Energie budoucnosti a inovace

Browse

Now showing 1 - 5 of 53

3D-Printed Nanostructured Copper Substrate Boosts the Sodiated Capability and Stability of Antimony Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries
(Wiley-VCH, 2024-05-01) Gao, Hui; Gao, Wanli; Pumera, Martin
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) represent a viable substitute to lithium-ion batteries due to their affordability and resource abundance. For SIBs, antimony (Sb) shows potential as anode material but is impeded by the high volumetric variations. Here the challenges of Sb sodium storage by introducing the nanostructured Cu substrate for enhanced Sb adhesion and morphology optimization is addressed, which is realized by fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing of Cu substrate, subsequent high-temperature sintering, and electrodeposition of Sb. In SIBs, the Sb deposited on three dimensional (3D) printed Cu substrate performs improved cycling stability compared with that of Sb@Cu with commercial Cu foil substrate, which can be attributed to the nanostructure of the 3D-Cu substrate. Such architecture of 3D-Cu induces the generation of pine-leaf-like Sb clusters to promote stability and kinetics, and it aids the adhesion between the Sb cluster and 3D-Cu substrate for preventing the Sb detachment and restructuring the Sb cluster to the robust porous ligament-channel Sb framework. The morphology evolution, (de)sodiation mechanism, and gas evolution are explored by ex situ scanning electron microscope, operando X-ray diffraction, and operando differential electrochemical mass spectrometry separately. The developed Sb@3D-Cu anode offers a flexible pathway for constructing 3D-printed self-supported electrodes for SIBs. The FDM 3D printing utilizing metal-polymer filaments is emerging for fabricating nanostructured metals. By introducing this technique, a highly improved Cu current collector (3D-Cu) compared with commercial Cu foil, is obtained and significantly boosts the sodiated performance of Sb anode. This enlarges FDM 3D-printing applications in SIBs.image
Transition metal dichalcogenide-based materials for rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries: A mini-review
(WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2024-05-08) Nandi, Sunny; Pumera, Martin
Rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) have emerged as a promising candidate for energy storage applications and have been extensively investigated over the past few years. Due to their high theoretical capacity, nature of abundance, and high safety, AIBs can be considered an alternative to lithium-ion batteries. However, the electrochemical performance of AIBs for large-scale applications is still limited due to the poor selection of cathode materials. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been regarded as appropriate cathode materials for AIBs due to their wide layer spacing, large surface area, and distinct physiochemical characteristics. This mini-review provides a succinct summary of recent research progress on TMD-based cathode materials in non-aqueous AIBs. The latest developments in the benefits of utilizing 3D-printed electrodes for AIBs are also explored. The current mini-review summarizes the recent progress of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) as cathode materials for the advancement of non-aqueous aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs). In addition to outlining the benefits provided by TMD materials, this review highlights the challenges that restrict their performance in advancing AIBs. Various engineering approaches are proposed herein to address these challenges associated with TMDs for application in AIBs. The use of 3D printing for AIBs, in conjunction with TMD materials, is also emphasized for large-scale applications. image
Biohybrid Magnetically Driven Microrobots for Sustainable Removal of Micro/Nanoplastics from the Aquatic Environment
(WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH, 2024-01-15) Peng, Xia; Urso, Mario; Koláčková, Martina; Húska, Dalibor; Pumera, Martin
