Ultrafast Synthesis Research Articles

Ultrafast synthesis of highly graphitized carbon foams through water explosion method

In recent years, carbon foams have attracted considerable attention due to their distinctive physical and chemical properties, including high specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and robust chemical stability, which render them highly suitable for applications in energy storage, catalysis, and adsorption. However, conventional carbon foams are limited by low levels of graphitization and a lack of long-range structural order, restricting their use in high-performance applications. Traditional synthesis methods, such as templating, chemical activation, and hydrothermal processes, although effective in forming porous structures, are complex and inefficient. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a novel one-step water explosion method that combines Joule heating and steam activation to synthesize highly graphitized porous carbon foam. By rapidly vaporizing intercalated water molecules between graphite layers, the method overcomes van der Waals forces, leading to the exfoliation of the material. The process, conducted under ultra-high temperatures in less than 1 ​s, produces carbon foam with high porosity, large surface area, and excellent electrochemical performance. In lithium-ion battery tests, the carbon foam exhibited a high capacity of 516.2 mAh/g at 0.1 A/g and retained 92.77 ​% of its capacity after 1100 cycles. This efficient and scalable synthesis technique offers a promising pathway for the development of advanced anode materials in energy storage applications, significantly outperforming conventional graphite-based materials.

Ultra-fast synthesis of transition metal-MXene nanocomposite electrocatalyst for energy-saving seawater hydrogen production: Experiment and theory

Switching from the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a beneficial way to lower the amount of energy needed to make hydrogen gas during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Due to the sluggish reaction kinetics of the six electrons reaction of UOR, designing a privileged bifunctional electrocatalyst for both HER and UOR necessitates. The 2D nano-sized non-noble metal electrocatalysts make it possible to speed up reactions and improve their electrocatalytic performance. We synthesized nickel-cobalt-MXene composite nanosheets (NiCoMXene) on the surface of copper foam using a one-pot, simple, and ultra-fast electrochemical method. This 2D electrocatalyst demonstrates high electrocatalytic performance towards HER (overpotential of 76 mV at −10 mA cm−2) with excellent durability in alkaline media. Furthermore, NiCoMXene nanocomposite served as a bifunctional electrocatalyst to investigate hydrogen gas production by a hybrid system HER coupled with UOR in seawater. The NiCoMXene requires a low overpotential for HER (81 mV) and UOR (1.38 V) to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 in seawater, and the needed cell voltage to reach the same current density is 1.42 V in seawater. Our DFT analysis found a significant synergy between MXene and NiCo in the electrocatalyst. PDOS analysis showed remarkably that introducing Ni atoms to MXene shifts the d-band center to the left (lower energy), while Co atoms shifts it to the right (higher energy) and increased states near the Fermi level. This electronic structure makes the nanocomposite an ideal electrocatalyst, with MXene providing electrons and Co atoms serving as active sites for both HER and UOR.This research work can provide a useful directive to explore the electrocatalysts with outstanding catalytic activity.

Ultrafast Tailoring Amorphous Zn0.25V2O5 with Precision-Engineered Artificial Atomic-Layer 1T'-MoS2 Cathode Electrolyte Interphase for Advanced Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Vanadium (V)-based oxides as cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) still encounter challenges such as sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics and V-dissolution, thus leading to severe capacity fading and limited life span. Here, we designed an ultrafast and facile colloidal chemical synthesis strategy based on crystalline Zn0.25V2O5 (c-ZVO) to successfully prepare a-ZVO@MoS2 core@shell heterostructures, where atomic-layer MoS2 uniformly coats on the surface of amorphous a-ZVO. The tailored amorphous structure of a-ZVO provides more isotropic pathways and active sites for Zn2+, thus significantly enhancing the Zn2+ diffusion kinetics during charge-discharge processes. Meanwhile, as an efficient artificial cathode electrolyte interphase, the precision-engineered atomic-layer MoS2 with semi-metallic 1T' phase not only contributes to improved electron transport but also effectively inhibits the V-dissolution of a-ZVO. Therefore, the prepared a-ZVO@MoS2 and conceptually validated a-V2O5@MoS2 derived from commercial c-V2O5 exhibit excellent cycling stability at an ultralow current density (0.05 A g-1) while maintaining good rate capability and capacity retention. This research achievement provides a new effective strategy for various amorphous cathode designs for AZIBs with superior performance.

