Energy Storage Materials Research Articles

Fabrication of MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF//activated Carbon Nanocomposite Electrode Material for High Performance Energy Storage and Fast Response for Gluten Detection

Abstract Gluten is a high-energy protein that is present in some grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. It has a significant impact on the food production processes. In this work, the MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF composite was synthesized using a hydrothermal method. To estimate the electrochemical properties, the MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF composite-based electrode is designed, which shows the specific capacity (Qs) of 1050 Cg-1 at 3 mVs-1 because of the enhancement in redox-active sites and conductivity. The hybrid electrode MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF//AC revealed Qs of 337 Cg-1. In addition, the device demonstrated an exceptional energy density (Ed) of 55 Whkg-1 and a power density (Pd) of 2200 Wkg-1. The device showed capacity retention of 88% and Coulombic efficiency of 96% after 5000 cycles. Furthermore, the MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF composite is utilized for the detection of gliadin. The electrochemical sensor showed an extraordinary sensitivity of 732 µA mM−1 cm−2 against the gluten. The MoFe2O4/Cr-MOF nanocomposite has diverse potential for creating hybrid devices used in applications related to food and energy harvesting.

Porous diamond Co-MOF and polyethylene glycol composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Porous diamond Co-MOF and polyethylene glycol composites as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

Thermal performance analysis of new bionic “fishbone” fins in a triplex-tube latent heat storage system with single cycle process

Targeting the low thermal conductivity characteristics of energy storage materials in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems, a novel bionic fish bone fin design is proposed in this paper, and the numerical simulation is employed to analyze the thermal performance of a system during single charging and discharging cycle. In assessing the system, consideration is given to the time required to complete a cycle, mean temperature change rate, and charging and discharging efficiency over the course of a cycle. The temperature response of each monitoring point within the system was first analyzed for fishbone fins of different curvatures and found that the 30° and 60° fishbone fins have the fastest heat transfer rates and shortest cycle times, respectively. Subsequently, the effect of fishbone fractal position on the thermal performance of the system was investigated. The results showed that the system achieves the best circulating thermal performance when the fishbone fins are positioned in the middle of the straight fins. An increase in the dimensionless position of the fins from 0.2 to 0.5 produced a reduction in the cycle time of 28.03 % and an increase in the energy transfer efficiency of 38.15 %. Finally, the shortest cyclic cycle and the fastest heat transfer rate were taken as the optimization objectives to optimize and predict the thermal performance of the system through the response surface method. The findings demonstrated that the system exhibited optimal thermal performance when the radian angle of the fishbone fin is 44.43° and the dimensionless position is 0.45. Compared to traditional rectangular straight fins, the optimized structure reduces the cycle time by 52.64 % and increases the average heat transfer rate by 101.58 %.

Pomegranate-like cobalt Phosphides@P-Doped carbon Nanostructures with controlled phase as anode materials for Lithium-Ion batteries

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have recently emerged as prominent energy conversion and storage materials owing to their unique physicochemical property. Nevertheless, it’s still a difficult task to obtain phase-control of TMPs owing to multiple energetically favorable stoichiometries. Herein, a phase-controllable cobalt phosphide@C with the pomegranate core–shell structure are successfully realized by employing Co-glycerate as precursors and phytic acid (PA) as P sources, etching and coordination agents. With the presence of six phosphoryl groups and the strong coordination ability, PA allows the self-phosphating of Co atoms and the P-doped carbon shell, as well as the confinement of the obtained nanoparticles Additionally, as an organic acid, PA can etch the Co-glycerate precursors with the formation of hollow structures. With different etching time, metal-rich phosphides Co2P@C and monophosphides CoP@C are successfully achieved. When applied as anode materials, CoP@C demonstrates superior lithium storage performance by delivering a prominent reversible capacity up to 1187 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and shows no capacity loss at 1 A/g after 500 cycles. This work presents a simple protocol to obtain TMPs with tunable metal/phosphorus ratios, phase selectivity and interface engineering, which could be applied in the field of energy storage and electrocatalysis.

