Zwitterionic ionic liquids (ZIL) contain covalently bound cationic and anionic moieties with potential electrochemical applications. In this study, we construct a self-adaptive electric double layer (EDL) on the interfaces of...
Tuning the surface topography of solar evaporators is of significance for boosting light absorption and enhancing solar‐to‐vapor efficiency. Herein, a novel strategy to manipulate the surface topography of graphene oxide (GO) via electrostatic assembly coupled with in situ polymerizations of aniline is reported. The GO surface is fully hybridized with the polyaniline (PANI) nanocone arrays, manifesting periodic structures with highly foldable configurations. Additionally, the PANI arrays tune the surface chemistry of GO and retard the redispersion of GO into water, thus enabling corresponding composite (PG) robust structural durability. Featuring these intriguing attributes, when applied as an evaporator in pure water, the PG delivers an improved evaporation performance of 1.42 kg m−2 h−1 and a high evaporation efficiency of 96.6% under one sun illumination. Further investigations reveal that the periodically conical structures of PANI over GO surface strengthen light absorption via multiple reflections and facilitate heat localization. Desalination test substantiates the reliability of PG for practical freshwater production. The numerical simulations and optical microscopy observation exhibit the surface topography‐strengthened vapor generation effect. This study sheds new light on the rational manipulation of surface topography of photothermal materials for high‐efficiency solar evaporation.
Electrocatalytic interconversion of iodide/triiodide is the key for state-of-the-art iodine-involved energy technologies, which is challenged by understanding the structure−activity relationship of the smart electrocatalysts with tuned active sites. Herein, active-siteenriched N,Se-co-doped porous carbon, denoted as NSeC, is crafted by a two-step approach of the template method and chemical doping. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements substantiate the incorporation of extrinsic N and Se species into the carbon matrix. Raman spectroscopy reveals that the defect of densities within NSeC can be finely tuned by adjusting the doping temperature. The NSeC sample made at 900 °C shows a robust durability and a high electrocatalytic activity toward the triiodide reduction reaction with a relatively small charge-transfer resistance (0.75 Ω cm 2 ) in parallel with a short electron lifetime (252.2 μs) participating in the triiodide reduction. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the high catalytic activity of the NSeC is due to the combined impacts, i.e., the synergy between N and Se species that helps to manipulate the adsorption process of iodine atoms and the active sites formed by the carbon atoms adjacent to quaternary N and Se atoms at the armchair edges. This work offers insights into both the design of efficient metalfree catalysts and the synergy of dual doping for efficient iodine-involved electrocatalysis for energy devices.
Aqueous zinc-iodine batteries (AZIBs) with high theoretical capacities, intrinsic safety, and low cost have been extensively explored as one of next-generation energy storage devices. Nevertheless, in the presence of aqueous electrolytes, AZIBs suffer severe metal corrosion, dendrite growth, and polyiodide shuttling, leading to fast capacity degradation. Here, we report a molecule chemistry strategy by making use of tris(2-cyanoethyl) borate to form a gradient solid electrolyte interface, which dynamically adapts to volume changes and induces even Zn deposits with crystal preferred orientation from (101) to (002) plane, promoting high reversibility and stability of Zn anode. Meanwhile, the molecules adsorbed on the cathode/electrolyte interface can immobilize polyiodide species by the strong interactions and improve conversion kinetics. Benefiting from these advantages, zinc anode exhibits long-term cycling with super-high zinc utilization and superior rate capability at 40 mA cm-2, Zn//I2 full cells also achieve ultralong lifespan (>6000 cycles) at large currents and high mass loading. Remarkably, this strategy also enables the normal operation of Cu//I2 battery with an energy density of 158 Wh kg-1, thus promoting the practical application of aqueous zinc batteries.
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