Ultrafast Tailoring Amorphous Zn0.25V2O5 with Precision‐Engineered Artificial Atomic‐Layer 1T′‐MoS2 Cathode Electrolyte Interphase for Advanced Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Batteries

AbstractVanadium (V)‐based oxides as cathode materials for aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) still encounter challenges such as sluggish Zn2+ diffusion kinetics and V‐dissolution, thus leading to severe capacity fading and limited life span. Here, we designed an ultrafast and facile colloidal chemical synthesis strategy based on crystalline Zn0.25V2O5 (c‐ZVO) to successfully prepare a‐ZVO@MoS2 core@shell heterostructures, where atomic‐layer MoS2 uniformly coats on the surface of amorphous a‐ZVO. The tailored amorphous structure of a‐ZVO provides more isotropic pathways and active sites for Zn2+, thus significantly enhancing the Zn2+ diffusion kinetics during charge–discharge processes. Meanwhile, as an efficient artificial cathode electrolyte interphase, the precision‐engineered atomic‐layer MoS2 with semi‐metallic 1T′ phase not only contributes to improved electron transport but also effectively inhibits the V‐dissolution of a‐ZVO. Therefore, the prepared a‐ZVO@MoS2 and conceptually validated a‐V2O5@MoS2 derived from commercial c‐V2O5 exhibit excellent cycling stability at an ultralow current density (0.05 A g−1) while maintaining good rate capability and capacity retention. This research achievement provides a new effective strategy for various amorphous cathode designs for AZIBs with superior performance.

Engineering intervention to disrupt the evolution of ZIF-67: Ultra-fast synthesis of arrayed Co(OH)2@ZIF-L in dozens of seconds for high-energy charge storage

Designing rational heterostructures of high-performance electroactive materials on conductive substrates with hierarchical structures is critical for advancing electrochemical energy storage technologies. In this study, a unique spatial structure is fabricated by vertically aligning two-dimensional (2D) structures of Co-ZIF-L on conductive nickel foam (NF) substrate through interruption of ZIF-67 formation. This is followed by an innovative electrochemical synthesis method that disrupts unstable surface coordination bonds in Co-ZIF-L, enabling the in-situ generation of Co(OH)2. The resulting Co(OH)2@ZIF-L/NF binder-free electrodes feature a hierarchical spatial structure and are synthesized in approximately 30 s. These electrodes showcase exceptional area capacity of 3.1 C cm−2 at 1 mA cm−2, attributed to their high specific surface area and layered architecture that promotes electrolyte penetration. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the Co(OH)2@ZIF-L nanostructures have superior electrical conductivity compared to the individual components. Furthermore, a hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) based on Co(OH)2@ZIF-L/NF//AC exhibits an impressive energy density of 42 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 184.7 W kg−1. This research provides new insights into the efficient synthesis of high-performance electroactive materials with unique spatial structures and expands the potential applications of ZIF materials.

