Metals

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9 pages, 806 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Brief Introduction on Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode and Corresponding Modified Materials

by Que Huang, Silong Wang, Yanjun Chen, Changcheng Liu and Qiyue Li

Metals 2023, 13(4), 703; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13040703 - 3 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

As an important part in new energy storage devices, electrodes containing metals or their corresponding derivatives are widely used due to the diversity of material types, existing forms and assembly methods. In order to obtain novel energy storage components with superior performance, new [...] Read more.

As an important part in new energy storage devices, electrodes containing metals or their corresponding derivatives are widely used due to the diversity of material types, existing forms and assembly methods. In order to obtain novel energy storage components with superior performance, new technologies and studies on the improvement of electrode materials are emerging in recent years. This editorial paper aims to summarize the classical and latest research highlights on manufacturing, characterization and modification of metallic electrodes, especially new materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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Research

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11 pages, 5356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Temperature and Ti Volume Fraction on Compressive Properties of Ti/Al Layered Composites

by Shuqin Chen, Haonan Wang, Pengxiang Yan, Shoufu Li, Huang Zhang and Haifei Zhan

Metals 2024, 14(10), 1182; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14101182 - 17 Oct 2024

Viewed by 594

Abstract

Based on molecular dynamics simulation, this work investigated the influences of temperature and Ti volume fractions on the compressive deformation of Ti/Al layered composites. According to the simulation, the initial dislocations during compression are concentrated on the Al side, dominated by 1/6<211> and [...] Read more.

Based on molecular dynamics simulation, this work investigated the influences of temperature and Ti volume fractions on the compressive deformation of Ti/Al layered composites. According to the simulation, the initial dislocations during compression are concentrated on the Al side, dominated by 1/6<211> and 1/6<112> dislocations, and the 1/2<101> and 1/6<211> dislocations cross the Ti/Al interface from the Al side to the Ti side. It is found that an increase in temperature helps dislocations to form at lower strains, which leads to a decrease in the compressive strength and an increase in the plasticity of the structure. As expected, the Ti volume fraction has a significant impact on the compressive properties of Ti/Al layered composites, and the compressive strength of the material increases with the increase in the Ti volume fraction. At temperatures above 400 K, the reduction rate of compressive strength becomes smaller, which is due to the formation of new ordered metal compounds between Ti and Al. When the volume fraction of Ti is lower than that of Al, plastic deformation mainly occurs on the Ti side, dominated by 1/6<112> dislocations. In contrast, the types of dislocations across the Ti/Al interface and on the Al side are dominated by 1/2<110> and 1/2<011>. When the Ti volume fraction becomes comparable with that of Al, the plastic deformation is transferred from the Ti side to the Al side, and the plasticity of the sample decreases. The optimal compressive properties of Ti/Al layered composites are observed at a Ti volume fraction of 40%, which provides guidance for the structural design of Ti/Al layered composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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11 pages, 4718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ultrafast Hydrogen Production via Hydrolysis of MgH₂-NaH Composite

by Zhao Zhang, Zhenji Li, Wei Zhao, Yushan Zhang, Chong Peng, Changcheng Liu and Li Guo

Metals 2024, 14(9), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14091038 - 12 Sep 2024

Viewed by 590

Abstract

Magnesium hydride (MgH₂) has attracted considerable interest due to a number of favourable characteristics for hydrogen production via hydrolysis. In this study, MgH₂-NaH composites with varying composition ratios were prepared by ball milling for different durations. The hydrogen production [...] Read more.

Magnesium hydride (MgH₂) has attracted considerable interest due to a number of favourable characteristics for hydrogen production via hydrolysis. In this study, MgH₂-NaH composites with varying composition ratios were prepared by ball milling for different durations. The hydrogen production performances and enhancement mechanisms were subjected to meticulous investigation. The results revealed that the hydrogen production rate and kinetic properties of the composites were significantly improved with the rise in NaH content. For the MgH₂-10 wt% NaH composites, the hydrogen production rate exhibited an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease with the prolongation of ball milling. It is noteworthy that the hydrolysis of the composites in deionised water exhibited a significant improvement in reaction kinetics even after a mere 1 h of ball milling, releasing 1119 mL g⁻¹ of hydrogen in 30 s, with a conversion rate of 69.2%. The highest hydrolysis hydrogen generation rate of the 10 h milled MgH₂-10 wt% NaH composite in deionised water at 30 °C was 1360 mL g⁻¹, with a hydrogen conversion rate of 83.7% and a hydrolysis activation energy of 17.79 kJ mol⁻¹. The notable improvement in the hydrolysis performance of the MgH₂-NaH composite is attributed to the rapid generation of high temperatures at the interface, resulting from the exothermic reaction of sodium hydride hydrolysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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13 pages, 2944 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Indentation of Commercial Pure Titanium Processed by Cold Rolling

by Diaoyu Zhou, Jiasheng Yu, Yiwei Dong, Yalu Qin and Xinwei Hao

Metals 2024, 14(3), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14030327 - 13 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1103

