Engineering Commons^™

Ultrahigh Energy Storage Properties In (Sr0.7bi0.2)Tio3-Bi(Mg0.5zr0.5)O3 Lead-Free Ceramics And Potential For High-Temperature Capacitors, Xi Kong, Letao Yang, Zhenxiang Cheng, Shujun Zhang

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

2020 by the authors. Due to the enhanced demand for numerous electrical energy storage applications, including applications at elevated temperatures, dielectric capacitors with optimized energy storage properties have attracted extensive attention. In this study, a series of lead-free strontium bismuth titanate based relaxor ferroelectric ceramics have been successfully synthesized by high temperature solid-state reaction. The ultrahigh recoverable energy storage density of 4.2 J/cm3 under 380 kV/cm, with the high efficiency of 88%, was obtained in the sample with x = 0.06. Of particular importance is that this ceramic composition exhibits excellent energy storage performance over a wide work temperature up …

Coupling Topological Insulator Snsb2te4 Nanodots With Highly Doped Graphene For High-Rate Energy Storage, Zhibin Wu, Gemeng Liang, Wei Kong Pang, Tengfei Zhou, Zhenxiang Cheng, Wenchao Zhang, Ye Liu, Bernt Johannessen, Zaiping Guo

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Topological insulators have spurred worldwide interest, but their advantageous properties have scarcely been explored in terms of electrochemical energy storage, and their high-rate capability and long-term cycling stability still remain a significant challenge to harvest. p-Type topological insulator SnSb2Te4 nanodots anchoring on few-layered graphene (SnSb2Te4/G) are synthesized as a stable anode for high-rate lithium-ion batteries and potassium-ion batteries through a ball-milling method. These SnSb2Te4/G composite electrodes show ultralong cycle lifespan (478 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles) and excellent rate capability (remaining 373 mAh g−1 even at 10 A g−1) in Li-ion storage owing to the rapid …

(Bi0.51 Na0.47)Tio3 Based Lead Free Ceramics With High Energy Density And Efficiency, Yu Huang, Fei Li, Hua Hao, Fangquan Xia, Hanxing Liu, Shujun Zhang

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Dielectric ceramics with high energy storage density and energy efficiency play an important role in high power energy storage applications. In this work, lead free relaxor ferroelectric ceramics in (1-x)Bi 0.51 Na 0.47 TiO 3 - xBa(Zr 0.3 Ti 0.7 )O 3 (BNT-BZT100x: x = 0.20, 0.30, 0.40 and 0.50) system are fabricated by conventional solid-state sintering method. The BNT-BZT100x ceramics are sintered dense with minimal pores, exhibiting pseudocubic symmetry and strong relaxor characteristic. A high energy storage density of 3.1 J/cm 3 and high energy efficiency of 91% are simultaneously achieved in BNT-BZT40 ceramic with 0.1 mm in thickness, …

Construction Of Hierarchical Mose2 Hollow Structures And Its Effecton Electrochemical Energy Storage And Conversion, Sha Hu, Qingqing Jiang, Shuoping Ding, Ye Liu, Zuozuo Wu, Zhengxi Huang, Tengfei Zhou, Zaiping Guo, Juncheng Hu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Metal selenides have attracted increased attentionas promising electrode materials for electrochemical energy storageand conversion systems including metal-ion batteries and watersplitting. However, their practical application is greatly hindered bycollapse of the microstructure, thus leading to performance fading.Tuning the structure at nanoscale of these materials is an effectivestrategy to address the issue. Herein, we craft MoSe2withhierarchical hollow structures via a facile bubble-assistedsolvothermal method. The temperature-related variations of thehollow interiors are studied, which can be presented as solid, yolk−shell, and hollow spheres, respectively. Under the simultaneousaction of the distinctive hollow structures and interconnectionsamong the nanosheets, more intimate contacts between MoSe2and electrolyte can be …

A High Energy Density Solar Rechargeable Redox Battery, Mohammad Ali Mahmoudzadeh, Ashwin R. Usgaocar, Joseph Giorgio, David L. Officer, Gordon G. Wallace, John D. W Madden

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

An integrated solar energy conversion and storage system is presented using a dye sensitized electrode in a redox battery structure. A stable discharge voltage is shown with high areal energy storage capacity of 180 W h cm-2 by choosing iodide/polysulfide as the pair of active materials matched with permeable porous electrodes. The solar rechargeable battery system offers a higher round-trip efficiency and potential cost savings on fabrication compared to individual devices.

