02416nas a2200301 4500008004100000022001400041245011600055210006900171260000800240300001200248490000700260520140900267653002801676653002501704653002601729653002001755653002501775100002701800700001701827700001801844700001701862700001901879700002101898700001901919700002401938700002401962856012801986 2020 eng d a1613-681000aIn situ cross-linked nonaqueous polymer electrolyte for zinc-metal polymer batteries and hybrid supercapacitors0 aIn situ crosslinked nonaqueous polymer electrolyte for zincmetal cSEP a20025280 v163 a

This work reports the facile synthesis of nonaqueous zinc-ion conducting polymer electrolyte (ZIP) membranes using an ultraviolet (UV)-light-induced photopolymerization technique, with room temperature (RT) ionic conductivity values in the order of 10(-3)S cm(-1). The ZIP membranes demonstrate excellent physicochemical and electrochemical properties, including an electrochemical stability window of >2.4 V versus Zn|Zn(2+)and dendrite-free plating/stripping processes in symmetric Zn||Zn cells. Besides, a UV-polymerization-assisted in situ process is developed to produce ZIP (abbreviated i-ZIP), which is adopted for the first time to fabricate a nonaqueous zinc-metal polymer battery (ZMPB; VOPO4|i-ZIP|Zn) and zinc-metal hybrid polymer supercapacitor (ZMPS; activated carbon|i-ZIP|Zn) cells. The VOPO(4)cathode employed in ZMPB possesses a layered morphology, exhibiting a high average operating voltage of approximate to 1.2 V. As compared to the conventional polymer cell assembling approach using the ex situ process, the in situ process is simple and it enhances the overall electrochemical performance, which enables the widespread intrusion of ZMPBs and ZMPSs into the application domain. Indeed, considering the promising aspects of the proposed ZIP and its easy processability, this work opens up a new direction for the emergence of the zinc-based energy storage technologies.

10anonaqueous electrolytes10apolymer electrolytes10apostlithium batteries10aSupercapacitors10azinc-metal batteries1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aGhosh, Meena1 aKurian, Maria1 aTorris, Arun1 aDilwale, Swati1 aBadiger, Manohar1 aWinter, Martin1 aNair, Jijeesh, Ravi1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/situ-cross-linked-nonaqueous-polymer-electrolyte-zinc-metal-polymer-batteries-and-hybrid02136nas a2200193 4500008004100000022001400041245009500055210006900150260000900219300001400228490000700242520146600249100001701715700002701732700001801759700001901777700002401796856012201820 2021 eng d a1477-922600aNaphthalene dianhydride organic anode for a `rocking-chair' zinc-proton hybrid ion battery0 aNaphthalene dianhydride organic anode for a rockingchair zincpro cMAR  a4237-42430 v503 a

Rechargeable batteries consisting of a Zn metal anode and a suitable cathode coupled with a Zn2+ ion-conducting electrolyte are recently emerging as promising energy storage devices for stationary applications. However, the formation of high surface area Zn (HSAZ) architectures on the metallic Zn anode deteriorates their performance upon prolonged cycling. In this work, we demonstrate the application of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA), an organic compound, as a replacement for the Zn-metal anode enabling the design of a `rocking-chair' zinc-proton hybrid ion battery. The NTCDA electrode material displays a multi-plateau redox behaviour, delivering a specific discharge capacity of 143 mA h g(-1) in the potential window of 1.4 V to 0.3 V vs. Zn|Zn2+. The detailed electrochemical characterization of NTCDA in various electrolytes (an aqueous solution of 1 M ZnOTF, an aqueous solution of 0.01 M H2SO4, and an organic electrolyte of 0.5 M ZnOTF/acetonitrile) reveals that the redox processes leading to charge storage involve a contribution from both H+ and Zn2+. The performance of NTCDA as an anode is further demonstrated by pairing it with a MnO2 cathode, and the resulting MnO2||NTCDA full-cell (zinc-proton hybrid ion battery) delivers a specific discharge capacity of 41 mA h g(total)(-1) (normalized with the total mass-loading of both anode and cathode active materials) with an average operating voltage of 0.80 V.

