Arul Manuel Stephan

Nanomaterials for renewable energy storage: synthesis, characterization, and applications

1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 2Gas Processing Center, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar 3Electrochemical Power Systems Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630006, India 4SABIC Chair in Catalysis, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 5Game Lab, Chenergy Group, Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico Di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy

Membranes for lithium batteries

Abstract: By virtue of their high energy efficiency, lithium batteries can provide an energy return factor higher than conventional batteries and are expected to become the power source of choice for sustainable transport. High performing innovative materials are crucial for large-scale diffusion of Li-based cells. The electrodes need to have greater capacity and durability, while the electrolyte, currently in the liquid state, should be a solid membrane capable of high ionic conductivity even at ambient temperature, with good mechanical and interfacial properties. After a general introduction to lithium batteries, this chapter describes polymeric membranes that have up until now been proposed as electrolytes.

Enhanced cyclability using a polyindole modified cathode material for lithium sulphur batteries

Here we report a novel multiwall carbon nanotube/sulphur/polyindole (MWCNT/S/PIN) nanocomposite as a cathode material for lithium–sulphur (Li–S) batteries to alleviate capacity decay. The nanocomposite cathode material is synthesized by chemical precipitation of sulphur onto functionalized MWCNTs followed by in situ polymerization of indole. The MWCNT/S/PIN nanocomposite exhibits an initial specific capacity of 1490 mA h g−1 and enhanced cycling stability compared to the binary nanocomposite (MWCNT/S). The MWCNT/S/PIN composite cathode displays a specific capacity of 1043 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles at 0.1C rate with 70% capacity retention. The better electrochemical performance of the ternary nanocomposite cathode material is attributed to the synergistic effect of the functionalized MWCNTs and polyindole which provides an improved conductivity and effective fencing of intermediate polysulphides.