A novel, high-capacity oil sorbent consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/polystyrene (PS) fiber was prepared by an electrospinning process. The sorption capacity, oil/water selectivity, and sorption ...mechanism of the PVC/PS sorbent were studied. The results showed that the sorption capacities of the PVC/PS sorbent for motor oil, peanut oil, diesel, and ethylene glycol were 146, 119, 38, and 81 g/g, respectively. It was about 5-9 times that of a commercial polypropylene (PP) sorbent. The PVC/PS sorbent also had excellent oil/water selectivity (about 1000 times) and high buoyancy in the cleanup of oil over water. The SEM analysis indicated that voids among fibers were the key for the high capacity. The electrospun PVC/PS sorbent is a better alternative to the widely used PP sorbent for oil spill cleanup.
In this article, carbon black nanofluids were prepared by dispersing the pretreated carbon black powder into distilled water. The size and morphology of the nanoparticles were explored. The ...photothermal properties, optical properties, rheological behaviors, and thermal conductivities of the nanofluids were also investigated. The results showed that the nanofluids of high-volume fraction had better photothermal properties. Both carbon black powder and nanofluids had good absorption in the whole wavelength ranging from 200 to 2,500 nm. The nanofluids exhibited a shear thinning behavior. The shear viscosity increased with the increasing volume fraction and decreased with the increasing temperature at the same shear rate. The thermal conductivity of carbon black nanofluids increased with the increase of volume fraction and temperature. Carbon black nanofluids had good absorption ability of solar energy and can effectively enhance the solar absorption efficiency.
Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have received significant attention in large-scale energy storage due to their low cost and abundant resources. To obtain high-performance SIBs, many intensive studies ...about electrode materials have been carried out, especially the cathode material. As various types of cathode material for SIBs, a 3D open framework structural Na3V2(PO4)2F3 (NVPF) with Na superionic conductor (NASICON) structure is a promising cathode material owing to its high operating potential and high energy density. However, its electrochemical properties are severely limited by the poor electronic conductivity due to the insulated PO4 tetrahedral unit. In this review, the challenges and strategies for NVPF are presented, and the synthetic strategy for NVPF is also analyzed in detail. Furthermore, recent developments of modification research to enhance their electrochemical performance are discussed, including designing the crystal structure, adjusting the electrode structure, and optimizing the electrolyte components. Finally, further research and application for future development of NVPF are prospected.
The synthetic strategies, modification, and the effect of the electrolyte components of the NVPF as the cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries are discussed and summarized in detail.
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•The sorbent was prepared by surface modification of polyurethane sponge.•It has oil sorption capacity of more than 100gg−1 with negligible water pick-up.•More than 70% sorption ...capacity remained after 15 cycles.•The sorbent is available in large scale and can be produced at low cost.
A sorbent for oil spill cleanup was prepared through a novel strategy by treating polyurethane sponges with silica sol and gasoline successively. The oil sorption capacity, oil/water selectivity, reusability and sorption mechanism of prepared sorbent were studied. The results showed that the prepared sorbent exhibited high sorption capacity and excellent oil/water selectivity. 1g of the prepared sorbent could adsorb more than 100g of motor oil, while it only picks up less than 0.1g of water from an oil–water interface under both static and dynamic conditions. More than 70% of the sorption capacity remained after 15 successive sorption–squeezing cycles, which suggests an extraordinary high reusability. The prepared sorbent is a better alternative of the commercial polypropylene sorbent which are being used nowadays.
CuS hollow spheres were quickly synthesized under mild conditions with spherical aggregates of Cu(2)O nanoparticles as sacrificial templates. The mechanism involved in the synthesis process has been ...studied using transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectra. The results show that the formation of loose aggregates of Cu(2)O nanoparticles is the key to the fast synthesis of hollow spheres at low temperature. The thickness of the shell can be controlled easily by adjusting the aggregation degree of the Cu(2)O nanoparticles.
The performance of Li batteries is influenced by the Li+ solvation structure, which can be precisely adjusted by the components of the electrolytes. In this review, we overview the strategies for ...optimizing electrolyte solvation structures from three different perspectives, including anion regulation, binding energy regulation, and additive regulation. These strategies can optimize the composition of the electrode‐electrolyte interface, enhance the anti‐oxidative stability of electrolytes as well as regulate the behaviors of anions, solvents, and Li+ during the cycling process. Moreover, we also provide our insights into these aspects as well as present perspectives on high‐performance Li batteries.
