Enhanced performance of solution-processed carbon nanotube transparent electrodes in foldable perovskite solar cells through vertical separation of binders by using eco-friendly parylene substrate

The successful utilization of an eco-friendly and biocompatible parylene-C substrate for high-performance solution-processed double-walled carbon nanotube(CNT)electrode-based perovskite solar cells(PSCs)was demonstrated.Through the use of a novel inversion transfer technique,vertical separation of the binders from the CNTs was induced,rendering a stronger p-doping effect and thereby a higher conductivity of the CNTs.The resulting foldable devices exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 18.11%,which is the highest reported among CNT transparent electrode-based PSCs to date,and withstood more than 10,000 folding cycles at a radius of 0.5 mm,demonstrating unprecedented mechanical stability.Furthermore,solar modules were fabricated using entirely laser scribing processes to assess the potential of the solution-processable nanocarbon electrode.Notably,this is the only one to be processed entirely by the laser scribing process and to be biocompatible as well as eco-friendly among the previously reported nonindium tin oxide-based perovskite solar modules.

Constructing“π–π”Reinforced Bridge Carbon Nanofibers with Highly Active Co‑N/C@pyridine N/C@CNTs Sites as Free‑Standing Bifunctional Oxygen Electrodes for Zn–Air Batteries

Rechargeable Zn-air batteries(ZABs)have received extensive attention,while their real applications are highly restricted by the slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reactions(ORR/OER).Herein,we report a“bridge”structured flexible self-supporting bifunctional oxygen electrode(CNT@Co-CNFF50-900)with strong active and stable Co-N/C@pyridine N/C@CNTs reaction centers.Benefiting from the electron distribution optimization and the advantages of hierarchical catalytic design,the CNT@Co-CNF_(F50-900)electrode had superior ORR/OER activity with a small potential gap(ΔE)of 0.74 V.Reinforced by highly graphitized carbon and the“π-π”bond,the free-standing CNT@Co-CNFF50-900 electrode exhibited outstanding catalytic stability with only 36 mV attenuation.Impressively,the CNT@Co-CNFF50-900-based liquid ZAB showed a high power density of 371 mW cm^(−2),a high energy density of 894 Wh kg^(−1),and a long cycling life of over 130 h.The assembled quasi-solid-state ZAB also demonstrated a high power density,attaining 81 mW cm^(−2),with excellent charge-discharge durability beyond 100 h and extremely high flexibility under the multi-angle application.This study provides an effective electrospinning solution for integrating high-efficiency electrocatalysts and electrodes for energy storage and conversion devices.

Biomass carbon materials for high-performance secondary battery electrodes:A review

Recently,the challenges pertaining to the recycling of metal-based electrode materials and the resulting environmental pollution have impeded the advancement of battery technology.Consequently,biomass-derived carbon materials,distinguished by their eco-friendliness and consistent performance,stand as a pivotal solution to this predicament.Researchers have made significant strides in the integration of porous carbon materials derived from biomass into battery systems.Nevertheless,these materials face issues such as limited efficiency,modest yields,and a complex fabrication process.This paper endeavors to summarize the recent advancements in the utilization of biomass-derived carbon materials within the realm of batteries,offering a comprehensive examination of their battery performance from three distinct perspectives:synthesis,structure,and application.We posit that composite materials composed of biomass-derived carbon align with the trajectory of future development and present extensive potential for application.Ultimately,we will expound upon our profound outlook regarding the furtherance of biomass-derived carbon materials.

Preparation and performance of hierarchically porous carbons as oxygen electrodes for lithium oxygen batteries

The hierarchically porous carbons （HPCs） were prepared by sol-gel selassembly technology in different surfactant concentrations and were used as the potential electrode for lithium oxygen batteries. The physical and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared HPCs were investigated by filed emission scanning electron microscopy （FE-SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm and galvanostatic charge/discharge. The results indicate that all of the HPCs mainly possess mesoporous structure with nearly similar pore size distribution. Using the HPCs as the electrode, a high discharge capacity for lithium oxygen battery can be achieved, and the discharge capacity increases with the specific surface area. Especially, the HPCs-3 oxygen electrode with CTAB concentration of 0.27 mol/L exhibits good capacity retention through controlling discharge depth to 800 mA·h/g and the highest discharge capacity of 2050 mA·h/g at a rate of 0.1 mA/cm2.