Enhancing the electrochemical efficiency of Ni3V2O8 NPs synthesised by hydrothermal methods for supercapattery applications

A key challenge in renewable energy production is the persistent gap between energy supply and demand. Developing and optimizing materials for energy storage devices offers a promising solution to this issue. The Ni3V2O8 Nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using a simple hydrothermal process and their structural, morphology, functional and elemental properties were confirmed with special analytical tools like PXRD, SEM, FTIR and EDX with mapping correspondingly. Ensuring the redox peaks and electrochemical interaction, charge/discharge cycles and conductivity of electrode materials were examined through the CV, GCD and EIS studies. The prepared Ni3V2O8 electrode exhibits a superior specific capacity of 581.07 at 5 mV/s. The cyclic stability of the electrode attained 72 % specific-capacity retention completing 10,000 cycles with 5 A/g. The supercapatteries belong to the electrode configuration of Ni3V2O8||AC fabricated and also investigated its properties with capacitive and diffusive mechanisms. Additionally essentially, fabricated asymmetric supercapatteries with a notable power density (PD) and energy density (ED) 1976 W kg and 45.5 Wh/kg and outstanding cycle stability performance above 92 % specific capacity retention after 10,000 cycles is accrued effectively by using the Ni3V2O8 as electrode material for supercapattery applications.

High-performance α-Fe2O3 nano cubes as anode for supercapacitors

Abundant availability, high theoretical specific capacitance and low cost of transition metal oxides such as iron oxides, make them attractive as electrode materials for energy storage. In order to achieve improved performance, high conductivity, shorter ion-diffusion path, and faster ion accessibility, rational design of morphology of electrode material is highly desirable. We have successfully synthesized mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanocubes to achieve high specific capacitance and better retention. The as-prepared and annealed α-Fe2O3 nanocubes show high reversible redox activity along with good thermodynamic stability. These nanostructure give rise to high specific capacitance and ~90 % of the capacitance can be retained even after 1000 redox cycles, suggesting good cyclic stability. The electrochemical performance of mesoporous α-Fe2O3 nanocubes is attributed to the morphological features, which results in efficient K+ ion transport into the pores. A two electrode α-Fe2O3//NiO device is fabricated, which shows excellent power and energy density of ∼627 W/kg and ∼23.32 Wh/kg, respectively. Our work demonstrates that 3D nanoporous α-Fe2O3 electrodes forms promising material system as anode for improved charge storage performance.

Nanocellulose/metal-organic frameworks composites for advanced energy storage of electrodes and separators

Nanocellulose is widely utilized in various fields due to its high surface area, excellent mechanical strength, and environmental friendliness. However, nanocellulose is an insulating material with typically low electrical conductivity. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are appealing because of their huge specific surface areas, highly flexible pore size and porosity, diverse topological structure, changeable surface chemistry, and good chemical and thermal strength. The high porosity and surface area, good electrical conductivity, excellent mechanical strength, and flexibility of nanocellulose/MOF composites (NC/MOFs) make it a promising material for energy storage. This paper provides a review of the synthesis and application of NC/MOFs for energy storage of electrodes and separators. It presents the physical and chemical properties of nanocellulose and MOF. Particularly, two preparation strategies for NC/MOFs, the in-situ synthesis method and the ex-situ blending method, are introduced. Then the applications of NC/MOFs in energy storage of electrodes and separators are delivered, including supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and others. Finally, the challenges and prospects of NC/MOFs for energy storage are addressed.