In this review, we discuss about the structural regulation chemistry of lithium ion solvation for lithium batteries, from the strategies for optimizing electrolyte solvation structures to perspectives on high‐performance Li batteries.
In this article, a wet chemical method was developed to prepare stable CuO nanofluids. The influences of synthesis parameters, such as kinds and amounts of copper salts, reaction time, were studied. ...The thermal conductivities of CuO nanofluids were also investigated. The results showed that different copper salts resulted in different particle morphology. The concentration of copper acetate and reaction time affected the size and shape of clusters of primary nanoparticles. Nanofluids with different microstructures could be obtained by changing the synthesis parameters. The thermal conductivities of CuO nanofluids increased with the increase of particle loading.
We synthesize the porous sulfur-doped porous hard carbon by templated method, which exhibits a long cycling life with ∼191 mAh/g after 300 cycles at 1 A/g, and an excellent rate capability with ∼100 ...mAh/g at 5 A/g for potassium storage.
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Hard carbon is promising anode for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), however, the poor rate capability hinders its development as potential anode. To address this question, we design a sulfur-doped porous hard carbon (S-HC) for PIBs through the combination of structural design and composition adjustment. The as-designed S-HC exhibits a long cycling life with ∼191 mA h/g after 300 cycles at 1 A/g, and an excellent rate capability with ∼100 mA h/g at 5 A/g, which was attributed to its structural characteristics and compositions. The S-HC demonstrates to be promising anode in the future.
The performance of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) is determined by many factors from the bulk electrolyte to the electrode‐electrolyte interphases, which are crucially affected by electrolyte ...additives. Herein, the authors develop the heptafluorobutyrylimidazole (HFBMZ) as a hexa‐functional additive to inhibit the dendrite growth on the surface of lithium (Li) anode, and then improve the cycling performance and rate capabilities of Li||LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 (NCM622). The HFBMZ can remove the trace H2O and HF from the electrolyte, reducing the by‐products on the surface of solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and inhibiting the dissolution of metal ions from NCM622. Also, the HFBMZ can enhance the wettability of the separator to promote uniform Li deposition. HFBMZ can make Li+ easy to be desolvated, resulting in the increase of Li+ flux on Li anode surface. Moreover, the HFBMZ can optimize the composition and structure of SEI. Therefore, the Li||Li symmetrical cells with 1 wt% HFBMZ‐contained electrolyte can achieve stable cycling for more than 1200 h at 0.5 mA cm–2. In addition, the capacity retention rate of the Li||NCM622 can reach 92% after 150 cycles at 100 mA g–1.
Heptafluorobutyrylimidazole (HFBMZ) can be used as a hexa‐functional additive to remove trace H2O and HF from electrolyte, enhance the wettability of separator, make Li+ desolvated easily, and obtain stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) and CEI to improve the performance of lithium metal battery.
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► CNTs glycol nanofluid, prepared by supersonic dispersing after oxidation treatment with HNO3, had strong absorption for sunlight. ► Enhancement of photo-thermal conversion was 18% ...for 0.5wt% nanofluid at 25°C. ► Nanofluids with 4.0wt% CNTs exhibited lower viscosity and 25.4% higher thermal conductivity at 55°C compared to that of pure glycol at 25°C.
The efficiency and effectiveness of solar energy capture and storage are to a large extent functions of the heat transfer and storage capacity of the medium used. This paper investigates the potential of using carbon nanotube (CNT)-glycol nanosuspension as such a medium, prepared by freeze drying-ultrasonic dispersing after oxidation treatment with HNO3. The influences of the mass fraction of CNTs glycol nanofluids and temperatures on photo-thermal properties, thermal conductivities and rheological behavior were investigated. The results show that CNTs with oxidation treatment exhibited good dispersing performance. Strong optical absorption of the CNTs glycol nanofluids was detected in the range of 200–2500nm. At room temperature, 18% enhancement was found in the photo-thermal conversion efficiency of the 0.5% mass fraction CNTs glycol nanofluids in comparison to the basic fluids, without significant increase in viscosity. At 55°C, CNTs glycol nanofluids with 4.0% mass fraction exhibited much lower viscosity and 25.4% higher thermal conductivity in comparison to that of pure glycol at room temperature.
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