Binder‑Free Electrospun Nickel Cerium Selenide Nanofiber Electrodes Based on Voltage‑Stimulated Diameter Refinement for Solar‑Charged Quasi‑solid‑State Wearable Supercapacitors

Binder-free electrospining approach for fabricating bimetallic chalcogen electrodes is essential for cost-and time-cutting but challenging.Herein,we propose a novel direct spray technique in electrospinning method to fabricate binder-free electrospun nickel cerium selenide nanofiber(NCSNF)structured materials.The effect of the applied electrospinning voltage on the average fiber diameter is analyzed.Electrospinning voltage of 25 kV is applied for obtaining an average fiber diameter of<100 nm(87 nm)with rough interconnected nanofibers.The optimized NCSNF electrode exhibits remarkable longterm cycling stability over 50,000 galvanostatic charge-discharge(GCD)cycles.Furthermore,radish-derived nanolayered carbon(RDNLC)is synthesized via pyrolysis and its electrochemical properties are evaluated.The optimized NCSNF and RDNLC electrodes are employed to fabricate a polyvinyl alcohol-potassium hydroxide gel electrolyte-based quasi-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor(ASC).The quasi-solid-state ASC delivers a high energy density value of 22 Wh kg−1 with 85%capacitance retention and 95%Coulombic efficiency over 40,000 GCD cycles,and upon being extended to the 50,000 GCD cycles,the capacitance retention and Coulombic efficiency reached 71%and 95%,respectively.A solar-charged wristbandlike device is designed as a wearable supercapacitor,and the integrated device is attached to the human hand for powering electronic gadgets in contorted states,thus demonstrating its potential for wearable applications.

A high Li-ion diffusion kinetics in multidimensional and compact-structured electrodes via vacuum filtration casting

Manufacturing process,diffusion co-efficient and areal capacity are the three main criteria for regulating thick electrodes for lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,simultaneously regulating these criteria for LIBs is desirable but remains a significant challenge.In this work,niobium pentoxide(Nb_(2)O_(5))anode and lithium iron phosphate(LiFePO_(4))cathode materials were chosen as the model materials and demonstrate that these three parameters can be simultaneously modulated by incorporation of micro-carbon fibers(MCF)and carbon nanotubes(CNT)with both Nb_(2)O_(5) and LFP via vacuum filtration approach.Both as-prepared MNC-20 anode and MLC-20 cathode achieves high reversible areal capacity of≈5.4 m A h cm^(-2)@0.1 C and outstanding Li-ion diffusion coefficients of≈10~(-8)cm~2 s~(-1)in the half-cell configuration.The assembled MNC-20‖MLC-20 full cell LIB delivers maximum energy and power densities of244.04 W h kg^(-1)and 108.86 W kg^(-1),respectively.The excellent electrochemical properties of the asprepared thick electrodes can be attributed to the highly conductive,mechanical compactness and multidimensional mutual effects of the MCF,CNT and active materials that facilitates rapid Li-ion diffusion kinetics.Furthermore,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy(EIS),symmetric cells analysis,and insitu Raman techniques clearly validates the enhanced Li-ion diffusion kinetics in the present architecture.

All-carbon positive electrodes for stable aluminium batteries

For addressing the critical problems in current collectors in the aluminium batteries,a variety of carbonbased current collectors,including carbon fiber textiles and three-dimensional(3D)biomass-derivative carbon(BDC)networks,are employed for serving as lightweight non-metal current collectors.The results indicate that all the carbon-based current collectors have electrochemical stability in the acidic electrolyte environments.In the assembled aluminium batteries with all-carbon positive electrodes,thermal annealing process on the carbon-based current collectors has substantially promoted the entire electrochemical energy storage performance.Additionally,both the structure configuration and chemical components of the current collectors have also great impact on the rate capability and cycling stability,implying that the 3D BDC networks are more favorable to offer promoted energy storage capability.Implication of the results from suggests that the carbon-based current collectors and all-carbon positive electrodes are able to deliver more advantages in energy storage behaviors in comparison with the traditional positive electrodes with metal Mo current collectors.Such novel strategy promises a new route for fabricating highperformance positive electrodes for stable advanced aluminium batteries.

