Suchergebnisse

Sodium-oxygen batteries (SOBs) have the potential to provide energy densities higher than the state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. However, controlling the formation of sodium superoxide (NaO2) as the sole discharge product on the cathode side is crucial to achieve durable and efficient SOBs. In this work, the discharge efficiency of two graphene-based cathodes was evaluated and compared with that of a commercial gas diffusion layer. The discharge products formed at the surface of these cathodes in a glyme-based electrolyte were carefully studied using a range of characterization techniques. NaO2 was detected as the main discharge product regardless of the specific cathode material while small amounts of Na2O2⋅2H2O and carbonate-like side-products were detected by X-ray diffraction as well as by Raman and infrared spectroscopies. This work leverages the use of X-ray diffraction to determine the actual yield of NaO2 which is usually overlooked in this type of batteries. Thus, the proper quantification of the superoxide formed on the cathode surface is widely underestimated; even though is crucial for determining the efficiency of the battery while eliminating the parasitic chemistry in SOBs. Here, we develop an ex-situ analysis method to determine the amount of NaO2 generated upon discharge in SOBs by transmission X-ray diffraction and quantitative Rietveld analysis. This work unveils that the yield of NaO2 depends on the depth of discharge where high capacities lead to very low discharge efficiency, regardless of the used cathode. We anticipate that the methodology developed herein will provide a convenient diagnosis tool in future efforts to optimize the performance of the different cell components in SOBs. ; M.E., L.M and N.O.-V. thank the European Union (Graphene Flagship-Core 3, Grant number 881603) for the financial support of this work. J.I.P. acknowledges funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00. R.Y. acknowledges financial support from StandUp for Energy and the Swedish Energy Agency. ; Peer reviewed

Graphene aerogels derived from a biomolecule‐assisted aqueous electrochemical exfoliation route are explored as cathode materials in sodium–oxygen (Na–O2) batteries. To this end, the natural nucleotide adenosine monophosphate (AMP) is used in the multiple roles of exfoliating electrolyte, aqueous dispersant, and functionalizing agent to access high quality, electrocatalytically active graphene nanosheets in colloidal suspension (bioinks). The surface phenomena occurring on the electrochemically derived graphene cathode is thoroughly studied to understand and optimize its electrochemical performance, where a cooperative effect between the nitrogen atoms and phosphates from the AMP molecules is demonstrated. Moreover, the role of the nitrogen atoms in the adenine nucleobase of AMP and short‐chain phosphate is unraveled. Significantly, the use of such cathodes with a proper amount of AMP molecules adsorbed on the graphene nanosheets delivers a discharge capacity as high as 9.6 mAh cm−2 and performs almost 100 cycles with a considerably reduced cell overpotential and a coulombic efficiency of ≈97% at high current density (0.2 mA cm−2). This study opens a path toward the development of environmentally friendly air cathodes by the use of natural nucleotides which offers a great opportunity to explore and manufacture bioinspired cathodes for metal–oxygen batteries. ; M.E., J.L.G.‐U., D.C., and N.O.‐V. thank the European Union (Graphene Flagship‐Core 3, Grant number 881603) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN/FEDER) (RTI2018‐096199‐B‐I00) for the financial support of this work. J.M.M., J.I.P., and S.V.‐R. gratefully acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project RTI2018‐100832‐B‐I00, as well as Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013‐2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF (project IDI/2018/000233). J.L.G.‐U. is very thankful to the Spanish Ministry of Education, Science and Universities (MICINN) for the FPU grant (16/03498) ; Peer reviewed

M.E., J.L.G.-U., D.C., and N.O.-V. thank the European Union (Graphene Flagship-Core 3, Grant number 881603) and the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN/FEDER) (RTI2018-096199-B-I00) for the financial support of this work. J.M.M., J.I.P., and S.V.-R. gratefully acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICINN), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00, as well as Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF (project IDI/2018/000233). J.L.G.-U. is very thankful to the Spanish Ministry of Education, Science and Universities (MICINN) for the FPU grant (16/03498). The authors also want to acknowledge the company GRAPHENEA for supplying the graphene oxide used in this work. The authors express special thanks to María Echeverría for SEM imaging and María Jauregui for XRD measurements.

Funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2015- 69844-R, the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and the ERDF through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00, and Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF (project IDI/2018/000233) is gratefully acknowledged. S.G-D. and J.M.M. are grateful to Spanish MINECO and Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD), respectively, for ́their respective pre-doctoral contracts (BES/2016 077830 and FPU14/00792). The University of Oviedo acknowledges the financial support from Spanish MINECO (MAT2016-78155-C2-1-R) and the Government of the Principality of Asturias (GRUPIN-IDI/2018/170).

