Incorporation Of Metal Oxides Research Articles

Tuning Electrochemical Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Films through Metal Oxide Incorporation

AbstractWith the escalating global energy demand, the exploration of alternative, easily accessible, and cost‐effective energy sources has become imperative. The diminishing reserves of conventional energy resources underscore the urgency to transition towards renewable energy. Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have gained prominence for energy storage electrochemical devices due to their high flexibility and favorable electrode–electrolyte interactions. This study focuses on synthesizing nano cuprous oxide (CuO) semiconductors via the precipitation method. The prepared CuO nanofiller is homogeneously dispersed into a polymer electrolyte solution. Utilizing the solution cast method, free‐standing polymer electrolyte films are fabricated, exhibiting commendable mechanical stability. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) serves as the host material, with potassium iodide (KI) salt, forming the basis for the polymer electrolyte. The resultant electrolyte films underwent comprehensive characterization for their electrical and optical properties. The investigation aims to identify the optimal composition of the electrolyte film with superior conductivity. The selected composition will be employed in the fabrication of various electrochemical devices, demonstrating the potential for enhanced energy storage applications. This work not only contributes to the synthesis of advanced solid polymer electrolyte films but also paves the way for the development of efficient and sustainable energy storage solutions in the realm of renewable energy technologies.

Surface charge alteration of charcoal derived from bamboo leaves and understanding the interaction with anionic and cationic dye

Cost-effective adsorbents derived from regenerative sources provide a sustainable solution to the pressing environmental pollution challenges. Conventional studies often rely on biochar-based adsorbents obtained at high carbonization temperatures in an induced environment. The present study explored the efficacy of carbon derived from the stems (CBS) and leaves (CBL) of bamboo plants as efficient dye adsorbents at low carbonization temperatures. CBL carbonized at 350 °C exhibited a remarkable dye adsorption efficiency of 90%, significantly outperforming CBS, which achieved only 39% efficiency. To enable the adsorption of both dyes, heterophase metal oxides, specifically Fe-doped ZnO and ZnFe2O4 were incorporated. Zeta potential measurements revealed a transition from negative to positive values with metal oxide incorporation, suggesting alterations in the surface acidity and functional group composition. The adsorption performance of the composite (WC20) sample was evaluated using Congo Red (CR) and Crystal Violet (CV) dyes. Comprehensive studies on the adsorption kinetics, isotherm modeling, and thermodynamics have been conducted to identify WC20 as the most effective composite. The equilibrium adsorption data aligned well with the Langmuir isotherm model, demonstrating maximum adsorption capacities of 65.31 mg g−1 for CR and 38.05 mg g−1 for CV at room temperature of 298 K with constant pH. Thermodynamic analysis indicated a hybrid adsorption mechanism, wherein CR adsorption was predominantly driven by chemisorption, whereas CV adsorption was governed by physisorption. Mechanistic insights have revealed that electrostatic interactions and π–π stacking play crucial roles in dye removal. These findings underscore the potential applicability of WC20 as a cost-effective and efficient adsorbent for the remediation of both cationic (CV) and anionic (CR) dyes in wastewater, highlighting its viability for future environmental management and pollution mitigation strategies.

Preparation and Optimization of Polyaniline/ Titanium Dioxide/ Carboxymethyl Cellulose Powder for Effective Nickel Adsorption

Hexanoic acid-doped polyaniline (PAni) is a great potential candidate to replace conventional adsorbent towards the removal of heavy metal waste from electroplating industry, especially nickel (Ni). In this study, different weight % (wt %) of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) are added to form PAni composites with enhanced Ni removal efficiency. All the synthesized samples were examined with FTIR, UV-Vis, conductivity measurement, XRD, TGA, and FESEM to confirm their chemical structures, oxidation states, electrical conductivity, crystallinity and incorporation of metal oxide, thermal stability, and surface morphology, respectively. Among the different samples, PAni / TiO2 20 % exhibited the highest Ni removal efficiency of 37.5 %. Upon further addition of CMC, PAni / TiO2 / CMC 5 % showed the highest Ni removal efficiency of 89.08 %. Optimization of the experimental parameters were conducted and a maximum Ni removal efficiency of 97.88 % was achieved at pH 10, 30 min contact time at a temperature of 30 °C, and with an adsorbent dosage of 0.01 g. This study shows that the composite of PAni / TiO2 / CMC 5 % shows good potential to be applied as adsorbent of the removal of Ni ions.