Abstract

In this work, the effects of plastic deformation on the indentation behaviors of commercial pure titanium alloy were investigated. Titanium experienced various kinds of deformation by cold rolling processes, and the indentation behaviors were measured using microindentation. The results showed the most deformed [...] Read more.

In this work, the effects of plastic deformation on the indentation behaviors of commercial pure titanium alloy were investigated. Titanium experienced various kinds of deformation by cold rolling processes, and the indentation behaviors were measured using microindentation. The results showed the most deformed sample experienced the largest indentation resistance and had the highest dislocation density and the indentation size influenced the indentation behavior of the CP-Ti. The effect of strain on Vickers hardness demonstrated the dominant role of the dislocation motion in the indentation deformation of CP-Ti alloy. The dependence of the indentation hardness on both the maximum indentation load and the indentation residual depth suggested there exists size effect in the indentation. The effect of the plastic strain on the energy ratio suggested the energy ratio is related to the microstructure in materials. Additionally, the linear relationship between the energy ratio on the indentation depth ratio was obtained for hcp-structured Titanium alloys. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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11 pages, 6138 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of Low-Crystalline MnO₂/MXene Composites for Capacitive Deionization with Efficient Desalination Capacity

by Zhumei Sun, Jun Peng, Shu Yang, Riya Jin, Changcheng Liu and Que Huang

Metals 2023, 13(6), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13061047 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1777

Abstract

MXene has drawn widespread attention as a potential material for electrode use in capacitive deionization (CDI). However, the applications of MXene are limited by its property of low electrical capacity. Herein, a MnO₂/MXene composite was firstly evaluated in a capacitive deionization [...] Read more.

MXene has drawn widespread attention as a potential material for electrode use in capacitive deionization (CDI). However, the applications of MXene are limited by its property of low electrical capacity. Herein, a MnO₂/MXene composite was firstly evaluated in a capacitive deionization system, in which the MnO₂ acts as intercalation-type pseudocapacitive electrodes to enhance the electrical capacity, and MXene provides an electron conduction highway network that improves the charge transfer of the MnO₂. The result showed that the low-crystallinity MnO₂ with irregular particles was well-distributed on the surface of the MXene. The desalination capacity of 30.5 mg·g⁻¹ is achieved at a voltage window of 1.2 V, which was higher than that of the reported pure MXene and MnO₂. The electrical double-layer (EDL) capacitive and the diffusion-controlled processes are the main charge storage mechanisms, and the EDL contribution provides 50.3% to the total capacitance. This result suggests a promising direction for further applying a MnO₂/MXene composite in CDI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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12 pages, 3164 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Copper Oxide Nitrogen-Rich Porous Carbon Network Boosts High-Performance Supercapacitors

by Dan Li, Hanhao Liu, Zijie Liu, Que Huang, Beihu Lu, Yanzhong Wang, Chao Wang and Li Guo

Metals 2023, 13(5), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13050981 - 19 May 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1680

Abstract

Transition metal oxides with various valence states have high specific capacitance and have attracted much attention. However, the poor cycle stability caused by material agglomeration seriously limits the play of its high activity. Herein, we create a stress dispersion structure (Cu_xO [...] Read more.

Transition metal oxides with various valence states have high specific capacitance and have attracted much attention. However, the poor cycle stability caused by material agglomeration seriously limits the play of its high activity. Herein, we create a stress dispersion structure (Cu_xO composite porous carbon net) by in situ lyophilization and one-step carbonization, effectively anchoring highly reactive copper oxides and highly conductive carbon networks combined with high nitrogen doping of 10.7%, to investigate their electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. Specifically, the specific capacitance of Cu_xO@NPC can be as high as 392 F/g (0.5 A/g) in the three-electrode system with 6 mol/L KOH as electrolyte. When applied to the two-electrode system, the cycle stability of the whole device can reach 97% after 10,000 cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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12 pages, 2767 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Boosting Electrocatalytic Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia over Co₃O₄ Nanosheets with Oxygen Vacancies

by Xing Wu, Zhigong Liu, Tianyu Gao, Zhizhuo Li, Zhenhui Song, Jia Tang, Fan Feng, Caiyan Qu, Fubing Yao and Chongjian Tang

Metals 2023, 13(4), 799; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13040799 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3280

Abstract

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction into ammonia is promising for its restricted activity and selectivity in wastewater treatment, however, it remains challenging. In this work, Co₃O₄ nanosheet electrodes with rich oxygen vacancies (OVs) (Co₃O_4−x/NF) are prepared and then [...] Read more.