Electrochemically Active, Novel Layered M-Znv2o6 Nanobelts For Highly Rechargeable Na-Ion Energy Storage, Yan Sun, Chun-Sheng Li, Qiuran Yang, Shulei Chou, Hua-Kun Liu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Electrode materials with a three-dimensional (3D) layered framework and excellent electrochemical stability can provide a new avenue for enhancing the overall performance of promising sodium ion batteries. Here, we show that layered monoclinic (m) - ZnV2O6 nanobelts with high chemical activity for Na-ion energy storage have been effectively fabricated via a rapid microwave irradiation method over the reaction time of 8 h, in which the fabricating efficiency is 24.5 times greater in comparison with the traditional hydrothermal method. The morphology and phase evolutions were verified by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. This study also …

All-In-One Energy Harvesting And Storage Devices, Ju-Hyuck Lee, Jeonghun Kim, Tae Yun Kim, Md Shahriar Hossain, Sang Woo Kim, Jung Ho Kim

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Currently, integration of energy harvesting and storage devices is considered to be one of the most important energy-related technologies due to the possibility of replacing batteries or at least extending the lifetime of a battery. This review aims to describe current progress in the various types of energy harvesters, hybrid energy harvesters, including multi-type energy harvesters with coupling of multiple energy sources, and hybridization of energy harvesters and energy storage devices for self-powered electronics. We summarize research on recent energy harvesters based on the piezoelectric, triboelectric, pyroelectric, thermoelectric, and photovoltaic effects. We also cover hybrid cell technologies to simultaneously generate …

Wearable Energy-Smart Ribbons For Synchronous Energy Harvest And Storage, Chao Li, Md. Monirul Islam, Julian Moore, Joseph Sleppy, Caleb Morrison, Konstantin K. Konstantinov, Shi Xue Dou, Chait Renduchintala, Jayan Thomas

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

No abstract provided.

A Facile Approach To Synthesize Stable Cnts@Mno Electrocatalyst For High Energy Lithium Oxygen Batteries, Wenbin Luo, Shulei Chou, Jiazhao Wang, Yu-Chun Zhai, Hua-Kun Liu

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

A composite of manganese monoxide loaded onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs@MnO) has been synthesized by a facile approach, in which the CNTs form a continuous conductive network connecting the electrocatalyst MnO nanoparticles together to facilitate good electrochemical performance. The electrocatalyst MnO shows favourable rechargeability, and good phase and morphology stability in lithium oxygen batteries. Excellent cycling performance is also demonstrated, in which the terminal voltage is higher than 2.4 V after 100 cycles at 0.4 mA cm^-2, with 1000 mAh g^-1 _(composite) capacity. Therefore, this hybrid material is promising for use as a cathode material for lithium oxygen …

Flexible Free-Standing Graphene Paper With Interconnected Porous Structure For Energy Storage, Kewei Shu, Caiyun Wang, Sha Li, Chen Zhao, Yang Yang, Hua-Kun Liu, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

A novel porous graphene paper is prepared via freeze drying a wet graphene oxide gel, followed by thermal and chemical reduction. The macroscopic structure of the formed graphene paper can be tuned by the water content in the gel precursor. With 92% water content, an interconnected macroporous network can be formed. This porous graphene (PG) paper exhibits excellent electrochemical properties. It can deliver a high discharge capacity of 420 mA h g⁻¹ at a current density of 2000 mA g⁻¹ when used as binder-free lithium ion battery anode. PG paper exhibits a specific capacitance of 137 F g …