NaCl-confined strategy boost charge storage capability of carbon materials for Zn-ion hybrid capacitors

The enlarged electrode/electrolyte contact area and high heteroatom-doping level are critical for enhancing the storage capability of carbon materials, yet achieving these properties simultaneously remains challenging. This study presents a novel nitrogen-doped carbon cathode (NC-900) synthesized from a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) via a saturated NaCl-confined strategy, significantly enhancing Zn2⁺ storage performance in zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs). The molten NaCl optimizes the nanostructure, creating abundant defects and ultrathin graphite-like nanosheets, which promotes charge storage and transfer. The improved electrochemical performance attributes to the ions’ adsorption/desorption and pseudocapacitive reactions on material’s surface. The assembled-ZICs deliver a high capacity (225.7 mAh g⁻1), an energy density (225.7 Wh kg⁻1 at 99.8 W kg⁻1), and exceptional cycle stability (5.7% capacity loss after 100,000 cycles). Additionally, quasi-solid-state ZICs exhibit robust mechanical stability. This work elucidates the role of nitrogen species in Zn2⁺ storage and introduces a novel approach for designing high-performance carbon materials for energy storage.

Steering the reaction kinetics of the MgO-V2O5 system toward selective synthesis of magnesium vanadates

Magnesium vanadates (MgV2O6, Mg2V2O7 and Mg3V2O8) are common redox catalysts for organic reactions and excellent energy storage materials. However, due to the diversity of magnesium vanadates and their interconvertibility, it is difficult to accurately synthesize a species of magnesium vanadate or control its stability during functioning. Herein, the reaction kinetics of MgO-V2O5 system was studied for controllable synthesis of magnesium vanadates. The MgO-V2O5 diffusion couples were prepared to explore the interface reaction characteristics of the MgO-V2O5 system at different reaction time. During reaction, the thickness of the diffusion layer and diffusion coefficient gradually increased and reached a maximal value of 29.55 μm and 6.06×10-11 cm2·s−1 at 10 h, which diffusion is faster than that of CaO-V2O5 system. Additionally, the interconvertible mechanisms of different magnesium vanadates were investigated using XRD and SEM/EDS techniques. MgV2O6 was produced during the synthesis of Mg2V2O7 in the initial 4 h, which converted into Mg2V2O7 at a longer synthesis time. Mg2V2O7 was found during the generation process of Mg3V2O8; with abundant MgO, Mg2V2O7 converted into Mg3V2O8. These findings provide important insights into the accurate control of magnesium vanadate synthesis and even the vanadium extraction process.

Mn-Zr promoted CaCO3 porous microspheres for enhanced performance in direct solar-driven calcium looping

The Calcium looping thermochemical reaction directly driven by solar energy effectively addresses the problem of efficient energy storage of concentrated solar power plants (CSP) by shortening the energy conversion path. But new requirements are put forward for energy storage materials, including high solar radiation absorption, high cycling stability and fast kinetics. To meet these challenges, we have designed porous microsphere structures for the purpose of enhancing mass transfer and the capture of solar radiation. Additionally, Zr and Mn oxides with elevated Tammann temperatures were incorporated to stabilize the morphology and prevent sintering. The synthesized porous microspheres retained abundant mesoporous channels on the surface even after undergoing 20 cycles. The addition of Mn oxide significantly enhances solar spectral absorptivity, achieving an impressive 82.88 % absorbance. The incorporation of Mn and Zr oxides increased the sintering resistance, specific surface area and porosity of CaO/CaCO3, especially in the 10–100 nm range, which accelerated the CO2 transport during carbonation. These enhancements significantly improve the chemical control stage of the carbonation reaction, as further supported by kinetic models. After 50 cycle experiments at 800 °C, the energy storage density of the sample remains at 1074 kJ/kg, which is 1.86 times that of the undoped CaCO3. This study provides a new way to design CaCO3 materials suitable for CSP applications.

Polyindole-Functionalized RGO-NiFe2O4-SiO2 Nanocomposite: A Dual-Functional Nanomaterial for Efficient Antimony Adsorption and Subsequent Application in Supercapacitor.