Research progress on carbon materials as negative electrodes in sodium-and potassium-ion batteries

Carbon materials,including graphite,hard carbon,soft carbon,graphene,and carbon nanotubes,are widely used as high-performance negative electrodes for sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries(SIBs and PIBs).Compared with other materials,carbon materials are abundant,low-cost,and environmentally friendly,and have excellent electrochemical properties,which make them especially suitable for negative electrode materials of SIBs and PIBs.Compared with traditional carbon materials,modifications of the morphology and size of nanomaterials represent effective strategies to improve the quality of electrode materials.Different nanostructures make different contributions toward improving the electrochemical performance of electrode materials,so the synthesis of nanomaterials is promising for controlling the morphology and size of electrode materials.This paper reviews the progress made and challenges in the use of carbon materials as negative electrode materials for SIBs and PIBs in recent years.The differences in Na+and K+storage mechanisms among different types of carbon materials are emphasized.

Ionic Group Derivitized Nano Porous Carbon Electrodes for Capacitive Deionization

Capacitance for electrostatic adsorption forms primarily within a Debye length of the electrode surface. Capacitive carbon electrodes were derivatized with ionic groups by means of adsorbing a surfactant in order to test the theory that attached ionic groups would exclude co-ions and increase coulombic efficiency without the need for an added charge barrier membrane. It has been discovered that capacitive electrodes surface derivatized with ionic groups become polarized and intrinsically more coulombically efficient.

Iron Species-Impregnated Granular Activated Carbon as Modified Particle Electrodes Applied in Benzothiazole Adsorption and Electrocatalytic Degradation

The object of this study is to prepare iron species-impregnated granular activated carbon as particle electrodes in order to improve their adsorption and electrocatalytic degradation capacity in Benzothiazole removal.The incorporation of Fe-containing catalysts was performed by Fe(NO_3)_3 impregnation.The obtained samples were characterized by BET,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,SEM-EDS,powder X-ray diffraction,X-ray photoelectron spectra and TG.Compared with pure activated carbon,this modified particle electrodes show higher static adsorption capacities and TOC removal,which have respectively increased by25.9% and 54.4%.Both physisorption and chemisorption exist in the process of benzothiazole adsorption,where the latter plays a major role.In this way,the Fe-containing catalysts on modified particle electrodes are demonstrated to make a greater contribution to the improvement of electrocatalytic degradation by decreasing the activated energy by 32%.

DNA Nano-netting Intertexture on Carbon Electrodes

Native calf thymus double stranded DNA (ct-dsDNA) is successfully immobilized from solution onto carbon substrates by covalent linkages under an optimized deposition potential of 1 .8±0.3 V vs. 50 mmol/L NaCl-Ag/AgCl. The long chain DNA fabricates a layer of well conductive nano-netting intertexture, which is stable in pH 14 alkaline solution and in boiling water. The ct-dsDNA modified carbon fiber disk electrode shows two to three orders of magnitude enlarged electrode effective surface area and similarly enlarged voltammetric responses to Co(phen)33+ and dopamine. Thermal dissociated single stranded ct-DNA can also lead to similar result. This modified electrode will find wide applications in the fields of DNA-based electrochemical biosensors.

Deciphering the lithium storage chemistry in flexible carbon fiber-based self-supportive electrodes

Flexible carbon fiber cloth(CFC)is an important scaffold and/or current collector for active materials in the development of flexible self-supportive electrode materials(SSEMs),especially in lithium-ion batteries.However,during the intercalation of Li ions into the matrix of CFC(below 0.5 V vs.Li/Li+),the incompatibility in the capacity of the CFC,when used directly as an anode material or as a current collector for active materials,leads to difficulty in the estimation of its actual contribution.To address this issue,we prepared Ni_(5)P_(4)nanosheets on CFC(denoted CFC@Ni_(5)P_(4))and investigated the contribution of CFC in the CFC@Ni_(5)P_(4)by comparing to the powder Ni_(5)P_(4)nanosheets traditionally coated on a copper foil(CuF)(denoted P-Ni_(5)P_(4)).At a current density of 0.4 mA cm^(−2),the as-prepared CFC@Ni_(5)P_(4)showed an areal capacity of 7.38 mAh cm^(−2),which is significantly higher than that of the PNi_(5)P_(4)electrode.More importantly,theoretical studies revealed that the CFC has a high Li adsorption energy that contributes to the low Li-ion diffusion energy barrier of the Ni_(5)P_(4)due to the strong interaction between the CFC and Ni_(5)P_(4),leading to the superior Li-ion storage performance of the CFC@Ni_(5)P_(4)over the pristine Ni_(5)P_(4)sample.This present work unveils the underlying mechanism leading to the achievement of high performance in SSEMs.