1 aGhosh, Meena1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aKurian, Maria1 aDilwale, Swati1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/naphthalene-dianhydride-organic-anode-rocking-chair-zinc-proton-hybrid-ion-battery02085nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245013800055210006900193260000800262300001400270490000600284520125800290100002701548700001701575700001801592700002401610700001701634700002301651700002501674700002401699856013201723 2021 eng d a2398-490200aSulfonated polyvinyl alcohol ionomer membrane favoring smooth electrodeposition of zinc for aqueous rechargeable zinc metal batteries0 aSulfonated polyvinyl alcohol ionomer membrane favoring smooth el cOCT a5557-55640 v53 aOne of the failure mechanisms of aqueous rechargeable zinc metal batteries (AZMBs) involves high surface area zinc (HSAZ)/dendrite-like deposits over the Zn-metal anode during long-term cycling. Negatively charged (anionic) polymeric ionomer electrolyte membranes and separators are known for suppressing the dendrite-/HSAZ-induced failure of AZMBs. However, the preparation of cost-effective and non-fluorinated ionomers from cheap and environmentally friendly polymers is essential to leverage the feasibility of AZMBs. The current work demonstrates the potential of an ionomer electrolyte membrane (P-AS-C-Zn) made by the crystallization-induced physical cross-linking of sulfonated poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVS) and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a dendrite-/HSAZ-inhibiting separator for AZMBs. The P-AS-C-Zn membranes exhibited excellent Zn plating/stripping behavior with a stable voltage vs. time profile beyond 1100 h, compared to their neutral PVA-C-Zn counterpart without any ionomer character (cell failure at close to 280 h). Applying the optimized P-AS-C-Zn membrane in a MnO2||Zn full cell helps retain about 50% of the initial capacity close to 600 cycles in the absence of extra manganese salt in the electrolyte, which is indeed promising.1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aTorris, Arun1 aKurian, Maria1 aMathew, Megha, Mary1 aGhosh, Meena1 aKhairnar, Ajay, B.1 aBadiger, Manohar, V.1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/sulfonated-polyvinyl-alcohol-ionomer-membrane-favoring-smooth-electrodeposition-zinc-aqueous02683nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245010100055210006900156260000900225300001400234490000600248520179900254653002602053653003302079653003102112653003302143653001802176100002102194700002302215700001802238700001702256700002402273856013202297 2022 eng d a2574-096200aAir-cathode interface-engineered electrocatalyst for solid-state rechargeable zinc-air batteries0 aAircathode interfaceengineered electrocatalyst for solidstate re cJUL  a8756-87680 v53 a

Solid-state rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are gaining interest as a class of portable clean energy technology due to their advantages such as high theoretical energy density, intrinsic safety, and low cost. It is expected that an appropriately triple-phase boundary (TPB) engineered, bifunctional oxygen reaction (OER and ORR) electrocatalyst at the air- electrode of ZABs can redefine the performance characteristics of these systems. To explore this possibility, an electrode material consisting of manganese- cobalt-based bimetallic spinel oxide (MnCo2O4)-supported nitrogen-doped entangled graphene (MnCo2O4/NEGF) with multiple active sites responsible for facilitating both OER and ORR has been prepared. The porous 3D graphitic support significantly affects the bifunctional oxygen reaction kinetics and helps the system display a remarkable catalytic performance. The air electrode consisting of the MnCo2O4/NEGF catalyst coated over the gas diffusion layer (GDL) ensures the effective TPB, and this feature works in favor of the rechargeable ZAB system under the charging and discharging modes. As an important structural and functional attribute of the electrocatalyst, the porosity and nitrogen doping in the 3D conducting support play a decisive aspect in controlling the surface wettability (hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity) of the air electrode. The fabricated solid-state rechargeable ZAB device with the developed electrode displayed a maximum peak power density of 202 mW cm(-2), which is significantly improved as compared to the one based on the Pt/C + RuO2 standard catalyst pair (124 mW cm(-2)). The solid-state device which displayed an initial charge-discharge voltage gap of only 0.7 V at 10 mA cm(-2) showed only a small increment of 86 mV after 50 h.

