Northwestern University

Mayfair C Kung

Harold H Kung

Cary M Hayner

Xin Zhao

Jian Min Jiang

Peter C Stair

Junling Lu

Xuejun Bai

Yue Y Yu

Jingmei Shen

Baosong Fu

Deformable electrodes, deformable supercapacitors comprising the deformable electrodes, and electric circuits comprising the supercapacitors are provided. Methods of using the supercapacitors to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy are also provided. The supercapacitors include a liquid electrolyte disposed between two electrodes, at least one of which is reversibly deformable when it is compressed. The liquid electrolyte is infused into the deformable electrode and the supercapacitors are characterized in that the deformation of the deformable electrodes causes the interfacial area between the electrolyte and the deformable electrode to decrease when the electrode is deformed.

Deformable electrodes and devices for converting mechanical energy to electrical energy

Thermally responsive materials, porous membranes comprising the thermally responsive materials, and batteries incorporating the porous membranes as thermally responsive separation membranes are provided. Also provided are methods of making the thermally responsive materials. The thermally responsive materials comprise upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers covalently bound to a support substrate.

Polymer functionalized graphene oxide and thermally responsive ion permeable membranes made therefrom

Embodiments include metal catalyst compositions and methods of forming metal catalyst compositions. A metal catalyst composition can be formed by (a) contacting a supported metal catalyst surface with a ligand-containing alumina precursor for a predetermined contact time to form an intermediate layer having a plurality of aluminum moieties that chemically bond to the supported metal catalyst surface, optionally, contacting the intermediate layer of aluminum moieties with an inert gas for a predetermined intermediate stripping time to remove unreacted ligand-containing alumina precursors, (b) reacting the aluminum moieties with an oxidation reagent for a predetermined reaction time to convert at least a portion of the ligands to hydroxyl groups thereby forming a layer of the alumina over-coat on the supported metal catalyst surface or a previously formed layer of the alumina over-coat, (c) contacting the layer of the alumina over-coat formed in step (b) with an inert gas for a predetermined stripping time to remove unreacted oxidation reagents, replicating the sequential steps (a-c) to form an additional layer of the alumina over-coat, and (d) activating the alumina over-coat, after forming a final layer of the alumina over-coat, to form a plurality of pores therein.

Metal catalyst composition

Graphene-based storage materials for high-power battery applications are provided. The storage materials are composed of vertical stacks of graphene sheets and have reduced resistance for Li ion transport. This reduced resistance is achieved by incorporating a random distribution of structural defects into the stacked graphene sheets, whereby the structural defects facilitate the diffusion of Li ions into the interior of the storage materials.

Graphene materials having randomly distributed two-dimensional structural defects

Methods for the epoxidation of alkenes are provided. The methods include the steps of exposing the alkene to a two-component catalyst system in an aqueous solution in the presence of carbon monoxide and molecular oxygen under conditions in which the alkene is epoxidized. The two-component catalyst system comprises a first catalyst that generates peroxides or peroxy intermediates during oxidation of CO with molecular oxygen and a second catalyst that catalyzes the epoxidation of the alkene using the peroxides or peroxy intermediates. A catalyst system composed of particles of suspended gold and titanium silicalite is one example of a suitable two-component catalyst system.

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Wilmette, IL, United States of America

Mayfair C Kung