Dimethylamine oxalate manipulating CsPbI_(3) perovskite film crystallization process for high efficiency carbon electrode based perovskite solar cells

Crystallization process determines the quality of perovskite films and the performances of resultant perovskite solar cells(PSCs).Dimethylamine oxalate has been proven as a multifunctional modulator,and is explored as an efficient additive in manipulating the crystallization process of CsPbI_(3) perovskite films.On one hand,oxalate serves as the precipitator that facilitates the nucleation process of intermediate.The larger size of intermediate is conductive to the larger size and smaller grain boundaries of resultant perovskite.On the other hand,in subsequent annealing process,the phase conversion and growth process of transient perovskite can be decelerated due to the strong interactions of oxalate with both dimethylamine cation(DMA^(+))and Pb^(2+).Due to the optimized crystallization kinetics,the morphology and quality of CsPbI_(3) perovskite films are comprehensively improved with lower defect concentrations,and charge recombination loss is effectively suppressed.Benefiting from the optimized crystal quality of perovskite films,the carbon electrode-based CsPbI_(3) PSCs exhibit a champion efficiency of 18.48%.This represents one of the highest levels among all hole transport layer-free inorganic perovskite solar cells.

Current status and trends of carbon-based electrodes for fully solution-processed perovskite solar cells

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs) have revolutionized photovoltaic research. As a result, a certified power conversion efficiency(PCE) of 25.5% was recorded in late 2020. Although this efficiency is comparable with silicon solar cells;some issues remain partially unsolved, such as lead toxicity, instability of perovskite materials under continuous illumination, moisture and oxygen, and degradation of the metallic counter electrodes. As an alternative to tackle this last concern, carbon materials have been recently used, due to their good electrical and thermal conductivity, and chemical stability, which makes them one of the most promising materials to replace metallic counter electrodes in the fabrication of PSCs. This review highlights the recent advances of carbon-based PSCs, where the carbon electrode(CE) is the main actor.CEs have become very promising candidates for PSCs;they are mainly fabricated using a simple combination of graphite and carbon black powders embedded in a binder matrix, giving a paste that is then solution-processable, resulting in devices with improved quality stability, when compared to metallic electrodes. In this review, CE’s composition is emphasized, since it can give both, high and lowtemperature processed electrodes, compatible with different device configurations. Finally, the tendencies and opportunities to use CE in PSCs devices are presented.

The relationship between the high-frequency performance of supercapacitors and the type of doped nitrogen in the carbon electrode

Nitrogen doping has been widely used to improve the performance of carbon electrodes in supercapacitors,particularly in terms of their high-frequency response.However,the charge storage and electrolyte ion response mechanisms of different nitrogen dopants at high frequencies are still unclear.In this study,melamine foam carbons with different configurations of surfacedoped N were formed by gradient carbonization,and the effects of the configurations on the high-frequency response behavior of the supercapacitors were analyzed.Using a combination of experiments and first-principle calculations,we found that pyrrolic N,characterized by a higher adsorption energy,increases the charge storage capacity of the electrode at high frequencies.On the other hand,graphitic N,with a lower adsorption energy,increases the speed of ion response.We propose the use of adsorption energy as a practical descriptor for electrode/electrolyte design in high-frequency applications,offering a more universal approach for improving the performance of N-doped carbon materials in supercapacitors.

Current collectors’ effects on the electrochemical performance of LiNi_(0.6)Co_(0.2)Mn_(0.2)O_(2) suspension electrodes for lithium slurry battery

Take after the advantages of lithium-ion battery (LIB) and redox flow battery (RFB), semi-solid flow battery (SSFB) is a promising electrochemical energy storage device in renewable energy utilization. The flowable slurry electrode realizes decouple of energy and power density, while it also brings about new challenge to SSFBs, electron transport between active material and the out circuit. In this consideration, three types of current collectors (CCs) are applied to study the resistance and electrochemical performances of slurry cathodes within pouch cells for the first time. It proves that the electronic resistance (Re) between slurry electrode and the CC plays a decisive role in SSFB operation, and it is so large when Al foil is adopted that the cell cannot even work. Contact angle between Ketjen black (KB) slurry without active material (AM) and the CC is a preliminarily sign for the Re, the smaller the angle, the lower the resistance, and the better electrochemical performance of the cell.