Enhancing multifarious properties of polyaniline nanocomposites through metal oxide incorporation

Enhancing multifarious properties of polyaniline nanocomposites through metal oxide incorporation

Synergistic effects of TiO2-ZnO/Poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposite films: Enhanced wettability, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility

The poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposite films were fabricated using a cost-effective solvent evaporation method. The dominance of the wurtzite Zinc oxide (ZnO) phase was observed, accompanied by a suppression in the phase intensity of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) in the PMMA matrix confirmed by the XRD. New peaks appeared at 1651 cm−1 for the Ti-OH of TiO2 and 590 cm−1 for the metal–oxygen vibration of ZnO in the nanocomposite films. SEM micrograph of the TZPMMA resulted in the formation of nanopores with the nanoparticles embedded in the PMMA matrix. The wettability was enhanced by 23 % with the incorporation of metallic nanoparticles. Zinc ions increased antimicrobial susceptibility against S. aureus by 20 % more than E. coli, demonstrating the potential for fighting bacterial infections. The porous surface created by the nanoparticles improved the cell viability of the PMMA. Zebrafish embryo mortality percentage (0.5 %) and cell viability percentage (80 %) against human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) showed that the incorporation of metal oxides made the PMMA, a potential candidate for biomedical applications.

Electrochemical performances and antibacterial activity of green synthesized cobalt oxide nanoparticles and poly (o‐Phenylenediamine) based textile supercapacitor

AbstractThe demands for electric automotive and regenerative energy storage applications in various fields have brought the attention of researchers towards supercapacitors due to their high specific power, long cycle life, and their ability to bridge the power/energy gap between conventional capacitors and batteries/fuel cells. The incorporation of metal oxide nanoparticles into the functionalized polymer matrix enhances the efficiency of supercapacitor. UV, FT‐IR, TGA, XRD, and SEM analyses validates the incorporation of metal oxide into the polymer matrix to form polymer nanocomposite. A specific capacitance of 186.4 Fg−1 was observed for PoPD‐1 nanocomposite‐based device at a charge density of 1 A/g. The bare polymer and the nanocomposite also exhibited good antimicrobial efficacy and can be used as textiles for therapeutic applications.

Utilizing metal oxide/fabric composites for photocatalytic degradation of wastewater

The growing concern over water pollution has increased the search for innovative and sustainable approaches to wastewater treatment. This manuscript offers a concise exploration of the utilization of composite materials comprising metal oxides and fabrics for the purpose of photocatalytic degradation. Metal oxides, including titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), and etc possess inherent photocatalytic properties that, when combined with fabric matrices, present a synergistic approach for pollutant removal. The incorporation of metal oxides and fabrics enhances the photocatalytic performance through the improvement of the catalyst properties. This review covers the photocatalytic mechanisms and properties of metal oxide fabric composites as well as the applications of these composites in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment. As a promising avenue for sustainable pollutant mitigation, further research in this field holds the key to unlocking the full potential of metal oxide fabric composites in diverse environmental applications.

Electronically conductive metal oxide incorporation in electrode to enable high energy density all active material electrodes

Lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous in our modern society, and research continues to further improve their energy and power density. Thicker electrodes lead to energy density improvements at the cell level due to relative reductions in inactive component volume, but conventional composite electrodes have mechanical challenges in achieving high electrode thicknesses. All active material (AAM) electrodes achieve high thicknesses via processing active material via compression and mild thermal treatment to produce porous ceramic pellets. In AAM electrodes, matrix electronic conductivity must proceed through the electroactive material itself, thus low electronic conductivity materials have limited rate capability. In this work, a high energy density but low electronic conductivity material, LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), was evaluated in AAM electrodes. To enable improved utilization and rate capability of NCA, this report will describe coating of high electronic conductivity LiCoO2 within the NCA electrode. Rate capabilities and stability were drastically improved with 5 wt% LiCoO2 incorporation. The AAM cathode had high areal capacity of 26 mAh cm−2 and areal energy of 56 mWh cm−2, and delivered 5.5 mAh cm−2 at areal current of 6.0 mA cm−2.

