Tuning the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries by modifying the structural defects of the carbon felt electrode

• Ditty Dixon,
• Deepu Joseph Babu,
• Aiswarya Bhaskar,
• Hans-Michael Bruns,
• Joerg J. Schneider,
• Frieder Scheiba and
• Helmut Ehrenberg

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1698–1706, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.165

• oxygen functional groups on the N2-plasma-treated sample was very low, the felt showed enhanced electrochemical performance for both V3+/V2+ as well as V5+/V4+ redox reactions. The result is highly significant as the pristine electrode with the same amount of oxygen functional groups showed significantly

• configuration, showed poor electrochemical performance for the positive (V5+/V4+) redox reaction. Taking into account that the negative redox reaction is the limiting reaction in VRFB, the overall enhancement in the full cell performance was purely attributed to enhancement in the V3+/V2+ redox kinetics due to

• electrochemical performance in a VRFB compared to the untreated sample with fewer defects. The commercial carbon felts (GFD-type) used as electrode materials in the present study are made out of a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor. In contrast to the commonly employed thermal activation process, the plasma

Flexible freestanding MoS₂-based composite paper for energy conversion and storage

• Florian Zoller,
• Jan Luxa,
• Thomas Bein,
• Dina Fattakhova-Rohlfing,
• Daniel Bouša and
• Zdeněk Sofer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1488–1496, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.147

• active material and the current collector upon bending deformation [10]. However, there are promising reports on freestanding MoS2/carbonaceous composite electrodes which have demonstrated attractive electrochemical performance [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Beside

• decreased tensile strength and increased tensile ductility and the as-prepared MoS2-based composite paper is able to undergo significant plastic deformation before rupture in the material occurs. Electrochemical performance of freestanding MoS2-based composite paper First, we tested the MoS2-based composite

• couple [20]. Starting with the second cycle, a shallow oxidation peak arises at ≈1.7 V which can be attributed to the partial oxidation of metallic Mo to MoS2 [21][45]. Moreover, the electrochemical performance of the MoS2-based composite paper is evaluated by galvanostatic discharge/charge measurements

Hierarchically structured 3D carbon nanotube electrodes for electrocatalytic applications

• Pei Wang,
• Katarzyna Kulp and
• Michael Bron

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1475–1487, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.146

• indicated improved tolerance towards CO-like carbonaceous species poisoning. The improvement of electrochemical performance is attributed to the homogenous dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on the highly cross-linked 3D network. The prepared carbon electrode was shown to be a competitive catalyst support for

Porous N- and S-doped carbon–carbon composite electrodes by soft-templating for redox flow batteries

• Maike Schnucklake,
• László Eifert,
• Jonathan Schneider,
• Roswitha Zeis and
• Christina Roth

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1131–1139, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.113

• obtained inside the macroporous carbon felt. For the investigation of electrode structure and porosity X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen sorption (BET) were used. The electrochemical performance of the carbon felts was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry

• in the functional groups on the surface of the fibers increases their hydrophilicity and hence their electrochemical performance [28][29]. We refrained, however, from quantitative analysis due to the inherent restrictions of fitting the rather broad C 1s and O 1s peaks with a multitude of individual

• the presence of abundant heteroatom-containing functional groups [17][29]. Similar behavior could be noted here, with heteroatoms into the carbon felt an increase in activity is observed. Especially, the co-doped composite material possesses an excellent electrochemical performance. It provides high

Glucose-derived carbon materials with tailored properties as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

• Rafael Gomes Morais,
• Natalia Rey-Raap,
• José Luís Figueiredo and
• Manuel Fernando Ribeiro Pereira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1089–1102, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.109

• -doped biomass-derived carbon materials were prepared by hydrothermal carbonization of glucose, and their textural and chemical properties were subsequently tailored to achieve materials with enhanced electrochemical performance towards the oxygen reduction reaction. Carbonization and physical activation

• File 1, Figure S13). These results show that the proper combination of high microporosity associated with high pyridinic-N/quaternary-N ratio and low quaternary-N/pyrrolic-N ratio is essential to enhance the electrochemical performance of the developed electrocatalysts. Conclusion In this study, the

An efficient electrode material for high performance solid-state hybrid supercapacitors based on a Cu/CuO/porous carbon nanofiber/TiO₂ hybrid composite

