Abstract
Aerogels are 3-D nanostructures of non-fluid colloidal interconnected porous networks consisting of loosely packed bonded particles that are expanded throughout its volume by gas and exhibit ultra-low density and high specific surface area. Aerogels are normally synthesized through a sol–gel method followed by a special drying technique such as supercritical drying or ambient pressure drying. The fascinating properties of aerogels like high surface area, open porous structure greatly influence the performances of energy conversion and storage devices and encourage the development of sustainable electrochemical devices. Therefore, this review describes on the applications of inorganic, organic and composite aerogel nanostructures to dye-sensitized solar cells, fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors accompanied by the significant steps involved in the synthesis, mechanism of network formation and various drying techniques.
Highlights
The demand for energy in these days is extremely high as the consumption is increasing steeply due to the increase in world population and industrialization [1]
We described the recent developments in the synthesis of aerogel nanostructures with special attention of their application to the fabrication of high-performance energy conversion and storage devices
The attractive structural properties of aerogel put together aerogel as a superior material for battery, solar cell, fuel cell and supercapacitor applications
Summary
The demand for energy in these days is extremely high as the consumption is increasing steeply due to the increase in world population and industrialization [1]. Most of the energy demand is supplied by fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The depletion of these fuels and the environmental pollutions associated with their refinement processes have encouraged the development of sustainable and environmentally benign energy technology [2]. To address growing global energy demand, sustainable energy technology is needed to reduce fossil fuel dependence, environmental impact and the cost. 0-, 1-, 2- and 3-dimensional nanostructures such as nanospheres, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets and interconnected network structures were reported for different applications. 3-D nanostructures are extensively studied in recent years, in which lower-dimensional nanomaterials are anisotropically arranged in a 3-D manner and forms an interconnected network structure. The 3-D interconnected network structure offers large internal
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