M. Z. Kufian

TiO2/Chitosan-NH4I(+I2)-BMII-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Anthocyanin Dyes Extracted from Black Rice and Red Cabbage

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using anthocyanin dye and polymer electrolyte with ammonium iodide (NH4I) salt. The study was designed to focus on increasing the efficiency of the DSSC. DSSC using 26.9 wt. % chitosan-22 wt. % NH4I(

Characterisation of Li2SnO3 by solution evaporation method using nitric acid as chelating agent

Abstract Lithium stannate (Li2SnO3) was prepared by solution evaporation method utilising acetates of tin and lithium as starting materials. From thermogravimetric analysis, no weight loss was observed at temperatures above 800°C. The Li2SnO3 precursor was then sintered at 800°C for 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 h, respectively. X-ray diffraction confirmed the sample to be Li2SnO3 with a monoclinic cell structure. The lattice parameters, volume and density of Li2SnO3 at different sintering hours were calculated. Sintering the precursor at 800°C for 9 h produced Li2SnO3 with lattice parameters a = 5·302 Å, b = 9·167 Å and c = 10·032 Å, volume of 479·922 Å3 and density of 4·999 g cm−3. The product was used as anode active material in the fabrication of a lithium half cell. The Li2SnO3//1M LiPF6/ethylene carbonate/diethyl carbonate (v/v = 1∶2)//Li cell exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 363·1 mA h g−1.

Redox behaviour of crystalline LiFePO4 prepared by chemical precipitation and low temperature sterilisation

Abstract The phospho-olivine LiFePO4 was successfully prepared by chemical precipitation and steriliser heating in the absence of nitrogen gas and reducing agent. The samples were characterised by XRD and SEM. The average particle size of the sample obtained in this work was 58·3 nm. Cyclic voltammetry exhibited a pair of redox peaks associated with the Li+ ion insertion and de-insertion in LiFePO4. Electrochemical behaviour of LiFePO4 at different scan rates is also discussed in this paper.

Influence of curcumin natural dye colorant with PMMA-acrylic polyol blended polymer

Purpose – The purpose of this work is to investigate the influence of curcumin dye natural colorant on adhesion, mechanical, thermal and electrochemical properties of blend poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) – acrylic polyol.Design/methodology/approach – Extracted curcumin yellow dye colorant from Curcuma Demostica was mixed with PMMA‐acrylic polyol blended polymer in the volume ratios of 9:1, 8:2 and 7:3. The mixtures were applied on pre‐treated cold‐roll mild steel panels. All of the paint coating samples were subjected to potential time measurement (PTM), rapid impact deformation, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), cross hatch and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests.Findings – The addition of curcumin dye colorant was able to improve the adhesion, flexibilities and resistance against electrolytes penetration of the blended poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) – acrylic polyol polymer paint system. Cross hatch test studies showed that high amount of curcumin dye colorant (AP30 paint s...

Effect of Calix[6]arene on charge discharge behaviour of lithium air cell based on PAN-LiBOB gel polymer electrolyte

Abstract Lithium air cells have been prepared using lithium foil anode and manganese based catalysed carbon air cathode. The electrolyte is a polymeric gel consisting of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB). Two different GPEs, PAN-LiBOB and PAN-LiBOB-Calix[6]arene or C[6]A have been used in this study. The lithium air cell configuration is Li metal/gel polymer electrolyte/air cathode. The highest discharge capacity ∼233 mAh g−1 has been exhibited by the cell using PAN-EC-PC-LiBOB-Calix[6]arene GPE and 187 mAh g−1 for the cell using the PAN-EC-PC-LiBOB GPE.

Synthesis of low vacancies PB with high electrochemical performance using a facile method

ABSTRACT The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) into the automotive market has boosted the advancement of energy storage technology. Although lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) could provide a solution to the emerging EV market, it needs to overcome the issue of high material cost and limited resources. This leads the research direction to sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), the most potential alternative batteries with infinite sodium resource from the ocean and earth crust. In the current work, Prussian blue (PB) with a crystal structure of face-centered cubic is used as cathode material for rechargeable SIBs with PB size ranging from 0.5 μm to 1 μm. Low interstitial water and low vacancies PB (Na0.58Fe[Fe(CN)6]0.93γ0.07·1.67H2O) with high purity has been successfully synthesized at room temperature via a simple single iron source precipitation method. An excellent electrochemical performance has been shown with specific discharge capacity of 133 mAh g−1 and with 90% capacity retention over 200 cycles.