Multifunctional Nanostructured Metal Oxides for Energy Harvesting and Storage Devices

Vijay B. Pawade, Paresh H. Salame, Bharat Apparao Bhanvase, Vijay B. Pawade, Paresh H. Salame, Bharat Apparao Bhanvase

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781000073201
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: R&D
• Index: Business

Metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit potential applications in energy and environmental fields, such as solar cells, fuel cells, hydrogen energy, and energy storage devices. This book covers all points from synthesis, properties, and applications of transition metal oxide nanoparticle materials in energy storage and conversion devices. Aimed at graduate-level students and researchers associated with the energy and environment sector, this book addresses the application of nontoxic and environmentally friendly metal oxide materials for a clean environment and deals with synthesis properties and application metal oxides materials for energy conversion, energy storage, and hydrogen generation.

1	Synthesis, Properties, and Applications of Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials R. Rakesh Kumar, K. Uday Kumar, and D. Haranath

CONTENTS

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Synthesis Methods of TMONMS

1.2.1 Zinc Oxide (ZnO) Nanomaterials

1.2.1.1 Zero-Dimensional ZnO Nanomaterials

1.2.1.2 One-Dimensional ZnO Nanomaterials

1.2.1.3 Two-Dimensional ZnO Nanomaterials

1.2.2 Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂) Nanomaterials

1.2.2.1 Zero-Dimensional TiO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.2.2 One-Dimensional TiO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.2.3 Two-Dimensional TiO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.3 Nickel Oxide (NiO) Nanomaterials

1.2.3.1 Zero-Dimensional NiO Nanomaterials

1.2.3.2 One-Dimensional NiO Nanomaterials

1.2.3.3 Two-Dimensional NiO Nanomaterials

1.2.4 Tungsten Oxide (WO_x) Nanomaterials

1.2.4.1 Zero-Dimensional WO_x Nanomaterials

1.2.4.2 One-Dimensional WO_x Nanomaterials

1.2.4.3 Two-Dimensional WO_x Nanomaterials

1.2.5 Vanadium Pentoxide (V₂O₅) Nanomaterials

1.2.5.1 Zero-Dimensional V₂O₅ Nanomaterials

1.2.5.2 One-Dimensional V₂O₅ Nanomaterials

1.2.5.3 Two-Dimensional V₂O₅ Nanomaterials

1.2.6 Iron Oxide Fe₂O₃ Nanomaterials

1.2.6.1 Zero-Dimensional Fe₂O₃ Nanomaterials

1.2.6.2 One-Dimensional Fe₂O₃ Nanomaterials

1.2.6.3 Two-Dimensional Fe₂O₃ Nanomaterials

1.2.7 Tin Oxide SnO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.7.1 Zero-Dimensional SnO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.7.2 One-Dimensional SnO₂ Nanomaterials

