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Peng, Zhiwei

Publications and source records attributed to Peng, Zhiwei.

7 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Probing the electrical double layer by operando X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy through a graphene‐carbon nanotube composite window

Abstract The electrical double layer is known to spontaneously form at the electrode‐electrolyte interface, impacting many important chemical and physical processes as well as applications including electrocatalysis, electroorganic synthesis, nanomaterial preparation, energy storage, and even emulsion stabilization. However, it has been challenging to study this fundamental phenomenon at the molecular level because the electrical double layer is deeply “buried” by the bulk electrolyte solution. Here, we report a quantitative probing of the electrical double layer of ionic liquids from the solid side of a photoelectron‐transparent graphene‐carbon nanotube hybrid membrane electrode using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The membrane window is ultrathin (1‐1.5 nm), large (~1 cm 2 ), and robust, enabling a tight seal of the electrolyte and quantitative measurement with excellent photoelectron signals. By operando monitoring the population changes of cations and anions in response to the applied electrical potentials, we experimentally resolve the chemical structure and dynamics of the electrical double layer, which corroborate results from molecular dynamics simulations. image

Wang, Peng↗
DOE OSTI2019

Quantitative infrared spectroscopy of environmentally sensitive and rough materials

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a widely used characterization technique for studying chemical compositions and lightmatter interactions in the infrared range. However, it remains challenging to use conventional FTIR equipment to characterize materials that are environmentally sensitive and/or have rough surfaces due to their dynamic response to external stimuli (e.g., humidity) and light scattering from the sample surface. Here, we describe an approach enabling quantitative infrared spectroscopy measurements of these challenging samples, including transmittance, reflectance, and emissivity. We designed and 3D-printed a miniaturized environmental chamber that can be directly inserted into the sample holder of a conventional integrating sphere to perform total transmission and reflection measurements in controlled environments. Moreover, a calibration method was developed to exclude light scattering from rough surfaces of the sample and the distortion created by infrared windows. To illustrate the potential application of this method, we have performed quantitative infrared measurements, both specular and diffusive, on a sapphire standard reference with a specular surface, as well as a textile sample that has a rough surface and is dynamically responsive to changes in humidity. The calibrated results measured with the equipped chamber match those measured without the IR windows, demonstrating the viability of our environmental chamber and the proposed calibration method. This quantitative infrared spectroscopy measurement technique may help advance fields such as metasurfaces and adaptive textiles, where samples are often rough, dynamically responsive, and/or environmentally sensitive.

3D printing↗
DOE OSTI2019

Dynamic gating of infrared radiation in a textile

The human body absorbs and loses heat largely through infrared radiation centering around a wavelength of 10 micrometers. However, neither our skin nor the textiles that make up clothing are capable of dynamically controlling this optical channel for thermal management. By coating triacetate-cellulose bimorph fibers with a thin layer of carbon nanotubes, we effectively modulated the infrared radiation by more than 35% as the relative humidity of the underlying skin changed. Both experiments and modeling suggest that this dynamic infrared gating effect mainly arises from distance-dependent electromagnetic coupling between neighboring coated fibers in the textile yarns. This effect opens a pathway for developing wearable localized thermal management systems that are autonomous and self-powered, as well as expanding our ability to adapt to demanding environments.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2017

High Performance Electrocatalytic Reaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen on Ruthenium Nanoclusters

The development of catalytic materials for the hydrogen oxidation, hydrogen evolution, oxygen reduction or oxygen evolution reactions with high reaction rates and low overpotentials are key goals for the development of renewable energy. We report here Ru(0) nanoclusters supported on nitrogen-doped graphene as high-performance multifunctional catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), showing activities similar to that of commercial Pt/C in alkaline solution. For HER performance in alkaline media, sample Ru/NG-750 reaches 10 mA cm-2 at an overpotential of 8 mV with a Tafel slope of 30 mV dec-1. The high HER performance in alkaline solution is advantageous because most catalysts for ORR and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) also prefer alkaline solution environment whereas degrade in acidic electrolytes. For ORR performance, Ru/NG effectively catalyzes the conversion of O2 into OH- via a 4e process at a current density comparable to that of Pt/C. The unusual catalytic activities of Ru(0) nanoclusters reported here are important discoveries for the advancement of renewable energy conversion reactions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Atomic H-Induced Mo 2 C Hybrid as an Active and Stable Bifunctional Electrocatalyst

Mo 2 C nanocrystals (NCs) anchored on vertically aligned graphene nanoribbons (VA-GNR) as hybrid nanoelectrocatalysts (Mo 2 C–GNR) are synthesized through the direct carbonization of metallic Mo with atomic H treatment. The growth mechanism of Mo 2 C NCs with atomic H treatment is discussed. The Mo 2 C–GNR hybrid exhibits highly active and durable electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR). For HER, in an acidic solution the Mo 2 C–GNR has an onset potential of 39 mV and a Tafel slope of 65 mV dec –1 , and in a basic solution Mo 2 C–GNR has an onset potential of 53 mV, and Tafel slope of 54 mV dec –1 . It is stable in both acidic and basic media. Mo 2 C–GNR is a high-activity ORR catalyst with a high peak current density of 2.01 mA cm – 2, an onset potential of 0.93 V that is more positive vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), a high electron transfer number n (~3.90), and long-term stability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