Hyphae-mediated bioassembly of carbon fibers derivatives for advanced battery energy storage

Ingenious design and fabrication of advanced carbon-based sulfur cathodes are extremely important to the development of high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries,which hold promise as the next-generation power source.Herein,for the first time,we report a novel versatile hyphae-mediated biological assembly technology to achieve scale production of hyphae carbon fibers(HCFs)derivatives,in which different components including carbon,metal compounds,and semiconductors can be homogeneously assembled with HCFs to form composite networks.The mechanism of biological adsorption assembly is also proposed.As a representative,reduced graphene oxides(rGOs)decorated with hollow carbon spheres(HCSs)successfully co-assemble with HCFs to form HCSs@rGOs/HCFs hosts for sulfur cathodes.In this unique architecture,not only large accommodation space for sulfur but also restrained volume expansion and fast charge transport paths are realized.Meanwhile,multiscale physical barriers plus chemisorption sites are simultaneously established to anchor soluble lithium polysulfides.Accordingly,the designed HCSs@rGOs/HCFs-S cathodes deliver a high capacity(1189 mA h g^(-1)at 0.1 C)and good high-rate capability(686 mA h g^(-1)at 5 C).Our work provides a new approach for the preparation of high-performance carbon-based electrodes for energy storage devices.

Carbon Fiber Breakage Mechanism in Aluminum(Al)/Carbon Fibers(CFs) Composite Sheet during Accumulative Roll Bonding(ARB) Process

We put forward a method of fabricating Aluminum(Al)/carbon fibers(CFs) composite sheets by the accumulative roll bonding(ARB) method. The finished Al/CFs composite sheet has CFs and pure Al sheets as sandwich and surface layers. After cross-section observation of the Al/CFs composite sheet, we found that the CFs discretely distributed within the sandwich layer. Besides, the tensile test showed that the contribution of the sandwich CFs layer to tensile strength was less than 11% compared with annealed pure Al sheet. With ex-situ observation of the CFs breakage evolution with-16%,-32%, and-45% rolling reduction during the ARB process, the plastic instability of the Al layer was found to bring shear damages to the CFs. At last, the bridging strengthening mechanism introduced by CFs was sacrificed. We provide new insight into and instruction on Al/CFs composite sheet preparation method and processing parameters.

Solid catalytic growth mechanism of micro-coiled carbon fibers

Micro-coiled carbon fibers were prepared by catalytic pyrolysisof acetylene with nano-sized nickel powder catalyst using the substrate method. The morphology of micro-coiled carbon fibers was observed through field emission scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the fiber and coil diameter of the obtained micro-coiled carbon fibers is about 500—600 nm and 4—5 μm, respectively. Most of the micro-coiled carbon fibers obtained were regular double carbon coils, but a few irregular ones were also observed. On the basis of the experimental observation, a solid catalytic growth mechanism of micro-coiled carbon fibers was proposed.

Electromagnetism and Absorptivity of the Modified Micro-coiled Chiral Carbon Fibers

Micro-coiled chiral carbon fibers are modified by nano-Ni. X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） are used to compare the composition and morphology of the unmodified and the modified fibers. The results show that electromagnetism parameters of the modified are different from those of the unmodified. After modification by nano-Ni, the micro-coiled chiral carbon fibers have decreased permittivity and electrical loss. The permeability and magnetic loss of the modified carbon fibers become larger than those of the unmodified ones. Moreover, the modification of unmodified chiral carbon fibers into the modified is much like changing hollow electric windings into those with magnetic cores inside. The modifier intensifies the cross polarization of the chiral carbon fibers and makes the permittivity and the permeability get closer to each other which improves the matching performance and enhances absorbability of coatings. In the range of 6-18 GHz, the reflectivity of the coating is 6-8dB and the bandwidth is 12 GHz. The area density of the coating is below 3 kg/m^2.

