Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electricity production from sustainable sources and their efficient storage are the two main energy challenges faced by modern society. Implementation of suitable energy storage technology is key due to the fluctuation of sustainable energy sources. While there are remarkable advances in the area of renewable energy generation (solar cells, wind turbines, photothermal receivers, etc.), developments in the area of energy storage devices are lagging behind. Consequently, numerous efforts have been devoted to developing high-performance electrodes for energy storage devices. Superior electronic and ionic conductivities of electrode materials are the key requirements for attaining improved electrochemical performances. Fabricating nanostructures is an established method for improving the electrochemical performance by enhancing electronic conductivity and diffusion kinetics in electrode materials. Nanostructured electrodes facilitate better contact with the electrolyte solution, resulting in shorter length for ion and electron transport, and superior interfacial kinetics.

This Special Issue on “Nanostructured Electrode Architectures for Electrochemical Energy Storage” addresses the challenges and developments in the designing of nanostructured electrodes and their impact in the area of electrochemical energy storage.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

· Organic/inorganic hybrid electrodes

· 2D and 3D electrode architectures

· Hybrid electrodes for capacitors

· Li/Na batteries based on nanostructured electrodes

· Nanostructured electrodes for hybrid energy storage devices

· Metal air (Li-O₂, Na-O₂, Zn-O₂ etc.) batteries composed of nano-catalysts

· Electrode architectures for alkali ion capacitors

· Nanostructured electrodes for Li-S batteries

· Novel electrode materials for oxygen reduction

Dr. Vinodkumar Etacheri
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Nanomaterials
Alkali ion batteries
Hybrid electrodes
Oxygen reduction
Capacitors

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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6782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanostructured Networks for Energy Storage: Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes (VACNT) as Current Collectors for High-Power Li₄Ti₅O₁₂(LTO)//LiMn₂O₄(LMO) Lithium-Ion Batteries

by Fabian Pawlitzek, Holger Althues, Benjamin Schumm and Stefan Kaskel

Batteries 2017, 3(4), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries3040037 - 15 Nov 2017

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 10002

Abstract

As a concept for electrode architecture in high power lithium ion batteries, self-supported nanoarrays enable ultra-high power densities as a result of their open pore geometry, which results in short and direct Li⁺-ion and electron pathways. Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNT) on metallic current collectors with low interface resistance are used as current collectors for the chemical solution infiltration of electroactive oxides to produce vertically aligned carbon nanotubes decorated with in situ grown LiMn₂O₄ (LMO) and Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) nanoparticles. The production processes steps (catalyst coating, VACNT chemical vapor deposition (CVD), infiltration, and thermal transformation) are all scalable, continuous, and suitable for niche market production to achieve high oxide loadings up to 70 wt %. Due to their unique transport structure, as-prepared nanoarrays achieve remarkably high power densities up to 2.58 kW kg⁻¹, which is based on the total electrode mass at 80 C for LiMn₂O₄//Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ full cells. The tailoring of LTO and LMO nanoparticle size (~20–100 nm) and VACNT length (array height: 60–200 µm) gives insights into the rate-limiting steps at high current for these kinds of nanoarray electrodes at very high C-rates of up to 200 C. The results reveal the critical structural parameters for achieving high power densities in VACNT nanoarray full cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Electrode Architectures for Electrochemical Energy Storage)

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Graphical abstract

Review

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36 pages, 8915 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Advances in TiO₂-Based Nanostructure Electrodes for High Performance Lithium Ion Batteries

by Mahmoud Madian, Alexander Eychmüller and Lars Giebeler

Batteries 2018, 4(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries4010007 - 06 Feb 2018

Cited by 114 | Viewed by 21616

Abstract

The lithium ion battery (LIB) has proven to be a very reliably used system to store electrical energy, for either mobile or stationary applications. Among others, TiO₂-based anodes are the most attractive candidates for building safe and durable lithium ion batteries with high energy density. A variety of TiO₂ nanostructures has been thoroughly investigated as anodes in LIBs, e.g., nanoparticles, nanorods, nanoneedles, nanowires, and nanotubes discussed either in their pure form or in composites. In this review, we present the recent developments and breakthroughs demonstrated to synthesize safe, high power, and low cost nanostructured titania-based anodes. The reader is provided with an in-depth review of well-oriented TiO₂-based nanotubes fabricated by anodic oxidation. Other strategies for modification of TiO₂-based anodes with other elements or materials are also highlighted in this report. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Electrode Architectures for Electrochemical Energy Storage)

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