This Review focuses on noncovalent functionalization of graphene and graphene oxide with various species involving biomolecules, polymers, drugs, metals and metal oxide-based nanoparticles, quantum dots, magnetic nanostructures, other carbon allotropes (fullerenes, nanodiamonds, and carbon nanotubes), and graphene analogues (MoS2, WS2). A brief description of π–π interactions, van der Waals forces, ionic interactions, and hydrogen bonding allowing noncovalent modification of graphene and graphene oxide is first given. The main part of this Review is devoted to tailored functionalization for applications in drug delivery, energy materials, solar cells, water splitting, biosensing, bioimaging, environmental, catalytic, photocatalytic, and biomedical technologies. A significant part of this Review explores the possibilities of graphene/graphene oxide-based 3D superstructures and their use in lithium-ion batteries. This Review ends with a look at challenges and future prospects of noncovalently modified graph...

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Noncovalent Functionalization of Graphene and Graphene Oxide for Energy Materials, Biosensing, Catalytic, and Biomedical Applications

We developed two-step solution-phase reactions to form hybrid materials of Mn3O4 nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets for lithium ion battery applications. Mn3O4 nanoparticles grown selectively on RGO sheets over free particle growth in solution allowed for the electrically insulating Mn3O4 nanoparticles wired up to a current collector through the underlying conducting graphene network. The Mn3O4 nanoparticles formed on RGO show a high specific capacity up to ~900mAh/g near its theoretical capacity with good rate capability and cycling stability, owing to the intimate interactions between the graphene substrates and the Mn3O4 nanoparticles grown atop. The Mn3O4/RGO hybrid could be a promising candidate material for high-capacity, low-cost, and environmentally friendly anode for lithium ion batteries. Our growth-on-graphene approach should offer a new technique for design and synthesis of battery electrodes based on highly insulating materials.

Mn3O4-Graphene Hybrid as a High Capacity Anode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

The stability of two-dimensional (2D) layers and membranes is subject of a long standing theoretical debate. According to the so called Mermin-Wagner theorem, long wavelength fluctuations destroy the long-range order for 2D crystals. Similarly, 2D membranes embedded in a 3D space have a tendency to be crumpled. These dangerous fluctuations can, however, be suppressed by anharmonic coupling between bending and stretching modes making that a two-dimensional membrane can exist but should present strong height fluctuations. The discovery of graphene, the first truly 2D crystal and the recent experimental observation of ripples in freely hanging graphene makes these issues especially important. Beside the academic interest, understanding the mechanisms of stability of graphene is crucial for understanding electronic transport in this material that is attracting so much interest for its unusual Dirac spectrum and electronic properties. Here we address the nature of these height fluctuations by means of straightforward atomistic Monte Carlo simulations based on a very accurate many-body interatomic potential for carbon. We find that ripples spontaneously appear due to thermal fluctuations with a size distribution peaked around 70 \AA which is compatible with experimental findings (50-100 \AA) but not with the current understanding of stability of flexible membranes. This unexpected result seems to be due to the multiplicity of chemical bonding in carbon.

Intrinsic ripples in graphene

https://hal-cea.archives-ouvertes.fr/cea-01791260/document

A review on lithium-ion battery ageing mechanisms and estimations for automotive applications

As a ubiquitous solar-thermal energy conversion process, solar-driven evaporation has attracted tremendous research attention owing to its high conversion efficiency of solar energy and transformative industrial potential. In recent years, solar-driven interfacial evaporation by localization of solar-thermal energy conversion to the air/liquid interface has been proposed as a promising alternative to conventional bulk heating-based evaporation, potentially reducing thermal losses and improving energy conversion efficiency. In this Review, we discuss the development of the key components for achieving high-performance evaporation, including solar absorbers, evaporation structures, thermal insulators and thermal concentrators, and discuss how they improve the performance of the solar-driven interfacial evaporation system. We describe the possibilities for applying this efficient solar-driven interfacial evaporation process for energy conversion applications. The exciting opportunities and challenges in both fundamental research and practical implementation of the solar-driven interfacial evaporation process are also discussed. The thermal properties of solar energy can be exploited for many applications, including evaporation. Tao et al. review recent developments in the field of solar-driven interfacial evaporation, which have enabled higher-performance structures by localizing energy conversion to the air/liquid interface.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation

Solar steam generation driven by local hot spots is an efficient route to use solar energy. We introduce a novel photoreceiver composed of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and polyurethane (PU) matrix for highly efficient solar steam generation. The rGO nanosheets covalently cross-linked to PU matrix provide excellent stability and broad optical absorption, together with the property of thermal insulation served by PU resulting in rapid increase of local thermal under illumination. Moreover, the hydrophilic segments and the interconnected pores of rGO/PU can be worked as water channels for replenishment of surface water evaporated. With excellent mechanical and chemical stability, the functional rGO/PU foam exhibited a solar photothermal efficiency of ∼81% at a light density of 10 kW/m2. The novel macro design demonstrated here is low cost, simple to prepare, and highly stable, being suitable for a series of practical applications in massive seawater desalination, solar steam generation, and sterilization of ...

Reduced Graphene Oxide–Polyurethane Nanocomposite Foam as a Reusable Photoreceiver for Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Solar steam generation through heat localization is a new approach to efficiently utilize solar energy. Nanocomposites with noble metals and other porous materials have been employed to generate solar vapor at a high light intensity. However, large-scale applications of the nanocomposites based on noble metals are restricted due to their high cost, complex preparation, and low recycling stability. Herein, we report a simple method toward fabricating graphene aerogel (GA) from graphene oxides only by photoreduction, which is for the first time used to harvest solar energy. GA can not only convert almost the entire incident solar light to heat energy but can also self-float on the surface of water and pump the interface water forming a constant water steam. Solar steam generation efficiencies of 53.6 ± 2.5% and 82.7 ± 2.5% are achieved at light intensities of 1 and 10 kW m–2, respectively. Furthermore, this efficiency is still kept at a high value, and the morphology of GA is hardly broken after 10 cycles o...

Accessible Graphene Aerogel for Efficiently Harvesting Solar Energy

Oxygen plasma treated graphene aerogel as a solar absorber for rapid and efficient solar steam generation

Investigation on enhancing effects of Au nanoparticles on solar steam generation in graphene oxide nanofluids

Solar steam generation, utilizing abundant solar energy and floating photothermal materials, has been considered as one of the most sustainable, efficient ways to solve the problem of water shortage. Here, a new system for solar steam generation is fabricated based on a PEGylated MoS2-cotton cloth (PMoS2-CC). 80.5-90 ± 3.5% of high-efficiency solar steam generation is achieved under a light density of 1-5 kW m-2 because of the good gas permeability of CC and the hydrophilic property of PMoS2-CC. The self-growth PMoS2-CC provides good photothermal performances in pure water and saline water. The water evaporation rate with PMoS2-CC keeps a stable value after a long-time illumination (4 h) and 32 times cycle tests. Our result provides a way to prepare pure water in the applications for alleviating a scarcity of drinking water.

Tao Mei

Papers

Reduced Graphene Oxide–Polyurethane Nanocomposite Foam as a Reusable Photoreceiver for Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Accessible Graphene Aerogel for Efficiently Harvesting Solar Energy

Oxygen plasma treated graphene aerogel as a solar absorber for rapid and efficient solar steam generation

Investigation on enhancing effects of Au nanoparticles on solar steam generation in graphene oxide nanofluids

PEGylated Self-Growth MoS 2 on a Cotton Cloth Substrate for High-Efficiency Solar Energy Utilization