Due to rising global environmental challenges, air/water pollution treatment technologies, especially membrane techniques, have been focused on. In this context, air or purification membranes have been considered effective for environmental remediation. In the field of polymeric membranes, high-performance polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes have gained increasing research attention. The polymer/graphene nanomaterials exposed several potential benefits when processed as membranes. This review explains the utilization of polymer and graphene-derived nanocomposites towards membrane formation and water or gas separation or decontamination properties. Here, different membrane designs have been developed depending upon the polymer types (poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl chloride), poly(dimethyl siloxane), polysulfone, poly(methyl methacrylate), etc.) and graphene functionalities. Including graphene in polymers influences membrane microstructure, physical features, molecular permeability or selectivity, and separations. Polysulfone/graphene oxide nanocomposite membranes have been found to be most efficient with an enhanced rejection rate of 90%–95%, a high water flux >180 L/m2/h, and a desirable water contact angle for water purification purposes. For gas separation membranes, efficient membranes have been reported as polysulfone/graphene oxide and poly(dimethyl siloxane)/graphene oxide nanocomposites. In these membranes, N2, CO2, and other gases permeability has been found to be higher than even >99.9%. Similarly, higher selectivity values for gases like CO2/CH4 have been observed. Thus, high-performance graphene-based nanocomposite membranes possess high potential to overcome the challenges related to water or gas molecular separations.
Graphene, an innovative nanocarbon, has been discovered as a significant technological material. Increasing utilization of graphene has moved research towards the development of sustainable green techniques to synthesize graphene and related nanomaterials. This review article is basically designed to highlight the significant sustainability aspects of graphene. Consequently, the sustainability vision is presented for graphene and graphene nanocomposites. Environmentally sustainable production of graphene and ensuing nanomaterials has been studied. The formation of graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and other derivatives has been synthesized using ecological carbon and green sources, green solvents, non-toxic reagents, and green routes. Furthermore, the utilization of graphene for the conversion of industrial polymers to sustainable recycled polymers has been studied. In addition, the recycled polymers have also been used to form graphene as a sustainable method. The implication of graphene in the sustainable energy systems has been investigated. Specifically, high specific capacitance and capacitance retention were observed for graphene-based supercapacitor systems. Subsequently, graphene may act as a multi-functional, high performance, green nanomaterial with low weight, low price, and environmental friendliness for sustainable engineering and green energy storage applications. However, existing challenges regarding advanced material design, processing, recyclability, and commercial scale production need to be overcome to unveil the true sustainability aspects of graphene in the environmental and energy sectors.
In this paper, a series of Li3V2(PO4)3/C composite nanofibers is prepared by a facile and environmentally friendly electrospinning method and calcined under different temperatures. The LVP nanofiber calcined under 900 ℃ exhibits the best electrochemical performance. The bicontinuous morphologies of LVP/CNF are the fibers shrunk and the LVP crystals simultaneously grown. At the range of 3.0–4.3 V, LVP/CNF obtained under 900 ℃ delivers the initial capacity of 135 mAh/g, close to the theoretical capacity of LVP. Even at high current density, the sample of LVP/CNF still presents good electrochemical performance.
Cobalt-ion batteries are considered a promising battery chemistry for renewable energy storage. However, there are indeed challenges associated with co-ion batteries that demonstrate undesirable side reactions due to hydrogen gas production. This study demonstrates the use of a nanocomposite electrolyte that provides stable performance cycling and high Co2+ conductivity (approximately 24 mS cm−1). The desirable properties of the nanocomposite material can be attributed to its mechanical strength, which remains at nearly 68 MPa, and its ability to form bonds with H2O. These findings offer potential solutions to address the challenges of co-dendrite, contributing to the advancement of co-ion batteries as a promising battery chemistry. The exceptional cycling stability of the co-metal anode, even at ultra-high rates, is a significant achievement demonstrated in the study using the nanocomposite electrolyte. The co-metal anode has a 3500-cycle current density of 80 mA cm−2, which indicates excellent stability and durability. Moreover, the cumulative capacity of 15.6 Ah cm−2 at a current density of 40 mA cm−2 highlights the better energy storage capability. This performance is particularly noteworthy for energy storage applications where high capacity and long cycle life are crucial. The H2O bonding capacity of the component in the nanocomposite electrolyte plays a vital role in reducing surface passivation and hydrogen evolution reactions. By forming strong bonds with H2O molecules, the polyethyne helps prevent unwanted reactions that can deteriorate battery performance and efficiency. This mitigates issues typically associated with excess H2O and ion presence in aqueous Co-ion batteries. Furthermore, the high-rate performance with excellent stability and cycling stability performance (>500 cycles at 8 C) of full Co||MnO2 batteries fabricated with this electrolyte further validates its effectiveness in practical battery configurations. These results indicate the potential of the nanocomposite electrolyte as a valuable and sustainable option, simplifying the development of reliable and efficient energy storage systems and renewable energy applications.
The application of nanotechnology in the food industry enables prioritization of consumers’ needs. Nanotechnology has the ability to provide new forms of control on food structure; therefore, this technology has higher industrial value. This paper briefly introduces the main concepts of nanotechnology and its correlation with size reduction performance. This paper also introduces the main nanobjects and their potential applications in food, and summarizes various studies and their applications in food industry.
Copyright © by EnPress Publisher. All rights reserved.