Electrospun FeS nanorods with enhanced stability as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

Rational Construction of Bi2CuO12Se4 and VGCFs@Fe2O3 Composite Electrodes for High-Performance Semi-Solid-State Asymmetric Supercapacitors

Recently, supercapacitors (SCs) are extensively explored as effective energy storage devices. Specifically, asymmetric SCs are being developed to enhance energy density using suitable materials with favorable nanostructures. This study describes the construction of a bismuth copper selenite (BCS-200) working electrode with an ultrathin nanosheet (UTNS) architecture. This morphology is achieved using a low-cost electrodeposition (ED) method, followed by annealing. The impact of ED time on the development of morphology is studied by synthesizing comparative electrodes simultaneously. The optimized BCS-200 electrode prepared with a deposition time of 200 s shows higher specific capacity/capacitance (Cs/Csc) values of 330.9 mAh g-1/2206.6 F g-1 than the other synthesized electrodes (BCS-100, BCS-150, BCS-250, and BCS-300). Besides, a vapor-grown carbon fiber (VGCF)-added Fe2O3 composite coated on nickel foam (NF) is developed as a negative electrode. The VGCFs@Fe2O3/NF electrode exhibits the (Cs/Csc) values of 183.5 mAh g-1/734.4 F g-1, which is associated with ultra-high cycling stability. In addition, the fabricated BCS-200 and VGCFs@Fe2O3/NF electrodes are combined to construct a wearable semi-solid-state asymmetric SC (SSASC) with an energy density (Ed) of 20.5 Wh kg-1 and a cycling stability of 91.7% over 40000 charge/discharge cycles. Furthermore, the real-time applicability of the SSASC is verified by powering it in practical applications.

Exceptional performance of Fe@carbon-rich nanoparticles prepared via hydrothermal carbonization of oil mill wastes for H2S removal

Carbon-encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles (CE-nFe) have been obtained from an industrial waste (oil mill wastewater-OMW, as a carbonaceous source), and using iron sulfate as metallic precursor. In an initial step, the hydrochar obtained has been thermally activated under an inert atmosphere at three different temperatures (600 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C). The thermal treatment promotes the development of core-shell nanoparticles, with an inner core of α-Fe/Fe3O4, surrounded by a well-defined graphite shell. Temperatures above 800 °C are needed to promote the graphitization of the carbonaceous species, a process promoted by iron nanoparticles through the dissolution, diffusion and growth of the carbon nanostructures on the outer shell. Breakthrough column tests show that CE-nFe exhibit an exceptional performance for H2S removal with a breakthrough capacity larger than 0.5-0.6 g H2S/gcatalyst after 3 days experiment. Experimental results anticipate the crucial role of humidity and oxygen in the adsorption/catalytic performance. Compared to some commercial samples, these results constitute a three-fold increase in the catalytic performance under similar experimental conditions.

Iron Nanoparticle-Incorporated Laser-Induced Graphene Filters for Environmental Remediation via an In Situ Electro-Fenton Process

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) has garnered much attention due to its facile and chemically free fabrication technique. Metal nanoparticle incorporation into the LIG matrix can improve its electrical and catalytical properties for environmental application. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) nanoparticle-incorporated LIG (Fe-LIG) and sulfidized-nanoscale zerovalent iron (S-nZVI) nanoparticle-incorporated LIG (SFe-LIG) surfaces. The sheets were first fabricated to investigate nanoparticle loading, successful incorporation in the LIG matrix, and electrochemical performance as electrodes. Fe-LIG and SFe-LIG sheets showed ∼3-3.5 times more charge density as compared with the control LIG sheet. The XPS and its deconvolution confirmed the presence of nZVI and S-nZVI in the Fe-LIG and SFe-LIG surfaces, which can generate in situ hydroxyl radical (•OH) via iron activation of electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in short in situ electro-Fenton process. After confirmation of the successful incorporation of iron-based nanoparticles in the LIG matrix, filters were fabricated to demonstrate the application in the flow-through filtration. The Fe-LIG and SFe-LIG filters showed ∼10-30% enhanced methylene blue removal under the application of 2.5 V at ∼1000 LMH flux. The Fe-LIG and SFe-LIG filters also showed complete 6-log bacteria and virus removal at 2.5 and 5 V, respectively, while the LIG filters showed only ∼4-log removal. Such enhanced removal by the Fe-LIG and SFe-LIG filters as compared to LIG filters is attributed to the improved charge density, electrochemical activity, and in situ electro-Fenton process. The study shows the potential to develop catalytic LIG-based surfaces for various applications, including contaminant removal and microbial inactivation.

