An overview—Functional nanomaterials for lithium rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells

•Nanomaterials play important role for lithium rechargeable batteries.•Nanostructured materials increase the capacitance of supercapacitors.•Nanostructure improves the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation of hydrogen storage materials.•Nanomaterials enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts in fuel cells.

There is tremendous worldwide interest in functional nanostructured materials, which are the advanced nanotechnology materials with internal or external dimensions on the order of nanometers. Their extremely small dimensions make these materials unique and promising for clean energy applications such as lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, fuel cells, and other applications. This paper will highlight the development of new approaches to study the relationships between the structure and the physical, chemical, and electrochemical properties of functional nanostructured materials. The Energy Materials Research Programme at the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, the University of Wollongong, has been focused on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of functional nanomaterials, including nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires, nanoporous materials, and nanocomposites. The emphases are placed on advanced nanotechnology, design, and control of the composition, morphology, nanostructure, and functionality of the nanomaterials, and on the subsequent applications of these materials to areas including lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells.

Graphical abstractNanomaterials play important role in lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage and fuel cells.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide