Topic：Magnetocapacitive Behavior in Electroactive Carbon Nanocomposites
Speaker：Prof. Jiahua Zhu，The University of Akron
Time：2014.6.10 am 10:00 --- 11:00
Location：907#1445
Abstract:
The global energy supply is transforming from conventional fossil energy to sustainable energy. Sustainable energy species, for example, solar, wind, and hydro energy, are in an unsteady state and fail to provide a stable energy supply. Energy storage systems are able to collect these unsteady state energies and output as stable energy supply. Electrochemical capacitor is recognized as promising system due to its combined higher energy density and power density, current research efforts mainly focus on (1) synthesizing new electrode materials to enlarge specific capacitance, and (2) designing asymmetric capacitor configuration and utilizing organic electrolytes to expand the working potential range.
In this talk, small external magnetic field (0.072 Tesla) induced capacitance enhancement on carbon nanocomposites will be discussed. Two processes, conventional- and microwave- annealing, are introduced to manufacture desired electroactive carbon nanocomposites decorated with pseudoactive metal oxide nanostructures (for example, Fe2O3, NiO and Co3O4). The proposed mechanisms are interpreted by capacitor internal resistance change (solution resistance, charge transfer resistance and leakage resistance), which are based on Magnetohydrodynamics and Magnetoresistance phenomena. These findings will have significant impact on processes involving proton and electron transfer as used in Li ion battery, fuel cells, electrochemical and biological sensing, and electrocatalytic CO2 reduction.
Introduction to the speaker：
Dr. Jiahua Zhu is an assistant professor in Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at theUniversity of Akron. Dr. Zhu received a Ph.D. degree of Chemical Engineering from Lamar University in 2013 and has received a MS degree in Chemical Engineering from Nanjing University of Technology (2009). Dr. Zhu has served as session chair and co-chair for the TMS and AIChE conferences. His research covers multifunctional polymer and carbon nanocomposites targeting the challenges in energy storage, environmental remediation and sensing applications. He has coauthored more than 60 peer-reviewed journal articles with total citation>1600, two book chapters and two provisional USA patents.