BxCyNz nanostructures for next generation energy storage systems

这项工作的重点是建立新的化学手段，以产生低维BxCyNz材料的能量存储设备中的实施。BxCyNz材料的性能受化学组成和结构的严格控制。纳米材料设计研究团队在BxCyNz纳米材料的大规模生产方面取得了很大进展，从而为设计可用于电池、超级电容器等一系列储能设备的新型功能材料铺平了道路。和下一代燃料电池技术。初步测试表明，低-在电化学析氢反应中用作催化剂的三维BxCyNz材料可能令人印象深刻。通过调整它们的组成和表面化学，设想与经典材料系统相比进一步提高它们的稳定性和效率，最终目的是产生低成本的制造路线。我们发现，通过在多壁碳纳米管上涂覆一层生物质衍生物N-，掺杂的水热碳。我们进一步表明，N掺杂的无定形碳涂层起着三重作用：它（i）促进MWCNT组装成3D网络，从而改善传质，从而提高催化活性;（ii）保护MWCNT表面上存在的含Fe活性位点免受H2 O2中毒;（iii）产生氮化活性位点，从而进一步提高ORR活性和稳健性。BxCyNz材料或其衍生物被设想为优于该系统。此外，Nanomaterials by Design团队对掺杂的碳纳米结构进行了初步实验，并表明这些材料是高频超级电容器应用的合适候选材料。最先进的可扩展气溶胶辅助化学气相沉积合成技术与原位监测技术相结合，使我们能够设计碳纳米管和其他材料中的掺杂剂水平。这些材料系统将在一系列条件下进行测试。该研究小组拥有一系列工业合作者，一旦定制的功能性低维纳米材料取得进展，将寻求具体的潜在设备应用。传统上，设计研究组的纳米材料的学生被鼓励与学术合作者以及行业合作伙伴在可行的情况下进行参与。该研究项目属于EPSRC能源，工程，医疗保健技术，制造未来，物理科学研究领域的福尔斯。

The focus of this work is to establish novel chemical means to generate low-dimensional BxCyNz materials for the implementation in energy storage devices. The properties of BxCyNz materials are strictly controlled by the chemical composition and structure. The Nanomaterials by Design research team has made much progress with the larger scale production of BxCyNz nanomaterials, hence paving the way to engineering novel functional materials that could be used in a series of energy storage devices such as batteries, supercapacitors, and next generation fuel cell technologies.Preliminary tests showed that the performance of low-dimensional BxCyNz materials used as catalysts in the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction can be impressive. Through the tuning of their composition and surface chemistry it is envisaged to further improve their stability and efficiency compared to classical material systems with the ultimate aim of generating low-cost manufacturing routes.Recently, we showed that an effective strategy to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction performance of multiwall carbon nanotubes in both acid and alkaline electrolytes by coating them with a layer of biomass derivative N-doped hydrothermal carbons. We further showed that the N-doped amorphous carbon coating plays a triple role: it (i) promotes the assembly of MWCNTs into a 3D network therefore improving the mass transfer and thus increasing the catalytic activity; (ii) protects the Fe-containing active sites, present on the surface of the MWCNTs, from H2O2 poisoning; (iii) creates nitrogenated active sites and hence further enhances ORR activity and robustness. BxCyNz materials or their derivatives are envisaged to outperform this system.Moreover, the Nanomaterials by Design team conducted preliminary experiments on doped carbon nanostructures and showed that these are suitable candidates in high-frequency supercapacitor applications. State-of-the-art scalable aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition synthesis techniques in conjunction with in situ monitoring technologies allows us to engineer the dopant levels in carbon nanotubes and other materials. These material systems will be tested under a series of conditions.The research group has a range of industrial collaborators and specific potential device applications will be sought once progress has been made with the tailored functional low-dimensional nanomaterials. Traditionally, the students of the Nanomaterials of Design research group are encouraged to engage with academic collaborators as well as industry partners whenever feasible.This research project falls within the EPSRC Energy, Engineering, Healthcare technologies, Manufacturing the future, Physical sciences research areas.