Improving the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction through a magnetic field and hydrogen peroxide production co-assisted Ni/Fe3O4@poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)/Ni electrode

The production of high-purity hydrogen using surplus electrical energy and abundant water resources has immense potential in mitigating the fossil energy crisis, as hydrogen fuel holds clean, pollution-free, and high-energy characteristics. However, the practical application of large-scale hydrogen production from water faces challenges such as high overpotentials, sluggish dynamics, and limited electrocatalytic lifetime associated with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, we fabricated the sandwich structure of a Ni/Fe3O4@poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene)/Ni (Ni/Fe3O4@PEDOT/Ni) electrode and employed a strong magnet to obtain a magnetic electrode capable of achieving high-activity and durability for HER. Electrochemical analysis reveals that the activated magnetic electrode displays a significantly reduced overpotential and an extended electrocatalytic lifetime of 10 days. Notably, its stability is higher than that of non-magnetic Ni/Fe3O4/Ni and Ni/Fe3O4@PEDOT/Ni electrodes, primarily due to the support from magnetic force and the protective PEDOT layer. Moreover, the minute atomized droplets can form the H2O2 species in a moist environment, facilitating the formation of the NiO layer on the Ni surface, which plays a vital role in boosting catalytic activity. In conclusion, our magnetic electrode strategy, combined with the emergence of the NiO layer, offers valuable insights for the development of advanced HER electrodes.

Spherical Fe7S8@rGO nanoflowers as electrodes with high electrocatalytic performance in dye-sensitized solar cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) can directly convert solar energy into electricity, and have aroused great research interest from researchers. Here, the spherical Fe7S8@rGO nanocomposites were expediently fabricated by facile methods, and applied in DSSCs as counter electrodes (CEs). The morphological features show the porous structure of Fe7S8@rGO, and it is beneficial to enhance the permeability of ions. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has a large specific surface area and good electrical conductivity, shortening the electron transfer path. The presence of rGO promotes the catalytic reduction of I3- ions to I- ions and reduces the charge transfer resistance (Rct). The experimental findings show that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Fe7S8@rGO as CEs for DSSCs can reach 8.40% (20 wt% for rGO), significantly higher than Fe7S8 (7.60%) and Pt (7.69%). Therefore, Fe7S8@rGO nanocomposite is expected to be an efficient and cost-effective CE material for DSSCs.

A Review of Transition Metal Sulfides as Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

Third-generation solar cells, including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), have been associated with low-cost material requirements, simple fabrication processes, and mechanical robustness. Hence, counter electrodes (CEs) are a critical component for the functionality of these solar cells. Although platinum (Pt)-based CEs have been dominant in CE fabrication, they are costly and have limited market availability. Therefore, it is important to find alternative materials to overcome these issues. Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have demonstrated capabilities as a more cost-effective alternative to Pt materials. This advantage has been attributed to their strong electrocatalytic activity, excellent thermal stability, tunability of bandgap energies, and variable crystalline morphologies. In this study, a comprehensive review of the major components and working principles of the DSSC and QDSSC are presented. In developing CEs for DSSCs and QDSSCs, various TMS materials synthesized through several techniques are thoroughly reviewed. The performance efficiencies of DSSCs and QDSSCs resulting from TMS-based CEs are subjected to in-depth comparative analysis with Pt-based CEs. Thus, the power conversion efficiency (PCE), fill factor (FF), short circuit current density (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) are investigated. Based on this review, the PCEs for DSSCs and QDSSCs are found to range from 5.37 to 9.80% (I-/I3- redox couple electrolyte) and 1.62 to 6.70% (S-2/Sx- electrolyte). This review seeks to navigate the future direction of TMS-based CEs towards the performance efficiency improvement of DSSCs and QDSSCs in the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.

Designing Multifunctional Co and Fe Co-Doped MoS2 Nanocube Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells, Perovskite Solar Cells, and a Supercapacitor

In the present study, three types of specific solid, core-shell, and hollow structured cobalt and iron co-doped MoS2 nanocubes (denoted as s-Co-Fe-MoS x , c-Co-Fe-MoS x , and h-Co-Fe-MoS x ) are controllably synthesized for the first time by regulating the reactant mass ratios. The prepared Co-Fe-MoS x nanocubes can function as a counter electrode in dye-sensitized and perovskite solar cells (DSCs and PSCs) and a working electrode in a supercapacitor. In the DSC system, the c-Co-Fe-MoS x nanocubes exhibit the maximum catalytic activity to the Co3+/2+ redox couple regeneration, and the device achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.69%, significantly higher than the devices using s-Co-Fe-MoS x (6.61%) and h-Co-Fe-MoS x (7.63%) counter electrodes. Similarly, all of the prepared Co-Fe-MoS x nanocubes show decent activity in PSCs and the device using the c-Co-Fe-MoS x counter electrode achieves the highest PCE of 6.88%. It is worth noting that, as the supercapacitor working electrode, the h-Co-Fe-MoS x exhibits a specific capacitance of 85.4 F g-1, significantly higher than the parallel values achieved by the s-Co-Fe-MoS x and c-Co-Fe-MoS x electrodes under identical conditions.

Progress of electrospray and electrospinning in energy applications

In the promotion of energy strategies to address the global energy crisis, nanotechnology has been successfully used to generate novel energy materials with excellent characteristics, such as high specific surface area, good flexibility and large porosity. Among the various methods for fabricating nanoscale materials, electrospray and electrospinning technologies have unlocked low-cost, facile and industrial routes to nanotechnology over the past ten years. This review highlights research into the key parts and primary theory of these techniques and their application in preparing energy-related materials and devices: especially fuel cells, solar cells, lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors as well as hydrogen storage systems. The challenges and future prospects of the manufacturing technologies are also covered in this paper.