3d Hierarchical Porous Graphene Aerogel With Tunable Meso-Pores On Graphene Nanosheets For High-Performance Energy Storage, Long Ren, K N. Hui, K S. Hui, Yundan Liu, Xiang Qi, Jianxin Zhong, Yi Du, Jianping Yang

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

New and novel 3D hierarchical porous graphene aerogels (HPGA) with uniform and tunable mesopores (e.g., 21 and 53 nm) on graphene nanosheets (GNS) were prepared by a hydrothermal self-assembly process and an in-situ carbothermal reaction. The size and distribution of the meso-pores on the individual GNS were uniform and could be tuned by controlling the sizes of the Co3O4 NPs used in the hydrothermal reaction. This unique architecture of HPGA prevents the stacking of GNS and promises more electrochemically active sites that enhance the electrochemical storage level significantly. HPGA, as a lithium-ion battery anode, exhibited superior electrochemical performance, including a …

Flexible Electrodes And Electrolytes For Energy Storage, Caiyun Wang, Gordon G. Wallace

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The advent of flexible, wearable electronics has placed new demands on energy storage systems. The demands for high energy density achieved through the use of highly conducting materials with high surface area that enable facile electrochemical processes must now be coupled with the need for robustness and flexibility in each of the components: electrodes and electrolytes. This perspective provides an overview of materials and fabrication protocols used to produce flexible electrodes and electrolytes. We also discuss the key challenges in the development of high performance flexible energy storage devices. Only selected references are used to illustrate the myriad of developments …

Harvesting Temperature Fluctuations As Electrical Energy Using Torsional And Tensile Polymer Muscles, Shi Hyeong Kim, Marcio Dias Lima, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Carter S. Haines, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Shazed Aziz, Changsoon Choi, Hyeon Jun Sim, Xuemin Wang, Hongbing Lu, Dong Qian, John D. W Madden, Ray H. Baughman, Seon Jeong Kim

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Diverse means have been deployed for harvesting electrical energy from mechanical actuation produced by low-grade waste heat, but cycle rate, energy-per-cycle, device size and weight, or cost have limited applications. We report the electromagnetic harvesting of thermal energy as electrical energy using thermally powered torsional and tensile artificial muscles made from inexpensive polymer fibers used for fishing line and sewing thread. We show that a coiled 27 μm-diameter nylon muscle fiber can be driven by 16.7 °C air temperature fluctuations to spin a magnetic rotor to a peak torsional rotation speed of 70 000 rpm for over 300 000 heating-cooling …

Harvesting Temperature Fluctuations As Electrical Energy Using Torsional And Tensile Polymer Muscles, Shi Hyeong Kim, Marcio Dias Lima, Mikhail E. Kozlov, Carter S. Haines, Geoffrey M. Spinks, Shazed Aziz, Changsoon Choi, Hyeon Jun Sim, Xuemin Wang, Hongbing Lu, Dong Qian, John D. W Madden, Ray H. Baughman, Seon Jeong Kim

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Diverse means have been deployed for harvesting electrical energy from mechanical actuation produced by low-grade waste heat, but cycle rate, energy-per-cycle, device size and weight, or cost have limited applications. We report the electromagnetic harvesting of thermal energy as electrical energy using thermally powered torsional and tensile artificial muscles made from inexpensive polymer fibers used for fishing line and sewing thread. We show that a coiled 27 μm-diameter nylon muscle fiber can be driven by 16.7 °C air temperature fluctuations to spin a magnetic rotor to a peak torsional rotation speed of 70 000 rpm for over 300 000 heating-cooling …

Effects Of Nanostructure On Clean Energy: Big Solutions Gained From Small Features, Jinyan Xiong, Chao Han, Zhen Li, S X. Dou

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The increasing energy consumption and environmental concerns have driven the development of cost-effective, high-efficiency clean energy. Advanced functional nanomaterials and relevant nanotechnologies are playing a crucial role and showing promise in resolving some energy issues. In this view, we focus on recent advances of functional nanomaterials in clean energy applications, including solar energy conversion, water splitting, photodegradation, electrochemical energy conversion and storage, and thermoelectric conversion, which have attracted considerable interests in the regime of clean energy.