Ultrafast synthesis of biphase Ni-doped FeOOH for efficient and stable oxygen evolution at high current density

NiFe oxyhydroxides, generally reconstructed on surface during oxygen evolution reaction (OER), are real active species for water oxidation; however, their direct and convenient preparation remains challenging. Here, we develop a one-step approach to prepare biphase (α/δ) Ni-doped FeOOH catalyst in 3 min under room temperature. The core of this ultrafast method is that Fe2+ derived from the redox reaction of Fe3+ and Ni2+ accelerate Fenton-like reaction, while simultaneously producing mixed-valence Ni ions(Ni2+, Ni3+) results in not only homovalent and heterovalent doping, but also biphase Ni-doped FeOOH heterojunction with high and low crystallinity. Specifically, Ni2+ doping leads to a preferred formation of low-crystalline δ-oriented Ni-doped FeOOH with abundant oxygen vacancies, which is in favor of triggering the lattice oxygen mechanism (LOM) during OER. Benefitting from high/low crystalline biphase heterojunction and LOM, the optimized Ni-FeOOH merely needs low overpotential of 300 mV to reach 1000 mA cm−2 for OER in alkaline electrolyte and also shows excellent durability even at a high current density of 500 mA cm−2. This work provides a cost-effective strategy to fabricate highly active and robust non-noble electrocatalysts that can potentially be applied for industrial-scale OER electrolysis.

Ultra-Fast Synthesis of Highly Dispersed Pt Nanoclusters Anchored on Sulfur-Doped Porous Carbon Carriers by Nanosecond Pulsed Laser for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation is employed for synthesis of highly active and stable Pt-based electrocatalysts by anchoring Pt nanoclusters on porous sulfur-doped carbon supports (L-Pt/SC). Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between Pt and S induces a local charge rearrangement and modulates the electronic structure of Pt surroundings, thus boosting the reaction kinetics and enhancing stability in long-term hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The L-Pt/SC catalyst exhibits high activity toward HER, with an overpotential of 23 mV at current densities reaching 10 mA cm-2 and a Tafel slope of 24mV dec-1. The unit mass activity of L-Pt/SC is calculated to be -10.8 A cm-2 mgPt -1 at an applied voltage of -0.3V versus RHE. In situ Raman spectra reveals that L-Pt/SC catalyst exhibits fast hydrogen production efficiency and its electrocatalytic HER process is determined by the Tafel step. Density functional theory calculations suggest the strong bonding energy between SC and Pt induces the formation of smaller nanoclusters of L-Pt/SC during fast pulsed laser preparation, which increases the effective contact area during the HER process thereby increasing the activity per unit mass.

Ultrafast and scalable materials synthesis with flash-within-flash Joule heating.

Ultrafast and scalable materials synthesis with flash-within-flash Joule heating.

Harnessing potential of microwave-assisted ultrafast synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/Mn3O4 bioactive nanocomposite hydrogel for bone tissue engineering

The development of functional materials with the potential for bone tissue regeneration along with rapid synthesis and cost-effective approach has been challenging. In this regard, hydrogels have been explored as a potent candidate to behave as a 3D scaffold for bone repair. However, poor mechanical attributes impeded their clinical translation. Enthralling demonstration of the potential of carbon-based nanocomposites in bone tissue engineering has been constantly encouraging the fabrication of advanced nanocomposites. Here, we investigated the fabrication of reduced graphene/manganese (II, III) oxide (RGO/Mn3O4) nanocomposites by taking advantage of the microwave-assisted synthesis approach for cost effective, and ultrafast synthesis. Mn3O4 nanoparticles with uniform distribution in RGO sheets and ∼ 1.7 nm size was fabricated using the approach. Further, fine-tuning of the structural interaction and mechanical behavior of the GelMA-based hydrogels upon reinforcement with RGO/Mn3O4 nanocomposites was investigated as a function of different concentrations of the nanocomposites where upto 50 % increment in the compressive stress was observed compared to native GelMA hydrogel. The ability of these hydrogels was further investigated for their osteogenic behaviour on MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells where constant cell proliferation for up to 10 days was witnessed for the hybrid hydrogel with the highest concentration of the nanofillers.

