Graphite Sheets Research Articles

Study on static levitation and dynamic characteristics of diamagnetic levitation system

Diamagnetic levitation is a physical phenomenon that uses the diamagnetism of diamagnetic materials to stably levitate itself in an external strong magnetic field, which has great potential in the areas of sensors, actuators, and biomedicine. In this paper, a typical diamagnetic levitation system composed of a NdFeB permanent magnet array and pyrolytic graphite sheet is built. The levitation mechanism of the diamagnetic levitation system is analyzed theoretically, the main factors affecting the static levitation of the pyrolytic graphite sheet are determined, and the influence of structural parameters on the levitation height of the pyrolytic graphite sheet is studied. Furthermore, the dynamic and numerical simulation models of the diamagnetic levitation system are established, and the dynamic response characteristics of the pyrolytic graphite sheet are analyzed under different vibration excitation. This study provides a reference for developing applications based on the diamagnetic levitation system.

Probing interlayer van der Waals strengths of two-dimensional surfaces and defects, through STM tip-induced elastic deformations

A methodology to test the interlayer bonding strength of two-dimensional (2D) surfaces and associated one (1D)- and two (2D)- dimensional surface defects using scanning tunneling microscope tip-induced deformation, is demonstrated. Surface elastic deformation characteristics of soft 2D monatomic sheets of graphene and graphite in contrast to NbSe2 indicates related association with the underlying local bonding configurations. Surface deformation of 2D graphitic moiré patterns reveal the inter-layer van der Waals strength varying across its domains. These results help in the understanding of the comparable interlayer bonding strength of 1D grain boundary as well as the grains. Anomalous phenomena related to probing 2D materials at small gap distances as a function of strain is discussed.

Polyphasic Characterization of Geotalea uranireducens NIT-SL11 Newly Isolated from a Complex of Sewage Sludge and Microbially Reduced Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide (GO), a chemically oxidized sheet of graphite, has been used as a conductive carbon carrier of microbes to boost various bioelectrochemical reactions. However, the types of microbes that can reduce GO have rarely been investigated. In this study, a strain of GO-reducing bacteria, named NIT-SL11, which was obtained from a hydrogel of microbially reduced GO and anaerobic sludge that converts sewage to electricity, was phylogenically identified as a novel strain of Geotalea uraniireducens. Considering the current lack of information on the electrogenic ability of the bacterium and its physicochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, the polyphasic characterization of the Geotalea uraniireducens strain NIT-SL11 was performed. NIT-SL11 utilized various organic acids, such as lactate, benzoate, and formate, as electron donors and exhibited respiration using GO, electrodes, fumarate, and malate. The strain contained C16:1ω7c and C16:0 as the major fatty acids and MK-8 and 9 as the major respiratory quinones. The complete genome of NIT-SL11 was 4.7 Mbp in size with a G+C content of 60.9%, and it encoded 80 putative c-type cytochromes and 23 type IV pili-related proteins. The possible extracellular electron transfer (EET) pathways of the strain were the porin-cytochrome (Pcc) EET pathway and type IV pili-based pathway.

Incorporation of Ag-doped ZnO nanorod through Graphite hybridization: Effective approach for degradation of Ciprofloxacin

To remove the Ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solution, ZnO–Ag-Gp nanocomposite exhibited efficient photocatalytic properties. The biopersistent CIP is pervasive in surface water and also hazardous to human and animal health. This study utilized the hydrothermal technique to prepare Ag-doped ZnO hybridizing Graphite (Gp) sheet (ZnO–Ag-Gp) to degrade pharmaceuticals pollutant CIP from an aqueous medium. The structural and chemical compositions of the photocatalysts were determined by XRD, FTIR and XPS analysis. FESEM and TEM images revealed the nanorod ZnO with round shape Ag distributed on a Gp surface. The reduced bandgap of the ZnO–Ag-Gp sample enhanced the photocatalytic property which was measured by using UV–vis Spectroscopy. Dose optimization study found that 1.2 g/L is optimum for single (ZnO) and binary (ZnO-Gp and ZnO–Ag), where 0.3 g/L ternary (ZnO–Ag-Gp) exhibited maximum degradation efficiency (98%) within 60 min for 5 mg/L CIP. Pseudo 1st order reaction kinetics rate was found highest for ZnO–Ag-Gp (0.05983 min−1) and it decreased to 0.03428 min−1 for annealed sample. Removal efficiency decreased to only 90.97% at 5th run and hydroxyl radicals played a vital role to degrade CIP from aqueous solution. UV/ZnO–Ag-Gp will be a promising technique to degrade wide-ranging pharmaceutical antibiotics from the aquatic medium.

