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Nanomaterials
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Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of...
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Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "2D and Carbon Nanomaterials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (21 July 2023) | Viewed by 16574

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Glaydson Simoes dos Reis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Biomass Technology Centre, SE-901 83 Umeå, Sweden
Interests: batteries; supercapacitors; biomass residues; lithium-ion batteries
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chandrasekar M. Subramaniyam

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Boadilla del Monte, 28668 Madrid, Spain
Interests: nanomaterials; alkali-metal-ion batteries; mixed-anions chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction of next-generation technological processes is impossible without using an improved material base, so nanostructured and functional materials are of particular importance. The prospects for their application are very diverse, mainly due to their different physicochemical characteristics, such as a huge specific surface area and well-developed porosity, chemical stability, and surface functionalities that make them very suitable for application in areas, such as energy (electrodes for supercapacitors and batteries) and environmental application (water decontamination), but not limited to these.

The Special Issue ‘Nanostructured and Functional Materials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants’ will collect high-quality original research articles, communications, mini/reviews, and perspectives focusing on all aspects of fundamental science and applied research on materials used for energy storage, including supercapacitors and batteries, as well as for water decontamination, including adsorption and photocatalysis.

The goal of this Special Issue is to highlight new research and developments in all aspects of the synthesis, processing, characterization, and performance of functional energy and environmental materials.

The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • Carbon materials syntheses;
  • Inorganic materials syntheses;
  • Composite and hybrid syntheses;
  • Controlled synthesis and chemical modification of functional materials;
  • Fabrication of electrodes for Batteries and supercapacitors;
  • Advanced characterization and in situ measurement of functional materials;
  • Nanostructures for energy applications;
  • Nanostructures for environmental applications;
  • Nanostructured adsorbents;
  • Nanostructured photocatalysts.

Dr. Glaydson Simoes dos Reis
Guest Editor

Dr. Chandrasekar M. Subramaniyam
Assistant Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • synthesis and fabrication processes
  • carbon materials
  • inorganic materials
  • composite and hybrid materials
  • electrode materials
  • supercapacitors
  • batteries
  • water treatment
  • adsorption
  • photocatalysis

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 210 KiB  
Editorial
Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants
by Glaydson Simões dos Reis and Chandrasekar M. Subramaniyam
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(19), 2631; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13192631 - 24 Sep 2023
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Nanomaterials have a long history, and people have utilized them unknowingly [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