Recent advances of carbon fiber-based self-supported electrocatalysts in oxygen electrocatalysis

Oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER) are the key reactions in numerous renewable energy devices. Unlike conventional powdered catalysts, self-supported catalysts are extensively employed in oxygen electrocatalysis because of the enhanced electron-transfer rate, high specific surface area, and superior mechanical flexibility. Among the self-supported conductive substrates, carbon fiber usually exhibits several distinctive advantages, such as a straightforward preparation process, relatively low cost, good stability, and excellent conductivity. Against this background,carbon fiber-based self-supported electrocatalysts have been widely applied and studied in oxygen electrocatalysis, indicating a promising development direction in oxygen electrocatalyst research.Thus, it is essential to offer an overall summary of the research progress in this field to facilitate its subsequent development. Taking the regulatory mechanisms and modification methods as a starting point, this review comprehensively summarizes recent research on carbon fiber-based self-supported electrocatalysts in recent years. Firstly, a brief overview of the synthesis methods and regulatory mechanisms of carbon fiber-based self-supported electrocatalysts is given. Furthermore, the view also highlights the modification methods and research progress of self-supported electrocatalysts synthesized on carbon fiber-based substrates in recent years in terms of different dopant atoms. Finally, the prospects for the application of self-supported electrocatalysts based on carbon fiber in oxygen electrocatalysis and the possible future directions of their development are presented. This review summarizes recent developments and applications of self-supported bi-functional electrocatalysts with carbon fiber-based materials as the conducting substrate in oxygen electrocatalysis. It also lays a robust scientific foundation for the subsequent reasonable design of highly effective carbon fiber-based self-supported electrocatalysts.

Carbon fiber confined mixed Ni-based crystal phases with interfacial charge redistribution induced by high bond polarity for electrochemical urea-assisted hydrogen generation

Interfacial electronic structure modulation of nickel-based electrocata-lysts is significant in boosting energy-conversion-relevant urea oxidation reaction(UOR).Herein,porous carbon nanofibers confined mixed Ni-based crystal phases of Ni_(2)P and NiF_(2) are developed via fluorination and phosphorization of Ni coated carbon nanofiber(Ni_(2)P/NiF_(2)/PCNF),which possess sufficient mesoporous and optimized Gibbs adsorption free energy by mixed phase-induced charge redistribution.This novel system further reduces the reaction energy barrier and improves the reaction activity by addressing the challenges of low intrinsic activity,difficulty in active site formation,and insufficient synergism.A considerably high current density of 254.29 mA cm^(-2) is reached at 1.54 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode on a glass carbon electrode,and the cell voltage requires 1.39 V to get 10 mA cm^(-2) in hydrogen generation,with very good stability,about 190 mV less than that of the traditional water electrolysis.The facile active phase formation and high charge transfer ability induced by asymmetric charge redistribution are found in the interface,where the urea molecules tend to bond with Ni atoms on the surface of heterojunction,and the rate-determining step is changed from CO_(2) desorption to the fourth H-atom deprotonation.The work reveals a novel catalyst system by interfacial charge redistribution induced by high bond polarity for energy-relevant catalysis reactions.

Polyetherketoneketone/carbon fiber composites with an amorphous interface prepared by solution impregnation

Interfacial adhesion between carbon fibers(CF)and polyetherketoneketone(PEKK)is a key factor that affects the mechanical performances of their composites.It is therefore of great importance to impregnate the CF bundles with PEKK as effi-ciently as possible.We report that PEKK with a good dispersion in a mixed solution of 4-chlorophenol and 1,2-dichloroethane can be introduced onto CF surfaces by solution impregnation and curing at 280,320,340 and 360℃.The excellent wettability or infiltra-tion of the PEKK solution guarantees a full covering and its tight binding to CFs,making it possible to evaluate the interfacial shear strength(IFSS)with the microdroplet method.The interior of the CF bundles is completely and uniformly filled with PEKK by solu-tion impregnation,leading to a high interlaminar shear strength(ILSS).The maximum IFSS and ILSS reached 107.8 and 99.3 MPa,respectively.Such superior shear properties are ascribed to the formation of amorphous PEKK in the small spaces between CFs.

