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Adv Energy Mater 2020 Oct 12;10(38). Epub 2020 Aug 12.

Materials Science and Engineering Program & Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.

Energy-dense rechargeable batteries have enabled a multitude of applications in recent years. Moving forward, they are expected to see increasing deployment in performance-critical areas such as electric vehicles, grid storage, space, defense, and subsea operations. While this at first glance spells great promise for conventional lithium-ion batteries, all of these use-cases, unfortunately, share periodic and recurring exposures to extremely low-temperature conditions, a performance constraint where the lithium-ion chemistry can fail to perform optimally. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2020 ;10(8)

Department of Chemistry and Centre for Plastic Electronics, Imperial College London, London, W12 0BZ, United Kingdom; Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, KAUST Solar Center (KSC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KSC Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.

The temperature dependent aggregation behavior of PffBT4T polymers used in organic solar cells plays a critical role in the formation of a favorable morphology in fullerene-based devices. However, there has been little investigation into the impact of donor/acceptor ratio on morphology tuning, especially for non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs). Herein, the influence of composition on morphology is reported for blends of PffBT4T-2DT with two NFAs, O-IDTBR and O-IDFBR. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2019 Feb;9(6)

Materials Science and Engineering Program & Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.

There is a critical need to evaluate lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with practically relevant high sulfur loadings and minimal electrolyte. Under such conditions, the concentration of soluble polysulfide intermediates in the electrolyte drastically increases, which can alter the fundamental nature of the solution-mediated discharge and thereby the total sulfur utilization. In this work, we present an investigation into various high donor number (DN) electrolytes that allow for increased polysulfide dissolution, and demonstrate how this property may in fact be necessary for increasing sulfur utilization at low electrolyte and high loading conditions. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2017 Sep 9;7(17). Epub 2017 May 9.

Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.

Nearly all implantable bioelectronics are powered by bulky batteries which limit device miniaturization and lifespan. Moreover, batteries contain toxic materials and electrolytes that can be dangerous if leakage occurs. Herein, an approach to fabricate implantable protein-based bioelectrochemical capacitors (bECs) employing new nanocomposite heterostructures in which 2D reduced graphene oxide sheets are interlayered with chemically modified mammalian proteins, while utilizing biological fluids as electrolytes is described. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2016 02 7;6(4):1501489. Epub 2015 Dec 7.

Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) Electrochemistry I Helmholtzstr. 11 89081 Ulm Germany; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) P.O. Box 3640 76021 Karlsruhe Germany.

The synthesis of in situ polymer-functionalized anatase TiO particles using an anchoring block copolymer with hydroxamate as coordinating species is reported, which yields nanoparticles (≈11 nm) in multigram scale. Thermal annealing converts the polymer brushes into a uniform and homogeneous carbon coating as proven by high resolution transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The strong impact of particle size as well as carbon coating on the electrochemical performance of anatase TiO is demonstrated. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2016 02 30;6(3):1501555. Epub 2015 Nov 30.

Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU) Helmholtzstrasse 11 89081 Ulm Germany; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) P.O. Box 3640 76021 Karlsruhe Germany.

Herein, the synthesis of new quaternary layered Na-based oxides of the type Na Mn Ni FeMgO (0.67≤ ≤ 1.0; 0. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2015 04 22;5(7):1401082. Epub 2014 Dec 22.

Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich 8092, Zürich, Switzerland; Solar Technology Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institute 5232, Villigen, Switzerland.

The performance of metal oxides as redox materials is limited by their oxygen conductivity and thermochemical stability. Predicting these properties from the electronic structure can support the screening of advanced metal oxides and accelerate their development for clean energy applications. Specifically, reducible metal oxide catalysts and potential redox materials for the solar-thermochemical splitting of CO and HO via an isothermal redox cycle are examined. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2015 Jan 16;5(2):1-6. Epub 2014 Sep 16.

Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road Cambridge, CB2 1QW, UK.

Biophotovoltaics has emerged as a promising technology for generating renewable energy because it relies on living organisms as inexpensive, self-repairing, and readily available catalysts to produce electricity from an abundant resource: sunlight. The efficiency of biophotovoltaic cells, however, has remained significantly lower than that achievable through synthetic materials. Here, a platform is devised to harness the large power densities afforded by miniaturized geometries. Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2014 Jul 24;4(10):1-9. Epub 2014 Mar 24.

Institute of Physical Chemistry &, MEET Battery Research Center University of Muenster Corrensstrasse 28/30 & 46, 48149, Münster, Germany ; Helmholtz Institute Ulm Albert Einstein Allee 11, 89097, Ulm, Germany.

An innovative and environmentally friendly battery chemistry is proposed for high power applications. A carbon-coated ZnFeO nanoparticle-based anode and a LiFePO-multiwalled carbon nanotube-based cathode, both aqueous processed with Na-carboxymethyl cellulose, are combined, for the first time, in a Li-ion full cell with exceptional electrochemical performance. Such novel battery shows remarkable rate capabilities, delivering 50% of its nominal capacity at currents corresponding to ≈20C (with respect to the limiting cathode). Read More

Adv Energy Mater 2014 Jun 21;4(8):1301544. Epub 2014 Feb 21.

Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, 27 Charles Babbage Road, University of Cambridge Cambridge, CB3 0FS, UK ; Department of Physics, JJ Thomson Avenue, University of Cambridge Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK.

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs) are attracting growing attention owing to significant improvements in efficiency. However, even the best depleted-heterojunction CQDSCs currently display open-circuit voltages (s) at least 0.5 V below the voltage corresponding to the bandgap. Read More