Failure analysis of inner wall of X-10 brake discs for urban rail vehicles

Some X-10 type brake discs for urban rail vehicles were examined by fluorescent magnetic particle inspection test, and the magnetic trace accumulation was observed at the root of the connecting claw of the brake discs. In this work, the causes of failure for the brake discs are analyzed and discussed. The chemical composition, metallographic structure, and mechanical property of the failure samples were characterized by means of X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry, metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscopy, and an electronic universal material-testing machine. At the same time, the stress and crack propagation states were analyzed by numerical simulation, braking dynamic and fatigue tests, respectively. Based on the fracture mechanics theory, the residual fatigue life was also predicted. The failure reason of the inner wall of brake disc was that the fatigue crack occurred at the root of the connecting claw of the brake disc body, and the crack source was taken from graphite sheets exposed on the surface of the grey cast iron matrix. The results of the numerical simulation showed that the larger thermal stress acted on the graphite sheets at the root of the connecting claw, and promoted the crack to expand along the path of the graphite sheets. The results of the braking force and fatigue tests showed that there was stability propagation of the crack. Finally, some suggestions and prevention for brake discs are provided.

Single-Atom iron catalyst activating peroxydisulfate for efficient organic contaminant degradation relying on electron transfer

Single-atom iron catalysts (SACs) have drawn extensive attention in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) because of their tunable electron feature. Although single-atomic metal activation has been developed to optimize the organic contaminant oxidation and understand the associated mechanism governing persulfate-based AOPs, studies on peroxydisulfate (PDS) are rare. Herein, atomic iron was anchored in Enteromorpha-derived carbon matrices via a novel and cost-effective route in this work. This single atomic catalyst (FeSA-NEPBC) exhibited very high activity in PDS conversion for organic pollutant oxidation. Integrated with radical quenching experiments and electron spin resonance (ESR), the nonradical pathways of pollutant degradation was unveiled to be an electron-transfer process. Electrochemical analysis, masking experiments and theoretical calculations unraveled that FeSA-NEPBC/PDS* complex and Fe-pyridinic N4 moiety were the predominant oxidizing intermediate and active sites, respectively. The innovative application of galvanic oxidation process (GOP) was also employed to probe the mechanism. Bisphenol S (BPS) was degraded only when the catalyst-coating the graphite sheets was applied in the GOP, further confirming the occurrence of electron transfer. Moreover, the FeSA-NEPBC/PDS system exhibited favorable performance in realistic wastewater remediation scenarios. This work offers a better mechanistic understanding of PDS activation by the single-atom catalysts, while providing keen insights into the design of stable atomic metal catalysts for practical use.

The New Materials for Battery Electrode Prototypes.

In this article, we present the performance of Copper (Cu)/Graphene Nano Sheets (GNS) and C-π (Graphite, GNS, and Nitrogen-doped Graphene Nano Sheets (N-GNS)) as a new battery electrode prototype. The objectives of this research are to develop a number of prototypes of the battery electrode, namely Cu/GNS//Electrolyte//C-π, and to evaluate their respective performances. The GNS, N-GNS, and primary battery electrode prototypes (Cu/GNS/Electrolyte/C-π) were synthesized by using a modified Hummers method; the N-doped sheet was obtained by doping nitrogen at room temperature and the impregnation or the composite techniques, respectively. Commercial primary battery electrodes were also used as a reference in this research. The Graphite, GNS, N-GNS, commercial primary batteries electrode, and battery electrode prototypes were analyzed using an XRD, SEM-EDX, and electrical multimeter, respectively. The research data show that the Cu particles are well deposited on the GNS and N-GNS (XRD and SEM-EDX data). The presence of the Cu metal and electrolytes (NH4Cl and MnO2) materials can increase the electrical conductivities (335.6 S cm-1) and power density versus the energy density (4640.47 W kg-1 and 2557.55 Wh kg-1) of the Cu/GNS//Electrolyte//N-GNS compared to the commercial battery (electrical conductivity (902.2 S cm-1) and power density versus the energy density (76 W kg-1 and 43.95 W kg-1). Based on all of the research data, it may be concluded that Cu/GNS//Electrolyte//N-GNS can be used as a new battery electrode prototype with better performances and electrical activities.