Nanocomposite Hydrogels: Fracture Toughness And Energy Dissipation Mechanisms, Andrea Klein, Philip G. Whitten, Katharina Resch, Gerald Pinter

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

In this study, fracture toughness of nanocomposite hydrogels is quantified, and active mechanisms for dissipation of energy of nanocomposite hydrogels are ascertained. Poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) nanocomposite hydrogels are prepared by in situ free radical polymerization with the incorporation of Laponite, a hectorite synthetic clay. Transmission electron microscopy proves exfoliation of clay platelets that serve as multifunctional crosslinkers in the created physical network. Extraordinary high fracture energies of up to 6800 J m-2 are determined by the pure shear test approach, which shows that these soft and stretchable hydrogels are insensitive to notches. In contrast to single- and double-network hydrogels, dynamic mechanic analysis …

Porous Nanoarchitectures Of Spinel-Type Transition Metal Oxides For Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems, Min-Sik Park, Jeonghun Kim, Ki Jae Kim, Jongwon Lee, Jung Ho Kim, Yusuke Yamauchi

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Transition metal oxides possessing two kinds of metals (denoted as AxB3-xO4, which is generally defined as a spinel structure; A, B = Co, Ni, Zn, Mn, Fe, etc.), with stoichiometric or even non-stoichiometric compositions, have recently attracted great interest in electrochemical energy storage systems (ESSs). The spinel-type transition metal oxides exhibit outstanding electrochemical activity and stability, and thus, they can play a key role in realising cost-effective and environmentally friendly ESSs. Moreover, porous nanoarchitectures can offer a large number of electrochemically active sites and, at the same time, facilitate transport of charge carriers (electrons and ions) during energy storage reactions. …

Nano-Carbon Electrodes For Thermal Energy Harvesting, Mark S. Romano, Joselito M. Razal, Dennis Antiohos, Gordon G. Wallace, Jun Chen

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Thermogalvanic cells are capable of converting waste heat (generated as a by-product of almost all human activity) to electricity. These devices may alleviate the problems associated with the use of fossil fuels to meet the world's current demand for energy. This review discusses the developments in thermogalvanic systems attained through the use of nano-carbons as the electrode materials. Advances in cell design and electrode configuration that improve performance of these thermo converters and make them applicable in a variety of environments are also summarized. It is the aim of this review to act as a channel for further developments in …

Graphene-Based Nanocomposites For Energy Storage And Conversion In Lithium Batteries, Supercapacitors And Fuel Cells, Nasir Mahmood, Chenzhen Zhang, Han Yin, Yanglong Hou

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Due to their unique properties, together with their ease of synthesis and functionalization, graphene-based materials have been showing great potential in energy storage and conversion. These hybrid structures display excellent material characteristics, including high carrier mobility, faster recombination rate and long-time stability. In this review, after a short introduction to graphene and its derivatives, we summarize the recent advances in the synthesis and applications of graphene and its derivatives in the fields of energy storage (lithium ion, lithium-air, lithium-sulphur batteries and supercapacitors) and conversion (oxygen reduction reaction for fuel cells). This article further highlights the working principles and problems hindering …

Tubular Graphitic-C 3 N 4 : A Prospective Material For Energy Storage And Green Photocatalysis, Muhammad Nawaz Tahir, Chuanbao Cao, Faheem K. Butt, Faryal Idrees, Nasir Mahmood, Zulfiqar Ali, Imran Aslam, M Tanveer, Muhammad Rizwan, Tariq Mahmood

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

We have established a facile and scaleable approach to fabricate tubular graphitic-C3N4 using melamine. The construction of the unique tubular morphology is a result of the pre-treatment of melamine with HNO3. Herein, for the first time, we have explored the electrochemical properties of g-C3N4 as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Tubular g-C3N4 has significant advantages due to its distinctive morphology, high surface area (182.61 m² g^-1) and combination of carbon with nitrogen. Therefore, tubular g-C3N4 demonstrated a good specific capacitance of 233 F g^-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g^-1 in 6 M …

