Designing highly durable and active electrocatalysts applied in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer for the oxygen evolution reaction remains a grand challenge due to the high dissolution of catalysts in acidic electrolyte. Hindering formation of oxygen vacancies by tuning the electronic structure of catalysts to improve the durability and activity in acidic electrolyte was theoretically effective but rarely reported. Herein we demonstrated rationally tuning electronic structure of RuO2 with introducing W and Er, which significantly increased oxygen vacancy formation energy. The representative W0.2Er0.1Ru0.7O2-δ required a super-low overpotential of 168 mV (10 mA cm−2) accompanied with a record stability of 500 h in acidic electrolyte. More remarkably, it could operate steadily for 120 h (100 mA cm−2) in PEM device. Density functional theory calculations revealed co-doping of W and Er tuned electronic structure of RuO2 by charge redistribution, which significantly prohibited formation of soluble Rux>4 and lowered adsorption energies for oxygen intermediates.
Incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into textiles without sacrificing their intrinsic properties provides a promising platform in exploring wearable technology. However, manufacture of flexible, durable, and stretchable CNT/textile composites on an industrial scale is still a great challenge. We hereby report a facile way of incorporating CNTs into the traditional yarn manufacturing process by dipping and drying CNTs into cotton rovings followed by fabricating CNT/cotton/spandex composite yarn (CCSCY) in sirofil spinning. The existence of CNTs in CCSCY brings electrical conductivity to CCSCY while the mechanical properties and stretchability are preserved. We demonstrate that the CCSCY can be used as wearable strain sensors, exhibiting ultrahigh strain sensing range, excellent stability, and good washing durability. Furthermore, CCSCY can be used to accurately monitor the real-time human motions, such as leg bending, walking, finger bending, wrist activity, clenching fist, bending down, and pronouncing words. We also demonstrate that the CCSCY can be assembled into knitted fabrics as the conductors with electric heating performance. The reported manufacturing technology of CCSCY could lead to an industrial-scale development of e-textiles for wearable applications.
Conductive cotton fabric was prepared by coating single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a knitted cotton fabric surface through a "dip-and-dry" method. The combination of CNTs and cotton fabric was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The CNTs coating improved the mechanical properties of the fabric and imparted conductivity to the fabric. The electromechanical performance of the CNT-cotton fabric (CCF) was evaluated. Strain sensors made from the CCF exhibited a large workable strain range (0~100%), fast response and great stability. Furthermore, CCF-based strain sensors was used to monitor the real-time human motions, such as standing, walking, running, squatting and bending of finger and elbow. The CCF also exhibited strong electric heating effect. The flexible strain sensors and electric heaters made from CCF have potential applications in wearable electronic devices and cold weather conditions.
We report a facile sacrificial casting–etching method to synthesize nanoporous carbon nanotube/polymer composites for ultra-sensitive and low-cost piezoresistive pressure sensors.
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