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Multifunctional Carbon Foams by Emulsion Templating: Synthesis, Microstructure, and 3D Li-ion Microbatteries
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - Ångström, Structural Chemistry. (Structural Chemistry)ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5861-4281
2017 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Carbon foams are among the existing electrode designs proposed for use in 3D Li-ion microbatteries. For such electrodes to find applications in practical microbatteries, however, their void sizes, specific surface areas and pore volumes need be optimized. This thesis concerns the synthesis of highly porous carbon foams and their multifunctional applications in 3D microbatteries. The carbon foams are derived from polymers that are obtained by polymerizing high internal phase water-in-oil emulsions (HIPEs).

In general, the carbonization of the sulfonated polymers yielded hierarchically porous structures with void sizes ranging from 2 to 35 µm and a BET specific surface area as high as 630 m2 g-1. Thermogravimetric and spectroscopic evidence indicated that the sulfonic acid groups, introduced during sulfonation, transformed above 250 oC to thioether (-C-S-) crosslinks which were responsible for the thermal stability and charring tendency of the polymer precursors. Depending on the preparation of the HIPEs, the specific surface areas and void-size distributions were observed to vary considerably. In addition, the pyrolysis temperature could also affect the microstructures, the degree of graphitization, and the surface chemistry of the carbon foams.

Various potential applications were explored for the bespoke carbon foams. First, their use as freestanding active materials in 3D microbatteries was studied. The carbon foams obtained at 700 to 1500 oC suffered from significant irreversible capacity loss during the initial discharge. In an effort to alleviate this drawback, the pyrolysis temperature was raised to 2200 oC. The resulting carbon foams were observed to deliver high, stable areal capacities over several cycles. Secondly, the possibility of using these structures as 3D current collectors for various active materials was investigated in-depth. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, positive active materials like polyaniline and LiFePO4 were deposited on the 3D architectures by means of electrodeposition and sol-gel approach, respectively. In both cases, the composite electrodes exhibited reasonably high cyclability and rate performance at different current densities. The syntheses of niobium and molybdenum oxides and their potential application as electrodes in microbatteries were also studied. In such applications, the carbon foams served dual purposes as 3D scaffolds and as reducing reactants in the carbothermal reduction process. Finally, a facile method of coating carbon substrates with oxide nanosheets was developed. The approach involved the exfoliation of crystalline VO2 to prepare dispersions of hydrated V2O5, which were subsequently cast onto CNT paper to form oxide films of different thicknesses.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2017. , p. 139
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, ISSN 1651-6214 ; 1469
Keywords [en]
Battery, Carbon, Electrochemical, Electrodeposition, Emulsion, Energy, Exfoliation, Foam, Lithium, Microbattery, Multifunctional, Nanoparticles, Polyaniline, Polymer, Power, Sol-gel, Storage, Structured, Three-dimensional
National Category
Materials Chemistry Composite Science and Engineering Polymer Technologies Inorganic Chemistry Physical Chemistry Polymer Chemistry Condensed Matter Physics
Research subject
Chemistry with specialization in Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-312897ISBN: 978-91-554-9799-6 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-312897DiVA, id: diva2:1065386
Public defence
2017-03-03, Polhemsalen, Ångström Laboratory, Lägerhyddsvägen 1, Uppsala, 09:15 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2012–4681Swedish Energy AgencyAvailable from: 2017-02-08 Created: 2017-01-14 Last updated: 2017-02-15
List of papers
1. Boosting the thermal stability of emulsion–templated polymers via sulfonation: an efficient synthetic route to hierarchically porous carbon foams
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Boosting the thermal stability of emulsion–templated polymers via sulfonation: an efficient synthetic route to hierarchically porous carbon foams
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2016 (English)In: ChemistrySelect, E-ISSN 2365-6549, Vol. 1, no 4, p. 784-792Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Hierarchically porous carbon foams with specific surface areas exceeding 600 m2 g−1 can be derived from polystyrene foams that are synthesized via water-in-oil emulsion templating. However, most styrene-based polymers lack strong crosslinks and are degraded to volatile products when heated above 400 oC. A common strategy employed to avert depolymerization is to introduce potential crosslinking sites such as sulfonic acids by sulfonating the polymers. This article unravels the thermal and chemical processes leading up to the conversion of sulfonated high internal phase emulsion polystyrenes (polyHIPEs) to sulfur containing carbon foams. During pyrolysis, the sulfonic acid groups (-SO3H) are transformed to sulfone (-C-SO2-C-) and then to thioether (-C−S-C-) crosslinks. These chemical transformations have been monitored using spectroscopic techniques: in situ IR, Raman, X-ray photoelectron and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. Based on thermal analyses, the formation of thioether links is associated with increased thermal stability and thus a substantial decrease in volatilization of the polymers.

