Nanostructured Materials for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Remediation

Description

This reference text covers the latest issues in the area of nanostructured materials for energy and environmental applications. It focuses on functional aspects, including the basic principles and mechanisms behind the selection of the materials. The applications covered include catalysts, sensors, magnetic refrigeration, and functional electrode materials for energy harvesting (including solar cells, fuel cells and supercapacitors). The text addresses the past, present, and future status of the research through the simplification of the vast literature. Each chapter demonstrates how the nanostructured materials, and their device applications are linked, providing a vital bridge between the research and realisation of the technology. The book compiles results and diagrams in a clear format for researchers, postgraduate students, and industry practitioners, including non-specialists, and provides an overview of the latest current topics in the field. Key Features: Covers the latest issues in the area of nanostructured materials for energy and environmental applications. Includes catalysts, sensors, magnetic refrigeration, and functional electrode materials for energy harvesting (solar cells, fuel cells and supercapacitors). Covers functional aspects of nanostructured materials and their engineering applications, with a particular focus on the basic principles and mechanisms behind the selection of the materials. Demonstrates how nanostructured materials and their device applications are linked, providing a vital bridge between the research and realisation of the technology. Acts as a guide for students, researchers and industry practitioners who are searching for suitable nanomaterials for energy and environmental applications. Cover Half Title Nanostructured Materials for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Remediation Copyright Contents Editor biographies List of contributors 1. Chapter 1 Introduction to engineering nanostructured materials for energy and environmental applications Part I. Energy 2. Engineering 2D chalcogenides for energy and environmental remediation 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Synthesis approaches for chalcogenides 2.3 Applications of chalcogenides 2.3.1 Energy 2.3.2 Environmental remedial applications 2.4 Summary Acknowledgement References 3. Two-dimensional nanolayers for wearable supercapacitors 3.1 Introduction 3.2 2D nanolayers and their properties 3.3 2D nanolayer based electrodes for supercapacitor applications 3.3.1 Graphene based electrode materials for supercapacitors 3.3.2 Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) 3.3.3 MXene 3.3.4 Other 2D nanolayers 3.4 Nanolayer based flexible wearable devices 3.5 Conclusion and future prospects Acknowledgment References 4. Micro-mesoporous carbon-based nanostructured materials for flexible supercapacitors 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Synthesis of micro- and mesoporous carbon-based materials 4.2.1 Carbonization and activation process 4.2.2 Sulfonation process 4.2.3 Halogenation process 4.3 Graphene: a revolution in energy storage 4.3.1 Graphene and graphene composites in supercapacitors 4.4 Other carbon-based materials in supercapacitors 4.4.1 CNTs and CNFs 4.4.2 Carbon aerogels/composites 4.5 Flexible carbon-based material energy storage devices 4.6 Conclusion and future prospects Acknowledgment References 5. Platinum based alloy nanostructure electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) 5.2.1 The working principle of PEMFCs 5.2.2 Challenges of PEMFCs 5.2.3 ORR mechanisms on Pt and Pt based alloy surfaces 5.3 Electrochemical measurement and activity calculation 5.3.1 Preparation of the catalyst ink and a modified working electrode 5.3.2 Cyclic voltammetry (CV) 5.3.3 Rotating disc electrode (RDE) study 5.3.4 Rotating ring disc electrode (RRDE) study 5.3.5 Durability or stability test 5.4 A platinum based nanostructure electrocatalyst for ORR 5.4.1 Pt monometallic nanostructures 5.4.2 Pt based binary alloy nanostructures 5.4.3 Pt based ternary alloy nanostructures 5.5 Summary Acknowledgements References 6. Ultrathin, flexible hybrid transition metal oxide nanostructures for renewable energy storage devices 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Fundamentals of nanostructured materials (NMs) for energy saving devices 6.3 Materials with supercapacitor electrodes 6.3.1 Supercapacitors based on hybrid transition metal oxides (HTMOs) 6.3.2 Supercapacitors based on graphene–hybrid transition metal oxides (G–HTMOs) 6.4 Conclusions and future perspectives Acknowledgements References 7. Graphene based nanocomposites for energy conversion: the oxygen reduction, oxygen evolution, and hydrogen evolution reactions 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Synthesis of graphene 7.2.1 Top-down approaches 7.2.2 Bottom-up approaches 7.3 Heteroatom doped graphene 7.3.1 Synthesis of N-doped graphene 7.3.2 Synthesis of B-doped graphene 7.3.3 Synthesis of F-doped graphene 7.4 Energy conversion applications of graphene composites 7.4.1 Oxygen reduction reaction 7.4.2 Oxygen evolution reaction 7.4.3 Hydrogen evolution reaction 7.5 Conclusion Acknowledgements References 8. Materials science of advanced carbon nanomaterials for photovoltaic and photothermal devices 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Classifications of carbon allotropes 8.2.1 Three-dimensional materials 8.2.2 Two-dimensional materials 8.2.3 One-dimensional materials 8.2.4 Zero-dimensional materials 8.3 Graphene synthesis route 8.3.1 Exfoliation 8.3.2 Bottom-up approaches 8.4 Photovoltaic devices 8.4.1 Fundamental processes and important parameters 8.4.2 Types of solar cells 8.4.3 Graphene based photovoltaic cells 8.5 Photothermal therapy 8.5.1 Graphene based PTT 8.5.2 Chemo/photothermal synergistic therapy 8.6 Concluding remarks and outlook References Part II. Environmental Remediation 9. Metal doped iron (III) oxide nanomaterials for wastewater treatment 9.1 Introduction 9.2 The synthesis of metal doped Fe2O3 nanostructures 9.3 Properties of metal doped Fe2O3 nanostructures 9.4 Applications of doped Fe2O3 in environmental remediation 9.4.1 Adsorption 9.4.2 Catalysis 9.4.3 Disinfection 9.5 Summary References 10. Nanoferrites for green magnetic refrigeration 10.1 Introduction 10.1.1 Conventional refrigerators (CRs) and the need for solid-state refrigerants 10.1.2 Magnetic refrigeration 10.1.3 Estimation of the MCE by direct and indirect methods 10.1.4 First-order and second-order phase transition materials 10.2 The performance of ferrites as magnetic refrigerants 10.2.1 The MCE of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles 10.2.2 Ferrite nanocomposites 10.2.3 Comparison of the MCE with previous reports 10.3 Perspectives and summary Acknowledgements References 11. Degradation of antibiotic pollutants and green hydrogen production from wastewater through a photocatalytic reaction 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Fundamentals of photocatalytics 11.3 Photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic wastewater 11.3.1 ZnO 11.3.2 TiO2 11.3.3 Hybrid nanomaterials 11.4 Conclusions and outlook References 12. Fluorescent nanoclusters used as a probe for sensing of toxic chemicals and biomolecules 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Synthesis methods of nanoclusters 12.3 Applications of fluorescent metal nanoclusters 12.3.1 Detection of cations and anions 12.3.2 Detection of small molecules 12.3.3 Pesticide detection 12.3.4 Nucleic-acid detection 12.3.5 Protein detection 12.4 Conclusions and trends Acknowledgements References