10aair-cathode interface10abifunctional oxygen catalyst10aN-doped entangled graphene10asolid-state zinc-air battery10aspinel oxides1 aManna, Narugopal1 aSingh, Santosh, K.1 aKurian, Maria1 aTorris, Arun1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/air-cathode-interface-engineered-electrocatalyst-solid-state-rechargeable-zinc-air-batteries02327nas a2200229 4500008004100000022001400041245016800055210006900223260000800292490000700300520143400307653003201741653003001773653002301803100001801826700001701844700002701861700004001888700001701928700002401945856012801969 2022 eng d a2194-428800aInfluence of ice templating on oxygen reduction catalytic activity of metal-free heteroatom-doped mesoporous carbon derived from polypyrrole for zinc-air batteries0 aInfluence of ice templating on oxygen reduction catalytic activi cDEC0 v103 a

The development of highly active, cost-effective, and durable, noble metal-free oxygen reduction electrocatalysts is inevitable for the full-fledged implementation of fuel cells and zinc-air batteries. This work reports the synthesis of heteroatom (N, P, S)-doped metal-free mesoporous carbon-based electrocatalyst derived from polypyrrole by combining the ice templating, freeze-drying, and carbonization processes. The correlation between the structure and electrochemical activity of the polypyrrole-derived carbon-based electrocatalyst in the presence and absence of ice templating is investigated. The optimized electrocatalyst, aided by the ice-templating and freeze-drying step, shows an onset and half-wave potential (E-1/2) of 0.94 and 0.78 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode, respectively, in an alkaline electrolyte (0.1 m KOH). Later, the application of the optimized electrocatalyst is demonstrated in a primary zinc-air battery (ZAB) cell. The results prove that the ZAB device performance based on the homemade catalyst is on par with that of the state-of-the-art Pt/C cathode. The catalyst performance is correlated with the heteroatom doping and the enhanced porosity of the sample benefitted from ice templating. Ultimately, this work depicts a facile and rational synthesis of a truly metal-free electrocatalyst for the primary ZABs that can be a potential replacement for state-of-the-art systems.

10ametal-free electrocatalysts10aoxygen reduction reaction10azinc-air batteries1 aKurian, Maria1 aGhosh, Meena1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aPuthiyaveetil, Priyanka, Pandinhare1 aTorris, Arun1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/influence-ice-templating-oxygen-reduction-catalytic-activity-metal-free-heteroatom-doped02282nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245009700055210006900152260000800221490000600229520140600235653002501641653002301666653001801689653002901707653003301736100001901769700001701788700004001805700001801845700001701863700002401880856012401904 2023 eng d a2366-748600aBinder-free and flexible VOPO4/CNT film as cathode for aqueous rechargeable Zn-metal battery0 aBinderfree and flexible VOPO4CNT film as cathode for aqueous rec cSEP0 v73 a

Aqueous rechargeable Zn-metal batteries (AZMBs) are promising energy storage aids due to their inherent safety, low cost, and competent performance, with prospects in stationary and portable applications. In this regard, one of the critical requirements is developing electrodes that can adapt to mechanical deformation without compromising the charge storage performance. The current work demonstrates the development of a binder-free and mechanically flexible composite cathode film (VP/fCNT-F, where `F' stands for the film) based on VOPO4 (VP) and functionalized carbon nanotubes (fCNTs). The VP/fCNT-F film processing involves simple vacuum filtration of the composite obtained from the in-situ reaction of the fCNTs and the VP precursor in an aqueous medium. The functionalization of carbon nanotube (CNT) is important for the homogenous dispersion of VP and fCNT. The VP/fCNT-F electrode is used as a monolithic electrode in AZMB cells in combination with both liquid and quasi-solid-state gel polymer electrolytes. Besides, the utility of the VP/fCNT-F electrode in a flexible battery configuration is also demonstrated. Interestingly, in both the coin-cell and flexible configurations, the VP/fCNT-F electrode delivers a comparable discharge capacity of 90 and 78 mAh g(-1), respectively (at 0.1 A g(-1)), validating the advantage of the binder-free VP/fCNT-F electrode for AZMBs.

