FUEL 230 |
| Nanotechnology has been recognized as an emerging technology of the new century. Control over the structure on nanoscale can open opportunities for the development of materials with superior properties, if the structure/property relations are known and if the microstructure can be controlled to the sufficient degree. Nanotechnology also opens new avenues for composite applications, where attractive properties of two or more materials could be combined while their shortcomings compensated. Carbon is a very special element. Being the sixth most common element in the universe it serves as a backbone of all organic substances. It is the only element that is currently known to exist in single crystalline form (as graphene) while being only one atom thick and unprotected from oxygen in its surrounding environment. Several types of available bonds (sp, sp2, sp3) allow tuning the electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of carbon in an incredibly wide range. Varieties of chemical functionalities permit modifications of carbon surfaces for covalent bonding with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds. The ability of carbon to afford very high electrical conductivity and very high surface area with controlled pore size complement attractive properties of metals and metal oxides, including their ability to efficiently adsorb or absorb ions. This talk provides an overview of the latest developments in carbon-metal nanocomposites and their applications in batteries and supercapacitors. The challenges associated with control over nanocomposite microstructure are discussed. |
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Chemistry of Carbon Materials and Nanomaterials
8:30 AM-11:45 AM, Thursday, April 10, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 240/241, Oral
Division of Fuel Chemistry |