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The Applications of Graphene and Other Advanced Materials in Energy Conversion and Batteries

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2024) | Viewed by 1860

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Superlight Materials and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: graphene; advanced materials; energy conversion; batteries
Hydrogen Energy and Space Propulsion Laboratory (HESPL), School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Interests: hydrogen energy; hydrogen production; hydrogen combustion; hydrogen safety; hydrogen internal combustion engines; hydrogen fuel cells; hydrogen policy; hydrogen energy storage; hydrogen catalysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the realm of cutting-edge scientific advancements, the pivotal role of graphene and advanced materials in energy conversion and battery technology shines brightly. Graphene, a single-layer configuration of carbon atoms, exhibits an array of extraordinary traits including exceptional electrical conductivity, robust mechanical prowess, and unwavering thermal stability. These exceptional attributes have positioned graphene as a beacon of promise for diverse energy conversion processes.

Within the domain of energy conversion, the utilization of graphene-based materials reverberates across solar cells, fuel cells, and thermoelectric devices. Graphene's innate electrical conductivity emerges as a paramount asset, facilitating the seamless flow of charges in solar cells, thereby augmenting their efficiency and amplifying their power output. Furthermore, the expansive surface area of graphene allows heightened sunlight absorption, culminating in an all-encompassing elevation of energy conversion efficiency.

Shifting our focus to the paradigm of batteries, the exhaustive exploration of graphene and its avant-garde counterparts burgeons with the potential to transmute energy storage capabilities. Graphene-infused electrodes, a product of extensive research, flaunt formidable traits such as remarkable capacity, expeditious charge–discharge kinetics, and an elevated cyclability quotient within lithium-ion batteries. The coherent, interconnected architecture of graphene heralds a new era in electron and ion transport, cascading into an unprecedented enhancement in battery performance.

Delving deeper into the intricate tapestry of innovation, the amalgamation of graphene with transition metal oxides, polymers, and carbon nanotubes begets composite materials boasting supremacy in both energy conversion and storage realms. These dynamic composites unfurl the potential for crafting energy devices that are simultaneously lightweight, pliable, and marked by peak performance standards.

To cast our gaze over the broader horizon, it becomes evident that graphene and advanced materials are poised to usher in a revolutionary epoch in energy conversion and battery technologies. Their dynamic interplay stands to revolutionize not only efficiency and energy storage capacity, but also the bedrock stability of these technologies. These unique properties collectively hold the reins of a profound transformation, promising to carve an indelible mark on the landscape of renewable energy production and storage. Invariably, this trajectory guides us towards a future founded upon sustainable and immaculate energy paradigms.

Dr. Jing Zhao
Dr. Zuoyu Sun
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • graphene conductive materials
  • advanced materials
  • energy conversion
  • batteries
  • nanotechnology
  • electrochemistry
  • sustainable energy
  • nanomaterial composites
  • energy harvesting

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 6148 KiB  
Article
Pt3(CoNi) Ternary Intermetallic Nanoparticles Immobilized on N-Doped Carbon Derived from Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks for Oxygen Reduction
by Shiqi Song, Junhua Hu, Chupeng Wang, Mingsheng Luo, Xiaoxia Wang, Fengxia Zhai and Jianyong Zheng
Materials 2024, 17(19), 4775; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17194775 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 522
Abstract
Pt-based intermetallic compound (IMC) nanoparticles have been considered the most promising catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Herein, we propose a strategy for producing ordered Pt3(CoNi) ternary IMC nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbon materials. [...] Read more.
Pt-based intermetallic compound (IMC) nanoparticles have been considered the most promising catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Herein, we propose a strategy for producing ordered Pt3(CoNi) ternary IMC nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbon materials. Particularly, the Co and Ni are originally embedded into ZIF-derived carbon, which diffuse into Pt nanocrystals to form Pt3(CoNi) nanoparticles. Moreover, a thin layer of carbon develops outside of Pt3(CoNi) nanoparticles during the cooling process, which contributes to stabilizing the Pt3(CoNi) on carbon supports. The optimal Pt3(CoNi) nanoparticle catalyst has achieved significantly enhanced activity and stability, exhibiting a half-wave potential of 0.885 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and losing only 16 mV after 10,000 potential cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V. Unlike the direct-use commercial carbon (VXC-72) for depositing Pt, we utilized ZIF-derived carbon containing dispersed Co and Ni nanocluster or nanoparticles to prepare ordered Pt3(CoNi) intermetallic catalysts. Full article
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18 pages, 4868 KiB  
Article
Unraveling the Interactions between Lithium and Twisted Graphene
by Maximo Ramírez, Giorgio De Luca and Lorenzo Caputi
Materials 2024, 17(9), 1941; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17091941 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 756
Abstract
Graphene is undoubtedly the carbon allotrope that has attracted the attention of a myriad of researchers in the last decades more than any other. The interaction of external or intercalated Li and Li+ with graphene layers has been the subject of particular [...] Read more.
Graphene is undoubtedly the carbon allotrope that has attracted the attention of a myriad of researchers in the last decades more than any other. The interaction of external or intercalated Li and Li+ with graphene layers has been the subject of particular attention for its importance in the applications of graphene layers in Lithium Batteries (LiBs). It is well known that lithium atoms and Li+ can be found inside and/or outside the double layer of graphene, and the graphene layers are often twisted around its parallel plane to obtain twisted graphene with tuneable properties. Thus, in this research, the interactions between Li and Li+ with bilayer graphene and twisted bilayer graphene were investigated by a first-principles density functional theory method, considering the lithium atom and the cation at different symmetry positions and with two different adsorption configurations. Binding energies and equilibrium interlayer distances of filled graphene layers were obtained from the computed potential energy profiles. This work shows that the twisting can regulate the interaction of bilayer graphene with Li and Li+. The binding energies of Li+ systematically increase from bilayer graphene to twisted graphene regardless of twisted angles, while for lithium atoms, the binding energies decrease or remain substantially unchanged depending on the twist angles. This suggests a higher adsorption capacity of twisted graphene towards Li+, which is important for designing twisted graphene-based material for LiB anode coating. Furthermore, when the Li or Li+ is intercalated between two graphene layers, the equilibrium interlayer distances in the twisted layers increase compared to the unrotated bilayer, and the relaxation is more significant for Li+ with respect to Li. This suggests that the twisted graphene can better accommodate the cation in agreement with the above result. The outcomes of this research pave the way for the study of the selective properties of twisted graphene. Full article
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