17 pages, 3661 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Properties of Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Biochar: Efficient Removal of Reactive Orange 16 Dye and Colorful Effluents
by Simon Ekman, Glaydson Simoes dos Reis, Ewen Laisné, Julie Thivet, Alejandro Grimm, Eder Claudio Lima, Mu. Naushad and Guilherme Luiz Dotto
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(14), 2045; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13142045 - 11 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1211
Abstract
In this work, nitrogen-doped porous biochars were synthesized from spruce bark waste using a facile single-step synthesis process, with H3PO4 as the chemical activator. The effect of nitrogen doping on the carbon material’s physicochemical properties and adsorption ability to adsorb [...] Read more.
In this work, nitrogen-doped porous biochars were synthesized from spruce bark waste using a facile single-step synthesis process, with H3PO4 as the chemical activator. The effect of nitrogen doping on the carbon material’s physicochemical properties and adsorption ability to adsorb the Reactive Orange 16 dye and treat synthetic effluents containing dyes were evaluated. N doping did not cause an important impact on the specific surface area values, but it did cause an increase in the microporosity (from 19% to 54% of micropores). The effect of the pH showed that the RO-16 reached its highest removal level in acidic conditions. The kinetic and equilibrium data were best fitted by the Elovich and Redlich–Peterson models, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the non-doped and doped carbon materials were 100.6 and 173.9 mg g−1, respectively. Since the biochars are highly porous, pore filling was the main adsorption mechanism, but other mechanisms such as electrostatic, hydrogen bond, Lewis acid-base, and π-π between mechanisms were also involved in the removal of RO-16 using SB-N-Biochar. The adsorbent biochar materials were used to treat synthetic wastewater containing dyes and other compounds and removal efficiencies of up to 66% were obtained. The regeneration tests have demonstrated that the nitrogen-doped biochar could be recycled and reused easily, maintaining very good adsorption performance even after five cycles. This work has demonstrated that N-doped biochar is easy to prepare and can be employed as an efficient adsorbent for dye removal, helping to open up new solutions for developing sustainable and effective adsorption processes to tackle water contamination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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21 pages, 6619 KiB  
Article
Reduced Graphene Oxide/Waste-Derived TiO2 Composite Membranes: Preliminary Study of a New Material for Hybrid Wastewater Treatment
by Andrea Basso Peressut, Cinzia Cristiani, Giovanni Dotelli, Anna Dotti, Saverio Latorrata, Ana Bahamonde, Antonio Gascó, Daphne Hermosilla and Riccardo Balzarotti
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(6), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13061043 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2091
Abstract
This work reports the preliminary results of the development of composite self-assembling membranes obtained by the combination of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with commercial Degussa P25 titanium dioxide (TiO2). The purpose is to demonstrate the possibility of combining, in the same [...] Read more.
This work reports the preliminary results of the development of composite self-assembling membranes obtained by the combination of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with commercial Degussa P25 titanium dioxide (TiO2). The purpose is to demonstrate the possibility of combining, in the same self-standing material, the capability to treat wastewater containing both inorganic and organic pollutants by exploiting the established ability of rGO to capture metal ions together with that of TiO2 to degrade organic substances. Moreover, this study also investigates the potential photocatalytic properties of tionite (TIO), to demonstrate the feasibility of replacing commercial TiO2 with such waste-derived TiO2-containing material, fulfilling a circular economy approach. Thus, rGO–TiO2 and rGO–TIO composite membranes, 1:1 by weight, were prepared and characterized by SEM-EDX, XRD, thermogravimetry, as well as by Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopies to verify the effective and homogeneous integration of the two components. Then, they were tested towards 3-mg L−1 aqueous synthetic solutions of Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions to evaluate their metal adsorption ability, with values of the order of 0.1–0.2 mmol gmembrane−1, comparable or even slightly higher than those of pristine rGO. Finally, the ability of the composites to degrade a common organic pesticide, i.e., Imidacloprid®, was assessed in preliminary photocatalysis experiments, in which maximum degradation efficiencies of 25% (after 3 h) for rGO–TiO2 and of 21% (after 1 h) for rGO–TIO were found. The result of tionite-containing membranes is particularly promising and worthy of further investigation, given that the anatase content of tionite is roughly 1/6 of the one in commercial TiO2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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23 pages, 6812 KiB  
Article
Application of Surface-Modified Nanoclay in a Hybrid Adsorption-Ultrafiltration Process for Enhanced Nitrite Ions Removal: Chemometric Approach vs. Machine Learning
by Corneliu Cojocaru, Petronela Pascariu, Andra-Cristina Enache, Alexandra Bargan and Petrisor Samoila
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(4), 697; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13040697 - 10 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1430
Abstract
Herein, we report the results of a study on combining adsorption and ultrafiltration in a single-stage process to remove nitrite ions from contaminated water. As adsorbent, a surface-modified nanoclay was employed (i.e., Nanomer® I.28E, containing 25–30 wt. % trimethyl stearyl ammonium). Ultrafiltration [...] Read more.
Herein, we report the results of a study on combining adsorption and ultrafiltration in a single-stage process to remove nitrite ions from contaminated water. As adsorbent, a surface-modified nanoclay was employed (i.e., Nanomer® I.28E, containing 25–30 wt. % trimethyl stearyl ammonium). Ultrafiltration experiments were conducted using porous polymeric membranes (Ultracel® 10 kDa). The hybrid process of adsorption-ultrafiltration was modeled and optimized using three computational tools: (1) response surface methodology (RSM), (2) artificial neural network (ANN), and (3) support vector machine (SVM). The optimal conditions provided by machine learning (SVM) were found to be the best, revealing a rejection efficiency of 86.3% and an initial flux of permeate of 185 LMH for a moderate dose of the nanoclay (0.674% w/v). Likewise, a new and more retentive membrane (based on PVDF-HFP copolymer and halloysite (HS) inorganic nanotubes) was produced by the phase-inversion method, characterized by SEM, EDX, AFM, and FTIR techniques, and then tested under optimal conditions. This new composite membrane (PVDF-HFP/HS) with a thickness of 112 μm and a porosity of 75.32% unveiled an enhanced rejection efficiency (95.0%) and a lower initial flux of permeate (28 LMH). Moreover, molecular docking simulations disclosed the intermolecular interactions between nitrite ions and the functional moiety of the organonanoclay. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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19 pages, 6903 KiB  
