EES Blog

‘HOT’ article

This Feature Article focuses on the recent advances in synthesis of nanostructured carbon materials using microwave irradiation as the heating source.

The application of microwaves in synthesis of different types of nanocarbons is discussed and the perspectives in the future research directions of microwave assisted nanocarbon synthesis are deliberated as well.

Read this Feature Article:
Recent advances in microwave initiated synthesis of nanocarbon materials
Xinyu Zhang and Zhen Liu
Nanoscale, 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2NR11603K

This paper reports a fundamentally new strategy for reviving rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries and enabling the emergence of next-generation safe batteries.

The batteries feature a graphene-supported Li metal anode, including the highly promising Li–sulfur, Li–air, and Li–graphene cells with exceptionally high energy or power densities.

Read this ‘HOT’ paper:

Reviving rechargeable lithium metal batteries: enabling next-generation high-energy and high-power cells
Aruna Zhamu, Guorong Chen, Chenguang Liu, David Neff, Qing Fang, Zhenning Yu, Wei Xiong, Yanbo Wang, Xiqing Wang and Bor Z. Jang
Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2EE02911A

‘HOT’ EES paper

This paper by scientists at Imperial College London, UK provides a techno-economic analysis using new experimental data and process simulation, which shows economic feasibility for bioethanol from waste papers.

Technology performance and economic feasibility of bioethanol production from various waste papers
Lei Wang, Mahdi Sharifzadeh, Richard Templer and Richard J. Murphy
Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C2EE02935A

‘HOT’ EES Communication

Globular structures of rGO-MO composites produced by spray pyrolysis method were employed to fabricate high performance supercapacitor electrodes.

In situ spray pyrolysis approach to fabricate metal oxide-graphene composites with highly porous morphologies. The materials exhibited unique globular structures comprising metal oxide nanoparticles embedded between graphene sheets with high capacitance.

Read the ‘HOT’ Communication today:

Globular reduced graphene oxide-metal oxide structures for energy storage applications
Alfred Chidembo, Seyed Hamed Aboutalebi, Konstantin Konstantinov, Maryam Salari, Brad Winton, Sima Aminorroaya Yamini, Ivan P. Nevirkovets and Hua Kun Liu
Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, DOI: 10.1039/C1EE02784K