Light-Material Interactions Using Laser and Flash Sources for Energy Conversion and Storage Applications

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in light-material interactions(LMIs),focusing on lasers and flash lights for energy conversion and storage applications.We discuss intricate LMI parameters such as light sources,interaction time,and fluence to elucidate their importance in material processing.In addition,this study covers various light-induced photothermal and photochemical processes ranging from melting,crystallization,and ablation to doping and synthesis,which are essential for developing energy materials and devices.Finally,we present extensive energy conversion and storage applications demonstrated by LMI technologies,including energy harvesters,sensors,capacitors,and batteries.Despite the several challenges associated with LMIs,such as complex mechanisms,and high-degrees of freedom,we believe that substantial contributions and potential for the commercialization of future energy systems can be achieved by advancing optical technologies through comprehensive academic research and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Photoinduced Cu^(+)/Cu^(2+)interconversion for enhancing energy conversion and storage performances of CuO based Li-ion battery

Pursuing appropriate photo-active Li-ion storage materials and understanding their basic energy storage/conversion principle are pretty crucial for the rapidly developing photoassisted Li-ion batteries(PA-LIBs).Copper oxide(CuO)is one of the most popular candidates in both LIBs and photocatalysis.While CuO based PA-LIBs have never been reported yet.Herein,one-dimensional(1D)CuO nanowire arrays in situ grown on a three-dimensional(3D)copper foam support were employed as dualfunctional photoanode for both‘solar-to-electricity’and‘electricity-to-chemical’energy conversion in the PA-LIBs.It is found that light energy can be indeed stored and converted into electrical energy through the assembled CuO based PA-LIBs.Without external power source,the photo conversion efficiency of CuO based photocell reaches about 0.34%.Impressively,at a high current density of 4000 m A g^(-1),photoassisted discharge and charge specific capacity of CuO based PA-LIBs respectively receive 64.01%and 60.35%enhancement compared with the net electric charging and discharging process.Mechanism investigation reveals that photogenerated charges from CuO promote the interconversion between Cu^(2+)and Cu^(+)during the discharging/charging process,thus forcing the lithium storage reaction more completely and increasing the specific capacity of the PA-LIBs.This work can provide a general principle for the development of other high-efficient semiconductor-based PA-LIBs.

Flexible Transparent Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage: From Electrode Structures to Integrated Applications

The rapid progress of flexible electronics tremendously stimulates the urgent demands for the matching power supply systems. Flexible transparent electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices (FT–EECSDs), with endurable mechanical flexibility, outstanding optical transmittance, excellent electrochemical performance, and additional intelligent functions, are considered as preferable energy supplies for future self-powered flexible electronic systems. A comprehensive review of the reasonable design of flexible transparent electrode and recent progress on the FT–EECSDs is presented herein. The manufacturing techniques of generally classified three types of flexible transparent electrodes are systematically summarized. Emphasis is given to the recent developments in the transparent solid-state electrolyte, flexible transparent energy conversion, and storage devices. The standard evaluation methods and reasonable evaluation parameters to evaluate the flexibility and transparency of FT–EECSDs are highlighted. Additionally, the typical integrated applications of FT–EECSDs are also described. Finally, the current challenges and a future perspective on the research and development direction are further outlined.

Nanostructured energy materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage: A review

Nanostructured materials have received tremendous interest due to their unique mechanical/electrical properties and overall behavior contributed by the complex synergy of bulk and interfacial properties for efficient and effective energy conversion and storage. The booming development of nanotechnology affords emerging but effective tools in designing advanced energy material. We reviewed the significant progress and dominated nanostructured energy materials in electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, including lithium ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium-oxygen batteries, lithium metal batteries, and supercapacitors. The use of nanostructured electrocatalyst for effective electrocatalysis in oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions for fuel cells and metal-air batteries was also included. The challenges in the undesirable side reactions between electrolytes and electrode due to high electrode/electrolyte contact area, low volumetric energy density of electrode owing to low tap density, and uniform production of complex energy materials in working devices should be overcome to fully demonstrate the advanced energy nanostructures for electrochemical energy conversion and storage. The energy chemistry at the interfaces of nanostructured electrode/electrolyte is highly expected to guide the rational design and full demonstration of energy materials in a working device. (C) 2016 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Laser Synthesis and Microfabrication of Micro/ Nanostructured Materials Toward Energy Conversion and Storage

Nanomaterials are known to exhibit a number of interesting physical and chemical properties for various applications,including energy conversion and storage,nanoscale electronics,sensors and actuators,photonics devices and even for biomedical purposes.In the past decade,laser as a synthetic technique and laser as a microfabrication technique facilitated nanomaterial preparation and nanostructure construction,including the laser processing-induced carbon and non-carbon nanomaterials,hierarchical structure construction,patterning,heteroatom doping,sputtering etching,and so on.The laser-induced nanomaterials and nanostructures have extended broad applications in electronic devices,such as light–thermal conversion,batteries,supercapacitors,sensor devices,actuators and electrocatalytic electrodes.Here,the recent developments in the laser synthesis of carbon-based and non-carbon-based nanomaterials are comprehensively summarized.An extensive overview on laser-enabled electronic devices for various applications is depicted.With the rapid progress made in the research on nanomaterial preparation through laser synthesis and laser microfabrication technologies,laser synthesis and microfabrication toward energy conversion and storage will undergo fast development.

Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Energy Conversion and Storage: Design Strategies Under and Beyond the Energy Scaling Relationship

The oxygen evolution reaction(OER)is the essential module in energy conversion and storage devices such as electrolyzer,rechargeable metal–air batteries and regenerative fuel cells.The adsorption energy scaling relations between the reaction intermediates,however,impose a large intrinsic overpotential and sluggish reaction kinetics on OER catalysts.Developing advanced electrocatalysts with high activity and stability based on non-noble metal materials is still a grand challenge.Central to the rational design of novel and high-efficiency catalysts is the development and understanding of quantitative structure–activity relationships,which correlate the catalytic activities with structural and electronic descriptors.This paper comprehensively reviews the benchmark descriptors for OER electrolysis,aiming to give an in-depth understanding on the origins of the electrocatalytic activity of the OER and further contribute to building the theory of electrocatalysis.Meanwhile,the cutting-edge research frontiers for proposing new OER paradigms and crucial strategies to circumvent the scaling relationship are also summarized.Challenges,opportunities and perspectives are discussed,intending to shed some light on the rational design concepts and advance the development of more efficient catalysts for enhancing OER performance.

Design of Functional Carbon Composite Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage

The carbon composite materials have been a research hotspot in the fields of catalysis,energy conversion and so on,because of their features of large structure and morphology variety,good chemical and electrochemical stability,and high electronic conductivity,large specific surface area and rich active sites.This paper summarizes some research progress of carbon composite materials,including assembly methodologies,their structure regulation,properties,and related applications.Moreover,the current challenges and the prospects of these materials are also discussed.

Photo-enhanced rechargeable high-energy-density metal batteries for solar energy conversion and storage

Solar energy is considered the most promising renewable energy source.Solar cells can harvest and convert solar energy into electrical energy,which needs to be stored as chemical energy,thereby realizing a balanced supply and demand for energy.As energy storage devices for this purpose,newly developed photo-enhanced rechargeable metal batteries,through the internal integration of photovoltaic technology and high-energy-density metal batteries in a single device,can simplify device configuration,lower costs,and reduce external energy loss.This review focuses on recent progress regarding the working principles,device architectures,and performances of various closed-type and open-type photo-enhanced rechargeable devices based on metal batteries,including Li/Zn-ion,Li-S,and Li/Zn-I_(2),and Li/Zn-O_(2)/air,Li-CO_(2),and Na-O_(2) batteries.In addition to provide a fundamental understanding of photo-enhanced rechargeable devices,key challenges and possible strategies are also discussed.Finally,some perspectives are provided for further enhancing the overall performance of the proposed devices.

Calcium-looping based energy conversion and storage for carbon neutrality-the way forward

With the global ambition of moving towards carbon neutrality,this sets to increase significantly with most of the energy sources from renewables.As a result,cost-effective and resource efficient energy conversion and storage will have a great role to play in energy decarbonization.This review focuses on the most recent developments of one of the most promising energy conversion and storage technologies-the calcium-looping.It includes the basics and barriers of calcium-looping beyond CO_(2) capture and storage(CCS)and technological solutions to address the associated challenges from material to system.Specifically,this paper discusses the flexibility of calcium-looping in the context of CO_(2) capture,combined with the use of H_(2)-rich fuel gas conversion and thermochemical heat storage.To take advantage of calcium-looping based energy integrated utilization of CCS(EIUCCS)in carbon neutral power generation,multiple-scale process innovations will be required,starting from the material level and extending to the system level.

In situ studies of energy-related electrochemical reactions using Raman and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Electrochemical energy conversion technologies involving processes such as water splitting and O_(2)/CO_(2) reduction,provide promising solutions for addressing global energy scarcity and minimizing adverse environmental impact.However,due to a lack of an in-depth understanding of the reaction mechanisms and the nature of the active sites,further advancement of these techniques has been limited by the development of efficient and robust catalysts.Therefore,in situ characterization of these electrocatalytic processes under working conditions is essential.In this review,recent applications of in situ Raman spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy for various nano-and single-atom catalysts in energy-related reactions are summarized.Notable cases are highlighted,including the capture of oxygen-containing intermediate species formed during the reduction of oxygen and oxidation of hydrogen,and the detection of catalyst structural transformations occurring with the change in potential during the evolution of oxygen and reduction of CO_(2).Finally,the challenges and outlook for advancing in situ spectroscopic technologies to gain a deeper fundamental understanding of these energy-related electrocatalytic processes are discussed.

