Macro- to Nanoscopic Characterization of Carbon Nanostructured Paper

Abstract

A cautious analysis of the energy lifecycle allows us to conclude that transformation from primary to usable sources of energy, mainly electricity, and its storage are the most inefficient stages. Moreover, storage of electrical energy is by far the more cumbersome of the two, generally accomplished by transformation of electrical energy into mechanical (in fly-wheels and hydraulic dams) or chemical (in batteries, supercapacitors and electrolysis cells). In the latter, the challenge is the design of better energy storage devices capable of providing the right combination of specific power and specific energy to give life to clean energy gadgets such as electric vehicles. All the electrical-to-chemical energy storage devices share the principles of an electrochemical cell, i.e. are composed of two active masses (also known as electrodes), two current collectors and a separator. Each building block has very specific material properties requirements, with emphasis in the electrodes. In the present work, a new carbon nanostructured based material is thoroughly characterized to evaluate its potential as electrode in electrochemical energy storage devices where various characteristics, including but not limited to, good electrical conductivity, high specific capacitance, high surface area and appropriate wetting behavior are required. Furthermore, the results obtained by macroscopic characterization techniques are correlated with their nanoscopic counterparts in order to stablish, on the base of reproducibility by different instruments or techniques, the generality of the material properties disregarding the testing scale. Finally, energy efficient applications to which the carbon nanostructured free – standing paper – like material may suit are defined to contribute to the minimization of wasted or lost energy in the storage stage of the energy lifecycle.

Date of Award	May 2015
Original language	American English
Supervisor	Amal Al Ghaferi (Supervisor)