Effective wastewater treatment remains a critical challenge, especially when dealing with hazardous pollutants like antimony (Sb(III)). This study addresses this issue by using innovative nanocomposites to remove Sb(III) ions from water, while simultaneously repurposing the spent adsorbents for energy storage applications. We developed reduced graphene oxide-NiFe2O3-SiO2-polyindole nanocomposites (RGO-NiFe2O3-SiO2-PIn NCs) via a hydrothermal synthesis method, achieving a high removal efficiency of 91.84% for Sb(III) ions at an initial concentration of 50 mg/L at pH 8. After adsorption, the exhausted adsorbent was repurposed for energy storage, effectively minimizing secondary pollution. The Sb(III)-loaded adsorbent (RGO-NiFe2O3-SiO2-PIn@SbOx) exhibited excellent performance as an energy storage material, with a specific capacitance (Cs) of 701.36 F/g at a current density of 2 A/g and a retention rate of 80.15% after 10,000 cycles. This dual-purpose approach not only advances wastewater treatment technologies but also contributes to sustainable and economical recycling practices, particularly in the field of energy storage.

Amino Acid Supported Conductive Nanocomposite for Developing Flexible Electrode Material for Energy Storage

Introduction: This study focused on synthesizing biocompatible, flexible and wearable electrode materials for energy storage applications. The unique zwitterionic structure of L-proline provides numerous interesting properties to the nanocomposite such as high ionic interactions through the various ion migration channels, and strong hydration characteristics. These features are key to thehigh performance of energy deposition systems.Methods: Binary nanocomposites containing L-proline (Pro) amino acid and polypyrrole (Ppy) were produced on rGO modified carbon textile (rGO-CC) to develop electroactive materials. Two step hydrothermal method was used to produce flexible electrodes. DRIFT spectroscopy andAFM analysis were performed to clarify the structural and the morphological characterization. Electrochemical behavior was evaluated utilizing CV, GCD and EIS methods.Results: ProPpy@rGO-CC electrode materials exhibit high electrochemical performances in aqueous electrolytes (0.1 M NaCl). The prepared electrode shows high specific capacitance of 500.4 Fg-1 (at 25 mVs−1) at the ambient conditions. Additionally, after 5,000 charge/discharge cycles the specific capacitance retains a high level of 95% confirming the good cycle stability. The energy and the power densities were found to be 278 Wh kg−1 and 12.5 kW kg−1, respectively.Conclusion: The results indicate that the ProPpy@rGO-CC electrode is a promising candidate for next-generation high-performance energy deposition systems. The unique structural features of L-proline contribute to the formation of a large number of electroactive sites and short diffusion pathways.

Integration of renewable energy-powered cold storage solutions for reducing post-harvest food waste in rural agricultural areas

Post-harvest food loss remains a critical challenge in rural agricultural areas, exacerbated by inadequate storage facilities and unreliable energy access. This study develops and optimizes an advanced renewable energy-powered cold storage system tailored for rural settings, integrating solar and wind energy with phase change materials (PCMs) for efficient energy storage. The system incorporates Internet of Things (IoT)-based sensors and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven energy management to maintain optimal storage conditions and enhance energy efficiency. Field trials conducted in Lincolnshire, UK, and Appalachian regions of the US demonstrated significant reductions in post-harvest food loss by an average of 43.5%, extensions in produce shelf-life by up to 300%, and increased income for smallholder farmers by approximately 43%. The system also achieved an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel-powered systems. Economic analyses revealed a shorter payback period and higher return on investment, confirming the system's viability. High user satisfaction and adoption rates indicate the system's practicality and potential for widespread implementation. The findings suggest that integrating renewable energy with smart technologies in cold storage solutions offers a scalable and sustainable approach to enhancing food security, promoting economic growth in rural areas, and supporting environmental objectives globally.

Cell-Shearing Chemistry Directed Closed-Pore Regeneration in Biomass-Derived Hard Carbons for Ultrafast Sodium Storage.

