• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2013

Graphene/Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) hybrid materials were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction. Hexagonal Ni-Al LDH particles nucleated and grew on graphene sheets, thus preventing restacking of the graphene sheets and aggregation of the Ni-Al LDH nanoparticles upon drying. Electrode made from the graphene/Ni-Al LDH hybrid materials showed a substantial improvement in electrochemical capacitance relative to those made with pure Ni-Al LDH nanoparticles. In addition, the graphene/Ni-Al LDH hybrid composite materials showed remarkable stability after 4000 cycles with over 100% capacitance retention. These materials are thus very promising for use in electrochemical capacitor electrodes.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.154-162
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• 2022

Microstructured Al@Al₂O₃ and Al@Ni-Al LDH (LDH = layered double hydroxide) core-shell metal-ceramic composites are prepared by hydrothermal reactions of aluminum (Al) metal substrates. Controlled hydrothermal reactions of Al metal substrates induce the hydrothermal dissolution of Al ions at the Al-substrate/solution interface and reconstruction as porous metal-hydroxides on the Al substrate, thereby constructing unique metal-ceramic core-shell composite structures. The morphology, composition, and crystal structure of the core-shell composites are affected largely by the ions in the hydrothermal solution; therefore, the critical physicochemical and surface properties of these unique metal-ceramic core-shell microstructures can be modulated effectively by varying the solution composition. A Ni/Al@Al₂O₃ catalyst with highly dispersed catalytic Ni nanoparticles on an Al@Al₂O₃ core-shell substrate was prepared by a controlled reduction of an Al@Ni-Al LDH core-shell prepared by hydrothermal reactions of Al in nickel nitrate solution. The reduction of Al@Ni-Al LDH leads to the exolution of Ni ions from the LDH shell, thereby constructing the Ni nanoparticles dispersed on the Al@Al₂O₃. The catalytic properties of the Ni/Al@Al₂O₃ catalyst were investigated for CO₂ methanation reactions. The Ni/Al@Al₂O₃ catalyst exhibited 2 times greater CO₂ conversion than a Ni/Al₂O₃ catalyst prepared by conventional incipient wetness impregnation and showed high structural stability. These results demonstrate the high effectiveness of the design and synthesis methods for the metal-ceramic composite catalysts derived by hydrothermal reactions of Al metal substrates.