Carbon Nanotubes tagged posts

The Solar Thermal Electrochemical Process (STEP) converts atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbon nanotubes that can be used in advanced batteries. Credit: Julie Turner, Vanderbilt University

s can be replaced with carbon recovered from the atmosphere. The team adapted a solar-powered process that converts carbon dioxide into carbon so that it produces carbon nanotubes that can be incorporated into both lithium-ion batteries like those used in electric vehicles and electronic devices and low-cost sodium-ion batteries under development for large-scale applications, such as the electric grid.

“This approach not only produces better batteries but it also establishes a value for carbon dioxide recovered from the atmosphere that is associated with the end-user battery cost unlike most efforts to...

Illustration of a cycloparaphenylene, or nanohoop, that has been doped with nitrogen atoms. Research in the University of Oregon lab of Ramesh Jasti has shown the combination of nitrogen and carbon atoms extends the potential efficiency and capabilities of such structures. Credit: Courtesy of Ramesh Jasti

While application is down the road, these tiny organic circular structures could be used in solar cells, light-emitting diodes and medical diagnostics. When scientists began making tiny organic circular structures using carbon atoms, the idea was to improve carbon nanotubes for use in electronics or optical devices. Now they believe this technique might roll solo. Researchers now show that these cycloparaphenylenes can be made using a variety of atoms, not just those from carbon.

These ba...