A Hybrid Electrolyte Energy Storage Device With High Energy And Long Life Using Lithium Anode And Mno2 Nanoflake Cathode, Shulei Chou, Yun-Xiao Wang, Jiantie Xu, Jia-Zhao Wang, Hua-Kun Liu, S X. Dou

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

A hybrid electrolyte energy storage system combining the features of supercapacitors and lithium batteries has been constructed. It consists of MnO2 nanoflakes in 1 M Li2SO4 aqueous electrolyte as the cathode and lithium foil in ionic liquid (1 M lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiNTf2) in N-methyl-N-propyl pyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([C(3)mpyr][NTf2])) electrolyte as the anode, separated by a lithium super ionic conductor glass ceramic film (LiSICON). This system shows the advantages of both a supercapacitor (long cycle life) and a lithium battery (high energy), as well as low cost and improved safety due to the combination of ionic liquid and ceramic solid state electrolyte …

Novel Nanographene/Porphyrin Hybrids-Preparation, Characterization, And Application In Solar Energy Conversion Schemes, Daniel Kiessling, Ruben D. Costa, Georgios Katsukis, Jenny Malig, Fabian Lodermeyer, Sebastian Feihl, Alexandra Roth, Leonie Wibmer, Matthias Kehrer, Michel Volland, Pawel W. Wagner, Gordon G. Wallace, David L. Officer, Dirk M. Guldi

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Four novel nanographene/porphyrin hybrids were prepared, characterized, and probed in solar energy conversion schemes. Exfoliation of graphite by means of immobilizing four different porphyrins onto the basal plane of graphene is accompanied by distinct electronic interactions in both the ground and the excited states. In the ground state, a strong loss in oscillator strength goes hand-in-hand with a notable broadening of the porphyrin transitions and, as such, attests to the shift of electron density from the electron donating porphyrins to nanographene. In the excited state, a nearly quantitative quenching of the porphyrin fluorescence is indicative of full charge transfer. The …

Carbon Nanotube-Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites For Thermal Energy Harvesting Applications, Mark S. Romano, Na Li, Dennis Antiohos, Joselito M. Razal, Andrew Nattestad, Stephen Beirne, Shaoli Fang, Yongsheng Chen, Rouhollah Jalili, Gordon G. Wallace, Ray Baughman, Jun Chen

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

By controlling the SWNT-rGO electrode composition and thickness to attain the appropriate porosity and tortuosity, the electroactive surface area is maximized while rapid diffusion of the electrolyte through the electrode is maintained. This leads to an increase in exchange current density between the electrode and electrolyte which results in enhanced thermocell performance.

Investigation Of Phase Composition And Nanoscale Microstructure Of High-Energy Ball-Milled Mgcu Sample, Zongqing Ma, Yongchang Liu, Liming Yu, Qi Cai

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The ball milling technique has been successfully applied to the synthesis of various materials such as equilibrium intermetallic phases, amorphous compounds, nanocrystalline materials, or metastable crystalline phases. However, how the phase composition and nanoscale microstructure evolute during ball milling in various materials is still controversial due to the complex mechanism of ball milling, especially in the field of solid-state amorphization caused by ball milling. In the present work, the phase evolution during the high-energy ball milling process of the Mg and Cu (atomic ratio is 1:1) mixed powder was investigated. It was found that Mg firstly reacts with Cu, forming …

The Effect Of Foamy Slag In Electric Arc Furnaces On Electric Energy Consumption, Sima Aminorroaya-Yamini, Hossein Edris

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

In electric arc furnace steelmaking units, the essential parameters that considered important are reducing price, increasing production and decreasing environmental pollution. Electric arc furnaces are the largest users of electric energy in industry. The most important techniques that can be used to reduce the electric energy consumption in electric arc furnaces are scrap preheating, stirring, use of burners and hot charge and foamy slag.

Between these methods, use of foamy slag is the most useful and economic factor. Foamy slag can reduce the amount of energy, electrods, refractory consumption, tap to tap time and increases productivity. In this research, method …