10abinder-free cathodes10aflexible batteries10alayered VOPO410apolymer gel electrolytes10aself-standing flexible films1 aDilwale, Swati1 aBabu, Athira1 aPuthiyaveetil, Priyanka, Pandinhare1 aKurian, Maria1 aGhosh, Meena1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/binder-free-and-flexible-vopo4cnt-film-cathode-aqueous-rechargeable-zn-metal-battery02016nas a2200205 4500008004100000022001400041245018000055210006900235260000800304300001600312490000700328520121400335100001801549700002701567700002101594700002701615700001701642700002401659856012701683 2023 eng d a2050-748800aElectrode|electrolyte interface enhancement in quasi-solid-state zinc-air batteries through an anion conducting polymer electrolyte interlayer by in situ polymerization0 aElectrodeelectrolyte interface enhancement in quasisolidstate zi cJUL a14776-147870 v113 a

This work introduces a novel concept of electrode|electrolyte interface enhancement using an ultraviolet (UV) light-assisted in situ polymerization strategy to improve the performance of quasi-solid-state zinc-air batteries (ZABs). The suitability of the UV polymerization strategy to process a mechanically stable OH- conducting anion exchange polymer electrolyte membrane (AEPEM) reinforced by a glass fiber (GF) separator is also reported. The in situ polymerized ionomer-skin/interlayer (a thin anion-conducting polymer coating over the air-cathode of ZAB) acts as a buffer layer to narrow down the performance gap generally observed between ZABs possessing quasi-solid-state electrolytes and standard liquid electrolytes, respectively. For instance, when combined with the in situ polymerization strategy, a rechargeable ZAB (rZAB) based on an AEPEM-GF composite membrane delivered a high power density of 140 mW cm(-2), higher than that of the one without an in situ polymerized ionomer interlayer (120 mW cm(-2)). Notably, in a flexible rZAB configuration, this new strategy resulted in enhanced rate capability and cycling stability for 14 h at an operating current density of 2 mA cm(-2).

1 aKurian, Maria1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aManna, Narugopal1 aKanheerampockil, Fayis1 aBhat, Suresh1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/electrodeelectrolyte-interface-enhancement-quasi-solid-state-zinc-air-batteries-through02683nas a2200217 4500008004100000022001400041245012900055210006900184260000800253490000600261520186200267653003002129653003002159653004302189100002402232700001802256700002802274700001702302700002402319856012202343 2024 eng d a2366-748600aAdvanced 3D network of N-doped graphitic carbon with FeNi alloy embedding for high-performance rechargeable Zn-air batteries0 aAdvanced 3D network of Ndoped graphitic carbon with FeNi alloy e cJUL0 v83 a

Despite the significant progress in Zn-air batteries (ZABs), their widespread use in the rechargeable sector is hindered due to the scarcity of efficient bifunctional oxygen catalysts that can catalyze both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). To address this, an ORR/OER bifunctional electrocatalyst is designed with ultrafine alloyed FeNi nanoparticles encapsulated in a 3D interconnected N- doped carbon network structure, featuring a carbon nitride backbone enclosed in graphitic carbon. The FeNi electrocatalyst (3DFeNiPDC) showed good bifunctional activity toward both ORR and OER in the basic medium with a low overpotential value of 30 mV for ORR and 6 mV for OER compared to its state-of-the-art counterparts Pt/C, and RuO2, respectively. Utilizing 3DFeNiPDC in a rechargeable Zn-air battery (RZAB) yields an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.35 V, a maximum power density of 232 mW cm-2, and an energy density of 707 W h kg-1. Additionally, a flexible RZAB employing 3DFeNiPDC demonstrates an OCV of 1.4 V with various bending angles. These finding suggest 3DFeNiPDC as a viable alternative to noble metal-based RZABs, offering superior bifunctional electrocatalytic activity and stability, particularly with its enhanced air-breathing properties facilitating improved operability under practical conditions. The bifunctional electrocatalytic activity of FeNi alloy nanoparticles embedded in a 3D- interconnected N-doped graphitic carbon (3DFeNiPDC) for both oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution is studied. The 3D architecture and core-shell characteristics of FeNi alloy nanoparticles provide better activity and stability for oxygen electrocatalysis. The electrocatalytic activity of 3DFeNiPDC has been exploited for liquid-state and solid-state flexible rechargeable zinc-air batteries. image