The proliferation of micro/nanoplastics derived from the fragmentation of plastic waste released in the environment represents an increasingly alarming issue with adverse implications for aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Conventional approaches for mitigating such contamination are inadequate in removing plastic fragments with exceptionally tiny sizes. Therefore, it is highly urgent to develop efficient strategies to address the threats posed by micro/nanoplastics. Here, biohybrid microrobots, integrating the magnetic properties of Fe3O4 nanoparticles, are investigated for the dynamic removal of micro/nanoplastics from various aquatic environments via high-precision magnetic actuation and reliable electrostatic interactions. After the surface decoration with Fe3O4 nanoparticles, algae cells can achieve precise locomotion and wireless manipulation by regulating an external magnetic field. Taking advantage of this active movement, magnetic algae robots (MARs) display considerable capture and removal efficiencies for micro/nanoplastics in water with extensive application scenarios. The reusability of MARs is also investigated, proving great recyclable performance. The growth and cell viability experiments elucidate that the presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles may result in hormesis stimulation of algae growth. Such recyclable microrobots with eco-friendly and low-cost characteristics offer an attractive strategy for sustainably tackling micro/nanoplastics pollution. Bioinspired magnetically powered microrobots, based on microalgae cells modified with magnetic nanoparticles, are introduced. Upon being decorated with Fe3O4 nanoparticles, microalgae cells can achieve precise movement and wireless manipulation by controlling an external magnetic field. Leveraging the active mobility, the magnetic algae-robots exhibit substantial efficiency in capturing and removing micro/nanoplastics, offering extensive applicability across various scenarios.image
Heterolayered carbon allotrope architectonics via multi-material 3D printing for advanced electrochemical devices
(TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2023-12-31) Palacios Corella, Mario; Sanna, Michela; Muoz Martin, Jose Maria; Ghosh, Kalyan; Wert, Stefan; Pumera, Martin
3D printing has become a powerful technique in electrochemistry for fabricating electrodes, thanks to readily available conductive nanocomposite filaments, such as those based on carbon fillers (i.e., carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or carbon black (CB)) within an insulating polymeric matrix like polylactic acid (PLA). Inspired by inorganic heterostructures that enhance the functional characteristics of nanomaterials, we fabricated hetero-layered 3D printed devices based on carbon allotropes using a layer-by-layer assembly approach. The heterolayers were customised through the alternate integration of different carbon allotrope filaments via a multi-material 3D printing technique, allowing for a time-effective method to enhance electrochemical performance. As a first demonstration of applicability, CNT/PLA and CB/PLA filaments were utilised to construct ordered hetero-layered carbon-based electrodes. This contrasts with conventional methods where various carbon species are mixed in the same composite-based filament used for building electrochemical devices. Multi-material 3D-printed carbon electrodes exhibit improved electrochemical performance in energy conversion (e.g., hydrogen evolution reaction or HER) and sensing applications (e.g., ascorbic acid detection) compared to single-material electrodes. This work paves the way for manufacturing advanced 3D-printed heterolayered electrodes with enhanced electrochemical activity through multi-material 3D printing technology.
Quantum Material-Based Self-Propelled Microrobots for the Optical "On-the-Fly" Monitoring of DNA
(AMER CHEMICAL SOC, 2023-12-11) Jyoti, Jyoti; Muoz Martin, Jose Maria; Pumera, Martin
Quantum dot-based materials have been found to be excellent platforms for biosensing and bioimaging applications. Herein, self-propelled microrobots made of graphene quantum dots (GQD-MRs) have been synthesized and explored as unconventional dynamic biocarriers toward the optical "on-the-fly" monitoring of DNA. As a first demonstration of applicability, GQD-MRs have been first biofunctionalized with a DNA biomarker (i.e., fluorescein amidite-labeled, FAM-L) via hydrophobic pi-stacking interactions and subsequently exposed toward different concentrations of a DNA target. The biomarker-target hybridization process leads to a biomarker release from the GQD-MR surface, resulting in a linear alteration in the fluorescence intensity of the dynamic biocarrier at the nM range (1-100 nM, R-2 = 0.99), also demonstrating excellent selectivity and sensitivity, with a detection limit as low as 0.05 nM. Consequently, the developed dynamic biocarriers, which combine the appealing features of GQDs (e.g., water solubility, fluorescent activity, and supramolecular pi-stacking interactions) with the autonomous mobility of MRs, present themselves as potential autonomous micromachines to be exploited as highly efficient and sensitive "on-the-fly" biosensing systems. This method is general and can be simply customized by tailoring the biomarker anchored to the GQD-MR's surface.

Browse

Recent Submissions