High-efficiently doping nitrogen in kapok fiber-derived hard carbon used as anode materials for boosting rate performance of sodium-ion batteries

The engineering of plant-based precursor for nitrogen doping has become one of the most promising strategies to enhance rate capability of hard carbon materials for sodium-ion batteries;however,the poor rate performance is mainly caused by lack of pyridine nitrogen,which often tends to escape because of high temperature in preparation process of hard carbon.In this paper,a high-rate kapok fiber-derived hard carbon is fabricated by cross-linking carboxyl group in 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid with the exposed hydroxyl group on alkalized kapok with assistance of zinc chloride.Specially,a high nitrogen doping content of 4.24%is achieved,most of which are pyridine nitrogen;this is crucial for improving the defect sites and electronic conductivity of hard carbon.The optimized carbon with feature of high nitrogen content,abundant functional groups,degree of disorder,and large layer spacing exhibits high capacity of 401.7 mAh g^(−1)at a current density of 0.05 A g^(−1),and more importantly,good rate performance,for example,even at the current density of 2 A g^(−1),a specific capacity of 159.5 mAh g^(−1)can be obtained.These findings make plant-based hard carbon a promising candidate for commercial application of sodium-ion batteries,achieving high-rate performance with the enhanced pre-cross-linking interaction between plant precursors and dopants to optimize aromatization process by auxiliary pyrolysis.

Reliability analysis of carbon fiber rod-reinforced umbilical cable under tension using an improved sampling method

The umbilical cable is a vital component of subsea production systems that provide power,chemical agents,control signals et al.,and its requirement for reliability is exceedingly high.However,as the umbilical cable is a composite structure comprising multiple functional units,the reliability analysis of such cables involves numerous parameters that can impact calculation efficiency.In this paper,the reliability analysis of a new kind of umbilical cable with carbon fiber rod under tension is analyzed.The global dynamic analytical model is first established to determine the maximum tension load,then the local analytical model of umbilical cable including each unit are constructed by finite element method(FEM).Based on the mechanical analytical model,the reliability of umbilical cable under tension load is studied using response surface method(RSM)and Monte Carlo method.During the calculation process,a new tangent plane sampling method to calculate the response surface function(RSF)is proposed in this paper,which could make sampling points faster come close to the RSF curve,and it is proved that the calculation efficiency increases about 33%comparing with traditional method.

CoS Nanosheets Coated with Dopamine-Derived Carbon Standing on Carbon Fiber Cloth as Binder-Free Anode for Li-ion Batteries

Cobalt sulphides attract much attention as anode materials for Li-ion batteries(LIBs).However,its poor conductivity,low initial column efficiency and large volume changes during cycling have hindered its further development.Herein,novel interlaced CoS nanosheets were firstly prepared on Carbon Fiber Cloth(CFC)by two hydrothermal reactions followed with carbon coating via carbonizing dopamine(CoS NS@C/CFC).As a freestanding anode,the nanosheet structure of CoS not only accommodates the volume variation,but also provides a large interface area to proceed the charge transfer reaction.In addition,CFC works as both a three-dimensional skeleton and an active substance which can further improve the areal capacity of the resulting electrode.Furthermore,the coated carbon combined with the CFC work as a 3D conductive network to facilitate the electron conduction.The obtained CoS NS@C/CFC,and the contrast sample prepared with the same procedure but without carbon coating(CoS NS/CFC),are characterized with XRD,SEM,TEM,XPS and electrochemical measurements.The results show that the CoS NS@C/CFC possesses much improved electrochemical performance due to the synergistic effect of nanosheet CoS,the coated carbon and the CFC substrate,exhibiting high initial columbic efficiency(~87%),high areal capacity(2.5 at 0.15 mA cm−2),excellent rate performance(1.6 at 2.73 mA cm−2)and improved cycle stability(87.5%capacity retention after 300 cycles).This work may provide a new route to explore freestanding anodes with high areal specific capacity for LIBs.

