Energy advances最新文献

This investigation explores the impact of the electroactive phase of a well-known tribonegative polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), on its triboelectric behaviour by compositing it with anatase, rutile, and mixed-phase TiO₂ nanoparticles. PVDF–TiO₂ polymer composite films with TiO₂ having different crystalline phases were prepared by spin coating. TENG specimens were fabricated using the prepared films and tested for their TENG properties in contact separation mode by pairing them with ITO-coated PET substrates. The XRD and FT-IR results show that the TiO₂ nanoparticles with rutile phase imparted the highest percentage of β crystalline phase in PVDF compared to that of the anatase and mixed phase. The difference in surface roughness of PVDF–TiO₂ composites was also observed with the change in the crystalline phase of the incorporated TiO₂ nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The TENG studies suggest that the PVDF incorporated with rutile TiO₂ shows the highest output voltage (peak–peak ∼105 V at 60 N force) compared to all the other PVDF–TiO₂ composites at specified contact forces and frequencies, whereas PVDF incorporated with anatase TiO₂ and a mix of anatase and rutile TiO₂ showed peak–peak voltages of ∼82 V and ∼33 V respectively. These results offer insights into the crystalline phase-dependent triboelectric behaviour of polymers and the enhancement of their TENG performance through the tuning of polymer crystalline phases using fillers.

A hybrid supercapacitor material, polyaniline/ZnO/SnO₂ of respective weight percentages of 58.34%:8.33%:33.33% (PZnSn), was synthesized by a facile in situ single-step method. Remarkably, the constituent ZnO was synthesized at 90 °C by this method along with the other two constituents in 2 h. This is astonishing because, the synthesis of ZnO generally involves calcination at high temperature for a longer duration. The energy storage performance was evaluated with two aqueous electrolytes: 1 M H₂SO₄ (SA) and the liquid by-product that was obtained after the synthesis of PANI (SLP). SLP provided 57.25% higher energy storage performance than that provided by SA. PZnSn showed its durability and rate-capable energy storage property by exhibiting robustness up to 16 500 cycles at 0.4 V s⁻¹ and 39 A g⁻¹ in the presence of (ITPO) SA and up to 15 000 cycles at 0.4 V s⁻¹ and 42 A g⁻¹, respectively, ITPO SLP, in a real-time symmetric two-electrode system. PZnSn displayed the remarkable trait of enhancement of energy storage with an increase in the number of charge and discharge cycles ITPO both electrolytes. However, the enhancement provided by SLP is higher than that provided by SA. The maximum performance achieved from PZnSn ITPO SLP is a specific capacity (Q) of 347.2 C g⁻¹, a specific energy (E) of 57.87 W h kg⁻¹ (comparable to Ni–Cd batteries) and a specific power (P) of 1.2 kW kg⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹.

The development of efficient catalysts for the cycloaddition of CO₂ with epoxides to produce cyclic carbonates (CCs) under mild reaction conditions remains a highly attractive research area. This study presents a trimethyl ammonium-rich pillar[5]arene (N(Me)₃⁺-P5) macrocycle as a promising heterogeneous catalyst for this reaction. The catalyst design ensures a complementary dual-function mechanism to facilitate the catalytic process. The ammonium groups activate the epoxides, and the bromide ions act as nucleophiles to initiate the ring opening. Optimized reaction conditions using 0.7 mol% catalyst loading and a CO₂ balloon at 80 °C, resulted in high CC yields, particularly with sterically unhindered epoxides. Furthermore, N(Me)₃⁺-P5 can be reused for at least five catalytic cycles, demonstrating its potential for sustainable applications.