Triazine-Tryptophan Based Mesoporous Polymer: Ultrafast Synthesis in a Minute and Efficient Removal of Iodine

Triazine-Tryptophan Based Mesoporous Polymer: Ultrafast Synthesis in a Minute and Efficient Removal of Iodine

Ultrafast joule-heating synthesis of FeCoMnCuAl high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles as efficient OER electrocatalysts

High entropy alloys (HEAs), known for their synergistic orbital interactions among multiple elements, have been recognized as promising electrocatalysts for enhancing the sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Despite their potential, the facile and rapid preparation of HEA nanoparticles (NPs) with high electrocatalytic activity remains challenging. Here, we report an ultrafast synthesis of noble-metal-free FeCoMnCuAl HEA NPs loaded on conductive carbon fiber networks using a Joule heating strategy. The prepared HEA NPs exhibited a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure with an average size of approximately 25 ​nm. Synchrotron X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies were performed to investigate the atomic and electronic structures of the HEA NPs, revealing the co-presence of Fe, Co, Mn, Cu and Al elements as well as their different valences across surface and internal regions. The HEA NPs showed remarkable OER performance, exhibiting an overpotential of 280 ​mV at 10 ​mA ​cm−2 and a low Tafel slope of 76.13 ​mV dec−1 in a 1.0 ​M KOH solution with high electrochemical stability, superior to commercial RuO2 electrocatalysts. This work provides a new approach for synthesizing nanoscale noble-metal-free HEA electrocatalysts for clean energy conversion applications on a large-scale basis for practical commercialization.

Laser-Assisted Photo-Thermal Reaction for Ultrafast Synthesis of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Copper Nanoparticles Hybrid Films as Flexible Electrodes.

The hybridization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and Cu nanoparticles offers a promising strategy for creating highly conductive and mechanically stable fillers for flexible printed electronics. In this study, we report the ultrafast synthesis of SWCNT/Cu hybrid nanostructures and the fabrication of flexible electrodes under ambient conditions through a laser-induced photo-thermal reaction. Thermal energy generated from the nonradiative relaxation of the π-plasmon resonance of SWCNTs was utilized to reduce the Cu-complex (known as a metal-organic decomposition ink) into Cu nanoparticles. We systematically investigated the effects of SWCNT concentration and output laser power on the structural and electrical properties of the SWCNT/Cu hybrid electrodes. The SWCNT/Cu electrodes achieved a minimum electrical resistivity of 46 μohm·cm, comparable to that of the metal-based printed electrodes. Mechanical bending tests demonstrated that the SWCNT/Cu electrodes were highly stable and durable, with no significant deformation observed even after 1000 bending cycles. Additionally, the electrodes showed rapid temperature increases and stable Joule heating performance, reaching temperatures of nearly 80 °C at an applied voltage of less than 3.5 V.

One-step ultrafast Joule heating synthesis of EuB6 ceramics and their electronic transport and magnetic properties

The synthesis of high-performance rare-earth borides (e.g., RB2, RB4, R2B5, RB6, RB12, and RB66) typically necessitates sintering at high temperatures and high pressures for prolonged durations. Traditional methods, such as hot-pressing sintering and spark plasma sintering, are marked by high production costs and low efficiency. Here, using EuB6 as an example, we demonstrate the successful synthesis of rare-earth boride ceramics utilizing the one-step ultrafast joule heating technology. Using this method, we optimized the sintering temperature and duration and synthesized EuB6 ceramics with superior electronic and magnetic properties at 1600 °C in just 5 min. The EuB6 ceramics prepared under optimized conditions show distinct paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition, significant negative magnetoresistance, and enhanced magnetization. The combination of the one-step ultrafast Joule heating technology and boron thermal reduction method offers a simple and fast synthesis approach for fabricating polycrystalline EuB6 and may be extended to prepare other rare-earth and transition-metal borides.

Ultrafast High-Temperature Synthesis Propels the Full-Chain Development of All-Solid-State Batteries: From Material Preparation, Interface Optimization to Recycling

Ultrafast High-Temperature Synthesis Propels the Full-Chain Development of All-Solid-State Batteries: From Material Preparation, Interface Optimization to Recycling

Ultrafast and Reproducible Synthesis of Tailor-Made Octacalcium Phosphate.

