Synthesis Of Hollow Nanostructures Research Articles

Design of Hollow Nanostructures for Energy Storage, Conversion and Production.

Hollow nanostructures have shown great promise for energy storage, conversion, and production technologies. Significant efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of hollow nanostructures with diverse compositional and geometric characteristics in the past decade. However, the correlation between their structure and energy-related performance has not been reviewed thoroughly in the literature. Here, some representative examples of designing hollow nanostructure to effectively solve the problems of energy-related technologies are highlighted, such as lithium-ion batteries, lithium-metal anodes, lithium-sulfur batteries, supercapacitors, dye-sensitized solar cells, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrochemical cells. The great effect of structure engineering on the performance is discussed in depth, which will benefit the better design of hollow nanostructures to fulfill the requirements of specific applications and simultaneously enrich the diversity of the hollow nanostructure family. Finally, future directions of hollow nanostructure design to solve emerging challenges and further improve the performance of energy-related technologies are also provided.

Complex Hollow Nanostructures: Synthesis and Energy-Related Applications.

Hollow nanostructures offer promising potential for advanced energy storage and conversion applications. In the past decade, considerable research efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of hollow nanostructures with high complexity by manipulating their geometric morphology, chemical composition, and building block and interior architecture to boost their electrochemical performance, fulfilling the increasing global demand for renewable and sustainable energy sources. In this Review, we present a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and energy-related applications of complex hollow nanostructures. After a brief classification, the design and synthesis of complex hollow nanostructures are described in detail, which include hierarchical hollow spheres, hierarchical tubular structures, hollow polyhedra, and multi-shelled hollow structures, as well as their hybrids with nanocarbon materials. Thereafter, we discuss their niche applications as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and hybrid supercapacitors, sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries, and electrocatalysts for oxygen- and hydrogen-involving energy conversion reactions. The potential superiorities of complex hollow nanostructures for these applications are particularly highlighted. Finally, we conclude this Review with urgent challenges and further research directions of complex hollow nanostructures for energy-related applications.

The facile synthesis of CdSe hollow nanoparticles and necklace-like nanowires from a CdO sacrificial template via chemical reaction in aqueous solution

This paper describes a powerful and facile synthesis of CdSe hollow nanostructures via a sacrificial template method employing the Kirkendall diffusion effect for void formation and an anion exchange reaction for selenization. The CdSe hollow nanowires and nanoparticles were easily transformed from a sacrificial template of CdO nanowires that were formed by thermal Ostwald ripening. The distinctive structures of CdO sacrificial templates were developed through thermodynamically spontaneous process. The morphology of each CdSe nanostructure could be controlled by one of each CdO sacrificial template which was calcined at several different temperatures. Their microstructure was analyzed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and their optical properties were compared using light absorption. The suggested process for synthesis of hollow nanostructures could also be applied to the formation of other hollow chalcogenide compounds.

Low-aspect ratio graphite hollow nanostructures

The synthesis of hollow nanostructures has attracted great attention in nanotechnology. As compared to the long hollow structures, the short counterparts could serve other compelling applications, and have become a hotspot in the field of nanomedicine. In the present work, a novel brand graphite-based nanostructure with a special cup-shaped feature was synthesized via the pyrolysis of a solid carbon source of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). These nanocups are typically characterized with open ends, tapered hollow cavities and slowly convergent roots, which are free standing on the graphene films with very low length/diameter aspect ratios as compared to conventional carbon nanotubes. The growth mechanism of these cups was proposed. It is promising that the present graphite nanocups could have potential applications in drug delivery.