In this study, zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) derived nano-porous carbon structures that were further hybridized with MnO2 were tested for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as cathode material for fuel cells. The prepared electrocatalyst was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX). Cyclic voltammetry was performed on these materials at different scan rates under dissolved oxygen in basic media (0.1 M KOH), inert and oxygen rich conditions to obtain their I–V curves. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Chronoamperometry was also performed to observe the materials’ impedance and stability. We report improved performance of hybridized catalyst for ORR based on cyclic voltammetry and EIS results, which show that it can be a potential candidate for fuel cell applications.
Summary
Sustainable energy consumption is an important part of the renewable energy economy as renewable energy generation and storage. Almost one‐third of the global energy consumption can be credited to the transportation of goods and people around the globe. To move towards a renewable energy–based economy, we must adopt to a more sustainable energy consumption pattern worldwide especially in the transportation sector. In this article, a comparison is being made between the energy efficiency of a fuel cell vehicle and a battery electric vehicle. A very simple yet logical approach has been followed to determine the overall energy required by each vehicle. Other factors that hinder the progress of fuel cell vehicle in market are also discussed. Additionally, the prospects of a hydrogen economy are also discussed in detail. The arguments raised in this article are based on physics, economic analyses, and laws of thermodynamics. It clearly shows that an “electric economy” makes far greater sense than a “hydrogen economy.” The main objective of this analysis is to determine the energy efficacy of battery‐powered vehicles as compared to fuel cell–powered vehicles.
Hierarchical nanostructure, an engineered nanostructure with a higher assembly-level of constituents by low dimensional nano-building blocks, has received extensive attentions in the latest advancements in nanomaterial science and nanotechnology development. The ordered hierarchical nanostructures could offer merits such as more active sites, synergistic properties owing to their geometric complexity and building blocks variation, as well as the resultant multi-functional capabilities. Specifically, this review focuses on the integration approaches that may be feasible for large-scale production and manufacturing of engineered nanomaterials for various industrial applications, and the design criteria of hierarchical nanostructures targeted at various sustainable energy and environmental applications. In addition to chemical synthesis and integration methods, the development and application of hierarchical nanostructures are surveyed in energy conversion, generation, storage, utilization, and sensing devices. Meanwhile, a much-needed survey is also touched upon the techno-economic analyses of engineered nanomaterials, proposing the need of establishing various standard protocols on various factors and parameters that could be envisaged as a guide toward the viable transition to the practices in the future nano-industries.
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