Keywords
Emulsion-templated polymer, sulfonation, pyrolysis, spectroscopy, carbon foam
National Category
Materials Chemistry
Research subject
Chemistry with specialization in Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-283174 (URN)10.1002/slct.201600139 (DOI)000395395900026 ()
Projects
3D microbatteries
Available from: 2016-04-11 Created: 2016-04-11 Last updated: 2024-08-30Bibliographically approved
2. Emulsion-templated bicontinuous carbon network electrodes for use in 3D microstructured batteries
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Emulsion-templated bicontinuous carbon network electrodes for use in 3D microstructured batteries
2013 (English)In: Journal of Materials Chemistry, ISSN 0959-9428, E-ISSN 1364-5501, Vol. 1, no 44, p. 13750-13758Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

High surface area carbon foams were prepared and characterized for use in 3D structured batteries. Twopotential applications exist for these foams: firstly as an anode and secondly as a current collector supportfor electrode materials. The preparation of the carbon foams by pyrolysis of a high internal phase emulsionpolymer (polyHIPE) resulted in structures with cage sizes of 25 mm and a surface area enhancement pergeometric area of approximately 90 times, close to the optimal configuration for a 3D microstructuredbattery support. The structure was probed using XPS, SEM, BET, XRD and Raman techniques; revealingthat the foams were composed of a disordered carbon with a pore size in the <100 nm range resultingin a BET measured surface area of 433 m2 g-1. A reversible capacity exceeding 3.5 mA h cm2 at acurrent density of 0.37 mA cm-2 was achieved. SEM images of the foams after 50 cycles showed thatthe structure suffered no degradation. Furthermore, the foams were tested as a current collector bydepositing a layer of polyaniline cathode over their surface. High footprint area capacities of500 mA h cm-2 were seen in the voltage range 3.8 to 2.5 V vs. Li and a reasonable rate performancewas observed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
United Kingdom: , 2013
Keywords
Carbon foam, High internal phase emulsion polymer, microbattery, 3D microbattery, Lithium ion
National Category
Chemical Sciences Materials Chemistry
Research subject
Materials Science; Chemistry; Materials Science; Physical Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-210659 (URN)10.1039/C3TA12680C (DOI)000326463400009 ()
Projects
STEM-VR-Microbattery
Funder
Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Research Council
Available from: 2013-11-12 Created: 2013-11-12 Last updated: 2017-12-06Bibliographically approved
3. Emulsion-templated graphitic carbon foams with optimum porosity for 3D Li-ion microbatteries
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Emulsion-templated graphitic carbon foams with optimum porosity for 3D Li-ion microbatteries
(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
Keywords
carbon, foam, graphitic, anode, three-dimensional, microbattery, lithium
National Category
Polymer Technologies Chemical Process Engineering Materials Chemistry Polymer Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry Physical Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-312893 (URN)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2012–4681StandUp
Available from: 2017-01-14 Created: 2017-01-14 Last updated: 2017-12-30
4. Nanosized LiFePO4-decorated emulsion-templated carbon foam for 3D micro batteries: a study of structure and electrochemical performance
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Nanosized LiFePO4-decorated emulsion-templated carbon foam for 3D micro batteries: a study of structure and electrochemical performance
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2014 (English)In: Nanoscale, ISSN 2040-3364, E-ISSN 2040-3372, Vol. 6, no 15, p. 8804-8813Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In this article, we report a novel 3D composite cathode fabricated from LiFePO4 nanoparticles deposited conformally on emulsion-templated carbon foam by a sol–gel method. The carbon foam is synthesized via a facile and scalable method which involves the carbonization of a high internal phase emulsion (polyHIPE) polymer template. Various techniques (XRD, SEM, TEM and electrochemical methods) are used to fully characterize the porous electrode and confirm the distribution and morphology of the cathode active material. The major benefits of the carbon foam used in our work are closely connected with its high surface area and the plenty of space suitable for sequential coating with battery components. After coating with a cathode material (LiFePO4nanoparticles), the 3D electrode presents a hierarchically structured electrode in which a porous layer of the cathode material is deposited on the rigid and bicontinuous carbon foam. The composite electrodes exhibit impressive cyclability and rate performance at different current densities affirming their importance as viable power sources in miniature devices. Footprint area capacities of 1.72 mA h cm−2 at 0.1 mA cm−2 (lowest rate) and 1.1 mA h cm−2 at 6 mA cm−2(highest rate) are obtained when the cells are cycled in the range 2.8 to 4.0 V vs. lithium.