Comparative experimental investigations on novel joining technology based on microwave energy to produce SS2205-SS2205 joints

In this work, a novel joining technology has been developed by significantly modifying the existing older joining technology. Both methods have been based on using microwave energy. Metallic joints of SS2205-SS2205 have been developed by using the novel as well as old technology. In previous technology, formation of joints has been largely affected by the use of charcoal powder (susceptor), graphite sheet (separator) and filler powder (interface) for producing the joints. On the other hand, in the newly proposed method, the joints have been fabricated without using any charcoal powder, graphite sheet or filler powder. Graphite rods have been used instead of charcoal powder thereby improving speed and cleanliness of the process. Further, absence of charcoal powder has helped in getting rid of the charcoal feeder as well as the separator sheet; thereby ensuring an easier assembly set-up and reduced set-up time. Finally, filler powder has not been used in proposed method, thereby drastically reducing the material cost. Joints’ microstructure and mechanical properties have been characterized. Newly proposed method-based joints have been observed to possess better hardness, tensile strength and ductility due to better microstructural composition despite lower carbon content. Hardness, tensile strength and percentage elongation have also been observed to be better than previous results by 8%, 16.67% and 17.85%, respectively.

Novel Loop Heat Pipe System for EV Thermal Management of Batteries: Effects of Ambient Temperatures

Building from previous successful results from the Authors, a Loop Heat Pipe (LHP) based Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) is investigated over a range of different ambient temperatures (from 20°C to 50°C), using a state-of-the-art environmental chamber. LHPs act as thermal vector from the bottom of the battery pack to a remote chiller, while graphite sheets allow to achieve a satisfactory level of temperature homogenization of the cells surface, with low added weight. This design was developed aiming to improve on fast charge timings, all-electric range, reduce costs and complexity, and decrease maintenance requirements. Preliminary studies showed the potential of this innovative BTMS to give better performances than standard active counterparts. The aim of this work is to extend the investigation towards a practical application, by matching experimental results obtained in the environmental chamber with a validated numerical Lumped Parameter Model and extend the results database to different geometries and material/fluid configurations, to support the adoption of this technology by automotive manufactures. Results showed a successful validation campaign, with average temperature discrepancy between the experimental results and the numerical prediction of 0.4°C. Further simulations results demonstrated how the proposed BTMS performs efficiently at higher temperatures, limiting cells maximum temperatures below 60°C even at ambient temperatures of 50°C, increasing safety.

Architecture of dual emissive three-dimensional nanostructure composites containing graphitic 2D sheets and iron oxide nanoparticles: detection of short single-stranded DNA sequences.

Here, we report an effect driven by repetitive heating and cooling; as a result, 2D and 1D nanomaterials are parallelly produced locally in a single reactor from the same precursors. Afterward, more repetitive heating and cooling induced the self-folding approach of a 2D nanomaterial with a 1D nanomaterial, giving them a self-assembled biconcave disk-shaped 3D nanostructure. The microscopy and spectroscopy studies reveal that the nanostructure has a diameter of nearly 200 nm and is composed of Fe, C, O and incorporated N and P. This 3D nanostructure composite shows red-shifted dual emission (430 nm and 500 nm) at two different excitations (350 nm and 450 nm), accompanied by a rare large Stokes shift (LSS), and it was employed in the detection of targeted short single-stranded DNA sequences (ssDNA). Upon the addition of target DNA, the specific binding of 3D nanostructure probes with the target triggers variations (off/on) of two signals, and by considering the decreased emission (fluorescence quenching) at 500 nm, we can detect the target ssDNA at the single-molecule level. The change of fluorescence intensity and the concentration of complementary target ssDNA sequences show a better linear relationship than a single emission-based probe, and the limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 0.47 nM.

Nanocrystalline TiO2/Ti3C2Tx MXene composites with a tunable work function prepared using atmospheric pressure oxygen plasma.

Composites of TiO2 and Ti3C2Tx MXene are of great interest because they combine superior TiO2 photocatalytic activity with excellent MXene conductivity. As these composites have conventionally been prepared using methods requiring high temperatures, a process for producing similar materials at reduced temperature could be beneficial for applications in flexible and printed electronics. Therefore, we used low-temperature dielectric barrier discharge to develop a method for forming crystalline TiO2 by treating Ti3C2Tx MXene surfaces with high-power-density oxygen plasma comprising various energetic and reactive oxygen species, which oxidize MXene surfaces and form TiO2 nanoparticles on disordered graphitic carbon sheets within a few seconds. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the plasma-induced morphological changes to elucidate the TiO2 formation mechanism. The MXene surface chemistry was studied in detail using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ab initio modelling. The crystalline phase of TiO2 was further studied using transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The results presented here suggest the formation of small anatase nanoparticles on the surface of MXenes within just seconds of plasma exposure. Nanoparticles grew with prolonged plasma treatment and a transition from anatase to rutile was observed. Considering that the temperature of plasma was always below 70 °C, the oxygen plasma process for the preparation of TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites is an excellent candidate for application on temperature-sensitive substrates in flexible and printed electronics.

