Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy最新文献

Hierarchical hollow urchin-like nickel cobaltite (NiCo₂O₄) was synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal method. The effects of metal composition and surfactant addition on the morphology, structure, and electrochemical performance toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) were investigated. The addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) reduced particle aggregation, resulting in a higher electrochemical active surface area and electrical conductivity. Lowering the Ni content from 1.0 to 0.25 did not alter the morphology and structure of the product to any extent. However, the crystallite size slightly increased. Among the spinels with different Ni and Co compositions, NiCo₂O₄ exhibited a superior OER electrocatalytic activity, achieving a 380 mV overpotential at 10 mA/cm² current density. It also delivered a good performance in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) using 1 M NaOH at 60 °C, reaching a current density of about 420 mA/cm² at a cell voltage of 1.95 V.

Designing more effective thermal energy storage devices can result from understanding how air layers impact the melting process. The total efficiency of these systems can be improved by optimizing the melting process of the phase change materials (PCMs), which are utilised to store and release thermal energy. The current study utilises an analysis to evaluate how an air layer would affect melting of the PCM. The enthalpy-porosity combination based ANSYS/FLUENT 16 software is specifically used to accomplish this study, considering the paraffin wax (RT42) as the PCM. The study reveal that the presence of an air layer would impact the dissolution process. This result is assured an increase of melting time of PCM by 125% as a result to having an air layer of 5 cm thickness compared to a cell without an air layer. Furthermore, an increase of the layer thickness beyond 5 cm has a progressive effect on the melting time of PCM. One important component that affects the melting process is the existence of an air layer above the cell. Greater heat transfer resistance from thicker air layers prolongs the time needed to finish melting. The efficient heat transmission of PCM is shown to be reduced when there is an air layer above the cell. The melting process gradually slows down as the air layer thickness rises, which reflects the decreased heat transmission. These results highlight how crucial it is to take the environment into account while creating PCM-filled energy storage cells.

As a result of electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO₂), value-added chemicals like as synthetic fuels and chemical feedstocks can be produced. In the current state of the art, copper-based materials are most widely used being the most effective catalysts for this reaction. It is still necessary to improve the reaction rate and product selectivity of CuOx for electrochemical CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). The main objective of this work was synthesized and evaluate the copper oxide electrocatalyst combined with silver (CuO 70% Ag 30%) for the conversion of carbon dioxide into synthetic fuels. The catalysts have been prepared by the oxalate method and assessed in a flow cell system. The results of electrochemical experiments were carried out at room temperature and at different potentials (-1.05 V–0.75 V vs. RHE in presence of 0.1 M KHCO₃) and gas and liquid chromatographic analysis are summarized. The CuOx-based electrodes demonstrated the selective of ~ 25% at -0.55 V for formic acid (HCOOH) and over CuO -Ag and selective of ethylene at ~ 20% over CuOx at -1.05 V. Other products were formed as ethylene, ethanol, and propanol (C₂H₄, EtOH, PrOH) at more positive potentials. On the other hand, carbon monoxide, acetate, ethylene glycol, propinaldehyde, glycoaldehyde and glyoxal (CO, CH₃COO, C₂H₆O₂, C₃H₆O, C₂H₄O₂, C₂H₂O₂) have been formed and detected. Based on the results of these studies, it appears that the formation of synthetic fuels from CO₂ at room temperature in alkaline environment can be very promising.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted a great deal of attention as a promising technology for recovering electricity from organic substances by harnessing the metabolic activities of microorganisms. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of a LiTa_0.5Nb_0.5O₃/g-C₃N₄ (LTN/g-C₃N₄) heterojunction as a photocathode catalyst within a single-chamber microbial fuel cell operating under both light irradiation and dark conditions. X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the composite catalyst, revealing its exceptional purity and unique properties. After 120 h of exposure to visible light, the maximal power density of the MFC containing LTN/g-C3N4-modified carbon cloth was determined to be 667.7 mW/m³. The power density achieved with the presence of light was approximately three times greater than the power density obtained without light in the MFC (235.64 mW/m³). In addition, the study determined that the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 88.4% and 66.5% when exposed to light and in the absence of light, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of the non-precious LTN/g-C₃N₄ photocatalyst as a viable alternative for effective wastewater treatment and power generation in microbial fuel cells with a single chamber configuration.

Abstract

Single lithium-ion conducting polymer electrolytes are promising candidates for next generation safer lithium batteries. In this work, Li⁺-conducting Nafion membranes have been synthesized by using a novel single-step procedure. The Li-Nafion membranes were characterized by means of small-wide angle X-ray scattering, infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis, for validating the proposed lithiation method. The obtained membranes were swollen in different organic aprotic solvent mixtures and characterized in terms of ionic conductivity, electrochemical stability window, lithium stripping-deposition ability and their interface properties versus lithium metal. The membrane swollen in ethylene carbonate:propylene carbonate (EC:PC, 1:1 w/w) displays good temperature-activated ionic conductivities (σ ≈ 5.5 × 10^–4 S cm⁻¹ at 60 °C) and a more stable Li-electrolyte interface with respect to the other samples. This Li-Nafion membrane was tested in a lithium-metal cell adopting LiFePO₄ as cathode material. A specific capacity of 140 mAhg⁻¹, after 50 cycles, was achieved at 30 °C, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed Li-Nafion membrane.