10aOxygen Evolution Reaction10aoxygen reduction reaction10arechargeable flexible zinc-air battery1 aPandikassala, Ajmal1 aKurian, Maria1 aGangadharan, Pranav, K.1 aTorris, Arun1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/advanced-3d-network-n-doped-graphitic-carbon-feni-alloy-embedding-high-performance02976nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245018300055210006900238260000800307300001400315490000600329520187600335653004902211653001302260653005802273653003502331653003602366100001802402700002702420700002702447700002102474700002602495700002502521700002402546856012802570 2024 eng d a2574-096200aF-doped nickel cobalt oxide-carbon composite electrocatalysts paired with mechanically robust anion-conducting chitosan membranes for flexible and rechargeable zinc-air batteries0 aFdoped nickel cobalt oxidecarbon composite electrocatalysts pair cAUG a7037-70540 v73 a

High-performing, cost-effective electrocatalysts and anion-conducting polymer electrolyte membranes are essential for realizing commercially affordable zinc-air batteries (ZABs). In this context, the present work deals with the development of a bifunctional electrocatalyst and an anion-exchange quasi-solid-state electrolyte membrane (based on quaternary ammonium group-grafted chitosan) for demonstrating flexible and rechargeable ZABs. The electrocatalyst composed of NiCoO2 nanoparticles supported on a carbon framework showcased substantial advancements in its ability to catalyze both oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER) due to the heteroatom doping by fluorine. For instance, the optimized electrocatalyst (F-NCO-ADC-600) exhibited an onset potential of 0.96 V vs RHE with a half-wave potential of 0.83 V vs RHE for ORR, a comparable performance with the state-of-the-art Pt/C (1.0 and 0.86 V vs RHE, respectively). On a similar note, the same catalyst also displayed an overpotential of 340 mV vs RHE for OER at a current density of 20 mA cm(-2), close to that of a standard RuO2 catalyst (337 mV vs RHE). In the context of polymer electrolytes, the quaternary ammonium-group-grafted chitosan membrane depicted superior ionic conductivity, liquid electrolyte uptake, and mechanical properties, thereby proving to be an efficient anion-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane. The realistic application of the developed electrocatalyst and the polymer electrolyte membrane is demonstrated in the ZAB prototypes. The assembled rechargeable ZAB (RZAB) delivered a power density of 207 mW cm(-2) and maintained high-rate capability and cycling stability, notably in a flexible configuration (f-RZABs). Thus, this work provides a strategy for the rational design of anion-exchange membranes and bifunctional electrocatalysts for f-RZABs.

10aanion-conducting polymer electrolytemembrane10aF-doping10aflexible and rechargeable zinc-air batteries(f-RZABs)10aoxygen evolution reaction(OER)10aoxygen reduction reaction (ORR)1 aKurian, Maria1 aRanganath, Suresha, P.1 aVijayakumar, Vidyanand1 aSivadasan, Sneha1 aKurian, Rachna, Maria1 aBadiger, Manohar, V.1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/f-doped-nickel-cobalt-oxide-carbon-composite-electrocatalysts-paired-mechanically-robust02221nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245015300055210006900208260000800277520129500285653004401580653000801624653002401632653002701656653002901683100004001712700001801752700001901770700001801789700001801807700002401825856013001849 2024 eng d a1613-681000aInsights on prussian blue analogue cathode material engineered with polypyrrole surface protection layer for aqueous rechargeable zinc metal battery0 aInsights on prussian blue analogue cathode material engineered w cNOV3 a

