Abstract: Scalable pseudocapacitive cathode materials are provided that can be effectively paired with pseudocapacitive anode materials and used to produce fast charging, long cycle lifetime lithium ion batteries. A sol-gel templating method which forms materials with dissolution resistant surfaces that can avoid capacity loss due to dissolution in high surface area nanostructured LiMn2O4 powders, is also provided. The materials have a long needle-like morphology with dominant <111> surface sites and demonstrate higher capacity and less dissolution than similarly sized materials synthesized with a different structure.

Abstract: Selective alloy corrosion is used to synthesize a robust and ultrafine mesoporous NiFeMn-based metal/metal oxide oxygen evolving catalyst with ligament and pore sizes in the range of 10 nm and a BET surface area of 43 m2/g. As an oxygen evolving catalyst, the mesoporous catalyst exhibits high stability (>264 hours) at a high current density (500 mA/cm2) with a low overpotential (360 mV) using a moderate electrolyte concentration (1 M KOH). The catalyst is made from non-precious metals and its fabrication is straight forward and directly applicable to large-scale synthesis.

Abstract: Selective alloy corrosion is used to synthesize a robust and ultrafine mesoporous NiFeMn-based metal/metal oxide oxygen evolving catalyst with ligament and pore sizes in the range of 10 nm and a BET surface area of 43 m2/g. As an oxygen evolving catalyst, the mesoporous catalyst exhibits high stability (>264 hours) at a high current density (500 mA/cm2) with a low overpotential (360 mV) using a moderate electrolyte concentration (1 M KOH). The catalyst is made from non-precious metals and its fabrication is straight forward and directly applicable to large-scale synthesis.

Abstract: A nanoporous tin is disclose, along with a method of fabrication thereof, the tin having a hierarchical nanoporous and mesoporous ligament morphology that exhibits long-term cyclability, particularly when used as anode material in Li-ion. One embodiment of the present technology is a fabrication method to directly produce nanoporous tin in powder form, rather than a monolithic piece of nanoporous metal, so that the NP-Sn powder can be directly integrated into composite electrodes using commercial battery electrode processing techniques.

Abstract: A solid state hydrogen storage system and materials are provided. Hydrogen storage is provided by the formation of metal hydrides in a nanoporous metal framework. H2 can be effectively released from the hydride that is made directly during the synthesis processes at just 100° C. Dealloying using galvanic corrosion in a metal ion electrolyte and in a hydrogen containing atmosphere is used to create monolithic nanoporous metal frameworks and the simultaneous formation of metal hydrides within the porosity. The nanoporous frameworks have a tunable plasmon resonance and morphology. The system can reversibly store hydrogen in the nanoporous framework using hot electrons generated either by surface plasmons or by exothermic galvanic replacement reactions to form metal hydrides.

Abstract: A nanoporous tin is disclose, along with a method of fabrication thereof, the tin having a hierarchical nanoporous and mesoporous ligament morphology that exhibits long-term cyclability, particularly when used as anode material in Li-ion. One embodiment of the present technology is a fabrication method to directly produce nanoporous tin in powder form, rather than a monolithic piece of nanoporous metal, so that the NP-Sn powder can be directly integrated into composite electrodes using commercial battery electrode processing techniques.

Abstract: Porous films with straight pores oriented normal to the plane of the films are produced through solution processing techniques. The production takes advantage of inorganic-surfactant or inorganic-polymer co-assembly and a patterned substrate. The patterned substrate, which is also produced via solution phase self-assembly, forces vertical orientation in a hexagonal cylinder system with no practical limits in substrate size or type. This provides a route to vertically oriented inorganic pores with a pitch ranging from 3 nm to over 15 nm and pore sizes ranging from 2 nm to over 12 nm. The size is tuned by choice the choice of organic templating agents and the deposition conditions. The pores can be produced with or without a capping layer which can be used to seal the nanopores.

Abstract: A polarized light-emitting layer that comprises a porous silica film formed on a substrate and a conjugated polymer held in the uniaxially oriented, tubular mesopores in the porous silica film. The film can emit fluorescence polarized in a direction parallel to the alignment direction of the mesopores. The film can act as a lasing layer with a low excitation threshold.

Abstract: A polarized light-emitting film that comprises a porous silica film formed on a substrate and a conjugated polymer held in the uniaxially oriented, tubular mesopores in the porous silica film. The film can emit fluorescence polarized in a direction parallel to the alignment direction of the mesopores.