Search

Supercapacitors (SCs) are considered one of the front-runner energy storage devices for future electronic and automobile device applications. Even though their high-power densities, fast charge/discharge, and long cycling stabilities make them promising for future applications, their charge-discharge takes place below 1 Hz, a major issue for using them as capacitors for line filtering applications. Therefore, developing ultrafast electrochemical supercapacitors with alternating current (AC) line filtering functions has gained research attention to replace conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AEC). Most available SCs possess resistive features rather than capacitive at 120 Hz because of the electrode geometry and configurations, which is a bottleneck in the research of line-filtering SCs. Addressing this challenge could be possible by developing novel electrode materials using hybrid nanostructures to meet the critical requirements for line filtering functions. This mini-review focuses on the advancement and challenges of carbon nanostructure-based electrode materials for AC line filtering applications and the future directions of this growing research area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the effect of the calcination atmosphere and visible-light contribution to an accelerated reaction rate and improved H2 selectivity over 2 wt% Ni/CeO2−x nanorod catalysts. Spectroscopic and structural characterization was performed by operando DRIFTS, in situ Raman, UV-vis and XAS techniques, which were complemented by DFT calculations. Calcination in an argon or H2 atmosphere yields 15% more active catalysts in the thermally driven reaction, which are also more susceptible to light-induced rate acceleration compared to the catalyst calcined in air. The most active 2Ni/CeO2 catalyst calcined in hydrogen converts methane with a rate of 7.5 mmol (gcat min)−1 and produces a H2/CO ratio of 0.6 at 460 °C when stimulated by a combination of visible light and thermal energy. In the absence of visible light illumination and at an identical catalyst temperature, the achieved methane rate was 4.2 mmol (gcat min)−1 and the H2/CO ratio was 0.49. The non-oxidative calcination improves nickel dispersion and the formation of subnanometer sized Ni clusters, together with a higher abundance of surface and bulk oxygen vacancies in ceria nanorods. The Ni–Ov–Ce3+components constitute the catalytically active sites under visible light illumination, which enable the DRM reaction to proceed with an Ea value of 20 kJ mol−1. Visible light also induces the following changes in the 2Ni/CeO2−x catalyst during the DRM reaction: (1) decomposition and desorption of carbonates from the nickel–ceria interface sites, (2) reduced population of nickel surface with carbonyl species and (3) promoted adsorption and dissociation of methane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of a blend containing a crystallizable component depend largely on the extent of crystallinity and the crystallization behavior of that component in presence of the other. Here, the semi crystalline high density polyethylene (HDPE) is blended with the amorphous elastomer, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (nitrile rubber or NBR) and we focus mainly on the crystallinity of HDPE/NBR immiscible blends and its variation in the presence of compatibilizer and filler. The effect of blend ratio, compatibilizer concentration, dynamic vulcanization, and filler incorporation were carefully evaluated from the crystallinity measurements using differential scanning calorimeter and the basic aim of this work lies in tuning these conditions. This study allows the elucidation of the influence of crosslink density in regulating the crystallinity of thermoplastic elastomer blends. The scanning electron micrographs provide blend morphology from which the reduced domain size and the influence of NBR particles as heterogeneous nuclei for crystallization are evidenced especially at 5% compatibilizer concentration. The crystallinity of blends was observed to be high at 30 phr carbon black filler addition. Finally, the thermal stability of blends and their composites are also addressed and correlated with the crystallization effect., INTRODUCTION Polymeric products are inevitable materials for our daily life as well as for the industries. Most of the polymeric products are usually manufactured by molding or extrusion technique [1]. [...]