One of the key intricacies against using Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) in aqueous batteries is their gradual dissolution in aqueous electrolytes, resulting in inadequate cycling stability. Besides, the rate capability of PBAs is limited due to their poor electrical conductivity. To overcome these challenges, it is essential to tune the physical and chemical properties of PBAs at the nano regime without affecting the inherent charge storage properties, especially at high-voltage operating conditions. Through this work, a strategy is demonstrated to enhance the electrochemical performance of vanadium-based PBA (V-PBA) by surface engineering using a conducting polymer nano-skin (V-PBA/PPy) for aqueous zinc metal batteries. The polypyrrole (PPy) nano-skin over the V-PBA nanoparticles acts as an electron percolation path to ameliorate the poor electronic conductivity of the otherwise pristine V-PBA. Interestingly, the V-PBA with an optimized polypyrrole coating (V-PBA/PPy-2) exhibits an enhanced specific capacity (173 mAh g-1 at 0.10 A g-1) than the pristine V-PBA counterpart (80 mAh g-1) and 85% capacity retention up to 500 cycles. The DFT calculation confirms the synergistic interaction between PPy and V-PBA and the presence of PPy favors the adsorption of Zn.

10aaqueous rechargeable zinc metal battery10aDFT10apolypyrrole coating10aPrussian blue analogue10asurface protection layer1 aPuthiyaveetil, Priyanka, Pandinhare1 aNair, Aathira1 aDilwale, Swati1 aKurian, Maria1 aJoshi, Kavita1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/insights-prussian-blue-analogue-cathode-material-engineered-polypyrrole-surface-protection00991nas a2200301 4500008004100000022001400041245009900055210006900154260000900223490000800232653001100240653001700251653003000268653001600298653001100314100002800325700002400353700002500377700002600402700002100428700001800449700001700467700001200484700002000496700002400516700001900540856013000559 2024 eng d a1385-894700aIron salicylaldehydate conjugated metal-organic framework for quasi solid-state supercapacitor0 aIron salicylaldehydate conjugated metalorganic framework for qua cSEP 0 v49610aCarbon10aconductivity10aELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATION10aperformance10aROBUST1 aMohammed, Abdul, Khayum1 aPandikassala, Ajmal1 aSanchez, Pilar, Pena1 aGaber, Safa, Abdullah1 aCanossa, Stefano1 aKurian, Maria1 aXavier, Gigi1 aHe, Yao1 aGandara, Felipe1 aKurungot, Sreekumar1 aShetty, Dinesh uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/iron-salicylaldehydate-conjugated-metal-organic-framework-quasi-solid-state-supercapacitor01835nas a2200181 4500008004100000022001400041245011400055210006900169260000900238300001400247490000700261520115400268100004001422700001701462700001801479700002401497856013201521 2025 eng d a1359-734500aAdvances in polymer electrolyte design strategies for highly efficient supercapacitors and Zn-based batteries0 aAdvances in polymer electrolyte design strategies for highly eff cMAY  a6864-68810 v613 a

Electrolytes play a crucial role in the performance of electrochemical energy storage systems, such as batteries and supercapacitors. Their main function is to act as a medium for ion transport between the electrodes, which is essential for the charge and discharge processes. Beyond this, the electrochemical performance of the device is strongly affected by the various properties of the electrolytes such as their ionic conductivity, chemical, thermal and electrochemical stability, chemical compatibility, etc. The intrinsic limitations of the aqueous electrolytes such as their decomposition during high voltage operations has led to the development of better electrolytes for batteries and supercapacitors. These included non-aqueous electrolytes, inorganic solid-state electrolytes, and gel polymer electrolytes. This feature article reviews the various approaches to designing a highly efficient polymer electrolyte for the targeted application along with the suitable device fabrication strategy adopted in the current literature to achieve a balanced electrochemical performance compared with a liquid electrolyte-based device.