Boosting Capacitive Deionization Performance of Commercial Carbon Fibers Cloth via Structural Regulation Based on Catalytic-Etching Effect

Monolithic carbon electrodes with robust mechanical integrity and porous architecture are highly desired for capacitive deionization but remain challenging.Owing to the excellent mechanical strength and electroconductivity,commercial carbon fibers cloth demonstrates great potential as high-performance electrodes for ions storage.Despite this,its direct application on capacitive deionization is rarely reported in terms of limited pore structure and natural hydrophobicity.Herein,a powerful metal-organic framework-engaged structural regulation strategy is developed to boost the desalination properties of carbon fibers.The obtained porous carbon fibers features hierarchical porous structure and hydrophilic surface providing abundant ions-accessible sites,and continuous graphitized carbon core ensuring rapid electrons transport.The catalytic-etching mechanism involving oxidation of Co and subsequent carbonthermal reduction is proposed and highly relies on annealing temperature and holding time.When directly evaluated as a current collector-free capacitive deionization electrode,the porous carbon fibers demonstrates much superior desalination capability than pristine carbon fibers,and remarkable cyclic stability up to 20 h with negligible degeneration.Particularly,the PCF-1000 showcases the highest areal salt adsorption capacity of 0.037 mg cm^(−2) among carbon microfibers.Moreover,monolithic porous carbon fibers-carbon nanotubes with increased active sites and good structural integrity by in-situ growth of carbon nanotubes are further fabricated to enhance the desalination performance(0.051 mg cm^(−2)).This work demonstrates the great potential of carbon fibers in constructing high-efficient and robust monolithic electrode for capacitive deionization.

Effect of Accelerated Aging Temperature under Artificial Seawater on the Properties of Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Composites and the Erosion Mechanism

In order to explore the effect of artificial accelerated aging temperature on the performance of carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites,we used artificial seawater as the aging medium,designed the aging environment of seawater at different temperatures under normal pressure,and studied the aging behavior of carbon fiber/epoxy composites.The infrared spectroscopy results show that,with the increase of aging temperature,the degree of hydrolysis of the composite is greater.At the same time,after 250 days of aging of artificial seawater at regular temperature,40 and 60 ℃,the moisture absorption rates of composite materials were 0.45%,0.63%,and 1.05%,and the retention rates of interlaminar shear strength were 91%,78%,and 62%,respectively.It is shown that the temperature of the aging environment has a significant impact on the hygroscopic behavior and mechanical properties of the composite,that is,the higher the temperature,the faster the moisture absorption of the composite,and the faster the decay of the mechanical properties of the composite.

Small but mighty:Empowering sodium/potassium-ion battery performance with S-doped SnO_(2) quantum dots embedded in N,S codoped carbon fiber network

SnO_(2) has been extensively investigated as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries(SIBs)and potassium-ion batteries(PIBs)due to its high Na/K storage capacity,high abundance,and low toxicity.However,the sluggish reaction kinetics,low electronic conductivity,and large volume changes during charge and discharge hinder the practical applications of SnO_(2)-based electrodes for SIBs and PIBs.Engineering rational structures with fast charge/ion transfer and robust stability is important to overcoming these challenges.Herein,S-doped SnO_(2)(S-SnO_(2))quantum dots(QDs)(≈3 nm)encapsulated in an N,S codoped carbon fiber networks(S-SnO_(2)-CFN)are rationally fabricated using a sequential freeze-drying,calcination,and S-doping strategy.Experimental analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal that the integration of S-SnO_(2) QDs with N,S codoped carbon fiber network remarkably decreases the adsorption energies of Na/K atoms in the interlayer of SnO_(2)-CFN,and the S doping can increase the conductivity of SnO_(2),thereby enhancing the ion transfer kinetics.The synergistic interaction between S-SnO_(2) QDs and N,S codoped carbon fiber network results in a composite with fast Na+/K+storage and extraordinary long-term cyclability.Specifically,the S-SnO_(2)-CFN delivers high rate capacities of 141.0 mAh g^(−1) at 20 A g^(−1) in SIBs and 102.8 mAh g^(−1) at 10 A g^(−1) in PIBs.Impressively,it delivers ultra-stable sodium storage up to 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^(−1) and potassium storage up to 5000 cycles at 2 A g^(−1).This study provides insights into constructing metal oxide-based carbon fiber network structures for high-performance electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices.