The closed-pore structure of hard carbons holds the key to high plateau capacity and rapid diffusion kinetics when applied as sodium-ion battery (SIB) anodes. However, understanding and establishing the structure-electrochemistry relationship still remains a significant challenge. This work, for the first time, introduces an innovative deep eutectic solvent (DES) cell-shearing strategy to precisely tailor the cell structure of natural bamboo and consequently the closed-pore in its derived hard carbons. The DES shearing force effectively modifies the pore architecture by simultaneously shearing and dissolving amorphous components to form closed pore cores with adjustable sizes, as well as disintegrating crystalline cellulose through generation of competing hydrogen bonds to elaborately tune the pore wall thickness and ordering. The optimized closed-pore structure featuring appropriate pore size (∼2 nm) and ultra-thin (1-3 layers) disordered pore walls, exhibits abundant active sites and delivers rapid ion diffusion kinetics and high reaction reversibility. Consequently, a high reversible capacity of 422 mAh g-1 at 30 mA g-1 along with an exceptional rate capability (318.6 mAh g-1 at 6 A g-1) are achieved, outperforming almost all previous reported hard carbons. The new concept of cell-shearing chemistry for closed-pore regeneration significantly advances the applications of biomass materials for energy storage.

Hierarchical Flower Array NiCoOOH@CoLa‐LDH Nanosheets for High‐Performance Supercapacitor and Alkaline Zn Battery

AbstractNickel oxyhydroxide based energy storage materials have been largely confined by insufficient exposure of active sites which results in low energy efficiency and poor stability. In order to resolve the problems, hierarchical flower array heterostructure NiCoOOH@CoLa‐LDH (denoted as NC@CL) nanosheets are designed with NiCo oxyhydroxide (NiCoOOH, denoted as NC) being tightly covered on CoLa layered double hydroxide (CoLa‐LDH, denoted as CL) nanosheet. This rational design creates more active sites, enlarges the electrode‐electrolyte contact area, improves electron conductivity, and prevents agglomeration during the cycling charge–discharge processes. Density functional theory calculations and differential charges concurrently illustrate that heterostructure formation optimizes the reaction kinetics and promotes electron redistribution. Benefiting from the heterogeneous structure and rich electro‐active sites caused by NC, NC@CL displays outstanding reversible specific capacitance (3228 F g−1 at 1 A g−1). The aqueous rechargeable alkaline Zn battery NC@CL//Zn exhibits a high capacity of 381.1 mA h g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 and cycling durability (98% capacity retention after cycling at 5 A g−1 for 2000 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performances indicate that NC@CL has great application potential as electrode material for aqueous energy storage device.

Quantitative Design of Cathode Materials for Ion Battery from a Reductionist Perspective

AbstractThe quantitative design of functionalities for functional materials is highly attractive for materials research, which must be based on a thorough understanding of the behavior of fundamental particles. Reductionism advocates for the understanding of complex materials through dissection into the constituent parts, providing a robust framework for investigating functional materials. In an ion battery system, this review utilizes reductionism to deconstruct cathode materials into phase, atom, and even electron, building the intrinsic connections between the macroscopic properties and fundamental particles across four degrees of freedom. This aims to enable the quantitative design of cathode materials. Specifically, the microscopic origins of the macroscopic properties, that is, capacity, potential, rate, and cycling reversibility, based on lattice, charge, orbital, and spin degrees of freedom are elucidated. Additionally, current strategies are summarized and proposed future development directions for improving these properties. These insights contribute to achieving the goal of quantitative design of energy storage materials.

Use of Modified Organic and Inorganic Phase Change Materials for the Development of Personal Cooling Device

The human body needs comfort in every condition. Human health is significantly impacted by heat. The ambient air temperature rises in hot weather, which causes the human body to become fatigued and exhausted. Phase Change Materials (PCM) can solve this problem with high latent heat absorption values and a wide range of phase change temperatures. The objective is to develop a PCM-based cooling device that is safe, readily available, and easy to use in normal routine life. A personal cooling system, such as a cooling vest using PCM, can assist in preventing heat-related issues. In this study, Polyethylene Glycol-600 (PEG-600) and modified glauber salt are selected as thermal energy storage materials with melting temperatures of 18–22°C and 27°C, respectively. Graphene Oxide (GO) nanoparticles were synthesised and mixed into the PEG-600 to enhance its thermal conductivity and latent heat of fusion. GO nanoparticles were prepared by Modified Hummer’s method (MHM) and characterised by Fourier’s Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The latent heats and melting ranges of GO/PEG-600 and modified glauber salt were investigated by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The addition of 0.6 wt.% GO to PEG-600 results in an increase in thermal conductivity of 6.1% and latent heat of 8%. The PCMs are encapsulated in aluminium packs, sealed, and kept in a cooling device. The developed cooling vest provides cooling for up to 95 minutes. The cooling vest is recharged by keeping it below 10°C for 20 minutes. The developed personal cooling device provides a passive, inexpensive, and safe cooling system by extracting heat from the human body.