CO2 capture in activated pyrolytic coke/metal oxide nanoparticle composites

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture from flue gas is of utmost importance in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. This study focuses on enhancing the CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon (AC) composites through the incorporation of metal oxides. AC, AC/Fe3O4, and AC/MgO composites were synthesized and characterized using various analytical techniques including Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, TGA, SEM, EDX, XRD, AFM, BET, and VSM analysis. The CO2 adsorption isotherms of the AC/MgO and AC/Fe3O4 composites were measured at different temperatures and pressures using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The Langmuir model was successfully employed to fit the experimental data, with AC/MgO and AC/Fe3O4 exhibiting adsorption capacities of 38.567 mmol g− 1 and 71.963 mmol g− 1, respectively, at 298.15 K and 5 bar. These results demonstrate the significant enhancement of CO2 adsorption capacity achieved by incorporating metal oxides into the AC composite structure. Furthermore, the regeneration efficiency of the adsorbents was evaluated through multiple adsorption/desorption cycles, revealing that AC, AC/MgO, and AC/Fe3O4 maintained adsorption capacities of 94.1%, 97.9%, and 96.5%, respectively, after six consecutive cycles. This confirms their stability and reusability under practical conditions. These findings contribute to our understanding of CO2 capture using activated pyrolytic coke and metal oxide nanoparticle composites, highlighting the promising potential of AC/MgO composites as effective adsorbents for CO2 capture applications. Further investigation and optimization of composite structures and synthesis methods are warranted to enhance their overall performance and applicability

Enhanced power factor of expanded graphite phase change thermoelectric cement composites by metal oxides

Cement-based materials with thermoelectric effect can realize the conversion of waste heat in building environment, which is of great significance in energy conversion and utilization, and has become a research hotspot in recent years. In this study, three kinds of metal oxides were added into the phase change modified expanded graphite cement-based composites to investigate the impact of metal oxide content on the thermoelectric characteristics of cement composites. The findings shown that the thermoelectric properties of cement-based materials can be enhanced by the addition of metal oxides. The power factor increased to 3.15 μW·m−1·K−2, 3.60 μW·m−1·K−2, and 2.53 μW·m−1·K−2 after mixing ZnO, CuO, and TiO2. This is because the incorporation of metal oxides introduced a large number of interfaces into the cement, increased carrier scattering, strengthened the Seebeck coefficient of cement, and improved the power factor. This work presented a novel strategy to improving the thermoelectric properties of cement-based materials.

Role of Ti and W in the Ni-based ohmic contacts to n-type 4H-SiC

The paper investigated the influence mechanism of Ti and W on the electrical and structural properties of the Ni-based ohmic contacts to n-type 4H-SiC. The variation of specific contact resistances (SCRs) with different contact structures was found to be correlated to the relative proportion of the total contact area occupied by the (220) plane than that of the (301) plane at the contact interface for the polycrystalline and textured δ-Ni2Si films characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD). Due to the formation of metal carbides, the W layer was found to be beneficial for a higher relative proportion contributing to a reduction of SCR. In contrast, the Ti layer was detrimental owing to the incorporation of metal oxides and carbides. Therefore, W is considered a better candidate to improve the thermal stability of Ni-based ohmic contacts to n-type 4H-SiC while maintaining a low specific contact resistance. Moreover, it was found that the free carbon atoms were immobilized or blocked by the W or Ti layer, and a greater distance of free carbon away from the contact surface led to a smoother and more uniform surface morphology. We believe that this discovery provides a valuable insight into the tuning of surface morphology for the wire bonding challenge.

Enhancement of MXene optical properties towards medical applications via metal oxide incorporation.

MXenes have garnered research attention in the field of biomedical applications due to their unique properties, such as a large surface area, low toxicity, biocompatibility, and stability. Their optical behavior makes them versatile for a wide range of biomedical applications, from diagnostics to therapeutics. Nonetheless, MXenes have some minor limitations, including issues with restacking, susceptibility to oxidation, and a non-semiconducting nature. These limitations have prompted researchers to explore the incorporation of metal oxides into MXene structures. Metal oxides possess advantageous properties such as a high surface area, biocompatibility, intriguing redox behavior, catalytic activity, semiconducting properties, and enhanced stability. Incorporating metal oxides into MXenes can significantly improve their conductivity, surface area, and mechanical strength. In this review, we emphasize the importance of incorporating metal oxides into MXenes for light-influenced biomedical applications. We also provide insights into various preparation methods for incorporating metal oxides into MXene structures. Furthermore, we discuss how the incorporation of metal oxides enhances the optical behavior of MXenes. Finally, we offer a glimpse into the future potential of metal oxide-incorporated MXenes for diverse biomedical applications.

Tin Oxide Based Hybrid Nanostructures for Efficient Gas Sensing.

