Superior Wear-Resistance of TiCT Multilayer Coatings.

Owing to MXenes' tunable mechanical properties induced by their structural and chemical diversity, MXenes are believed to compete with state-of-the-art 2D nanomaterials such as graphene regarding their tribological performance. Their nanolaminate structure offers weak interlayer interactions and an easy-to-shear ability to render them excellent candidates for solid lubrication. However, the acting friction and wear mechanisms are yet to be explored.

Design of Carbon/Metal Oxide Hybrids for Electrochemical Energy Storage.

Next generation electrochemical energy storage materials that enable a combination of high specific energy, specific power, and cycling stability can be obtained by a hybridization approach. This involves electrode materials that contain carbon and metal oxide phases linked on a nanoscopic level and combine characteristics of supercapacitors and batteries. The combination of the components requires careful design to create synergistic effects for an increased electrochemical performance.

Binder-Free Hybrid Titanium-Niobium Oxide/Carbon Nanofiber Mats for Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes.

Free-standing, binder-free, titanium-niobium oxide/carbon hybrid nanofibers are prepared for Li-ion battery applications. A one-pot synthesis offers a significant reduction of processing steps and avoids the use of environmentally unfriendly binder materials, making the approach highly sustainable. Tetragonal Nb O /C and monoclinic Ti Nb O /C hybrid nanofibers synthesized at 1000 °C displayed the highest electrochemical performance, with capacity values of 243 and 267 mAh g , respectively, normalized to the electrode mass.

Sub-micrometer Novolac-Derived Carbon Beads for High Performance Supercapacitors and Redox Electrolyte Energy Storage.

Carbon beads with sub-micrometer diameter were produced with a self-emulsifying novolac-ethanol-water system. A physical activation with CO2 was carried out to create a high microporosity with a specific surface area varying from 771 (DFT) to 2237 m(2)/g (DFT) and a total pore volume from 0.28 to 1.