Preparation and Analysis of Carbon Fiber-Silicon Carbide Thermally Conductive Asphalt Concrete

An experimental investigation into the thermal conductivity of CF-SiC two-phase composite asphalt concrete is presented.The main objective of this study was to verify the possibility of using SiC powder instead of mineral powder as the thermal conductive filler to prepare a new type of asphalt concrete and improve the efficiency of electrothermal snow and ice melting systems accordingly.The thermal conductivity of asphalt concrete prepared with different thermally conductive fillers was tested by a transient plane source method,and the related performances were measured.Then the temperature rise rate and surface temperature were studied through field heating tests.Finally,the actual ice melting efficiency of the thermally conductive asphalt concrete was evaluated using an effective electrothermal system.As shown by the experimental results,the composite made of SiC powder and carbon fiber has a high thermal conductivity.When SiC replaces mineral powder,the thermal conductivity of the asphalt mixture increases first and then decreases with the increase of carbon fiber content.In the present study,in particular,the thermal conductivity attained a peak when the carbon fiber content was 0.2%of the aggregate mass.

Study of damage behavior and repair effectiveness of patch repaired carbon fiber laminate under quasi-static indentation loading

Damage caused due to low-velocity impacts in composites leads to substantial deterioration in their residual strength and eventually provokes structural failure.This work presents an experimental investigation on the effects of different patch and parent laminate stacking sequences on the enhancement of impact strength of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers(CFRP)composites by utilising the adhesively bonded external patch repair technique.Damage evolution study is also performed with the aid of Acoustic Emission(AE).Two different quasi-isotropic configurations were selected for the parent laminate,viz.,[45°/45°/0°/0°]s and[45°/0°/45°/0°]s.Quasi Static Indentation(QSI)test was performed on both the pristine laminates,and damage areas were detected by using the C-scan inspection technique.Damaged laminates were repaired by using a single-sided patch of two different configurations,viz.,[45°/45°/45°/45°]and[45°/0°/0°/45°],and employing a circular plug to fill the damaged hole.Four different combinations of repaired laminates with two configurations of each parent and patch laminate were produced,which were further subjected to the QSI test.The results reveal the effectiveness of the repair method,as all the repaired laminates show higher impact resistance compared to the respective pristine laminates.Patches of[45°/0°/0°/45°]configuration when repaired by taking[45°/45°/0°/0°]s and[45°/0°/45°/0°]s as parents exhibited 68%and 73%higher peak loads,respectively,than the respective pristine laminates.Furthermore,parent and patch of configuration[45°/0°/45°/0°]s and[45°/0°/0°/45°],respectively,attain the highest peak load,whereas[45°/45°/0°/0°]s and[45°/45°/45°/45°]combinations possess the most gradual decrease in the load.

Study of the Diffusion Behavior of Seawater Absorption in Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes/Halloysite Nanotubes Hybrid Nanofillers Modified Epoxy-Based Glass/Carbon Fiber Composites

In the maritime industry, cost-effective and lightweight Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites offer excellent mechanical properties, design flexibility, and corrosion resistance. However, their reliability in harsh seawater conditions is a concern. Researchers address this by exploring three approaches: coating fiber surfaces, hybridizing fibers and matrices with or without nanofillers, and interply rearrangement. This study focuses on evaluating the synergistic effects of interply rearrangement of glass/carbon fibers and hybrid nanofillers, specifically Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and Halloysite nanotubes (HNT). The aim is to enhance impact properties by minimizing moisture absorption. Hybrid nanocomposites with equal-weight proportions of two nanofillers: 0 wt.%, 1 wt.%, and 2 wt.% were exposed to seawater for 90 days. Experimental data was subjected to modelling through the application of Predictive Fick’s Law. The study found that the hybrid composite containing 2 wt.% hybrid nanofillers exhibited a 22.10% increase in impact performance compared to non-modified counterparts. After 90 days of seawater aging, the material exhibited enhanced resistance to moisture absorption (15.74%) and minimal reduction in impact strength (8.52%) compared to its dry strength, with lower diffusion coefficients.

