Hierarchical flowerlike nickel hydroxide decorated on graphene sheets has been prepared by a facile and cost‐effective microwave‐assisted method. In order to achieve high energy and power densities, a high‐voltage asymmetric supercapacitor is successfully fabricated using Ni(OH)2/graphene and porous graphene as the positive and negative electrodes, respectively. Because of their unique structure, both of these materials exhibit excellent electrochemical performances. The optimized asymmetric supercapacitor could be cycled reversibly in the high‐voltage region of 0–1.6 V and displays intriguing performances with a maximum specific capacitance of 218.4 F g−1 and high energy density of 77.8 Wh kg−1. Furthermore, the Ni(OH)2/graphene//porous graphene supercapacitor device exhibits an excellent long cycle life along with 94.3% specific capacitance retained after 3000 cycles. These fascinating performances can be attributed to the high capacitance and the positive synergistic effects of the two electrodes. The impressive results presented here may pave the way for promising applications in high energy density storage systems.
It is crucial to align two-dimensional nanosheets to form a highly compact layered structure for many applications, such as electronics, optoelectronics, thermal management, energy storage, separation membranes, and composites. Here we show that continuous centrifugal casting is a universal, scalable and efficient method to produce highly aligned and compact two-dimensional nanosheets films with record performances. The synthesis mechanism, structure control and property dependence of alignment and compaction of the films are discussed. Significantly, 10-μm-thick graphene oxide films can be synthesized within 1 min, and scalable synthesis of meter-scale films is demonstrated. The reduced graphene oxide films show super-high strength (~660 MPa) and conductivity (~650 S cm−1). The reduced graphene oxide/carbon nanotube hybrid-film-based all-solid-state flexible supercapacitors exhibit ultrahigh volumetric capacitance (407 F cm−3) and energy density (~10 mWh cm−3) comparable to that of thin-film lithium batteries. We also demonstrate the production of highly anisotropic graphene nanocomposites as well as aligned, compact films and vertical heterostructures of various nanosheets.
Many scientists have devoted themselves to the study of the interaction between subwavelength structures and electromagnetic waves. These structures are commonly composed of regular arrays of subwavelength protuberances, which can be artificially designed. However, extending from 2D periodic patterns to 3D disordered subwavelength structures has not been studied yet. In this study, we studied the total diffuse reflectivity of carbon aerogels with various 3D networks of randomly oriented particle-like nanostructures by using normally incident visible light (430-675 nm). We observed that the different 3D network nanostructures of carbon aerogels, especially for the structures with the minimum size, reduced the reflectivity effectively. It was found that the key mechanism for the subwavelength-structure-induced ultralow reflectivity property is due to the decrease of the amplitude of electron vibration forced by the electromagnetic wave, which provides a simple method for designing perfect black materials.
Understanding the structure and function of vasculature in the brain requires us to monitor distributed hemodynamics at high spatial and temporal resolution in three-dimensional (3D) volumes in vivo. Currently, a volumetric vasculature imaging method with sub-capillary spatial resolution and blood flow-resolving speed is lacking. Here, using two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) with an axially extended Bessel focus, we capture volumetric hemodynamics in the awake mouse brain at a spatiotemporal resolution sufficient for measuring capillary size and blood flow. With Bessel TPLSM, the fluorescence signal of a vessel becomes proportional to its size, which enables convenient intensity-based analysis of vessel dilation and constriction dynamics in large volumes. We observe entrainment of vasodilation and vasoconstriction with pupil diameter and measure 3D blood flow at 99 volumes/second. Demonstrating high-throughput monitoring of hemodynamics in the awake brain, we expect Bessel TPLSM to make broad impacts on neurovasculature research.
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