Tin oxide as a semiconductor metal oxide has revealed great potential in the field of gas sensing due to its porous structure and reduced size. Especially for tin oxide and its composites, inherent properties such as high surface areas and their unique semiconducting properties with tunable band gaps make them compelling for sensing applications. In combination with the general benefits of metal oxide nanomaterials, the incorporation of metal oxides into metal oxide nanoparticles is a new approach that has dramatically improved the sensing performance of these materials due to the synergistic effects. This review aims to comprehend the sensing mechanisms and the synergistic effects of tin oxide and its composites in achieving high selectivity, high sensitivity and rapid response speed which will be addressed with a full summary. The review further vehemently highlights the advances in tin oxide and its composites in the gas sensing field. Further, the structural components, structural features and surface chemistry involved in the gas sensing are also explained. In addition, this review discusses the SnO2 metal oxide and its composites and unravels the complications in achieving high selectivity, high sensitivity and rapid response speed. The review begins with the gas sensing mechanisms, which are followed by the synthesis methods. Further key results and discussions of previous studies on tin metal oxide and its composites are also discussed. Moreover, achievements in recent research on tin oxide and its composites for sensor applications are then comprehensively compiled. Finally, the challenges and scope for future developments are discussed.

Understanding Physicochemical Mechanisms of Sequential Infiltration Synthesis toward Rational Process Design for Uniform Incorporation of Metal Oxides.

Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) is a novel technique for fabricating organic–inorganic hybrid materials and porous inorganic materials by leveraging the diffusion of gas-phase precursors into a polymer matrix and chemical reactions between the precursors to synthesize inorganic materials therein. This study aims to obtain a fundamental understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms behind SIS, from which the SIS processing conditions are rationally designed to obtain precise control over the distribution of metal oxides. Herein, in situ FTIR spectroscopy was correlated with various ex situ characterization techniques to study a model system involving the growth of aluminum oxides in poly(methyl methacrylate) using trimethyl aluminum (TMA) and water as the metal precursor and co-reactant, respectively. We identified the prominent chemical states of the sorbed TMA precursors: (1) freely diffusing precursors, (2) weakly bound precursors, and (3) precursors strongly bonded to pre-existing oxide clusters and studied how their relative contributions to oxide formation vary in relation to the changes in the rate-limiting step under different growth conditions. Finally, we demonstrate that uniform incorporation of metal oxide is realized by a rational design of processing conditions, by which the major chemical species contributing to oxide formation is modulated.

Ball-Mill Assisted Green One-Pot Synthesis of ZnO/Graphene Nanocomposite for Selective Electrochemical Sensing of aquatic pollutant 4-nitrophenol

ZnO, having good transparency, high electron mobility and lower electrical noise, is an excellent material for electrochemical studies. Due to its high surface area and electrical conductivity, graphene is well suitable for the good dispersion of metal oxides for electronic/electrochemical applications. Graphene prevents particle agglomeration, whereas the addition of metal oxide prevents layer restacking in graphene. The bulk preparation of graphene via cost-effective and green methods are preferred. The aromatic conjugated π-network along the whole surface is not attained in large scale graphite oxide assisted production due to the defects and functional groups introduced during the hazardous synthetic procedure. Here, less defective graphene is synthesised via ball milling of graphite using metal oxalate as an exfoliating agent for the first time. Calcination of metal oxalate inserted graphite leads to the enormous evolution of gases thereby sliding the graphitic layers, leading to the formation of graphene sheets decorated with ZnO spherical nanoparticles’ bunches. The layer exfoliation and metal oxide incorporation are achieved here via a one-pot synthesis strategy. The use of ZnO/graphene in the selective sensing of 4-nitrophenol is investigated using cyclic voltammetric measurements in the presence of interfering compounds such as glucose, uric acid, ascorbic acid and H2O2.

Capacitive Deionization with Titania and Amine Modified Activated Biochar

Capacitive deionization based on electrosorption has become a viable process for brackish water desalination. In this study, activated biochar was employed as a low-cost carbon-based electrode material with comparable adsorption capacity to activated carbon and other biomass derived materials. Modification of the activated biochar was done by amine functional group grafting and metal oxide incorporation to improve ionic transport, and cation/anion selectivity, reducing the co-ion effect. Cation and anion selective electrodes were prepared by using titanium dioxide, and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) via diazonium salt activation. These modified biochar electrodes were physically characterized by SEM-EDX, TEM, XPS, and XRD. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, and impedance spectroscopy were performed to analyze the electrochemical property of both types of electrodes. This study investigated salt removal capacity of NaCl and NaF solutions using chloride and fluoride ion-selective electrode. Three different asymmetrical CDI cell designs (TB cathode – AmB anode, TB cathode – AcB anode, and AcB cathode – AmB anode) and two symmetrical cell designs AcB anode – AcB cathode and TB anode – TB cathode) were tested. Titania, amine, and activated biochar electrodes are denoted as TB, AmB, and AcB, respectively. It was found that a symmetric cell design with titania modified biochar electrodes show a 30% better removal capacity than the other cell designs. This work shows that biochar can be modified and explored broadly as an inexpensive alternative electrode material for capacitive deionization.