Surface sulfurization activating hematite nanorods for efficient photoelectrochemical water splitting

Surface treatment is an effective method to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance of photoelectrodes. Herein, we introduced a novel strategy of surface sulfurization to modify hematite (α-Fe₂O₃) nanorods grown in an aqueous solution, which triggered encouraging improvement in PEC performances. In comparison to the solution-grown pristine α-Fe₂O₃ nanorod photoanode that is PEC inefficient and always needs high temperature (>600 °C) activation, the surface sulfurized α-Fe₂O₃ nanorods show photocurrent density increased by orders of magnitude, reaching 0.46 mA cm^-2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode) under simulated solar illumination. This improvement in PEC performances should be attributed to the synergy of the increased carrier density, the reduced surface charge carrier recombination and the accelerated water oxidation kinetics at the α-Fe₂O₃/electrolyte interface, as induced by the incorporation of S ions and the formation of multi-state S species (Fe-S_x-O_y) at the surface of α-Fe₂O₃ nanorods. This study paves a new and facile approach to activate α-Fe₂O₃ and even other metal oxides as photoelectrodes for improved PEC water splitting performances, by engineering the surface structure to relieve the bottlenecks of charge transfer dynamics and redox reaction kinetics at the electrode/electrolyte interface.

Pt-free, low-cost and efficient counter electrode with carbon wrapped VO2(M) nanofiber for dye-sensitized solar cells

The present study reports the use of one-dimensional carbon wrapped VO₂(M) nanofiber (VO₂(M)/C) as a cost-effective counter electrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs); where M denotes monoclinic crystal system. Uniform short length nanofiber was synthesised by a sol-gel based simple and versatile electrospinning and post carbonization technique. The investigation of nanostructure and morphological analysis were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) with EDAX. The electrochemical response was comprehensively characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization. The electrochemical analysis of the VO₂(M)/C nanofiber counter electrode exhibits significant electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of triiodide and low charge transfer resistance at the electrode-electrolyte interface. The DSSCs fabricated with carbon-wrapped VO₂(M) nanofiber CE showed high power conversion efficiency of 6.53% under standard test condition of simulated 1SUN illumination at AM1.5 G, which was comparable to the 7.39% observed for conventional thermally decomposed Pt CE based DSSC under same test conditions. This result encourages the next step of modification and use of low-cost VO₂(M) as an alternate counter electrode for DSSCs to achieve a substantial efficiency for future energy demand.

Element substitution of kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4 for efficient counter electrode of dye-sensitized solar cells

Development of cost-effective counter electrode (CE) materials is a key issue for practical applications of photoelectrochemical solar energy conversion. Kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) has been recognized as a potential CE material, but its electrocatalytic activity is still insufficient for the recovery of I^-/I₃^- electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Herein, we attempt to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of kesterite CZTS through element substitution of Zn²⁺ by Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺ cations, considering their high catalytic activity, as well as their similar atomic radius and electron configuration with Zn²⁺. The Cu₂CoSnS₄ (CCTS) and Cu₂NiSnS₄ (CNTS) CEs exhibit smaller charge-transfer resistance and reasonable power conversion efficiency (PCE) (CCTS, 8.3%; CNTS, 8.2%), comparable to that of Pt (8.3%). In contrast, the CZTS-based DSSCs only generate a PCE of 7.9%. Density functional theory calculation indicate that the enhanced catalytic performance is associated to the adsorption and desorption energy of iodine atom on the Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺. In addition, the stability of CCTS and CNTS CEs toward electrolyte is also significantly improved as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy characterizations. These results thus suggest the effectiveness of the element substitution strategy for developing high-performance CE from the developed materials, particularly for multicomponent compounds.

Synthesis of a superparamagnetic ultrathin FeCO3 nanorods–enzyme bionanohybrid as a novel heterogeneous catalyst

A novel superparamagnetic ultrathin FeCO₃ nanorods–enzyme bionanohybrid heterogeneous catalyst has been developed.

Mesoporous NiCo2O4 networks with enhanced performance as counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

The performance of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is strongly influenced by the catalytic performance of its counter electrode (CE) materials. Platinum (Pt) is conventionally used as the CE for DSSCs, but it is precious and is readily corroded by the iodide/triiodide electrolyte. Herein, mesoporous NiCo₂O₄ networks with different types of building blocks were prepared by electrospinning of a composite solution followed by annealing in air, and their performances as CEs in DSSCs were investigated. The honeycomb-like NiCo₂O₄ exhibited better performance than the nanotube ones, showing a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 7.09% which is higher than that of a standard Pt CE (7.05%) under the same conditions. The enhanced electrode performance was attributed to the relatively larger surface area and higher conductivity. The preparation methods demonstrated in this study are scalable and would pave the way for practical applications of Pt-free DSSCs.