An Electrostatic Locking Mechanism For Tendon-driven Surgical Robot

Variable stiffness surgical robots are capable of adapting to different surgical scenarios, providing enhanced stability during minimally-invasive surgeries. Prevalent methods for achieving variable stiffness, such as lockable mechanisms, granular jamming, and phase transition materials, have inherent weaknesses including difficulties in downsizing and issues related to excessive temperatures. In this paper, a novel lockable mechanism based on electrostatics is proposed, along with a tendon-driven surgical robot prototype that utilizes this locking mechanism to achieve variable stiffness. The proposed mechanism involves the installation of graphite electrode sheets at each joint, with silica gel being used as the dielectric material. By applying a high voltage to the electrode sheets, adjacent joints automatically absorb and restrict relative sliding, effectively preventing joint rotation and ensuring complete joint locking. An electrostatic adhesive braking force model for the robot is presented. Simulations and experiments conducted based on the robot prototype have been carried out to validate the locking capability of the proposed mechanism and the accuracy of the electrostatic adhesive braking force model.

Iron/vanadium co-doped tungsten oxide nanostructures anchored on graphitic carbon nitride sheets (FeV-WO3@g-C3N4) as a cost-effective novel electrode material for advanced supercapacitor applications.

In this work, we studied the effect of iron (Fe) and vanadium (V) co-doping (Fe/V), and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) on the performance of tungsten oxide (WO3) based electrodes for supercapacitor applications. The lone pair of electrons on nitrogen can improve the surface polarity of the g-C3N4 electrode material, which may results in multiple binding sites on the surface of electrode for interaction with electrolyte ions. As electrolyte ions interact with g-C3N4, they quickly become entangled with FeV-WO3 nanostructures, and the contact between the electrolyte and the working electrode is strengthened. Herein, FeV-WO3@g-C3N4 is fabricated by a wet chemical approach along with pure WO3 and FeV-WO3. All of the prepared samples i.e., WO3, FeV-WO3, and FeV-WO3@g-C3N4 were characterized by XRD, FTIR, EDS, FESEM, XPS, Raman, and BET techniques. Electrochemical performance is evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanic charge/discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It is concluded from electrochemical studies that FeV-WO3@g-C3N4 exhibits the highest electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of 1033.68 F g-1 at scan rate 5 mV s-1 in the potential window range from -0.8 to 0.25 V, that is greater than that for WO3 (422.76 F g-1) and FeV-WO3 (669.76 F g-1). FeV-WO3@g-C3N4 has the highest discharge time (867 s) that shows it has greater storage capacity, and its coulombic efficiency is 96.7%, which is greater than that for WO3 (80.1%) and FeV-WO3 (92.1%), respectively. Furthermore, excellent stability up to 2000 cycles is observed in FeV-WO3@g-C3N4. It is revealed from EIS measurements that equivalent series resistance and charge transfer values calculated for FeV-WO3@g-C3N4 are 1.82 Ω and 0.65 Ω, respectively.

Analysis of carbon nanotube for low power nano electronics applications

In the area of nanotechnology, carbon nanotubes are a notable and remarkable invention. Its structure is much similar to the structure of graphite. CNTs are small in size, light in weight, have good strength, and have good conductivity, making them the building blocks of futuristic new technologies. CNTs have promised to be the catalyst for the next revolution in technology. A broad range of processes are available to produce various types of CNTs, depending on the rolling times of graphite sheets. In this paper, different types of CNTs, their properties, ways of synthesis such as the arc discharge method and chemical vapor deposition, and application have been covered. Outlining their respective advantages and challenges. SWCNTs exhibit high carrier mobilities and tunable bandgaps, making them suitable for transistor devices and interconnects in integrated circuits. DWCNTs offer enhanced mechanical stability and electrical conductivity, catering to applications in flexible electronics and energy storage devices. MWCNTs, though lacking distinct properties of SWCNTs and DWCNTs, find utility in composites, sensors, and biomedical devices due to their ease of synthesis and lower cost.