Synthesis and Characterization of Polyaniline-Based Polymer Nanocomposites as Anti-Corrosion Coatings

Polymer nanocomposites of polyaniline (PANI)-based metal oxides (SiO2, CeO2, and TiO2A) were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization by rapid mixing in a hydrochloric acid medium to evaluate and compare their performance as anti-corrosion coatings on commercial 1018 steel in a 3.5% NaCl medium. The anti-corrosion coatings were developed by dispersing synthesized nanocomposites on an alkydalic resin (AR) for their subsequent electrochemical characterization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses show that PANI has a certain degree of crystallinity in its structure. The incorporation of metal oxide (MO) nanoparticles (NPs) into the polymer matrix was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses, while the interaction of nanoparticles with PANI was proven by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that nanoparticles infer greater resistance to the thermal decomposition of PANI. Finally, the use of open circuit potential (OCP) study, Tafel curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that coatings made with TiO2A NPs exhibit the best anti-corrosion properties as compared to those synthesized with SiO2 and CeO2 NPs.

Acidity and basicity of metal oxide-based catalysts in catalytic cracking of vegetable oil

Metal oxides, which are known as the active phase with acid–base and redox properties, exhibited relatively good performance in catalytic cracking of vegetable oil for green fuel production. Incorporation of metal oxide to the catalyst’s base altered its selectivity for the reaction pathways to produce ranges of hydrocarbons in diesel, kerosene and gasoline fuel fractions. This paper reviews the influence of metal oxide-based catalysts in catalytic cracking of vegetable oil and the role of metal oxides on its catalyst activity. The relationship between the metal oxides’ acid/base properties and the selectivity of the catalyst towards the reaction route and product yield was discussed. The impact of the factors such as catalyst or metal loading, contact time and temperature on the reaction efficiency and product properties were also included in the discussion.

Continuous and conformal thin TiO2-coating on carbon support makes Pd nanoparticles highly efficient and durable electrocatalyst

Improving the activity and durability of Pd or Pt nanoparticle (NP) electrocatalyst is an urgent issue for the widespread use of fuel cells. In order to achieve high catalytic activity, incorporation of metal oxides into electrocatalysts has been pursued, mainly for the purpose of enabling strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between the NPs and metal oxides. In this study, we demonstrate a novel method to coat TiO2 on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) through sonochemical reaction of TiO(acac)2 (acac = acetyl acetate) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The TiO2-coated CNT (TC(S)) is characterized by a continuous conformal TiO2-coating with the thickness of ∼1.5 nm throughout without any exposed CNT surface. The same reaction in ethylene glycol (EG) or N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) also produced TCs (TC(E) and TC(F), respectively), but without the conformity and/or continuity seen in TC(S). Formation of Pd NPs on TC by a second sonochemical reaction in EG results in Pd/TC electrocatalysts with significantly increased activity and durability for formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR) from the reference Pd NPs on CNT. Pd/TC(S) shows the highest activity and durability, surpassing all in the literature data. The enhanced FAOR activity of Pd/TC(S) can be attributed to the SMSI effect from the interface between Pd NPs and TiO2-coating plus the bifunctional mechanism of TiO2. The increased durability can be explained as the result of protecting CNT against the corrosion from CNT-Pd contact.

Enhancement of protection of copper through electropolymerised poly-2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole and its composite films

Fabrication of an impervious adherent polymeric coating over metallic surfaces has become a robust strategy for the protection of metals from the hazards of corrosion. As part of this strategy, in the present work, poly-2-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole (p-ATD) films were electrodeposited over copper surface by cyclic voltammetric (CV) technique to prevent its corrosion in 3.5% NaCl medium. Further, the effect of addition of metal oxides such as (La2O3, CeO2, TiO2 and nano TiO2) on the corrosion protection was also studied. The composite coatings on copper surface resulted in the blockage of charge transfer at metal/electrolyte interface which suppressed dissolution of copper in a corrosive medium. The electropolymerised films were characterized using FT-IR and Raman spectra which revealed the formation of polymer through C–N and Cu–N linkages. Further, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed the incorporation of metal oxides into p-ATD. The morphological studies confirmed the formation of protective layer of p-ATD and its metal oxide composites over Cu.. Based on the results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization studies (PDS), nano TiO2 composite has a higher corrosion resistance (Inhibition efficiency: 97.53%) compared to other metal oxide incorporated composites. The shift in corrosion potential values from −250 mV to −426 mV upon modification with p-ATD and its metal oxide composites have revealed that the hydrogen evolution reaction of the corrosion process was suppressed significantly by polymer and metal oxide composites of ATD.