Indirect Electroanalysis of 3-Methyl-4-Nitrophenol in Water Using Carbon Fiber Microelectrode Modified with Nickel Tetrasulfonated Phthalocyanine Complex

Electrochemical detection of 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (MNP) in direct phenol oxidation occurs at high potentials and generally leads to progressive passivation of the electrochemical sensor. This study describes the use of a carbon fiber microelectrode modified with a tetrasulfonated nickel phthalocyanine complex for the detection of MNP at a lower potential than that of direct phenol oxidation. The MNP voltammogram showed the presence of an anodic peak at -0.11 V vs SCE, corresponding to the oxidation of the hydroxylamine group generated after the reduction of the nitro group. The effect of buffer pH on the peak current and SWV parameters such as frequency, scan increment, and pulse amplitude were studied and optimized to have better electrochemical response of the proposed sensor. With these optimal parameters, the calibration curve shows that the peak current varied linearly as a function of MNP concentration, leading to a limit of detection (LoD) of 1.1 μg/L. These results show an appreciable sensitivity of the sensor for detecting the MNP at relatively low potentials, making it possible to avoid passivation phenomena.

Strength,lightness,and more:Exploring the properties of carbon fiber

In today's world,where innovation reigns supreme,materials that push the boundaries of what's possible are constantly being developed.One such material is carbon fiber,a remarkable substance that has transformed countless industries.This article delves into the fascinating wo rld of carbon fiber,explo ringits key properties that make it a game-changer.

Catalytic graphitization of PAN-based carbon fibers with electrodeposited Ni-Fe alloy

Ni-Fe alloy was electrodeposited on the surface of polyacrylonitrile （PAN）-based carbon fibers, and catalytic graphitization effect of the heat-treated carbon fibers was investigated by X-ray diffractometry and Raman spectra. It is found that Ni-Fe alloy exhibits significant catalytic effect on the graphitization of the carbon fibers at low temperatures. The degree of graphitization of the carbon fibers coated with Ni-Fe alloy （57.91% Fe, mass fraction） reaches 69.0% through heat treatment at 1 250 °C. However, the degree of graphitization of the carbon fibers without Ni-Fe alloy is only 30.1% after being heat-treated at 2 800 °C. The catalytic effect of Ni-Fe alloy on graphitization of carbon fibers is better than that of Ni or Fe at the same temperature, indicating that Ni and Fe elements have synergic catalytic function. Furthermore, Fe content in the Ni-Fe alloy also influences catalytic effect. The catalytic graphitization of Ni-Fe alloy follows the dissolution-precipitation mechanism.

Vapor-grown carbon fibers enhanced sulfur-multi walled carbon nanotubes composite cathode for lithium/sulfur batteries

Vapor-grown carbon fibers （VGCFs） were introduced as conductive additives for sulfur-multiwalled carbon nanotubes （S-MWCNTs） composite cathode of lithium-sulfur batteries. The performance of S-MWCNTs composite cathodes with carbon black and VGCFs as sole conductive additives was investigated using scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, galvanostatic charge-discharge tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. The results show that the S-MWCNTs composite cathode with VGCFs displays a network-like morphology and exhibits higher activity and better cycle durability compared with the composite cathode with carbon black, delivering an initial discharge capacity of 1254 mA＆#183;h/g and a capacity of 716 mA＆#183;h/g after 40 cycles at 335 mA/g. The interconnected VGCFs can provide a stable conductive network, suppress the aggregation of cathode materials and residual lithium sulfide and maintain the porosity of cathode, and therefore the electrochemical performance of S-MWCNTs composite cathode is enhanced.