The creation of nanotextured, hybrid, nanomaterials for energy applications

层次化的多孔和纳米结构材料可以改变能源和环境中的一些新兴应用，包括能量存储/转换(电池、超级电容器和燃料电池)、气体隔离和水过滤。然而，这些颠覆性技术中的每一项都需要具有特定性能的材料，这些材料是由大量使用大规模工艺的材料制成的。虽然下一代纳米材料或化学模板在这一领域显示出巨大的前景，但真正可扩展的可靠生产方法却很少见。我们最近的工作提出了一种在具有几个独特特性的液体中形成2D纳米薄片的新方法[1-3]。在我们的方法中，2D材料都是单层的(大多数其他方法产生的多层膜不那么理想，而且经常损坏)，该过程真正可扩展，薄片没有损坏，而且，独特的是，溶解的纳米薄片带负电荷。这种电荷可以用来组装新颖的三维结构，也可以用来对现有的高表面积纳米材料(例如，由生物炭碳化制成的)进行电镀、涂层或渗透，从而增加功能。在拟议的项目中，关键的活性材料将使用不同的策略来创造，但有一个共同的目标。首先，将对天然产品、废物或设计的大规模前体进行碳化，以产生具有自然调节的微结构、介观结构和纳米结构的块状材料，以及碳化后的高活性位置。通过使用原子力显微镜、X射线断层扫描、小角X射线散射、电子显微镜和光谱技术仔细研究(和调整)前驱体活化前后的结构，我们将对其结构-功能关系有更深入的了解，使我们能够致力于大规模生产新型和高性能材料。其次，通过自发溶解产生的先进纳米材料(包括石墨烯、过渡金属二卤化物或磷烯纳米带)将通过官能化化学自组装，以合成工程化的分层结构。这些材料的特征将如上所述，成功的材料将被放大。这个项目将建立在物理和天文学、LCN和化学工程电化学创新实验室之间成功和不断增长的合作基础上[1-4]。材料制造将在P&A进行，利用新的跨教职人员资助的石墨化炉(目前正在安装)和纳米材料创造实验室。它们将在LCN中利用一系列最先进的纳米分析技术(AFM、TEM、BET等)进行表征。然后在EIL的小规模和示范规模的电化学池中进行测试-EIL设施和我们现有的合作将使我们能够瞄准一些应用领域。这种以用途为中心的方法将使我们能够同时将新的2D材料转移到设备中，并允许对新的先进工程材料进行先进的多尺度理解。承担此项目的学生将发展合成、设备制造、电化学和能量存储的高级表征方面的多学科技能，同时与业界和学术界发展密切的联系，在那里我们希望保护和利用我们创造的知识产权。

Hierarchically porous and nanostructured materials can transform a number of emerging applications across energy and the environment including for energy storage/conversion (batteries, supercapacitors and fuel cells), gas sequestration and water filtration. However, each of these disruptive technologies require materials with specific properties, made from abundant materials using processes that scale. While next-generation nanomaterials or chemical templating show huge promise in this area, methods for their reliable production that are truly scalable are rare. Our recent work presented a new method for forming 2D nanosheets in liquids with several unique characteristics [1-3]. In our method, the 2D materials are all monolayers (most other methods create less desirable and often damaged multilayers), the process is truly scalable, the sheets are undamaged and also, uniquely the solubilised nanosheets are negatively charged. The charge can be used for assembly novel 3-D structures or can be used to plate or coat or infiltrate existing high surface area nanomaterials (e.g. made from carbonisation of bio-char), adding functionality.In the proposed project key active materials will be created using divergent strategies, but with a common goal. First, the carbonisation of natural products, waste or designed macroscale precursors will be undertaken to create bulk materials with naturally-tuned mico, meso and nanostructures and high-activity sites post carbonisation. By carefully studying (and tuning) structure of precursors before and then after they are activated, using techniques including atomic force microscopy, x-ray tomography, small-angle x-ray scattering, electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques, we will develop a much deeper understanding of their structure-function relationships, allowing us to work to produce novel and high performance materials at scale. Secondly, advanced nanomaterials created through spontaneous dissolution (including graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, or phosphorene nanoribbons) will be self-assembled via functionalisation chemistry to create engineered hierarchical structures synthetically. These materials will be characterised as above and successful materials scaled up. This project will build on a successful and growing collaboration between Physics & Astronomy, the LCN and the Electrochemical Innovation Lab in Chemical Engineering [1-4]. Materials manufacture will be undertaken in P&A, utilising the new cross-faculty funded graphitisation furnace (currently being installed) and the nanomaterial creation lab. They will be characterised in the LCN utilising a range of state-of-the-art nanoscale analysis techniques (AFM, TEM, BET etc.) and then tested in small-scale and demonstrator-scale electrochemical cells in the EIL - the EIL facilities and our existing collaboration will allow us to target a number of application areas. This use-focused approach will allow us to simultaneously move new 2D materials into devices and allow the advanced multiscale understanding of new advanced engineering materials.The student undertaking this project will develop multidisciplinary skills in synthesis, device fabrication, electrochemistry and advanced characterisation for energy storage, whilst developing strong links with industry and academia, where we look to protect and exploit the IP we create.