Article
Fine Particle Adsorption Capacity of Volcanic Soil from Southern Kyushu, Japan
by Naoaki Misawa, Kentaro Yasui, Kentaro Sakai, Taichi Kobayashi, Hideki Nagahama, Tomohiro Haraguchi, Satomi Sasaki, Vetchapitak Torrung, Taradon Luangtongkum, Takako Taniguchi, Kentaro Yamada, Makoto Minamimagari, Toshihiro Usami and Hiroyuki Kinoshita
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030568 - 30 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2018
Abstract
“Akahoya” is a volcanic soil classified as a special soil deposited in Kyushu, Japan. Many of its properties are not yet clearly understood. We found that Akahoya had the potential to adsorb bacteria in cattle feces, which prompted us to investigate its material [...] Read more.
“Akahoya” is a volcanic soil classified as a special soil deposited in Kyushu, Japan. Many of its properties are not yet clearly understood. We found that Akahoya had the potential to adsorb bacteria in cattle feces, which prompted us to investigate its material properties and perform experiments to comprehensively evaluate its adsorption performance for various fine particles such as acidic and basic dyes, NOx/SOx gas, and phosphoric acid ions, in addition to bacteria. Akahoya had a very high specific surface area owing to the large number of nanometer-sized pores in its structure; it exhibited a high adsorption capacity for both NO2 and SO2. Regarding the zeta potential of Akahoya, the point of zero charge was approximately pH 7.0. The surface potential had a significant effect on the adsorption of acidic and basic dyes. Akahoya had a very high cation exchange capacity when the sample surface was negatively charged and a high anion exchange capacity when the sample surface was positively charged. Akahoya also exhibited a relatively high adsorption capacity for phosphoric acid because of its high level of Al2O3, and the immersion liquid had a very high Al ion concentration. Finally, filtration tests were performed on Escherichia coli suspension using a column filled with Akahoya or another volcanic soil sample. The results confirmed that the Escherichia coli adhered on the Akahoya sample. The results of the Escherichia coli release test, after the filtration test, suggested that this adhesion to Akahoya could be phosphorus-mediated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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10 pages, 3318 KiB  
Article
One–Step Synthesis of Three–Dimensional Na3V2(PO4)3/Carbon Frameworks as Promising Sodium–Ion Battery Cathode
by Lijiang Zhao, Xinghua Liu, Jinsong Li, Xungang Diao and Junying Zhang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030446 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1578
Abstract
Sodium–ion batteries (SIBs) are essential for large–scale energy storage attributed to the high abundance of sodium. Polyanion Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) is a dominant cathode candidate for SIBs because of its high-voltage and sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) framework. [...] Read more.
Sodium–ion batteries (SIBs) are essential for large–scale energy storage attributed to the high abundance of sodium. Polyanion Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) is a dominant cathode candidate for SIBs because of its high-voltage and sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) framework. However, the electrochemical performance of NVP is hindered by the inherently poor electronic conductivity, especially for extreme fast charging and long-duration cycling. Herein, we develop a facile one-step in-situ polycondensation method to synthesize the three-dimensional (3D) Na3V2(PO4)3/holey-carbon frameworks (NVP@C) by using melamine as carbon source. In this architecture, NVP crystals intergrown with the 3D holey-carbon frameworks provide rapid transport pathways for ion/electron transmission to increase the ultrahigh rate ability and cycle capability. Consequently, the NVP@C cathode possesses a high reversible capacity of 113.9 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 and delivers an outstanding high–rate capability of 75.3 mAh g−1 at 6000 mA g−1. Moreover, it shows that the NVP@C cathode is able to display a volumetric energy density of 54 Wh L−1 at 6000 mA g−1 (31 Wh L−1 for NVP bulk), as well as excellent cycling performance of 65.4 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles at 2000 mA g−1. Furthermore, the NVP@C exhibits remarkable reversible capabilities of 81.9 mAh g−1 at a current density of 100 mA g−1 and 60.2 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1 even at a low temperature of −15 °C. The structure of porous carbon frameworks combined with single crystal materials by in-situ polycondensation offers general guidelines for the design of sodium, lithium and potassium energy storage materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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20 pages, 4191 KiB  
Article
Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue and Ciprofloxacin from Aqueous Solution Using Flower-like, Nanostructured ZnO Coating under UV Irradiation
by Vasile Tiron, Mihai Alexandru Ciolan, Georgiana Bulai, Gabriela Mihalache, Florin Daniel Lipsa and Roxana Jijie
Nanomaterials 2022, 12(13), 2193; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12132193 - 26 Jun 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1976
Abstract
Flower-like ZnO architectures assembled with many nanorods were successfully synthesized through Thermionic Vacuum Arc, operated both in direct current (DC-TVA) and a pulsed mode (PTVA), and coupled with annealing in an oxygen atmosphere. The prepared coatings were analysed by scanning-electron microscopy with energy-dispersive [...] Read more.
Flower-like ZnO architectures assembled with many nanorods were successfully synthesized through Thermionic Vacuum Arc, operated both in direct current (DC-TVA) and a pulsed mode (PTVA), and coupled with annealing in an oxygen atmosphere. The prepared coatings were analysed by scanning-electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray-spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), X-ray-diffraction (XRD), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. By simply modifying the TVA operation mode, the morphology and uniformity of ZnO nanorods can be tuned. The photocatalytic performance of synthesized nanostructured ZnO coatings was measured by the degradation of methylene-blue (MB) dye and ciprofloxacin (Cipro) antibiotic. The ZnO (PTVA) showed enhancing results regarding the photodegradation of target contaminants. About 96% of MB molecules were removed within 60 min of UV irradiation, with a rate constant of 0.058 min−1, which is almost nine times higher than the value of ZnO (DC-TVA). As well, ZnO (PTVA) presented superior photocatalytic activity towards the decomposition of Cipro, after 240 min of irradiation, yielding 96% degradation efficiency. Moreover, the agar-well diffusion assay performance against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria confirms the degradation of antibiotic molecules by the UV/ZnO (PTVA) approach, without the formation of secondary hazardous products during the photocatalysis process. Repeated cyclic usage of coatings revealed excellent reusability and operational stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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Review

