Abstract: A composite concerning a porous carbon structure having a surface and pores and a coating of MnO2 on the carbon surface, wherein the coating does not completely fill or obstruct a majority of the pores, and wherein the coating is formed by self-limiting electroless deposition.

Abstract: A composite having an electroactive polymer coating on a porous carbon structure is disclosed. The composite may be used in capacitor electrodes. The composite may be made by self-limiting electropolymerization of a monomer on the carbon structure.

Abstract: A device for use in energy storage comprising a nanostructured mesoporous electrically conductive substrate coated with a metal oxide and an ultrathin conformal polymer coating on the metal oxide wherein said electrode has a mesoporous structure. Also disclosed is the related method for making an electrode for use in energy storage.

Abstract: Increased lithium capacity of defective oxide materials and methods for preparation are described herein. Point defects may be introduced into a metal oxide to increase its lithium ion capacity. Defective metal oxides can be prepared by heating the metal oxide under O2/H2O at elevated temperatures. These increased lithium capacity metal oxides may be suitable for use as high specific energy cathodes in lithium metal and lithium ion batteries.

Abstract: An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a RuO2 coating. A method of: immersing a nonconductive article in a solution of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent at a temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent in the presence of the article; and warming the article and solution to ambient temperature under ambient conditions to cause the formation of a RuO2 coating on a portion of the article. An article having: a nonconductive fiber and a coating. The coating is made by electroless deposition, sputtering, atomic-layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, or physical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method of making a carbon nanopipe and ensemble of carbon nanopipes, comprising the steps of flowing a carbon precursor over silica fibers and thereby depositing a durable graphitizable carbon coating of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm onto the silica fibers and etching away the silica fibers to yield a three-dimensional mat of electronically networked, hollow carbon tubules. A carbon nanopipe comprising a durable graphitizable carbon wall of tunable thickness of about 10-500 nm formed by exposing a silica fiber network to a carbon precursor vapor and thereby depositing a carbon film onto the silica fiber network at a temperature suitable for complete pyrolysis of the carbon precursor and removing the silica fibers.

Abstract: The invention relates to sulfur-functionalized polymer gels and carbon gels, including aerogels, and such carbon gels containing platinum or metal nanoparticles. The platinum-containing gels may be useful as fuel-cell electrodes.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite comprising the steps of providing a porous carbon structure comprising a surface and pores and infiltrating the structure with a coating comprising MnO2 without completely filling or obstructing a majority of the pores. A method of storing charge comprising the steps of providing a capacitor comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein the anode, the cathode, or both comprise a composite comprising a porous carbon structure comprising a surface and pores and a coating on the surface comprising MnO2 wherein the coating does not completely fill or obstruct a majority of the pores and a current collector in electrical contact with the composite, and charging the capacitor.

Abstract: A composite comprising a porous carbon structure comprising a surface and pores and a coating on the surface comprising MnO2, wherein the coating does not completely fill or obstruct a majority of the pores, and wherein the coating is formed by self-limiting electroless deposition. A capacitor comprising an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein the anode, the cathode, or both comprise a composite comprising a porous carbon structure comprising a surface and pores and a coating on the surface comprising MnO2, and a current collector in electrical contact with the composite.

Abstract: The invention relates to sulfur-functionalized polymer gels and carbon gels, including aerogels, and such carbon gels containing platinum or metal nanoparticles. The platinum-containing gels may be useful as fuel-cell electrodes.

Abstract: A composite having an electroactive polymer coating on a porous carbon structure is disclosed. The composite may be used in capacitor electrodes. The composite may be made by self-limiting electropolymerization of a monomer on the carbon structure.

Abstract: This disclosure describes the first viable non-enzyme protein encapsulated within an aerogel. In this, a large excess of cyt c is added to a commercial buffered Au sol solution ( ) which results in the formation of a gold˜protein-protein superstructure in the absence of separation techniques which destroy the superstructure. The gold˜protein-protein superstructure is then nanoglued into a silica framework during the sol to gel transition. To form the gel, the Au˜cyt. c superstructure in buffered medium is added to a silica sol and the composite gels are washed with acetone followed by liquid carbon dioxide and then supercritically dried to form the aerogel. The biocomposite aerogels have a multiplicity of applications particularly in the realm of sensing and energy transformation.

Abstract: An electrode for use in energy storage comprising a nanostructured mesoporous electrically conductive metal oxide and an ultrathin, conformal polymer coating on the metal oxide wherein said electrode has a mesoporous structure. Also disclosed is the related method for making an electrode for use in energy storage.

Abstract: An electrode for use in energy storage comprising a nanostructured mesoporous electrically conductive metal oxide and an ultrathin, conformal polymer coating on the metal oxide wherein said electrode has a mesoporous structure. Also disclosed is the related method for making an electrode for use in energy storage.

Abstract: This disclosure describes the first viable non-enzyme protein encapsulated within an aerogel. In this, a large excess of cyt. c is added to a commercial buffered Au sot solution ( ) which results in the formation of a gold˜protein-protein superstructure in the absence of separation techniques which destroy the superstructure. The gold˜protein-protein superstructure is then nanoglued into a silica framework during the sol to gel transition. To form the gel, the Au-cyt. c superstructure in buffered medium is added to a silica sol and the composite gels are washed with acetone followed by liquid carbon dioxide and then supercritically dried to form the aerogel. The biocomposite aerogels have a multiplicity of applications particularly in the realm of sensing and energy transformation.

Abstract: This disclosure describes the first viable non-enzyme protein encapsulated within an aerogel. In this, a large excess of cyt. c is added to a commercial buffered Au sol solution ( ) which results in the formation of a gold˜protein-protein superstructure in the absence of separation techniques which destroy the superstructure.

Abstract: An electrically conductive composite is provided having a mesoporous architecture that improves the accessibility of a nanoscopic catalyst, supported on conductive carbon, to a mass-transported reactant, or substrate, thereby leading to enhanced catalytic activity. In particular, the composite is useful for a new class of fuel-cell electrode architectures based on a composite aerogel that improves the accessibility of a carbon-supported Pt electrocatalyst to methanol (MeOH), leading to higher MeOH oxidation activities than observed at the native carbon supported Pt electrocatalyst. The composite comprises a nanoscopic Pt electrocatalyst, a carbon black electron-conducting support, and a silica aerogel.

Abstract: An electrically conducting composite is made by providing an aerogel structure of nonconducting material, exposing the aerogel structure to a mixture of RuO4 and a nonpolar solvent in an inert atmosphere, wherein the mixture is held initially at a first temperature that is below the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes into RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent and in the presence of the aerogel, and allowing the mixture to warm to a second temperature that is above the temperature at which RuO4 decomposes to RuO2 in the nonpolar solvent and in the presence of the aerogel, wherein the rate of warming is controlled so that as the mixture warms and the RuO4 begins to decompose into RuO2, the newly formed RuO2 is deposited throughout the aerogel structure as a three-dimensionally networked conductive deposit.

Abstract: Increased lithium capacity of defective oxide materials and methods for preparation are described herein. Point defects may be introduced into a metal oxide to increase its lithium ion capacity. Defective metal oxides can be prepared by heating the metal oxide under O2/H2O at elevated temperatures. These increased lithium capacity metal oxides may be suitable for use as high specific energy cathodes in lithium metal and lithium ion batteries.

Abstract: Nanoscale, mesoporous manganese oxide materials aerogels and ambigels are prepared by altering the method for removing pore liquid from manganese oxide gels. By removing pore fluid under conditions where capillary forces are substantially absent, materials exhibiting a desired high mesoporosity and high surface area can be obtained.