10 research outputs found
Doped polymer electrodes for high performance ferroelectric capacitors on plastic substrates
Influence of Stacking Morphology and Edge Nitrogen Doping on the Dielectric Performance of GrapheneâPolymer Nanocomposites
We demonstrate that functional groups
obtained by varying the preparation
route of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) highly influence filler morphology
and the overall dielectric performance of rGO-relaxor ferroelectric
polymer nanocomposite. Specifically, we show that nitrogen-doping
by hydrazine along the edges of reduced graphene oxide embedded in
polyÂ(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorofluoroethylene) results
in a dielectric permittivity above 10â000 while maintaining
a dielectric loss below 2. This is one of the best-reported dielectric
constant/dielectric loss performance values. In contrast, rGO produced
by the hydrothermal reduction route shows a much lower enhancement,
reaching a maximum dielectric permittivity of 900. Furthermore, functional
derivatives present in rGO are found to strongly affect the quality
of dispersion and the resultant percolation threshold at low loading
levels. However, high leakage
currents and lowered breakdown voltages offset the advantages of increased
capacitance in these ultrahigh-k systems, resulting in no significant
improvement in stored energy density
Metal-Free, Single-Polymer Device Exhibits Resistive Memory Effect
All-polymer, write-once-read-many times resistive memory devices have been fabricated on flexible substrates using a single polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). Spin-cast or inkjet-printed films of solvent-modified PEDOT:PSS are used as electrodes, while the unmodified or as-is PEDOT:PSS is used as the semiconducting active layer. The all-polymer devices exhibit an irreversible but stable transition from a low resistance state (ON) to a high resistance state (OFF) at low voltages caused by an electric-field-induced morphological rearrangement of PEDOT and PSS at the electrode interface. However, in the metalâPEDOT:PSSâmetal devices, we have shown a metal filament formation switching the device from an initial high resistance state (OFF) to the low resistance state (ON). The all-PEDOT:PSS memory device has low write voltages (<3 V), high ON/OFF ratio (>10<sup>3</sup>), good retention characteristics (>10â000 s), and stability in ambient storage (>3 months)
Anomalous Li Storage Capability in Atomically Thin Two-Dimensional Sheets of Nonlayered MoO<sub>2</sub>
Since
the first exfoliation and identification of graphene in 2004,
research on layered ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials has
achieved remarkable progress. Realizing the special importance of
2D geometry, we demonstrate that the controlled synthesis of nonlayered
nanomaterials in 2D geometry can yield some unique properties that
otherwise cannot be achieved in these nonlayered systems. Herein,
we report a systematic study involving theoretical and experimental
approaches to evaluate the Li-ion storage capability in 2D atomic
sheets of nonlayered molybdenum dioxide (MoO<sub>2</sub>). We develop
a novel monomer-assisted reduction process to produce high quality
2D sheets of nonlayered MoO<sub>2</sub>. When used as lithium-ion
battery (LIB) anodes, these ultrathin 2D-MoO<sub>2</sub> electrodes
demonstrate extraordinary reversible capacity, as high as 1516 mAh
g<sup>â1</sup> after 100 cycles at the current rate of 100
mA g<sup>â1</sup> and 489 mAh g<sup>â1</sup> after 1050
cycles at 1000 mA g<sup>â1</sup>. It is evident that these
ultrathin 2D sheets did not follow the normal intercalation-cum-conversion
mechanism when used as LIB anodes, which was observed for their bulk
analogue. Our ex situ XPS and XRD studies reveal a Li-storage mechanism
in these 2D-MoO<sub>2</sub> sheets consisting of an intercalation
reaction and the formation of metallic Li phase. In addition, the
2D-MoO<sub>2</sub> based microsupercapacitors exhibit high areal capacitance
(63.1 mF cm<sup>â2</sup> at 0.1 mA cm<sup>â2</sup>),
good rate performance (81% retention from 0.1 to 2 mA cm<sup>â2</sup>), and superior cycle stability (86% retention after 10,000 cycles).
We believe that our work identifies a new pathway to make 2D nanostructures
from nonlayered compounds, which results in an extremely enhanced
energy storage capability
A metal-free electrocatalyst for carbon dioxide reduction to multi-carbon hydrocarbons and oxygenates
Electroreduction of carbon dioxide into higher-energy liquid fuels and chemicals is a promising but challenging renewable energy conversion technology. Among the electrocatalysts screened so far for carbon dioxide reduction, which includes metals, alloys, organometallics, layered materials and carbon nanostructures, only copper exhibits selectivity towards formation of hydrocarbons and multi-carbon oxygenates at fairly high efficiencies, whereas most others favour production of carbon monoxide or formate. Here we report that nanometre-size N-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) catalyse the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide into multi-carbon hydrocarbons and oxygenates at high Faradaic efficiencies, high current densities and low overpotentials. The NGQDs show a high total Faradaic efficiency of carbon dioxide reduction of up to 90%, with selectivity for ethylene and ethanol conversions reaching 45%. The C2 and C3 product distribution and production rate for NGQD-catalysed carbon dioxide reduction is comparable to those obtained with copper nanoparticle-based electrocatalysts
Carbon Dioxide Hydrogenation over a Metal-Free Carbon-Based Catalyst
The
hydrogenation of CO<sub>2</sub> into useful chemicals provides
an industrial-scale pathway for CO<sub>2</sub> recycling. The lack
of effective thermochemical catalysts currently precludes this process,
since it is challenging to identify structures that can simultaneously
exhibit high activity and selectivity for this reaction. Here, we
report, for the first time, the use of nitrogen-doped graphene quantum
dots (NGQDs) as metal-free catalysts for CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation.
The nitrogen dopants, located at the edge sites, play a key role in
inducing thermocatalytic activity in carbon nanostructures. Furthermore,
the thermocatalytic activity and selectivity of NGQDs are governed
by the doped N configurations and their corresponding defect density.
The increase of pydinic N concentration at the edge site of NGQDs
leads to lower initial reaction temperature for CO<sub>2</sub> reduction
and also higher CO<sub>2</sub> conversion and selectivity toward CH<sub>4</sub> over CO
Hybrid MoS<sub>2</sub>/h-BN Nanofillers As Synergic Heat Dissipation and Reinforcement Additives in Epoxy Nanocomposites
Two-dimensional
(2D) nanomaterials as molybdenum disulfide (MoS<sub>2</sub>), hexagonal
boron nitride (h-BN), and their hybrid (MoS<sub>2</sub>/h-BN) were
employed as fillers to improve the physical properties of epoxy composites.
Nanocomposites were produced in different concentrations and studied
in their microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties. The hybrid
2D mixture imparted efficient reinforcement to the epoxy leading to
increases of up to 95% in tensile strength, 60% in ultimate strain,
and 58% in Youngâs modulus. Moreover, an enhancement of 203%
in thermal conductivity was achieved for the hybrid composite as compared
to the pure polymer. The incorporation of MoS<sub>2</sub>/h-BN mixture
nanofillers in epoxy resulted in nanocomposites with multifunctional
characteristics for applications that require high mechanical and
thermal performance