• Mamta Sham Lal,
• Thirugnanam Lavanya and
• Sundara Ramaprabhu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 781–793, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.78

• nanoparticles, which together open up new opportunities for energy storage and conversion applications. Keywords: composite; electrochemical performance; porous carbon nanofiber; solid-state hybrid supercapacitor; supercapacitor; TiO2 nanoparticles; Introduction To meet the rapidly growing demand for energy

• surface area and unique fiber pore structure [13]. These are potentially ideal electrode materials that can be widely used to fabricate high performance supercapacitors. The electrochemical performance of supercapacitors is defined by the type of electrolyte used. The electrolyte ion size should be

• and effective strategy that can enhance the electrical conductivity and provide relatively high specific capacity (increased by 10–30%). However, the electrochemical performance of this material deteriorates due to the large volume expansion during cycling. This results in a gradual loss of

Trapping polysulfide on two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide for Li–S batteries through phase selection with optimized binding

• Sha Dong,
• Xiaoli Sun and
• Zhiguo Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 774–780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.77

• as an efficient approach to improve the electrochemical performance. Due to the polarity of LPSs species, the interaction between LPSs and anchoring materials can be enhanced through polar–polar interactions. Graphene-based materials have been considered as anchoring materials due to their high

• composed of 1T'-phases and 2H-phases [33]. The composites of 1T'-MoS2 with other active materials, such as graphene [34], carbon nanotubes [35], Mxene [36], and SnO2 [37], have received much attention regarding the use as cathodes for Li–S batteries. The electrochemical performance including the capacity

• of Li–S batteries [7][8]. An ideal anchoring material with binding energies with LPSs in the range from 0.8 to 2.0 eV [15], and with good electrical and ionic conductivity is desirable for improving the electrochemical performance of Li–S batteries. Although the 2H-MoS2 monolayer shows good Li

A porous 3D-RGO@MWCNT hybrid material as Li–S battery cathode

• Yongguang Zhang,
• Jun Ren,
• Yan Zhao,
• Taizhe Tan,
• Fuxing Yin and
• Yichao Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 514–521, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.52

• network and the porous spherical RGO. Moreover, such a 3D structure can buffer the volume expansion/shrinkage of the sulfur cathode during charge and discharge cycles. Lastly, the electrochemical performance of the resulting S-3D-RGO@MWCNT cathode was evaluated in Li–S batteries. Results and Discussion

• the shuttle effect by acting as a lithium polysulfide reservoir, and iii) additional empty spaces to buffer the volume expansion/shrinkage in the charge and discharge processes enhancing the cycling performance of the battery. The electrochemical performance of the S-3D-RGO@MWCNT composite will be

• stable, indicating the enhanced electrochemical performance of the S-3D-RGO@MWCNT cathode, which can be attributed to its 3D porous lattice matrix structure and the facilitation of rapid Li+ diffusion. Conclusion In summary, a unique S-3D-RGO@MWCNT composite, consisting of porous spherical RGO integrated

Widening of the electroactivity potential range by composite formation – capacitive properties of TiO₂/BiVO₄/PEDOT:PSS electrodes in contact with an aqueous electrolyte

• Konrad Trzciński,
• Mariusz Szkoda,
• Andrzej P. Nowak,
• Marcin Łapiński and
• Anna Lisowska-Oleksiak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 483–493, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.49

• least one additional peak that could be attributed to the titanium–oxygen bonds of titania [57]. Electrochemical performance Cyclic voltammetry was used for the electrochemical characterization of the electrode materials after each step of electrode preparation. The electrodes were tested in contact

• Pt/PEDOT:PSS electrode, the cohesion of the polymer layer to the platinum substrate after 500 cycles is very weak and the layer comes off easily. This was not observed for Ti/TiO2/BiVO4/PEDOT:PSS. The comparison of the electrochemical performance of Ti/TiO2/BiVO4 and Ti/TiO2:H/BiVO4:H is presented in

A Ni(OH)₂ nanopetals network for high-performance supercapacitors synthesized by immersing Ni nanofoam in water

• Donghui Zheng,
• Man Li,
• Yongyan Li,
• Chunling Qin,
• Yichao Wang and
• Zhifeng Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 281–293, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.27

• ) [16][17][18][19]. However, this fabrication strategy is complicated and unsafely [20]. In addition, the presence of non-conductive binders not only increases the internal resistance but also the total mass of electrode, thus reducing the electrochemical performance. Therefore, the in situ synthesis of