The growing energy demand and environmental concerns have accelerated research on the emergence of photocatalysts for solar fuel generation and environmental remediation. Metal vanadates, such as silver vanadate (AV) and copper vanadate (CV), are considered promising visible-light active photocatalysts owing to their narrow bandgap and suitable band structure; however, they are limited by rapid electron–hole recombination. To overcome this limitation, amalgamation with polyoxometalate (POM)-loaded reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-based novel co-catalysts is a facile strategy to improve photocatalytic performance. Herein, metal vanadates were deposited on polyoxometalate-loaded reduced graphene oxide (RPOM) via a one-pot coprecipitation method. The developed RPOM–AV and RPOM–CV composites exhibited photocurrent densities of 223.7 and 85.8 μA cm⁻², which were 51 times and 6 times higher than those of pristine AV and CV, respectively, owing to the remarkable augmentation in the donor density after formation of composites. Moreover, the RPOM–AV composites exhibited photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction of up to 94% in 60 minutes with a high rate constant of 0.044 min⁻¹ and 94% removal of the rose bengal dye in 120 minutes through adsorption. The RPOM–CV composites demonstrated 96% photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye at a rate constant of 0.011 min⁻¹. The excellent photocatalytic activity of RPOM–metal vanadate composites was attributed to the formation of an indirect Z-scheme heterojunction between metal vanadates and POM, in which RGO acted as a suitable electron-mediator, facilitated the charge transfer, boosted the separation of photogenerated charge carriers, and lowered the electron–hole recombination. The present work provides an innovative approach toward the development of polyoxometalate-based composites for wastewater remediation.

Carbon capture and utilization technologies are considered crucial in reducing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and mitigating climate change. One of the most promising utilization options is the catalytic hydrogenation of the captured carbon dioxide to methanol. However, this reaction requires large energy-consuming recycles due to the limitation of the chemical equilibrium. To shift the chemical equilibrium and increase per-pass conversion, membrane reactors that remove the produced water from the reaction zone can be applied. A sophisticated CFD model of the membrane reactor with a NaA zeolite membrane is developed, to identify key constructive and operating parameters. The model implements the Maxwell–Stefan approach for permeation that considers the complex behavior of pervaporating water–alcohol mixtures through microporous zeolite membranes. In a full-factorial design of experiment, two general categories of parameters (ratio between reaction and permeation, permeation driving force) that influence conversion and yield in membrane reactors are identified that need to be optimized in construction and operation. In the most promising configuration, the application of the membrane reactor results in an increased CO₂ conversion of 20.6% and a 16.0% enhanced methanol yield compared to an equivalent conventional reactor. With the findings of this study, key parameters for the general optimization of the construction and operation of membrane reactors for industrial applications are identified.

Correction for ‘Evaluation of redox pairs for low-grade heat energy harvesting with a thermally regenerative cycle’ by José Tomás Bórquez Maldifassi et al., Energy Adv., 2024, 3, 2877–2886, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4YA00368C.

As part of the rapidly advancing field of energy technologies, solar energy-driven studies using nanomaterials have gained significant attention. In this context, designing dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with nanostructured titania (TiO₂) and its composites is a key focus in material selection. This study investigated the synthesis and photovoltaic performance of TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) and their composites with ZnO nanorods (NRs), synthesized via a one-step ex situ approach. The fabricated devices were evaluated using a metal-free SK3 dye (D–π–A carbazole) and a Co²⁺/Co³⁺-based polymer gel electrolyte. Structural properties were analyzed using Rietveld refinement, alongside other physicochemical characteristics. Notably, the TiO₂/ZnO nanocomposite (TZ-3 NCs) with 30 wt% ZnO NRs in the photoanode demonstrated a significant improvement in solar energy-conversion efficiency (η) of 4.3%, which was 1.8 times higher than that of the TiO₂/SK3 NC-based photoanode (2.38%). This enhancement was attributed to the reduced charge-transfer resistance, improved donor density, and increased surface area, facilitating efficient charge transport. Additionally, the study explored the stability of the TZ-3/SK3 NC-based photoanode using time series analysis, a statistical tool that can contribute to understanding its long-term performance.