1 aPuthiyaveetil, Priyanka, Pandinhare1 aBabu, Athira1 aKurian, Maria1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/advances-polymer-electrolyte-design-strategies-highly-efficient-supercapacitors-and-zn-based02916nas a2200181 4500008004100000022001400041245012700055210006900182260000800251300001600259490000700275520223300282100002402515700002402539700001802563700002402581856012902605 2025 eng d a2050-748800aIn situ engineered triple phase boundary enhancement in 3D structured carbon supported catalyst for high-temperature PEMFC0 aIn situ engineered triple phase boundary enhancement in 3D struc cJUL a21847-218630 v133 a

Enhancing platinum (Pt) utilization in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) requires optimizing the catalyst support microstructures to expand the triple-phase boundary (TPB). A promising method has been reported here which employs a three-dimensional (3D) catalyst support with an in situ-generated ionomer interface from preadmitted monomer molecules, potentially replacing the traditional Nafion ionomers. The small-sized monomers infiltrate the catalyst's pores, and UV curing polymerizes them into an extended interfacial network within the 3D carbon support. The single-cell analysis of the membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) in high-temperature PEMFCs (HT-PEMFCs) using phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes highlights the effectiveness of this approach. The strategy helps to achieve a current density of 1.06 A cm-2 and 0.49 A cm-2 at 0.60 V in H2-O2 and H2-air feed conditions, respectively. These values represent a significant improvement over the conventional Nafion ionomer-based MEAs, which exhibit current densities of 0.87 A cm-2 and 0.40 A cm-2 under H2-O2 and H2-air feeds, respectively, when utilizing a platinum-supported carbon (Pt/C) catalyst. When Pt nanoparticles are decorated on a high-surface-area, porous 3D interconnected carbon support synthesized via the carbonization of the polydopamine-coated melamine foam (Pt/3DPDC), the conventional Nafion ionomers tend to block the nanopores in the 3D carbon supports, leading to the underutilization of the Pt active sites. In contrast, the in situ ionomer approach enabled the system to deliver 0.93 A cm-2 at 0.60 V H2-O2 feed conditions, which is significantly higher than 0.38 A cm-2 obtained with the Nafion-based ionomers under similar conditions. This approach successfully makes use of the Pt active sites present in the nanopores and tackles the issues of mass transfer and reactant distribution, both of which are essential for expanding fuel cells from single cells to stacks. The exhibited method emphasizes how crucial it is to develop process-friendly electrocatalysts and complementary electrode manufacturing techniques in order to advance the PEMFC performance through a novel scientific path.

1 aPandikassala, Ajmal1 aJadhav, Swapnil, D.1 aKurian, Maria1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/situ-engineered-triple-phase-boundary-enhancement-3d-structured-carbon-supported-catalyst02108nas a2200169 4500008004100000022001400041245012400055210006900179260000800248300001600256490000700272520146700279100001801746700002401764700002401788856012601812 2025 eng d a2050-748800aUV-modified polydopamine zincophilic protective layer for durable and alkaline-stable zinc anodes in zinc-air batteries0 aUVmodified polydopamine zincophilic protective layer for durable cNOV a38928-389440 v133 a

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are promising for flexible energy storage due to their high specific energy, safety, and cost-effectiveness. However, the snags of the zinc (Zn) anode, like ineluctable passivation and dissolution in strongly alkaline electrolytes, limit the discharge and cycling performance of the battery. Electroless plating can be employed to coat the Zn foil with a polydopamine (PDA) layer, leveraging PDA's strong adsorption on the Zn via bidentate bonds. Due to PDA's poor stability in alkaline media, ultraviolet (UV)-induced secondary modifications are conducted to obtain Zn@PDA-UV electrodes with enhanced mechanical and chemical stability. The Zn@PDA-UV layer regulates Zn dendrite growth and suppresses hydrogen evolution and passivation. The zincophilic groups on the Zn@PDA-UV anode suppressed the zincate cross-over, enhancing the recyclability of the ZABs. When paired with commercial catalysts to assemble alkaline ZABs, the battery displayed excellent cycling stability of 75 h. A highly stable anion-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane (PXM) was prepared from the polymer blend of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), xanthan gum, and METAC monomers to tailor a high-performing flexible ZAB with suppressed zincate crossover. The flexible ZAB, integrating the modified Zn anode and PXM, shows a stable cycling profile under various bending angles, demonstrating excellent mechanical and electrochemical durability.

1 aKurian, Maria1 aPandikassala, Ajmal1 aKurungot, Sreekumar uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/uv-modified-polydopamine-zincophilic-protective-layer-durable-and-alkaline-stable-zinc