Analysis of carbon nanotube for low power nano electronics applications

The implementation of nanoelectronic circuits depends on technologies such as Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) or Bipolar CMOS (BICMOS), and the length of the channel can be reduced up to a certain limit. Due to the generation of various errors nanomaterials can be an alternative solution for circuit design. In the field of nanotechnology, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have become a notable and remarkable invention. Their structure is very similar to that of graphite, and its small size, lightweight, high strength, and good conductivity make them ideal building blocks for future technologies. CNTs hold great promise for being the catalyst for the next technological revolution. Today, a broad range of processes is available to produce various types of CNTs, depending on the rolling times of graphite sheets. This review paper sheds light on the different types of CNTs, their properties, methods of synthesis such as arc discharge and chemical vapor deposition, and their applications. To achieve this goal, this paper provides a review that aims to define the state-of-the-art in this field from a novel and unified perspective while elaborating insights of current developments and emerging trends.

Thermal resistance of Open-Cell metal foam with thermal interface materials (TIM)

• This study proposes an alternative joining metal foam with other metals and TIM. • The thermal resistance decreases with increasing compression load and varies with TIM hardness. • The thermal resistance of the hard TIM sample is reduced to a maximum of 62% when a 30N compression load is applied. • The soft TIM sample has a thermal resistance difference of 19% higher than that of hard TIM. This study investigated the thermal resistances of sandwich structures consisting of open-type metal foams, base plates/surfaces, and thermal interface materials (TIMs) in two types of sandwiching configurations, namely Type 1 and Type 2. Samples were prepared using metal foam structures of 20, 40, and 60 pores per inch (PPIs), representing five commercial TIMs, i.e., pyrolytic graphite sheet (PGS), T621, SFT90, PC93, and PC94. They were categorised into two types: (i) thin and hard films (PGS, T621, SFT90) and (ii) thick and soft pads (PC93 and PC94). The thermal resistance and the thickness were measured under compression loadings of 0 – 60 N using an in-house thermal resistance tester developed according to the ASTM D5470 standard. Based on the nanoindentation test, PGS showed the highest hardness (0.2660 GPa), followed by T621 (0.0322 GPa), SFT90 (0.0235 GPa), PC93 (0.0007 GPa), and PC94 (0.0004 GPa). In general, thermal resistances were dependent on compression forces; they decreased with increasing compression loads. At a 30 N load for 60 PPI, the thermal resistance of the hard TIM sample was reduced to 62% with a 1.5% reduction in compression thickness at the Type 1 configuration. The resistance decreased as much as 8% when PPIs increased from 20 to 60. By contrast, at a 30 N load for 60 PPI, the thermal resistance of the soft TIM sample was reduced to 58% with a 16% reduction in compression thickness at the Type 1 configuration. When PPIs increased from 20 to 60, the resistance decreased by just 5%. Despite a lower thermal resistance reduction than the hard TIM, the soft TIM was 19% higher in thermal resistance difference. This study showed that joining metal foam, TIM, and base plate reduced thermal resistances while increasing their performance.

Effect of g-C3N4 morphology on its performance as lubricating additive for grease

In this study, three forms of graphite carbon nitrides (g-C3N4), in bulky (CNB), sheet (CNS), and tubular (CNNT) morphology, are prepared and used as additives to improve the tribological properties of grease. A comparison between traditional additives and other two g-C3N4 forms, CNB and CNS, reveals CNNT exhibit the best lubricant improvement. Furthermore, by adding 0.06 wt% of CNNT, the average wear scar diameter and average coefficient of friction of a semi-fluid extreme pressure lithium grease are reduced by 28 % and 10 %, respectively. This attractive lubricity improvement of grease can be ascribed to the stable high dispersion of CNNT in the grease, thereby guaranteeing the effective formation of a lubricating film on the surface of the friction pair. Additionally, it ensures the itself moderate structural strength and a relatively weak adsorption on metal surfaces, thus providing a slide-roll mode prone to relative sliding. This promotes the renewal of CNNT on the surface of the friction pair. The significant improvement of the tribological properties of grease by CNNT widens the practical application of g-C3N4-based materials, and provides a reference for further improvement strategies for lubricating grease.

