• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.247-255
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• 2011

Understanding the structural stability of carbon nanostructure under heat treatment is critical for tailoring the thermal properties of carbon-based material at small length scales. We investigate the heat resistance of the single carbon nanoball ($C_{60}$) and carbon nanoonions ($C_{20}@C_{80}$, $C_{20}@C_{80}@C_{180}$, $C_{20}@C_{80}@C_{180}C_{320}$) by performing molecular dynamics simulations. An empirical many-body potential function, Tersoff potential, for carbon is employed to calculate the interaction force among carbon atoms. Simulation results shows that carbon nanoonions are less resistive against heat treatment than single carbon nanoballs. Single carbon nanoballs such $C_{60}$ can resist heat treatment up to 5600 K, however, carbon nanoonions break down after 5100 K. This intriguing result offers insights into understanding the thermal-mechanical coupling phenomena of nanodevices and the complex process of fullerenes' formation.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.838-842
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• 2015

The Li-air battery is a promising candidate for the most energy-dense electrochemical power source because it has 5 to 10 times greater energy storage capacity than that of Li-ion batteries. However, the Li-air cell performance falls short of the theoretical estimate, primarily because the discharge terminates well before the pore volume of the air electrode is completely filled with lithium oxides. Therefore, the structure of carbon used in the air electrode is a critical factor that affects the performance of Li-air batteries. In a previous study, we reported a new class of carbon nanomaterial, named carbon nanoballs (CNBs), consisting of highly mesoporous spheres. Structural characterization revealed that the synthesized CNBs have excellent a meso-macro hierarchical pore structure, with an average diameter greater than 10 nm and a total pore volume more than $1.00cm^3g^{-1}$. In this study, CNBs are applied in an actual Li-air battery to evaluate the electrochemical performance. The formation mechanism and electrochemical performance of the CNBs are discussed in detail.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.86-89
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• 2015

Uniform ZrO₂ nanoballs were synthesized at 700℃ using the inverse replication method through a colloid-imprinted carbon (CIC) template. The structural, dielectric, and conducting properties of the ZrO₂ nanoballs were investigated and compared with those of ZrO₂ film prepared by sol-gel method and powdered ZrO₂ chemical. Both the monoclinic and cubic phases were found in the ZrO₂ balls and film but the ZrO₂ chemical showed a monoclinic phase, where the cubic structure is known to be formed at above 2,300℃. ZrO₂ nanoballs showed the lower dielectric property of k = 21.2 at 1 MHz because the 8-coordinated cubic phase in the ZrO₂ nanoball produced lower polarization than the polarization of the 7-coordinated monoclinic ZrO₂ chemical (k = 23.6). The dielectric stability was maintained in each ZrO₂ ball, film, and chemical under the applied forward and reverse voltage range (−5 to +5 V) at 1 MHz. The ionic conductivities were 7.86 × 10⁻⁸/Ω·cm for ZrO₂ nanoballs, 3.29 × 10⁻⁸/Ω·cm for ZrO₂ chemical, and 6.70 × 10⁻⁵/Ω·cm for the thickness of 1,053 nm ZrO₂ film at room temperature with the electronic contribution being less than 0.006%.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.833-837
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• 2015

Li-air batteries have a promising future for because of their high energy density, which could theoretically be equal to that of gasoline. However, substantial Li-air cell performance limitations exist, which are related to the air cathode. The cell discharge products are deposited on the surfaces of the porous carbon materials in the air electrode, which blocks oxygen from diffusing to the reaction sites. Hence, the real capacity of a Li-air battery is determined by the carbon air electrode, especially by the pore volume available for the deposition of the discharged products. In this study, a simple and fast method is reported for the large-scale synthesis of carbon nanoballs (CNBs) consisting of a highly mesoporous structure for Li-air battery cathodes. The CNBs were synthesized by the solution plasma process from benzene solution, without the need for a graphite electrode for carbon growth. The CNBs so formed were then annealed to improve their electrical conductivity. Structural characterization revealed that the CNBs exhibited both an pore structure and high conductivity.