Executive Summary : | The research aims to synthesize a hollow carbon (HC) network by interconnecting SiO2 spheres and apply it to various electrochemical applications such as Li-S batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, and electrochemical sensors. The HC network is obtained through solution synthesis of SiO2 spheres and carbon layer coating followed by an optimized two-step calcination process. Preliminary studies show that during the optimized calcination process, the SiO2/Carbon spheres transform into the SiO2/Carbon network. Careful etching of templated SiO2 spheres results in an HC network, which is yet unexplored. In the first year, the synthesis of SiO2 and polymer templates will be optimized to control parameters such as carbon precursor polymerization rate, heteroatom doping, surfactants concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, calcination time, and temperature. Metal nanoparticles (NPs)/metal oxides will be localized into the inner and outer walls of the SiO2/Carbon spheres. In the second year, the HC network structures will be synthesized and electrochemically applied. After achieving SiO2/Carbon spheres with tunable porosity, hetero-atom doping, inner and outer wall metal NPs, and metal oxide decoration, the researchers will move to an "internal hollow passage" (IHP) through infusement and interconnection of the SiO2/Carbon spheres with optimized two-step thermal treatment. Modified electrodes will be fabricated for various electrochemical applications, exploring the advantages of the IHP in the HC network. |