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32 pages, 8297 KiB  
Review
A Breakthrough in Photocatalytic Wastewater Treatment: The Incredible Potential of g-C3N4/Titanate Perovskite-Based Nanocomposites
by Rashmiranjan Patra, Pranjyan Dash, Pradeep Kumar Panda and Po-Chih Yang
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(15), 2173; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13152173 - 26 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1897
Abstract
Water pollution has emerged as a major global environmental crisis due to the massive contamination of water resources by the textile dyeing industry, organic waste, and agricultural residue. Since water is fundamental to life, this grave disregard puts lives at risk, making the [...] Read more.
Water pollution has emerged as a major global environmental crisis due to the massive contamination of water resources by the textile dyeing industry, organic waste, and agricultural residue. Since water is fundamental to life, this grave disregard puts lives at risk, making the protection of water resources a serious issue today. Recent research has shown great interest in improving the photocatalytic performance of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for wastewater treatment. However, the photocatalytic removal activity of pure g-C3N4 is poor, owing to its minimal surface area, fast recombination of photo-generated electron–hole pairs, and poor light absorption. Recently, titanate perovskites (TNPs) have attracted significant attention in both environmental remediation and energy conversion due to their exceptional structural, optical, physiochemical, electrical, and thermal properties. Accordingly, TNPs can initiate a variety of surface catalytic reactions and are regarded as an emerging category of photocatalysts for sustainability and energy-related industries when exposed to illumination. Therefore, in this review article, we critically discuss the recent developments of extensively developed g-C3N4/TNPs that demonstrate photocatalytic applications for wastewater treatment. The different synthetic approaches and the chemical composition of g-C3N4/TNP composites are presented. Additionally, this review highlights the global research trends related to these materials. Furthermore, this review provides insight into the various photocatalytic mechanisms, including their potential impact and significance. Also, the challenges faced by such materials and their future scope are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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19 pages, 3902 KiB  
Review
Sustainable Biomass-Derived Carbon Electrodes for Potassium and Aluminum Batteries: Conceptualizing the Key Parameters for Improved Performance
by Glaydson Simões Dos Reis, Shaikshavali Petnikota, Chandrasekar M. Subramaniyam, Helinando Pequeno de Oliveira, Sylvia Larsson, Mikael Thyrel, Ulla Lassi and Flaviano García Alvarado
Nanomaterials 2023, 13(4), 765; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13040765 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2305
Abstract
The development of sustainable, safe, low-cost, high energy and density power-density energy storage devices is most needed to electrify our modern needs to reach a carbon-neutral society by ~2050. Batteries are the backbones of future sustainable energy sources for both stationary off-grid and [...] Read more.
The development of sustainable, safe, low-cost, high energy and density power-density energy storage devices is most needed to electrify our modern needs to reach a carbon-neutral society by ~2050. Batteries are the backbones of future sustainable energy sources for both stationary off-grid and mobile plug-in electric vehicle applications. Biomass-derived carbon materials are extensively researched as efficient and sustainable electrode/anode candidates for lithium/sodium-ion chemistries due to their well-developed tailored textures (closed pores and defects) and large microcrystalline interlayer spacing and therefore opens-up their potential applications in sustainable potassium and aluminum batteries. The main purpose of this perspective is to brief the use of biomass residues for the preparation of carbon electrodes for potassium and aluminum batteries annexed to the biomass-derived carbon physicochemical structures and their aligned electrochemical properties. In addition, we presented an outlook as well as some challenges faced in this promising area of research. We believe that this review enlightens the readers with useful insights and a reasonable understanding of issues and challenges faced in the preparation, physicochemical properties and application of biomass-derived carbon materials as anodes and cathode candidates for potassium and aluminum batteries, respectively. In addition, this review can further help material scientists to seek out novel electrode materials from different types of biomasses, which opens up new avenues in the fabrication/development of next-generation sustainable and high-energy density batteries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured and Functional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Removal of Pollutants)
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