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction into ammonia is promising for its restricted activity and selectivity in wastewater treatment, however, it remains challenging. In this work, Co₃O₄ nanosheet electrodes with rich oxygen vacancies (OVs) (Co₃O_4−x/NF) are prepared and then applied as efficient catalysts for selective electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia. The resulting Co₃O_4−x/NF electrodes exhibit high NO₃⁻-N removal efficiency and NH₄⁺-N selectivity, at 93.7% and 85.4%, respectively. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra (EPR) results clearly reveal the formation of OVs in Co₃O_4−x/NF. The electrochemical characterization results confirm that OVs can effectively improve electron transfer as well as the electrochemically active area. The Co²⁺/Co³⁺ ratio of Co₃O_4−x/NF increases after the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate, highlighting the crucial role played by Co²⁺ in mediating ammonia production via the Co²⁺/Co³⁺ cycle. These findings offer valuable guidelines for the development of more efficient and sustainable approaches for nitrate-contaminated wastewater treatment and ammonia synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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11 pages, 3528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Selective Electrocatalytic Reduction of SO₂ to Recover S⁰ by Pb Electrode

by Xudong Liu, Xiaoyang Wang, Jiaqi Long, Xiaofeng Xie, Lin Wu, Zhujiang Wang, Yingxue Fu, Hao Chen, Kaisong Xiang and Hui Liu

Metals 2023, 13(3), 569; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13030569 - 12 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1573

Abstract

Resource utilization of SO₂ from flue gas is a key challenge for the green development of the smelting industry. Recovery of sulfur resources in the form of elemental sulfur (S⁰), which has a high market demand and is a current [...] Read more.

Resource utilization of SO₂ from flue gas is a key challenge for the green development of the smelting industry. Recovery of sulfur resources in the form of elemental sulfur (S⁰), which has a high market demand and is a current focus in the field of SO₂ treatment, can reduce the solid waste from desulfurization. In this study, it was found that Pb as a cathode material had good catalytic activity for the electrochemical reduction of SO₂ and good selectivity towards elemental sulfur. However, the cathode suffers from sulfur poisoning. The problem was resolved by introducing surfactant, specifically sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), which significantly lowered the sulfur content ratio on the surface of the electrode from 31.82% to 2.17%. Through the optimization of electrocatalytic parameters, this method enables efficient conversion of SO₂ to S⁰, achieving a selectivity of 83% at pH = 0.25 and E = −0.8 V (vs. SCE). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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Review

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21 pages, 6472 KiB

Open AccessReview

High-Entropy Materials: Features for Lithium–Sulfur Battery Applications

by Yikun Yao, Jiajun Chen, Rong Niu, Zhenxin Zhao and Xiaomin Wang

Metals 2023, 13(5), 833; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13050833 - 24 Apr 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3155

Abstract

The emergence of various electronic devices and equipment such as electric vehicles and drones requires higher energy density energy storage devices. Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered the most promising new-generation energy storage system owing to its high theoretical specific capacity and energy density. [...] Read more.

The emergence of various electronic devices and equipment such as electric vehicles and drones requires higher energy density energy storage devices. Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered the most promising new-generation energy storage system owing to its high theoretical specific capacity and energy density. However, the severe shuttle behaviors of soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and the slow redox kinetics lead to low sulfur utilization and poor cycling stability, which seriously hinder the commercial application of LSBs. Therefore, various catalytic materials have been employed to solve these troublesome problems. High entropy materials (HEMs), as advanced materials, can provide unique surface and electronic structures that expose plentiful catalytic active sites, which opens new ideas for the regulation of LiPS redox kinetics. Notwithstanding the many instructive reviews on LSBs, this work aims to offer a complete and shrewd summary of the current progress in HEM-based LSBs, including an in-depth interpretation of the design principles and mechanistic electrocatalysis functions, as well as pragmatic perspectives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Characterization of Metallic Electrode Materials)

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