Novel binderless carbon nanotube aerogel (CNAG) electrodes are developed. The materials exhibit a remarkable specific surface area of 1059 m2 g–1 with a special textural porosity with almost equal amounts of mesopores and micropores. These nanostructured CNAG electrodes (see figure) have a wide range of potential applications in electrochemical power sources. The CNAGs great potential as electrodes for supercapacitor applications is demonstrated by a specific capacitance as high as 524 F g–1.

Manganese oxide (MnnormalO2) was synthesized by direct reduction of MnnormalO4− ions on microfibrous carbon paper (CP) and a multiscaled substrate, which consists of microfibrous CP coated with carbon nanotubes. This process is much simpler than that used for the formation of composite electrode. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed that the multiscaled carbon nanotube/microfibrous CP is efficient for the reduction of MnnormalO4− ions that leads to the direct formation of MnnormalO2 . The capacitive behavior of the composite manganese oxide/CP (CP–MnnormalO2) composite and the multiscaled carbon nanotube/microfibrous CP (CP–CNT–MnnormalO2) nanocomposite electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry in neutral aqueous electrolyte (e.g., 0.65M normalK2SnormalO4 ) aqueous solution. The specific capacitance of the CP–CNT–MnnormalO2 nanocomposite is as high as 322F∕g in comparison to that one of CP–MnnormalO2 , which is 125F∕g . The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique showed that the multiscaled CP–CNT–MnnormalO2 nanocomposite electrode is characterized by a good electrical conductivity and an excellent electrical contact between the active material and the current collector.

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Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a layered material with high thermal and chemical stability ideal for ultrathin corrosion resistant coatings. Here, we report the corrosion resistance of Cu with hBN grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Cyclic voltammetry measurements reveal that hBN layers inhibit Cu corrosion and oxygen reduction. We find that CVD grown hBN reduces the Cu corrosion rate by one order of magnitude compared to bare Cu, suggesting that this ultrathin layer can be employed as an atomically thin corrosion-inhibition coating.