Graphene-Based Materials in Energy Storage and Conversion Devices

Global energy demand and environmental concerns have grown increasingly over the years. To solve these problems, advanced energy storage and conversion technologies are essential. This work explores the applications of graphene-based materials to enhance the performance of lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, and solar cells. In lithium-ion batteries, graphene significantly improves electrical conductivity, mechanical stability, and energy capacity, thereby improving battery performance. Likewise, in supercapacitors, graphene-based electrodes exhibit excellent specific capacitance and energy density, which are crucial for high-power applications. In solar cells, graphene improves photoelectric conversion efficiency and stability, especially in perovskite and ZnO/Si heterojunction solar cells. However, the high cost and complexity of producing graphene limit its widespread use. Future research should focus on developing cost-effective production methods, optimizing graphene properties through doping, exploring composite materials, and expanding graphene applications in sustainable energy and environmental fields. This work provides an overview of current progress and suggests directions for future research in this area.

Poly(3, 4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) as Promising Energy Storage Materials in Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Benefiting from the advantages of high conductivity and good electrochemical stability, the conjugated conducting polymer poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) is a promising energy storage material in zinc-ion batteries. Zinc-ion batteries have the advantages of high safety, environmental friendliness, and low cost, but suffer from unstable cathode material structure, poor electrical conductivity, and uncontrollable dendritic growth of zinc anodes. PEDOT, with its fast electrochemical response and wide potential window, is expected to make up for the shortcomings and enhance capacity and cycle life of zinc-ion batteries. Herein, in this review different polymerization methods of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) as well as their structure and properties are summarized; the progress in doping strategies related to the increasing conductivity and dispersivity of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) materials is discussed; specific applications of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-based materials in anode, cathode, electrolyte, and binder of zinc-ion batteries are explored; and the representative advancements for improving the electrochemical performance of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) in zinc-ion batteries are emphasized. Finally, the current challenges of poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) as promising materials in zinc-ion batteries and an insight into their future research directions are pointed out.

Zinc cobalt sulfide with carbon (graphene oxide and CNT) based nanocomposite as positive electrode for asymmetric coin cell supercapacitors

Abstract The world dependence on portable electronic devices has increased the demand for high-performance energy storage devices. The use of transition metal sulfides as faradaic electrode materials for electrochemical energy storage is rapidly increasing due to their high energy density. Herein Zinc Cobalt Sulfide (ZCS) with graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were used to create an interconnected ZCS composite network using a solvothermal technique. The materials were characterized by utilizing XRD, FT-Raman, TGA, FESEM/EDX, XPS, and BET. The electrochemical performance of the materials was examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The prepared electrodes exhibited both pseudocapacitor behavior and double-layer capacitor behavior, indicating the hybrid nature. Furthermore, All the electrode ZCS, ZCS/GO, ZCS/CNT, and ZCS/GO/CNT electrodes demonstrated higher capacitance behavior, with values of 420, 551, 585 and 811 F g−1 at 1 A/g. Among these ZCS/GO/CNT electrode exhibits outstanding electrochemical properties, with a notable retention of 81.08% at 10 Ag−1 because Combining ZCS nanoparticles with interconnected GO and CNT provides excellent electronic conductivity and stability. The assembled ZCS/GO/CNT//graphene oxide asymmetric coin cell (ACC) supercapacitor showed a high energy density of 33.3 Wh kg–1 at a power density of 624 W kg–1. The 3D nanostructure of ZCS/GO/CNT/Graphene oxide has great potential for developing foldable energy storage devices.