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review and technical editing by the publisher. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b13484 ; The production of MoS2 nanosheets by electrochemical exfoliation routes holds great promise as a means to access this two-dimensional material in large quantities for different practical applications. However, the use of electrolytes based on synthetic organic salts and solvents, as well as issues related to the unwanted oxidation and/or phase transformation of the exfoliated nanosheets, constitute significant obstacles that hinder the industrial adoption of the electrochemical approach. Here, we introduce a safe and sustainable method for the cathodic delamination of MoS2 that makes use of aqueous solutions of very simple and widely available salts, mainly KCl, as the electrolyte. Combined with an appropriate biomolecule-based solvent transfer protocol, such an electrolytic exfoliation route is shown to afford colloidally dispersed, oxide-free, and phase-preserved MoS2 nanosheets of high structural quality in considerable yields. The mechanisms behind the efficient aqueous delamination of the bulk MoS2 cathode are also discussed and rationalized on the basis of the penetration of hydrated cations from the electrolyte between its layers and the immediate reduction of the accompanying water molecules. An asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with a cathodic MoS2 nanosheet–single walled carbon nanotube hybrid as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode delivered energy densities (e.g., 26 W h kg–1 at 750 W kg–1 in 6 M KOH) that were competitive with those of other MoS2-based asymmetric devices. When used as a catalyst for the reduction of nitroarenes, the present cathodically exfoliated nanosheets exhibited one of the highest activities reported so far with MoS2 nanostructures, the origin of which is accounted for as well. Overall, by facilitating access to this two-dimensional material through a particularly simple, efficient, and cost-effective technique, these results should expedite the practical implementation of MoS2 nanosheets in energy storage, catalysis, and beyond. ; Funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2015-69844-R, the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and the ERDF through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00, and Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF (project IDI/2018/000233) is gratefully acknowledged. S.G-D. and J.M.M. are grateful to Spanish MINECO and Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD), respectively, for their respective pre-doctoral contracts (BES/2016 077830 and FPU14/00792). The University of Oviedo acknowledges the financial support from Spanish MINECO (MAT2016-78155-C2-1-R) and the Government of the Principality of Asturias (GRUPIN-IDI/2018/170) ; Peer reviewed

Two-dimensional Co3O4 nanosheets have emerged as attractive materials for use in a number of relevant technological applications. To exhibit a competitive performance in such uses, however, their structure needs to be activated, which is frequently accomplished via post-synthesis reduction strategies that introduce oxygen vacancies and increase the number of active Co(II) sites. Here, we investigate a direct route for the synthesis of activated Co3O4 nanosheets that avoids reduction post-treatments, yielding materials with a high potential towards energy- and environment-related applications. The synthesis relied on an interim amorphous cobalt oxide material with nanosheet morphology, which upon calcination afforded Co3O4 nanosheets having Co(II) sites in quantities similar to those usually found for Co3O4 nanostructures activated by reduction post-treatments. When tested as electrodes for charge storage, the nanosheets demonstrated a competitive behavior in terms of both capacity and rate capability, e.g., a gravimetric capacity of ∼293 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 with 57% retention at 60 A g−1 was measured for nanosheets calcined at 350 °C. The materials were shown to be efficient catalysts for the reduction of nitroarenes (4-nitrophenol and 4-nitroaniline), outperforming other Co3O4 nanostructures, as well as effective adsorbents for the removal of organic dyes (methyl orange, methylene blue) from water. ; Funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2015-69844-R is gratefully acknowledged. We are also grateful to Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Spain 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF, European Union for partial funding through project IDI/2018/000233. J.M.M. and S.G-D. are grateful to the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD) and MINECO, respectively, for their pre-doctoral contracts (FPU14/00792 and BES/2016 077830, respectively). ; Peer reviewed

Funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2015- 69844-R and by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacioń y Universidades, the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigacioń and ERDF through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00 is gratefully acknowledged. Partial funding by Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF through project IDI/2018/000233 is also acknowledged. J.M.M. is grateful to the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD) for his predoctoral contract (FPU14/00792). J.N.C. acknowledges the ERC Adv. Gr. FUTUREPRINT. This work was also financially supported by the European Union (Graphene Flagship, Core 2, grant number 785219).

Integrated approaches that expedite the production and processing of graphene into useful structures and devices, particularly through simple and environmentally friendly strategies, are highly desirable in the efforts to implement this two-dimensional material in state-of-the-art electrochemical energy storage technologies. Here, we introduce natural nucleotides (e.g., adenosine monophosphate) as bifunctional agents for the electrochemical exfoliation and dispersion of graphene nanosheets in water. Acting both as exfoliating electrolytes and colloidal stabilizers, these biomolecules facilitated access to aqueous graphene bio-inks that could be readily processed into aerogels and inkjet-printed interdigitated patterns. Na-O2 batteries assembled with the graphene-derived aerogels as the cathode and a glyme-based electrolyte exhibited a full discharge capacity of ∼3.8 mAh cm–2 at a current density of 0.2 mA cm–2. Moreover, shallow cycling experiments (0.5 mAh cm–2) boasted a capacity retention of 94% after 50 cycles, which outperformed the cycle life of prior graphene-based cathodes for this type of battery. The positive effect of the nucleotide-adsorbed nanosheets on the battery performance is discussed and related to the presence of the phosphate group in these biomolecules. Microsupercapacitors made from the interdigitated graphene patterns as the electrodes also displayed a competitive performance, affording areal and volumetric energy densities of 0.03 μWh cm–2 and 1.2 mWh cm–3 at power densities of 0.003 mW cm–2 and 0.1 W cm–3, respectively. Taken together, by offering a green and straightforward route to different types of functional graphene-based materials, the present results are expected to ease the development of novel energy storage technologies that exploit the attractions of graphene. ; Funding by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2015-69844-R and by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and ERDF through project RTI2018-100832-B-I00 is gratefully acknowledged. Partial funding by Plan de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (PCTI) 2013-2017 del Principado de Asturias and the ERDF through project IDI/2018/000233 is also acknowledged. J.M.M. is grateful to the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD) for his pre-doctoral contract (FPU14/00792). J.N.C. acknowledges the ERC Adv. Gr. FUTUREPRINT. This work was also financially supported by the European Union (Graphene Flagship, Core 2, Grant number 785219). ; Peer reviewed