• diffusion distance and facilitates the electrolyte transport. The as-synthesized Ni(OH)2/Ni-NF/MG electrodes demonstrate an excellent flexibility due to the ductile MG matrix and a good electrochemical performance. Moreover, the influence of immersion time in deionized water on the evolution of the Ni(OH)2

• 3D continuous pore structure with a ligament size of ca. 100 nm, which provides a path for the transportation of both electrons and ions in the electrolyte, resulting in the improved electrochemical performance. After immersing the dealloyed sample in water for two days, rose petal-like Ni(OH)2 with

Nanoporous water oxidation electrodes with a low loading of laser-deposited Ru/C exhibit enhanced corrosion stability

• Sandra Haschke,
• Dmitrii Pankin,
• Vladimir Mikhailovskii,
• Maïssa K. S. Barr,
• Adriana Both-Engel,
• Alina Manshina and
• Julien Bachmann

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 157–167, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.15

• contact on flat and nanostructured substrates demonstrated that the presence of ITO is irrelevant to the electrochemical performance. Selected oxygen evolution activities for planar state-of-the-art electrode materials (adapted from a review by Cook et al.) [9]. The overpotential η is shown here as a

Amorphous Ni_xCo_yP-supported TiO₂ nanotube arrays as an efficient hydrogen evolution reaction electrocatalyst in acidic solution

• Yong Li,
• Peng Yang,
• Bin Wang and
• Zhongqing Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 62–70, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.6

• , transmission electron microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the physiochemical properties of the samples. The electrochemical performance was investigated

• .) demonstrate a superior electrochemical performance. Because the ternary phases provide a synergistic effect, these bi-metal phosphides provide good electrical conductivity and electronic structure [15][16][17]. Among the bi-metal phosphides, Ni–Co–P catalysts have been intensively investigated. The similar

Ternary nanocomposites of reduced graphene oxide, polyaniline and hexaniobate: hierarchical architecture and high polaron formation

• Claudio H. B. Silva,
• Maria Iliut,
• Christopher Muryn,
• Christian Berger,
• Zachary Coldrick,
• Vera R. L. Constantino,
• Marcia L. A. Temperini and
• Aravind Vijayaraghavan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2936–2946, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.272

• avoid thermal degradation of the samples. For better comparison of the relative intensities, spectral baselines were subtracted. The electrochemical performance of the samples was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) at 25 mV·s−1 scan rate using a μAutolabIII/FRA2 potentiostat/galvanostat (Metrohm

Nanostructure-induced performance degradation of WO₃·nH₂O for energy conversion and storage devices

• Zhenyin Hai,
• Mohammad Karbalaei Akbari,
• Zihan Wei,
• Danfeng Cui,
• Chenyang Xue,
• Hongyan Xu,
• Philippe M. Heynderickx,
• Francis Verpoort and
• Serge Zhuiykov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2845–2854, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.265

• electrochemical performance degradation of the three samples, CV tests were carried out at a scan rate of 50 mV·s−1 within the potential range from −0.8 V to +0.8 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The electrochemical energy conversion and storage of WO3·nH2O in H2SO4 electrolyte are based on the intercalation of protons and

Hydrothermal-derived carbon as a stabilizing matrix for improved cycling performance of silicon-based anodes for lithium-ion full cells

• Mirco Ruttert,
• Florian Holtstiege,
• Jessica Hüsker,
• Markus Börner,
• Martin Winter and
• Tobias Placke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2381–2395, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.223

• carbon and Si, i.e., an improved specific/volumetric capacity and capacity retention compared to the single materials when applied as a negative electrode in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). This work focuses on the influence of the Si content (up to 20 wt %) on the electrochemical performance, on the

• to identify the chances and limitations of the applied hydrothermal carbon matrix approach. The synthesized materials are characterized regarding their composition, structure and morphology. The Si/C composites are also investigated in terms of their electrochemical performance, i.e., by rate

• to a more flexible, porous and stable matrix. However, further systematic investigations are necessary to identify the influence of different reaction parameters on the structure and morphology of the formed carbon matrix in order to optimize the electrochemical performance of hydrothermal-derived Si

Localized photodeposition of catalysts using nanophotonic resonances in silicon photocathodes