Octacalcium phosphate (OCP) has excellent bone formation ability and a good resorption rate as compared to the commercial bone substitutes [e.g., Bio-Oss (Geistlich Pharma AG) and MBCP+ (Biomatlante)], as well as synthesized biomaterials (hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate). The synthesis approach to obtain phase-pure OCP possesses a great challenge due to its complex reaction mechanism and narrow synthesis window. Thus, the current study aimed to overcome the synthesis challenges and to define the precise reaction conditions required for controllable and reproducible synthesis of OCP. Using the principles of the coprecipitation method, novel synthesis protocols were developed ensuring ultrafast synthesis of OCP within minutes. XRD analysis confirmed that phase-pure OCP was obtained. These processing schemes enabled the synthesis of tailor-made OCP with specific surface areas ranging from 16 to 91 m2/g. The synthesized OCPs exhibited plate-like morphology. The interaction of the synthesized OCPs with MC3T3-E1 cells was found to be nontoxic, confirming their cytocompatibility. The synthesis approach developed in this study indicates that challenges such as the reaction volume, stirring rate, and flow rate need to be addressed in the future to upscale the technology.

Optimizing Silicon Nanostructures for Enhanced Li-Ion Storage: Microstructure, Binder and Production Technology

The utilization of silicon nanostructures as anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) presents a promising avenue for improving device performance. However challenges related to prolonged cycling, energy density, and costs need to be addressed. This presentation outlines three strategies employed within the E2MC framework to overcome these challenges: (a) By incorporating high-quality graphene nanosheets, produced through a low-cost and scalable molten salt method, common silicon nanoparticles (generated by commercially available pyrolysis-based methods) can be enveloped in graphene layers with a controllable chemical composition. The graphene-encapsulated silicon nanoparticles exhibit stable electrochemical lithiation/delithiation performance, showcasing significantly improved energy density, even after numerous Li-insertion and extraction cycles, outperforming bare Si nanoparticles; (b) Thermally modified polyimide (PI) is introduced as an efficient binder to enhance the Li-ion storage performance of silicon nanoparticles. An optimized thermal treatment of the electrodes containing Si nanoparticles and PI binder produces an effective charge transfer complex (CTC) structure, improving the electrochemical performance by forming a compact structure that reduces charge transfer impedance. This enhancement significantly boosts the cycling performance of the silicon anode; (c) An ultra-fast shock-wave combustion synthesis approach is introduced for the rapid and low-cost preparation of Si nanostructures using naturally available SiO2 as the silicon feedstock. Completed at an ignition temperature of approximately 550 °C, this method requires virtually no dwell time. The resulting nanostructured Si product exhibits a mesoporous integrated sheet-like morphology, demonstrating excellent and stable Li-ion storage performance. This approach contributes to a more sustainable and cost-effective utilization of elemental Si nanoparticles in LIB applications.

Rapid Synthesis of Ruthenium-Copper Nanocomposites as High-Performance Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Electrochemical Water Splitting.

Development of high-performance, low-cost catalysts for electrochemical water splitting is key to sustainable hydrogen production. Herein, ultrafast synthesis of carbon-supported ruthenium-copper (RuCu/C) nanocomposites is reported by magnetic induction heating, where the rapid Joule's heating of RuCl3 and CuCl2 at 200A for 10s produces Ru-Cl residues-decorated Ru nanocrystals dispersed on a CuClx scaffold, featuring effective Ru to Cu charge transfer. Among the series, the RuCu/C-3 sample exhibits the best activity in 1m KOH toward both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with an overpotential of only -23 and +270mV to reach 10mAcm-2, respectively. When RuCu/C-3 is used as bifunctional catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, a low cell voltage of 1.53V is needed to produce 10mAcm-2, markedly better than that with a mixture of commercial Pt/C+RuO2 (1.59V). In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements show that the bifunctional activity is due to reduction of the Ru-Cl residues at low electrode potentials that enriches metallic Ru and oxidation at high electrode potentials that facilitates the formation of amorphous RuOx. These findings highlight the unique potential of MIH in the ultrafast synthesis of high-performance catalysts for electrochemical water splitting.