1.2.7.3 Two-Dimensional SnO₂ Nanomaterials

1.3 Growth Mechanisms of TMO Nanomaterials

1.3.1 One-Dimensional Nanomaterial Growth Mechanisms

1.3.1.1 VLS Growth Mechanism

1.3.1.2 Self-Catalytic VLS Growth Mechanism

1.3.1.3 VS Growth Mechanism

1.3.2 Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial Growth Mechanisms

1.3.2.1 Screw Dislocation Growth Mechanism

1.3.2.2 Surfactant-Assisted Growth Mechanism

1.3.2.3 Oriented Attachment Growth Mechanism

1.3.3 Zero-Dimensional Nanomaterial Growth Mechanisms

1.3.3.1 Ostwald Ripening Growth Mechanism

1.3.3.2 Oriented Attachment Growth Mechanism

1.4 Applications of Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials

1.4.1 Electrochromics

1.4.2 Lithium Ion Battery

1.4.3 Supercapacitors

1.4.4 Photocatalysis

1.4.5 Energy-Harvesting Applications: Solar Cells and Nanogenerators

1.5 Conclusions

References

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Transition metal oxide nanomaterials (TMONMs) in the form of nanowires, nanoparticles (NPs), nanosheets, nanoflowers, nanoribbons, nanobelts, 3D networks, and hierarchical nanostructures have attracted a lot of attention from the last decade due to their multifunctional properties. The unusual electronic structure of the base transition metal and the bonding with oxide makes TMONMs a fascinating class of materials. The partially filled d orbital is the basis for a wide range of oxides with unique physical and chemical properties. This characteristic feature brings these materials with unique and exceptional reactive electronic transitions, high dielectric constants, high density, tunable band gap, and morphologies controlled on the nanodimension. Therefore, TMONMs are considered to be one of the fascinating functional materials due to tunable physical and chemical properties with a wide range of applications that include energy storage, energy harvesting, photocatalysis, sensors, electrochromic devices, wastewater treatment, and microelectronics.

A variety of synthesis methods have been employed for the synthesis of TMONMs both in the vapor phase and the solution phase at higher temperatures and lower temperatures, respectively. Vapor phase methods include thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation, pulsed-laser deposition, and chemical vapor deposition. Morphology in vapor phase methods can be controlled by changing the parameters such as growth temperature, catalyst, substrate, pre- and post-treatment, and oxygen pressure. In the vapor phase method, morphologies such as wires, rods, needles, tubes, and belts will be obtained. The growth mechanism can be easily summarized by the vapor-solid and vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. In the liquid-phase method, a greater variety of nanostructures can be synthesized than in the vapor-phase method. Hydrothermal growth, electrochemical deposition, and template-directed synthesis are more popular methods in the liquid phase. Morphology in the liquid-phase synthesis can be controlled by growth temperature, pressure, time, and reaction medium.

TMONMs of WO₃, Fe₂O₃, ZnO, TiO₂, V₂O₅, MnO, CoO, and SnO₂ are currently playing a major role in various applications. TMONMs have been extensively investigated as electrode material for Li-ion batteries for high-energy density as well as a long life cycle. Hierarchically nanostructured transition metal oxides (TMOs) have become a hot research area in the field of batteries. Hierarchical nanostructures provide more accessible electroactive sites for redox reactions, shorten the diffusion length of Li-ion, and also accommodate a large volume expansion during cycling. TMONMs also play a major role in supercapacitor applications for high-energy storage and harvesting energy in the form of solar cells, nanogenerators. TMONMs of Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, CoO, CO₃O₄, NiO, Mn₂O₃, TiO₂, Nb₂O₅, V₂O₅, and WO₃ are extensively studied for energy storage and conservation applications. Recently, synthesis of bimetallic TMO nanostructures such as NiCo₂O₄, MnCo₂O₄, ZnFe₂O₄, and ZnCo₂O₄ also tested for energy-storage applications.

Another useful application of TMONMs is photocatalytic activity. Single TMOs such as TiO₂, Fe₂O₃, V₂O₅, ZnO, and TiO₂ loaded with various transition metals (Co, Cr, Fe, Mo, V, and W) have shown excellent photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic activity finds applications in the disinfection of both air and water. TMONM-coated surfaces were developed as self-disinfecting materials. Photocatalytic activity has potential application in environmental health, biological, medical, hospitals, food, and pharmaceutical applications.

The first part of this chapter discusses the different synthesis methods for TMONMs, and in the second part, different applications of TMONMs are presented.

1.2 SYNTHESIS METHODS OF TMONMS

1.2.1 ZINC OXIDE (ZnO) NANOMATERIALS

1.2.1.1 Zero-Dimensional ZnO Nanomaterials

Zero-dimensional (0D) nanostructures such as NPs, quantum dots, and hollow spheres of ZnO have attracted a lot of attention due to their potential applications in various fields [1,2,3,4]. Strong UV-absorption properties of ZnO are used in personal care products such as cosmetics and sunscreens. In addition to the above, ZnO NPs have superior antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which makes them useful in the textile industry. ZnO hollow spheres are used in catalysis and chemical and biological sensors. Similarly, ZnO quantum dots are useful in drug delivery, optical imaging, cancer cell sensing, and DNA detection.

ZnO NPs were mainly prepared by the chemical pre...