid material was developed by exploiting the defective layer formed on AZ31 Mg alloy through plasma electrolytic oxidation(PEO)as a nucleation and growth site for Co-MOF.The concentrations of the organic linker 2-Methylimidazole(2,MIm)and cobalt nitrate as a source of Co^(2+) ions were varied to control the growth of the obtained Co-MOF.Lower concentrations of the 2,MIm ligand favored the formation of leaf-like MOF structures through an anisotropic,two-dimensional growth,while higher concentrations led to rapid,isotropic nucleation and the creation of polyhedral Co-MOF structures.The sample characterized by polyhedral Co-MOF structures exhibited superior electrochemical stability,with the lowest corrosion current density(3.11×10^(-9) A/cm^(2))and the highest top layer resistance(2.34×10^(6)Ωcm^(2)),and demonstrated outstanding photocatalytic efficiency,achieving a remarkable 99.98%degradation of methylene blue,an organic pollutant,in model wastewater.To assess the active adsorption sites of the Co-MOF,density functional theory(DFT)was utilized.This study explores the changes in morphologies of the coatings of Co-MOF with the change of solution concentration to form coatings with enhanced properties on the metallic substrate,which could establish the groundwork for the development of next-generation multifunctional frameworks with diverse applications.