Correction for ‘Additive manufacturing of highly conductive carbon nanotube architectures towards 3D-printed carbon-based flexible thermoelectric generators’ by Christos K. Mytafides et al., Energy Adv., 2024, 3, 1642–1652, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4YA00182F.

Conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become widely used in small and large applications, but the use of toxic and flammable liquid electrolytes can lead to safety issues and reduced cell performance. New generation solid-state lithium batteries (SSBs) have the potential to replace LIBs due to their safety and potentially high energy density (>450 W h kg⁻¹). The solid electrolyte (SE) is a crucial component in solid-state batteries. Among the available options, sulfide- and halide-based solid electrolytes stand out as promising candidates due to their high ionic conductivity and ease of processing. They are among the most prominent topics in solid electrolyte research for solid-state batteries. Despite their advantages like good compatibility with high-voltage cathodes and easy manufacturing, solid electrolytes still face issues of degradation of the Li metal/solid electrolyte interface. This is due to the formation of side reaction products at the interface, which inhibits lithium transport across it. The primary issue stems from the poor chemical and electrochemical stability of sulfide- and halide-based solid electrolytes when in contact with lithium metal. In this study, we have demonstrated that the composite electrolytes (Li₃YCl₄Br₂:Li₆PS₅Cl) comprising halide and argyrodite can prevent the formation of unfavorable interactions between the solid electrolyte and the Li metal anode. The Li/Li-symmetric cells employing the Li₃YCl₄Br₂:Li₆PS₅Cl electrolytes exhibited enhanced cycle life and high critical current density (CCD) from C/20 to C/2, compared to the symmetric cells utilizing only Li₃YCl₄Br₂ or Li₆PS₅Cl electrolyte. Furthermore, the Li/Li₃YCl₄Br₂/NCM half-cells demonstrated high initial coulombic efficiency and extended cycle life compared to half-cells utilizing traditional halide and argyrodite electrolytes. The approach described here offers a pathway to enhance halide-based solid-state batteries, providing a relatively simple and effective strategy.

Carbon mineralization offers the potential to durably store gigatonne-scale CO₂ emissions, with mining waste representing an especially promising feedstock due to its relatively small particle size, global availability, and opportunities for decarbonizing the mining sector. Despite significant research into the scale and potential of this technology, there remains a lack of techno-economic analyses (TEAs) that comprehensively capture the full-process costs of indirect carbonation using a pH-swing approach. This approach enables both CO₂ storage in carbonates, potentially usable to decarbonize concrete, and the extraction of critical minerals, incorporating the costs and revenues of coupling these processes. To address this gap, we developed a Class IV TEA tailored to estimate the costs and life cycle assessment (LCA) of combining critical mineral extraction and carbon mineralization in mining wastes. The model evaluates scenarios for various waste types (i.e.., legacy asbestos waste, aggregate quarry tailings, platinum group metal tailings) under different extraction conditions (acid type, temperature, strength) and carbonation parameters. Additionally, sensitivity analyses explore the effects of reactor design, internal acid–base recycling, and other factors on process costs and carbon efficiency. Our findings show carbon efficiencies of up to 95%, depending on process design. Acid–base recycling is critical for cost-effective and carbon-negative operations: without recycling, process costs exceed $3000 per tCO₂ and yield a carbon efficiency of −280%, while internal acid regeneration reduces costs to $500–800 per tCO₂ with carbon efficiencies ranging from 41–72%. Process costs vary by waste type and process conditions, ranging from $800–1800 per tCO₂ (assuming 10% reagent makeup), with the carbonate precipitation step contributing 34–78% of total costs. The TEA highlights that acid–base recycling is essential for scaling the pH-swing process on mine tailings and should be a research priority to enable gigatonne-scale CO₂ storage by mid-century. Additionally, selectively recovering critical minerals in wastes where magnesium and calcium are not exclusively leached could significantly offset capital costs.