Unraveling Lattice-Distortion Hardening Mechanisms in High-Entropy Carbides.

Uncovering the hardening mechanisms is of great importance to accelerate the design of superhard high-entropy carbides (HECs). Herein, the hardening mechanisms of HECs by a combination of experiments and first-principles calculations are systematically explored. The equiatomic single-phase 4- to 8-cation HECs (4-8HECs) are successfully fabricated by the two-step approach involving ultrafast high-temperature synthesis and hot-press sintering techniques. The as-fabricated 4-8HEC samples possess fully dense microstructures (relative densities of up to ≈99%), similar grain sizes, clean grain boundaries, and uniform compositions. With the elimination of these morphological properties, the monotonic enhancement of Vickers hardness and nanohardness of the as-fabricated 4-8HEC samples is found to be driven by the aggravation of lattice distortion. Further studies show no evident association between the enhanced hardness of the as-fabricated 4-8HEC samples and other potential indicators, including bond strength, valence electron concentration, electronegativity mismatch, and metallic states. The work unveils the underlying hardening mechanisms of HECs and offers an effective strategy for designing superhard HECs.

Ultrafast synthesis of hard carbon for high-rate and low-temperature sodium-ion storage through flash Joule heating

Developing effective strategies to promote the sodium-ion storage performance of hard carbon anodes is essential for its practical application in sodium-ion batteries. The carbonization process plays a crucial role in regulating the microstructure of hard carbon. Conventional carbonization methods of slow-heating have hit a bottleneck in structural controls of hard carbon materials. Herein, hard carbon with high-rate and low-temperature sodium storage capability is ultrafast synthesized by flash Joule heating. Compared to the hard carbon synthesized by conventional slow-heating, the hard carbon synthesized by flash Joule heating has smaller particle size, larger interlayer spacing, and larger closed-pores leading to superior performance. This work provides a simple and effective method of boosting sodium-ion storage performance for hard carbon materials.

Recent advances in Joule‐heating synthesis of functional nanomaterials for photo and electrocatalysis

AbstractBackgroundCatalyst synthesis plays a crucial role in advancing photo and electrocatalysis technologies for sustainable development. However, the traditional thermal radiation heating method suffers from the disadvantages of high energy consumption, low heat transfer efficiency, slow heating speed and long heating time, which leads to the inefficiency and cost increases in catalyst preparation.AimsThe Joule‐heating ultrafast synthesis method with rapid heating/quenching and shorter heating time has attracted much attention. Despite its potential, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews specifically addressing the synthesis of advanced photo and electrocatalysts via Joule‐heating. Therefore, this review aims to help people quickly understand the advantages of Joule‐heating in the synthesis of photo and electrocatalysts.DiscussionHerein, we firstly introduce the principles and devices of Joule‐heating, and then we discuss breakthroughs in defect modulation, heterojunction construction, single‐atom catalysts, bimetallic alloy catalysts, high‐entropy alloy catalysts and metastable catalysts achieved through Joule‐heating technology. The diverse applications of these catalysts include hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution, oxygen reduction reactions, carbon dioxide reduction reactions, nitrogen reduction reaction and degradation of organic pollutants. Furthermore, this review provides a forward‐looking perspective on future directions for employing Joule‐heating methods in the field of photo and electrocatalysis research.ConclusionThis review highlights the pivotal role played by Joule‐heating techniques in advancing nanomaterial synthesis as well as developing sustainable high‐performance catalyst systems.