Move over lithium-ion: Zinc-air batteries a cheaper and safer alternative

Science Daily  August 21, 2023 An international team of researchers (Australia, Saudi Arabia) has developed a nanocomposite based on ternary CoNiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDH) and cobalt coordinated and N-doped porous carbon (Co-N-C) network, obtained by the in-situ growth of LDH over the surface of ZIF-67-derived 3D porous network. Co-N-C network contributes to the oxygen reduction reaction activity, while CoNiFe-LDH imparts to the oxygen evolution reaction activity. The rich active sites and enhanced electronic and mass transport properties stemmed from their unique architecture, culminated into outstanding bi-functional catalytic activity towards oxygen evolution/reduction in alkaline media. In ZABs, it displays a high […]

Paper-thin solar cell can turn any surface into a power source (w/video)

Nanowerk  December 10, 2022 To date, demonstrations of ultra-thin photovoltaics have been limited to small-scale devices, often prepared on glass carrier substrates with only a few layers solution-processed. Researchers at MIT have demonstrated large-area, ultra-thin organic photovoltaic (PV) modules produced with scalable solution-based printing processes for all layers. They were transferred onto lightweight and high-strength composite fabrics, resulting in durable fabric-PV systems ∼50 microns thin, weighing under 1 gram over the module are, and having a specific power of 370 W kg−1. Integration of the ultra-thin modules onto composite fabrics lends mechanical resilience to allow the fabric-PV systems to maintain […]

Rechargeable cement-based batteries

Science Daily  May 18, 2021 Researchers in Sweden have developed a rechargeable cement-based battery using iron and zinc as anodes, and nickel-based oxides as cathodes. The conductivity of cement-based electrolytes was modified by adding short carbon fibers. The electrodes were produced by two methods: powder-mixing and metal-coating. Different combinations of cells were tested. The results showed that the best performance of the rechargeable battery was the Ni–Fe battery, produced by the metal-coating method. The battery has an average energy density of 7 Wh/m2 (or 0.8 Wh/L) during six charge/discharge cycles. Their battery could be more than ten times that of […]