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Molecules
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Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications
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Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2021) | Viewed by 13148

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Raul-Augustin Mitran

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ilie Murgulescu, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, 202 Splaiul Indepedentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: porous materials; mesoporous silica; nanoconfinement; phase change materials; thermal energy storage; drug delivery
Dr. Mihaela Ramona Buga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Research and Development Institute for Cryogenics and Isotopic Technologies Rm.Valcea, ROManian Energy Storage Technologies laboratory - ROM-EST, 4 Uzinei, Rm.Valcea, 240050, Romania
Interests: energy storage; Li-ion batteries; anodes; nanostructured materials; silicon/carbon composites; core-shell structures; porous materials; mesoporous silica; nanoconfinement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important topic in facing the global challenges posed by climate change during this century. Porous silica nanomaterials are emerging as promising candidates for various energy storage applications, owing to their large porosity, ease of synthesis, and numerous possibilities to tailor their properties. High porosity silica nanomaterials can be employed in applications ranging from hydrogen and electricity to thermal energy storage.

This Special Issue aims to provide a forum for the dissemination of the latest developments in this broad and multidisciplinary field. It will cover all topics related to the materials synthesis, characterization, and testing of energy storage systems containing porous silica nanomaterials.

Dr. Raul-Augustin Mitran
Dr. Mihaela Ramona Buga
Guest Editors

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. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • Mesoporous silica
  • Silica aerogel
  • Energy storage
  • Phase change materials
  • Li-ion batteries
  • Hydrogen storage
  • Thermal energy storage

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 7844 KiB  
Article
Carbon-Coated SiO2 Composites as Promising Anode Material for Li-Ion Batteries
by Mihaela-Ramona Buga, Adnana Alina Spinu-Zaulet, Cosmin Giorgian Ungureanu, Raul-Augustin Mitran, Eugeniu Vasile, Mihaela Florea and Florentina Neatu
Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4531; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26154531 - 27 Jul 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3069
Abstract
Porous silica-based materials are a promising alternative to graphite anodes for Li-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, low discharge potential similar to pure silicon, superior cycling stability compared to silicon, abundance, and environmental friendliness. However, several challenges prevent the practical application [...] Read more.
Porous silica-based materials are a promising alternative to graphite anodes for Li-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, low discharge potential similar to pure silicon, superior cycling stability compared to silicon, abundance, and environmental friendliness. However, several challenges prevent the practical application of silica anodes, such as low coulombic efficiency and irreversible capacity losses during cycling. The main strategy to tackle the challenges of silica as an anode material has been developed to prepare carbon-coated SiO2 composites by carbonization in argon atmosphere. A facile and eco-friendly method of preparing carbon-coated SiO2 composites using sucrose is reported herein. The carbon-coated SiO2 composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and charge–discharge cycling. A C/SiO2-0.085 M calendered electrode displays the best cycling stability, capacity of 714.3 mAh·g−1, and coulombic efficiency as well as the lowest charge transfer resistance over 200 cycles without electrode degradation. The electrochemical performance improvement could be attributed to the positive effect of the carbon thin layer that can effectively diminish interfacial impedance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications)
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16 pages, 3961 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen-Doped Carbon-Coating Disproportionated SiO Materials as Long Cycling Stable Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries
by Ben Huang, Binbin Chu, Tao Huang and Aishui Yu
Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1536; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26061536 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3125
Abstract
Silicon monoxide (SiO) is a kind of promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries because of its smaller volume change during the charge and discharge process than pure silicon and its higher theoretical capacity than commercialized graphite. However, its fast-fading capacity still restricts the [...] Read more.
Silicon monoxide (SiO) is a kind of promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries because of its smaller volume change during the charge and discharge process than pure silicon and its higher theoretical capacity than commercialized graphite. However, its fast-fading capacity still restricts the development of practical application of SiO. A simple and cheap strategy to dope nitrogen and coat carbon on the surface of disproportionated SiO is proposed to improve the cycling stability significantly even at a high specific current. The capacity retention is nearly 85% after 250 cycles and more than 69% after 500 cycles at a specific current of 1000 mA g−1. Even at a specific current of 2000 mA g−1, its cycling performance behaves similarly to that of 1000 mA g−1. Nitrogen doping in materials could improve the conductivity of materials because pyridinic nitrogen and pyrrolic nitrogen could improve the electron conductivity and provide defects to contribute to the diffusion of lithium ions. The use of pitch and melamine, which are easily available industrial raw materials, makes it possible to contribute to the practical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications)
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Review

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45 pages, 6252 KiB  
Review
A Review of Composite Phase Change Materials Based on Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Latent Heat Storage Applications
by Raul-Augustin Mitran, Simona Ioniţǎ, Daniel Lincu, Daniela Berger and Cristian Matei
Molecules 2021, 26(1), 241; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26010241 - 05 Jan 2021
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 5797
Abstract
Phase change materials (PCMs) can store thermal energy as latent heat through phase transitions. PCMs using the solid-liquid phase transition offer high 100–300 J g−1 enthalpy at constant temperature. However, pure compounds suffer from leakage, incongruent melting and crystallization, phase separation, and [...] Read more.
Phase change materials (PCMs) can store thermal energy as latent heat through phase transitions. PCMs using the solid-liquid phase transition offer high 100–300 J g−1 enthalpy at constant temperature. However, pure compounds suffer from leakage, incongruent melting and crystallization, phase separation, and supercooling, which limit their heat storage capacity and reliability during multiple heating-cooling cycles. An appropriate approach to mitigating these drawbacks is the construction of composites as shape-stabilized phase change materials which retain their macroscopic solid shape even at temperatures above the melting point of the active heat storage compound. Shape-stabilized materials can be obtained by PCMs impregnation into porous matrices. Porous silica nanomaterials are promising matrices due to their high porosity and adsorption capacity, chemical and thermal stability and possibility of changing their structure through chemical synthesis. This review offers a first in-depth look at the various methods for obtaining composite PCMs using porous silica nanomaterials, their properties, and applications. The synthesis and properties of porous silica composites are presented based on the main classes of compounds which can act as heat storage materials (paraffins, fatty acids, polymers, small organic molecules, hydrated salts, molten salts and metals). The physico-chemical phenomena arising from the nanoconfinement of phase change materials into the silica pores are discussed from both theoretical and practical standpoints. The lessons learned so far in designing efficient composite PCMs using porous silica matrices are presented, as well as the future perspectives on improving the heat storage materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Porous Silica Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications)
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