June 25th, 2015

Iranian researchers synthesized a porous nanostructure that can be used in the production of supercapacitors.

The nanostructure was produced through a simple and cost-effective method. Various industries such as automobile manufacturing, power plants and novel sources for energy storage can use the results of the research.
Porous structures are very appropriate options in the production of electrochemical sensors and energy storage devices. Nanoporous metal foams (NMFS) are 3-D structures with almost homogenous porosity higher than 50%. These materials are used in the production of supercapacitors as the electrode due to their properties.
This research presents a simple and new method for the binder-free production of nanoporous tin/lead composite foam. The use of binder in the production of composites fills the pores on the surface and decreases the specific area. Therefore, finding a method to eliminate binder is an important step in the production of nanocomposites.
Metals in form of porous foam are used as electrode in the production of electrochemical devices, including semi-supercapacitor. In addition, metal oxides used in the structure of the foam have catalytic properties too.
Simple, available and cost effective methods have been used in this research to produce the foam. Therefore, the nanocomposite has been produced through a cost-effective method with high efficiency and it can be an important step in the commercial development of energy storage devices.