MXene quantum dots of Ti_(3)C_(2):Properties,synthesis,and energy-related applications

The emerging two-dimensional MXene-derived quantum dots(MQDs)have garnered considerable research interest owing to their abundant active edge atoms,excellent electrical conductivity,and remarkable optical properties.Compared with their two-dimensional(2D)counterpart MXene,MQDs with forceful size and quantum confinement effects exhibit more unparalleled properties and have considerably contributed to the advanced photocatalysis,detection,energy storage,and biomedicine fields.This critical review summarizes the fundamental properties of MQDs in terms of structure,electricity,and optics.The mechanism,characteristics,and comparisons of two typical synthesis strategies(traditional chemical method and novel fluorine-free or chemical-free method)are also presented.Furthermore,the similarities and differences between MQDs and 2D MXenes are introduced in terms of their functional groups,light absorption capacity,energy band structure,and other properties.Moreover,recent advances in the applications of MQD-based materials for energy conversion and storage(ECS)are discussed,including photocatalysis,batteries,and supercapacitors.Finally,current challenges and future opportunities for advancing MQD-based materials in the promising ECS field are presented.

Supported dual-atom catalysts: Preparation, characterization, and potential applications

Developing sustainable and clean electrochemical energy conversion technologies is a crucial step in addressing the challenges of energy shortage and environmental pollution. Exploring and developing new electrocatalysts with excellent performance and low cost will facilitate the commercial use of these energy conversion technologies. Recently, dual-atom catalysts(DACs) have attracted considerable research interest since they exhibit higher metal atom loading and more flexible active sites compared to single-atom catalysts(SACs). In this paper, the latest preparation methods and characterization techniques of DACs are systematically reviewed. The advantages of homonuclear and heteronuclear DACs and the catalytic mechanism and identification technologies between the two DACs are highlighted. The current applications of DACs in the field of electrocatalysis are summarized. The development opportunities and challenges of DACs in the future are prospected. The ultimate goal is to provide new ideas for the preparation of new catalysts with excellent properties by customizing diatomic catalysts for electrochemical applications.

Recent Progress in Emerging Two‑Dimensional Transition Metal Carbides

As a new member in two-dimensional materials family,transition metal carbides(TMCs)have many excellent properties,such as chemical stability,in-plane anisotropy,high conductivity and flexibility,and remarkable energy conversation efficiency,which predispose them for promising applications as transparent electrode,flexible electronics,broadband photodetectors and battery electrodes.However,up to now,their device applications are in the early stage,especially because their controllable synthesis is still a great challenge.This review systematically summarized the state-of-the-art research in this rapidly developing field with particular focus on structure,property,synthesis and applicability of TMCs.Finally,the current challenges and future perspectives are outlined for the application of 2D TMCs.

Mesostructured carbon-based nanocages: an advanced platform for energy chemistry

The electrochemistry in energy conversion and storage(ECS) not only relies on the active species in catalysts or energy-storage materials, but also involves mass/ion transport around the active species and electron transfer to the external circuit. To realize high-rate ECS process, new architectures for catalysts or energy-storage electrodes are required to ensure more efficient mass/charge transport. 3 D porous mesostructured materials constructed by nanoscale functional units can form a continuous conductive network for electron transfer and an interconnected multiscale pores for mass/ion transport while maintaining the high surface area, showing great promise in boosting the ECS process. In this review, we summarize the recent progress on the design,construction and applications of 3 D mesostructured carbon-based nanocages for ECS. The role of the hierarchical architectures to the high rate performance is discussed to highlight the merits of the mesostructured materials. The perspective on future opportunities and challenges is also outlined for deepening and extending the related studies and applications.

Polysulfide Electrocatalysis on Framework Porphyrin in High-Capacity and High-Stable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur batteries with an ultrahigh theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg^(−1) are highly consid-ered as desirable next-generation energy storage devices that will meet the growing demand of energy consumption worldwide.However,complicated sul-fur redox reactions and polysulfide shuttling signifi-cantly postpone the applications of lithium-sulfur batteries with rapid capacity decay and low Coulom-bic efficiency.

Effects of nanostructure on clean energy: big solutions gained from small features

The increasing energy consumption and environmental concerns have driven the development of costeffective, high-efficiency clean energy. Advanced functional nanomaterials and relevant nanotechnologies are playing a crucial role and showing promise in resolving some energy issues. In this view, we focus on recent advances of functional nanomaterials in clean energy applications, including solar energy conversion, water splitting, photodegradation, electrochemical energy conversion and storage, and thermoelectric conversion, which have attracted considerable interests in the regime of clean energy.

Common Pitfalls of Reporting Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting

Rigorous assessment of heterogeneous electrocatalysts for electrochemical water splitting has been a critical issue mainly due to insufficient standard protocols to measure and report experimental data.In this perspective,we highlight some common pitfalls when measuring and reporting electrocatalytic data,which should be avoided to ensure the accuracy and reproducibility and to advance the water splitting field.We advocate to prevent the introduction of artefacts from the counter and reference electrodes,as well as the impurities in the electrolyte when conducting electrocatalyst activity measurements.In addition,we encourage the use of the electrochemically active surface area(ECSA)-normalized current densities to represent the intrinsic activity of the reported catalysts for a better comparison with previously known materials.Suitable ECSA measurement methods should be employed based on the nature of catalysts.Recommendations made in this perspective will hopefully assist in identifying advanced catalysts for water splitting research.