Hiroki Nara

In this study, we present microporous carbon (MPC), hollow microporous carbon (HMC) and hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) to demonstrate the importance of strategical designing of nanoarchitectures in achieving advanced catalyst (or electrode) materials, especially in the context of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Based on the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and ORR studies, we identify a marked structural effect depending on the porosity. Specifically, mesopores are found to have the m

Lithium-ion batteries are required to have high-power density, that is to reduce impedance, for use in electric vehicles. This paper focuses on interfacial resistance between the cathode layer (CL) and the current collector (CC) observed at high frequencies, which is generally attributed to a resistance of surface film like SEI. To investigate the interfacial resistance systematically, different interfaces between the CL and the CC were prepared by controlling the press rate for the cathode prep

A highly durable SiOC composite anode was prepared for use in lithium secondary batteries. The SiOC composite was synthesized by electrodeposition of SiCl4. The composite anode delivered a discharge capacity of 1045 mA h per gram of Si at the 2000th cycle and 842 mA h per gram of Si even at the 7200th cycle. The reason for the excellent cyclability was investigated by methods including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy with an energy d

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using an equivalent circuit is a powerful tool in the diagnosis of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, LIBs have been increasingly used in applications requiring power higher than that used for conventional LIBs for portable electric devices. Considering this demand for LIBs, the ionic resistances in the electrodes, which raise a reaction distribution under high-power operation, are important. This consequently means EIS analysis should include ion

Improving catalytic performance relies heavily on the rational design of the spatial structure of electrocatalysts, achieved through exposure of active sites, acceleration of the charge/mass transfer rate, and confinement of the reactants. In this study, we have fabricated Co nanoparticles embedded in overhang eave-like hollow N-doped mesoporous carbon (Co@EMPC) by adjusting the thickness of mesoporous polydopamine (mPDA). Thanks to the abundance of short mesoporous channels within the porous st

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has been widely used to understand the chemistry and physics of battery systems. This review covers electrochemical impedance spectroscopy used for the interpretation of impedance data of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) from advanced equivalent circuit models to the mathematical model, which is developed by John Newman. In addition, as a method to realize an energy-sustainable society using diagnostics based on the combination of LIBs and electrochemical imped

Abstract A mesoporous Sn anode was electrodeposited in the presence of lyotropic liquid crystals made of nonionic surfactants. The introduction of mesoporous structure was effective for the accommodation of volume change of Sn during charge and discharge cycling of Li ions. The discharge capacity of the mesoporous Sn anode at 1 C rate was as high as 425 mA h g−1 at the 100th cycle, and that was as high as 320 mA h g−1 at the 100th cycle even though at 5 C rate.

A novel transmission line (TML) model is proposed for the impedance analysis, which is nondestructive measurement, on degraded cathode catalyst layers in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The test PEFC consisted of 1.0 mg/cm2 of Pt-Ru as an anode catalyst, 1.0 mg/cm2 of Pt as a cathode catalyst, and Nafion 212 as an electrolyte. The model counts the distribution of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the inside and outside of agglomerates of the carbon supported catalysts. We demonstrat

A high areal capacity lithium-sulfur battery making use of mass produced aluminum metal foam as a current collector was investigated. A sulfur/Ketjenblack (KB) composite was filled and deposited into the aluminum foam current collector via a predetermined filling procedure, resulting in high sulfur loading. The value for this loading was found to be 17.7 mg sulfur/cm2 by using carboxymethyl cellulose and styrene butadiene rubber (CMC + SBR) as a binder. An operating single-layer pouch-type cell

This work reports the selective synthesis of monodisperse nickel–cobalt phosphate particles with different structures for battery-like supercapacitors.