• Evgenia Kontoleta,
• Sven H. C. Askes,
• Lai-Hung Lai and
• Erik C. Garnett

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2097–2105, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.198

• -electrochemical performance [39][40][41]. The amorphous TiO2 layer was further annealed at 350 °C for 3 h to form crystalline anatase TiO2, which led to an improved performance. The final TiO2 layers were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD) (Figure S2, Supporting Information File 1) and ellipsometry

Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles as sulfur encapsulator for high-performance lithium/sulfur batteries

• Yan Zhao,
• Zhengjun Liu,
• Liancheng Sun,
• Yongguang Zhang,
• Yuting Feng,
• Xin Wang,
• Indira Kurmanbayeva and
• Zhumabay Bakenov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1677–1685, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.159

• cycling performance. In a Li/S cell, the amount of sulfur loading is critical and strongly influences its electrochemical performance. Therefore, we fabricated S/ZnO@NCNT electrodes with various S loadings of about 2.50, 3.25, 4.00 and 4.75 mg·cm−2, and investigated the effect of loading on the discharge

• Li/S batteries with the results of this work. The S/ZnO@NCNT electrode prepared in this work displays superior electrochemical performance, even with the higher sulfur loadings. The S/INC composite reported in our previous research work is based on INC, which has a high specific surface area and a

• /deintercalation of Li ions, so the cycle performance of this system is not as good as that of S/ZnO@NCNT. Therefore, the results of this study demonstrate that the NCNT core and the smaller size of the ZnO nanoparticles are effective to remarkably improve the electrochemical performance of the S/ZnO@NCNT

Synthesis and characterization of electrospun molybdenum dioxide–carbon nanofibers as sulfur matrix additives for rechargeable lithium–sulfur battery applications

• Ruiyuan Zhuang,
• Shanshan Yao,
• Maoxiang Jing,
• Xiangqian Shen,
• Jun Xiang,
• Tianbao Li,
• Kesong Xiao and
• Shibiao Qin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 262–270, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.28

• and electrochemical performance tests demonstrated that MoO2–CNFs did not only act as polysulfide reservoirs to alleviate the shuttle effect, but also improve the electrochemical reaction kinetics during the charge–discharge processes. The effect of MoO2–CNF heat treatment on the cycle performance of

• coefficient, low interfacial resistance and much better electrochemical performance than pristine sulfur cathodes. Keywords: electrochemical performance; electrospinning; lithium–sulfur batteries; MoO2–CNFs; sulfur matrix; Introduction Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are considered to be the most promising

• new cell configuration [2]. Overall, it is critical to enhance the utilization of sulfur and stabilize the polysulfide within the cathodic region to yield Li–S batteries with improved electrochemical performance. For the past two decades, various carbon materials (e.g., mesoporous carbon [3

One-step chemical vapor deposition synthesis and supercapacitor performance of nitrogen-doped porous carbon–carbon nanotube hybrids

• Egor V. Lobiak,
• Lyubov G. Bulusheva,
• Ekaterina O. Fedorovskaya,
• Yury V. Shubin,
• Pavel E. Plyusnin,
• Pierre Lonchambon,
• Boris V. Senkovskiy,
• Zinfer R. Ismagilov,
• Emmanuel Flahaut and
• Alexander V. Okotrub

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2669–2679, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.267

• and porous carbon on the surface of MgO impregnated with bimetallic (transition metal/molybdenum) catalyst precursors. Acetonitrile was added to the methane feedstock to incorporate nitrogen into the graphitic network, which is beneficial for the electrochemical performance of the carbon materials [21

Synthesis of metal-fluoride nanoparticles supported on thermally reduced graphite oxide

• Alexa Schmitz,
• Kai Schütte,
• Vesko Ilievski,
• Juri Barthel,
• Laura Burk,
• Rolf Mülhaupt,
• Junpei Yue,
• Bernd Smarsly and
• Christoph Janiak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2474–2483, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.247

• theoretical capacity of 712 mAh/g for FeF3 and 571 mAh/g for FeF2 [85][86][87]. Here, the electrochemical performance of the obtained FeF2@TRGO as cathode materials were evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge profiles as shown in Figure 4. In the first charge/discharge profiles, there is a dip before the

