Nanostructured materials for energy storage and energy conversion devices

Abstract

US Nanocorp, Inc. (USN) has developed an aqueous solution reaction (ASR) technique scalable for high volume production of nanostructured materials (n-materials) for a wide range of applications. By definition, nanophase materials have at least one physical dimension less than 10 nanometers (nm) in length, an attribute which imparts exceptional properties to them because the particle dimensions are close to atomic dimensions and there are a very high fraction of atoms residing at nanocrystalline grain boundaries. The high surface area of these materials has significant implications with respect to energy storage devices with electrochemical active sites (batteries, ultracapacitors) and energy conversion devices depending on catalytic sites or defect structure (e.g., fuel cells and thermoelectric devices). Potential application areas in both energy conversion and energy storage are discussed. Morphological studies of manganese dioxide have revealed the existence of both nanoporosity and mesoporosity within unusual superstructures comprised of nanorod building blocks. Nanophase nickel hydroxide has also been synthesized. Preliminary electrochemical studies are reported.