Ag-decorated BiOCl anchored onto the g-C3N4 sheets for boosted photocatalytic and antimicrobial activities

The most promising strategy for environmental preservation and wastewater treatment is to create semiconductor-based photocatalysts. Semiconducting photocatalysts have gained considerable attention for water treatment applications due to their excellent and notable efficiency. The present work is based on the fabrication of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl), and silver-decorated bismuth oxychloride (Ag@BiOCl) by the facile co-precipitation method. The composite of silver-decorated bismuth oxychloride with graphitic carbon nitride sheets (Ag@BiOCl/g-C3N4) was synthesized using an ultra-sonication approach. The as-fabricated samples were then characterized using different techniques like X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and UV–Visible spectroscopy. XRD confirmed the formation of as prepared samples while FESEM confirmed their flower-like morphology. FTIR and EDX were used respectively to confirm the functional groups and elemental composition of prepared photocatalysts. Furthermore, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the Mott-Schottky experiment were performed to analyze the charge separation efficiency and recombination rate of photoreactive species. The optical band gap (Eg) was measured using a UV–Visible spectrophotometer. The Eg value of BiOCl and Ag@BiOCl are 3.38 eV and 2.93 eV respectively. Also, the fabricated photocatalysts were used for the photo-degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), Crystal violet (CV), and phenol. The degradation efficiency of Ag@BiOCl/g-CN is high as compared to pristine BiOCl and Ag@BiOCl. The % degradation of RhB, CV, and phenol by Ag@BiOCl/g-CN are 92 %, 95.29 %, and 40.24 % respectively. The samples were also used as antimicrobial agents against K.Pneumoniae and S.aureus. Ag@BiOCl/g-CN composite demonstrated outstanding antibacterial efficacy against both positive and negative strains.

Developing High-Performance In-Plane Flexible Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries with Laser-Scribed Carbon-Supported All Electrodeposited Electrodes.

Developing high-performance, safer, and affordable flexible batteries is of urgent need to power the fast-growing flexible electronics market. In this respect, zinc-ion chemistry employing aqueous-based electrolytes represents a promising combination considering the safety, cost efficiency, and both high energy and high-power output. Herein, we represent a high-performance flexible in-plane aqueous zinc-ion miniaturized battery constructed with all electrodeposited electrodes, i.e., MnO2 cathode and zinc anode with polyimide-derived interdigital patterned laser-scribed carbon (LSC) as the current collector as well as the template for electrodeposition. The LSC possesses a cross-linked network of graphitic carbon sheet, which offers large surface area over low footprint and ensures active materials loading with a robust conductive network. The LSC with high zincophilic characteristic also offers dendrite-free zinc deposition with very low Zn2+ plating stripping overpotential. Benefitting from the Zn//MnO2-rich redox chemistry, the ability of the 3D LSC network to uniformly distribute reaction sites, and the architectural merits of in-plane interdigitated electrode configuration, we report very high capacity values of ∼549 mAh/g (or ∼523 μAh/cm2) and 148 mAh/g (or 140 μAh/cm2) at 0.1 A/g (0.095 mA/cm2) and 2 A/g (1.9 mA/cm2) currents, respectively. The device was also able to maintain a high capacity of 196 mAh/g (areal capacity of 76.19 μAh/cm2) at 1 A/g (0.95 mA/cm2) current after 1350 cycles. The flexibility of the device was demonstrated in polyacryl amide (PAM) gel polymer soaked with a 2 M ZnSO4 and 0.2 M MnSO4 electrolyte, which exhibited a comparable specific capacity of ∼102-110 mAh/g in flat condition and different bending (100° or 160° bending) conditions. The device does not use any conventional current collector, separator, and conductive or polymer additives. The overall process is highly scalable and can be completed in less than a couple of hours.

One-step fabrication of poly(aniline-co-2,5 dimethoxyaniline) nanohybrid coated graphitic sheet electrode for efficient energy application

In this study, a facile one-step homogeneous electrochemical deposition method was utilized to fabricate poly(aniline-2,5-dimethoxyaniline)co-polymer (PANI-PDMA) nanocomposite coated on the surface of graphite sheet (GS) electrode for an effective high-performance supercapacitor application. Physio-chemical characterizations were examined using FT-IR, XRD, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. The morphological view of as-synthesized copolymer nanocomposite was characterized using the FE-SEM technique. Electrochemical investigation of the as-fabricated modified electrode (GS/PANI-PDMA) was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charging and discharging (GCD) studies. Based on electrochemical studies, GS/PANI-PDMA modified co-polymer electrode shows a high specific capacitance of 595 F/g compared to GS@PANI and GS@PDMA. After 1000 cycles, it indicates 67% capacitance retention, which is indicated to be a potential alternative material for supercapacitor application.