• in Supporting Information File 1. The PXRDs for the other samples are given in Figures S4–S19 in Supporting Information File 1. TEM images of PrF3@TRGO-400 dispersions from [Pr(AMD)3] in [BMIm][BF4]. XPS of PrF3@TRGO-400 dispersions from [Pr(AMD)3] in [BMIm][BF4]. The electrochemical performance of

Systematic control of α-Fe₂O₃ crystal growth direction for improved electrochemical performance of lithium-ion battery anodes

• Nan Shen,
• Miriam Keppeler,
• Barbara Stiaszny,
• Holger Hain,
• Filippo Maglia and
• Madhavi Srinivasan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2032–2044, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.204

• Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637553, Singapore, BMW Group, Petuelring 130, 80788 Munich, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.8.204 Abstract α-Fe2O3 nanomaterials with an elongated nanorod morphology exhibiting superior electrochemical performance were obtained through hydrothermal synthesis assisted by diamine

• to 5.7. The electrochemical performance was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge measurements. A SCA test series, including ethylenediamine, 1,2-diaminopropane, 2,3-diaminobutane, and N-methylethylenediamine, was implemented in terms of the impact on the nanorod aspect ratio. Varied

• substituents on the vicinal diamine structure were examined towards an optimized reaction center in terms of electron density and steric hindrance. Possible interaction mechanisms of the diamine derivatives with ferric species and the correlation between the aspect ratio and electrochemical performance are

Freestanding graphene/MnO₂ cathodes for Li-ion batteries

• Şeyma Özcan,
• Aslıhan Güler,
• Tugrul Cetinkaya,
• Mehmet O. Guler and
• Hatem Akbulut

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1932–1938, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.193

• knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the electrochemical performance of freestanding graphene/MnO2 cathodes for Li-ion batteries. The freestanding graphene/MnO2 cathodes exhibit a high specific capacity and excellent electrochemical cycling performance. Experimental Preparation of MnO2 phases

• investigate the electrochemical performance of the produced freestanding composite cathodes, assembled in an Ar-filled glove box. In this coin cell, the produced cathodes were used as a working electrode, and lithium foil was used as an anode. 1 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) was dissolved in ethylene

• produced freestanding graphene/MnO2 cathodes [31]. The electrochemical performance of the as-synthesized cathodes was first evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling at a constant current density of 254 mA g−1 in a voltage range from 1.5 to 4.5 V. In Figure 6, the typical charge/discharge

Fabrication of hierarchically porous TiO₂ nanofibers by microemulsion electrospinning and their application as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

• Jin Zhang,
• Yibing Cai,
• Xuebin Hou,
• Xiaofei Song,
• Pengfei Lv,
• Huimin Zhou and
• Qufu Wei

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1297–1306, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.131

• lithium-ion batteries. The low conductivities of ions and bulk electrons as well as the aggregation of nanoparticles are the major causes of poor rate performance and cycling performance. One effective method to improve the electrochemical performance of TiO2 is to prepare nanostructures [17][18][19][20

• nanofibers improve greatly their electrochemical performance in practical applications. Fabrication procedure of porous TiO2 nanofibers via ME-ES. (a) TG and DTG curves of as-spun TiO2 nanofibers; surface SEM images after calcination of sample A2 (b), sample B2 (c) and sample C2 (d). Representative XRD

Oxidative chemical vapor deposition of polyaniline thin films

• Yuriy Y. Smolin,
• Masoud Soroush and
• Kenneth K. S. Lau

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1266–1276, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.128

• monomer-to-oxidant feed flow rates that provides sufficient amount of oxidant is needed to produce PANI in the emeraldine state. This optimal oCVD condition has been shown to have superb electrochemical performance [41]. Lowering the substrate temperature to 25 °C or reducing the oxidant flowrate below

Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS₂ thin films

• Reinhard Kaindl,
• Bernhard C. Bayer,
• Roland Resel,
• Thomas Müller,
• Viera Skakalova,
• Gerlinde Habler,
• Rainer Abart,
• Alexey S. Cherevan,
• Dominik Eder,
• Maxime Blatter,
• Fabian Fischer,
• Jannik C. Meyer,
• Dmitry K. Polyushkin and
• Wolfgang Waldhauser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 1115–1126, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.113

• electrochemical performance. These assertions are further explored by a second set of electrochemical experiments where reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) foam electrodes coated with our PVD MoS2 were tested for water electrolysis. RVC foam electrodes are a commercial electrode type for bulk electrolysis