Aerogels for Sensor Application

Aerogels with air-filled pores and interconnected 3D solid networks show unique characteristics and, therefore, have tremendous applications in various fields. Integrating specific characteristics of aerogels, large surface area, low density, and high porosity are included which opens up possibilities for new application areas. Aerogels' advanced features provide high selectivity and sensitivity, fast recovery and response to sensing materials in sensors such as biosensors, gas, pressure, and strain sensors. In recent years significant work has been done regarding the development of aerogel-based sensors. In this chapter, recent challenges and some approaches to high-performance aerogel-based sensor development are summarized.

Nanoscale ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (46) ◽  
pp. 18311-18317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Yuanjing Lin ◽  
Zehua Peng ◽  
Qingfeng Zhou ◽  
Zhiyong Fan

Three-dimensional interconnected nanoporous structure (3-D INPOS) possesses high aspect ratio, large surface area, as well as good structural stability. Profiting from its unique interconnected architecture, the 3-D INPOS pseudocapacitor achieves a largely enhanced capacitance and rate capability.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (02) ◽  
pp. 2151011
Author(s):  
Jingwen Jia ◽  
Longfu Wei ◽  
Ziting Guo ◽  
Fang Li ◽  
Changlin Yu ◽  
...  

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are the electrocatalytic materials with large specific surface area, high porosity, controllable structure and monodisperse active center, which is a promising candidate for the application of electrochemical energy conversion. However, the electrocatalytic performance of pure MOFs is seriously limited its poor conductivity and stability. In this work, high-performance electrocatalyst was fabricated through combining NiFe/MOF on nickel foam (NF) via in-situ growth strategy. Through rational control of the time and ratio in reaction precursors, we realized the effective manipulation of the growth behavior, and further investigated the electrocatalytic performance in water splitting. The catalyst presented excellent electrocatalytic performance for water splitting, with low overpotential of 260 mV in alkaline condition at a current density of 50 mA[Formula: see text], which is benefited from the large specific surface area and active sites. This study demonstrates that the rational design of NiFe MOF/NF plays a significant role in high-performance electrocatalyst.


Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiwei Yang ◽  
Zongqian Wang ◽  
Zhi Liu ◽  
Huan Cheng ◽  
Changlong Li

Aerogel fiber, with the characteristics of ultra-low density, ultra-high porosity, and high specific surface area, is the most potential candidate for manufacturing wearable thermal insulation material. However, aerogel fibers generally show weak mechanical properties and complex preparation processes. Herein, through firstly preparing a cellulose acetate/polyacrylic acid (CA/PAA) hollow fiber using coaxial wet-spinning followed by injecting the silk fibroin (SF) solution into the hollow fiber, the CA/PAA-wrapped SF aerogel fibers toward textile thermal insulation were successfully constructed after freeze-drying. The sheath (CA/PAA hollow fiber) possesses a multiscale porous structure, including micropores (11.37 ± 4.01 μm), sub-micron pores (217.47 ± 46.16 nm), as well as nanopores on the inner (44.00 ± 21.65 nm) and outer (36.43 ± 17.55 nm) surfaces, which is crucial to the formation of a SF aerogel core. Furthermore, the porous CA/PAA-wrapped SF aerogel fibers have many advantages, such as low density (0.21 g/cm3), high porosity (86%), high strength at break (2.6 ± 0.4 MPa), as well as potential continuous and large-scale production. The delicate structure of multiscale porous sheath and ultra-low-density SF aerogel core synergistically inhibit air circulation and limit convective heat transfer. Meanwhile, the high porosity of aerogel fibers weakens heat transfer and the SF aerogel cellular walls prevent infrared radiation. The results show that the mat composed of these aerogel fibers exhibits excellent thermal insulating properties with a wide working temperature from −20 to 100 °C. Therefore, this SF-based aerogel fiber can be considered as a practical option for high performance thermal insulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
A. Sumboja ◽  
B. Prakoso ◽  
Y. Ma ◽  
F. R. Irwan ◽  
J. J. Hutani ◽  
...  

Developing a high-performance ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) catalyst at low cost has been a challenge for the commercialization of high-energy density and low production cost aluminium-air batteries. Herein, we report a catalyst, prepared by pyrolyzing the shell waste of peanut or pistachio, followed by concurrent nitrogen-doping and FeCo alloy nanoparticle loading. Large surface area (1246.4 m2 g-1) of pistachio shell-derived carbon can be obtained by combining physical and chemical treatments of the biomass. Such a large surface area carbon eases nitrogen doping and provides more nucleation sites for FeCo alloy growth, furnishing the resultant catalyst (FeCo/N-C-Pistachio) with higher content of N, Fe, and Co with a larger electrochemically active surface area as compared to its peanut shell counterpart (FeCo/N-C-Peanut). The FeCo/N-C-Pistachio displays a promising onset potential of 0.93 V vs. RHE and a high saturating current density of 4.49 mA cm-2, suggesting its high ORR activity. An aluminium-air battery, with FeCo/N-C-Pistachio catalyst on the cathode and coupled with a commercial aluminium 1100 anode, delivers a power density of 99.7 mW cm-2 and a stable discharge voltage at 1.37 V over 5 h of operation. This high-performance, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable electrocatalyst shows potential for large-scale adoption of aluminium-air batteries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (14) ◽  
pp. 6692-6698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Wenting Hong ◽  
Chuanyong Jian ◽  
Qian Cai ◽  
Xu He ◽  
...  

The heterojunction of Mo2C/MoSe2 with enhanced conductivity and large surface area is contributed to an efficient HER process. DFT calculations prove that there are MIGS in the interface between Mo2C and MoSe2, facilitating charge transfer for HER.


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