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Royal Society of Chemistry: , 2014
National Category
Physical Chemistry Polymer Chemistry Materials Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-228630 (URN)10.1039/C4NR01682C (DOI)000339861500051 ()
Projects
STEM-VR-Microbattery
Available from: 2014-07-18 Created: 2014-07-18 Last updated: 2017-12-05Bibliographically approved
5. Surface-oxidized NbO2 nanoparticles for high performance lithium microbatteries
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Surface-oxidized NbO2 nanoparticles for high performance lithium microbatteries
(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
Keywords
niobium, oxide, nanoparticle, power, energy, carbon, foam, lithium, microbattery
National Category
Natural Sciences Inorganic Chemistry Materials Chemistry Physical Chemistry Condensed Matter Physics Materials Engineering Chemical Engineering
Research subject
Chemistry with specialization in Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-312894 (URN)
Projects
3D Lithium-ion microbattery
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2012–4681StandUp
Available from: 2017-01-14 Created: 2017-01-14 Last updated: 2017-12-30
6. A one-step water based strategy for synthesizing hydrated vanadium pentoxide nanosheets from VO2(B) as free-standing electrodes for lithium battery applications
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A one-step water based strategy for synthesizing hydrated vanadium pentoxide nanosheets from VO2(B) as free-standing electrodes for lithium battery applications
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2016 (English)In: Journal of Materials Chemistry A, ISSN 2050-7488, Vol. 4, no 46, p. 17988-18001Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The synthesis of two dimensional (2D) materials from transition metal oxides, chalcogenides, and carbides mostly involve multiple exfoliation steps in which hazardous solvents and reagents are used. In this study, hydrated vanadium pentoxide (V2O5[middle dot]nH2O) nanosheets with a thickness of a few nanometers were prepared via a facile environmentally friendly water based exfoliation technique. The exfoliation process involved refluxing the precursor, vanadium dioxide (VO2(B)), in water for a few days at 60 [degree]C. The proposed exfoliation mechanism is based on the intercalation/insertion of water molecules into the VO2(B) crystals and the subsequent cleavage of the covalent bonds holding the layers of VO2(B) together. The thermal and chemical analyses showed that the approximate chemical composition of the nanosheets is H0.4V2O5[middle dot]0.55H2O, and the percentage of VV content to that of VIV in the nanosheets is about 80(3)% to 20(3)%. The exfoliated aqueous suspension of the V2O5[middle dot]0.55H2O nanosheets was successfully deposited onto multi-walled carbon nanotube (MW-CNT) paper to form free-standing electrodes with a thickness of the V2O5[middle dot]0.55H2O layer ranging between 45 and 4 [small mu ]m. A series of electrochemical tests were conducted on the electrodes to determine the cyclability and rate capability of lithium insertion into V2O5[middle dot]0.55H2O nanosheets. The electrodes with the thinnest active material coating ([similar]4 [small mu ]m) delivered gravimetric capacities of up to 480 and 280 mA h g-1 when cycled at current densities of 10 and 200 mA g-1, respectively.

Keywords
2D materials, vanadium oxides, free-standing, battery, lithium
National Category
Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-311357 (URN)10.1039/C6TA06571F (DOI)000388505400010 ()
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2012-4681Swedish Energy AgencyBerzelii Centre EXSELENTStandUp
Available from: 2016-12-24 Created: 2016-12-24 Last updated: 2022-03-21

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Asfaw, Habtom Desta

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