Examining the Effects of Common Laboratory Methods on the Sensitivity of Carbon Fiber Electrodes in Amperometric Recordings of Dopamine

Carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFEs) are useful when combined with electrochemical techniques for measuring changes in neurotransmitter concentrations. We addressed conflicting details regarding the use of CFEs. Experimental groups consisted of CFEs at different ages (1 week, 1 month, or 2 months), cleaned in solvents (isopropanol or xylene), and exposed to in vitro use (flow cell calibrations) or in vivo use (in brain tissue). In order to determine if any of these factors affect CFE sensitivity, the present study utilized fixed potential amperometry and a flow injection system to calibrate CFEs for the measurement of dopamine. The sensitivity index (nA/μM per 100 μm of exposed carbon fiber) was not affected by the age of CFEs or pre-cleaning with xylene or isopropanol. CFE sensitivity of the in vitro exposure group also did not differ from untreated CFEs, indicating the calibration process did not alter sensitivity. However, in vivo use in brain tissue did reduce sensitivity. This effect was negated and sensitivity restored by cleaning CFEs in isopropanol or xylene following in vivo brain recordings. Given that variations in CFE sensitivity can skew results, our findings can help standardize CFE use and explain discrepancies between researchers.

Advancing Li-ion storage performance with hybrid vertical carbon/Ni_(3)S_(2)-based electrodes

Conversion-reaction induced charge storage mechanisms of transition metal sulphides have received considerable interest in designing high-capacity electrodes for electrochemical energy storage devices.However,their low conductivity and structural degradation during cycling limit their applications as energy storage devices.A combination of different nickel sulphide phases tailored with carbon nanostructures is suggested to address these limitations.Herein,a facile,two-step approach is demonstrated for fabricating a hybrid electrode,consisting of trinickel disulphide(Ni_(3)S_(2))formed on a metallic Ni nanoparticle supported by vertical carbon nanotubes(VCN)backbone in the form Ni_(3)S_(2)/Ni@VCN.Ni_(3)S_(2)/Ni@VCN electrodes were tested as anode for lithium-ion batteries,and the electrode featured outstanding lithiumstorage capabilities with a high reversible capacity(1113 m Ah g^(-1) after 100 cycles at 100 m A g^(-1)),excellent long-term cycling stability(770 m Ah g^(-1) after 500 cycles at 200 m A g^(-1)),and good rate capability.The resulting electrode performance is one of the best Li-ion storage capabilities in the Ni_(3)S_(2)-type anode materials described.A unique “broccoli-like”structure of polycrystalline Ni_(3)S_(2)capped on conductive VCN backbone helps the interface storage process and boosts lithium storage performance.

A Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Cellulose Nanofibrils from Ammophila arenaria for the Sensitive Detection of L-Trytophan

L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid for human health. Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) from marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) extracted from plants harvested in the center of Tunisia was used for the first time for the modification of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), for the sensitive detection of L-tryptophan (Trp). After spectroscopic and morphological characterization of the extracted NFC, the GC electrode modification was monitored through cyclic voltammetry. The NFC-modified electrode exhibited good analytical performance in detecting Trp with a wide linear range between 7.5 × 10−4 mM and 10−2 mM, a detection limit of 0.2 µM, and a high sensitivity of 140.0 µA∙mM−1. Additionally, the NFC/GCE showed a good reproducibility, good selectivity versus other amino acids, uric acid, ascorbic acid, and good applicability to the detection of Trp in urine samples.

La_(0.75)Sr_(0.25)Cr_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(3)-δ−Ce_(0.8)Gd_(0.2)O_(1.9) composite electrodes as anodes in LaGaO_(3)-based direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells

Direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells(DC-SOFCs)are promising,green,and efficient power-generating devices that are fueled by solid carbons and comprise all-solid-state structures.Developing suitable anode materials for DC-SOFCs is a substantial scientific challenge.Herein we investigated the use of La_(0.75)Sr_(0.25)Cr_(0.5)Mn_(0.5)O_(3)-δ−Ce_(0.8)Gd_(0.2)O_(1.9)(LSCM−GDC)composite electrodes as anodes for La_(0.9)Sr_(0.1)Ga_(0.8)Mg_(0.2)O_(3)-δelectrolyte-based DC-SOFCs,with Camellia oleifera shell char as the carbon fuel.The LSCM−GDC-anode DC-SOFC delivered a maximum power density of 221 mW/cm^(2) at 800℃ and it significantly improved to 425 mW/cm^(2) after Ni nanoparticles were introduced into the LSCM−GDC anode through wet impregnation.The microstructures of the prepared anodes were characterized,and the stability of the anode in a DC-SOFC and the influence of catalytic activity on open circuit voltage were studied.The above results indicate that LSCM–GDC anode is promising to be applied in DC-SOFCs.