Wet-Chemical Synthesis of TiO2/PVDF Membrane for Energy Applications

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 28; no. 1; p. 285
• Main Authors: Saleem, Muhammad, Albaqami, Munirah D., Bahajjaj, Aboud Ahmed Awadh, Ahmed, Fahim, Din, ElSayed, Arifeen, Waqas Ul, Ali, Shafaqat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-01-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Adsorption; Capacitance; Carbon; Composite materials; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemistry; Electrodes; Electrolytes; Energy storage; Mechanical properties; Membranes; Metal oxides; Morphology; Nanoparticles; negative electrode; Polyvinylidene fluorides; Pore size; Porosity; PVDF; Supercapacitors; Synergistic effect; TiO2 nanoplates; Titanium; Titanium dioxide; Toxicity; Transport properties; Vacuum filtration; wet-chemical
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010285

To satisfy the ever-increasing energy demands, it is of the utmost importance to develop electrochemical materials capable of producing and storing energy in a highly efficient manner. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has recently emerged as a promising choice in this field due to its non-toxicity, low cost, and eco-friendliness, in addition to its porosity, large surface area, good mechanical strength, and remarkable transport properties. Here, we present titanium dioxide nanoplates/polyvinylidene fluoride (TiO2/PVDF) membranes prepared by a straightforward hydrothermal strategy and vacuum filtration process. The as-synthesized TiO2/PVDF membrane was applied for energy storage applications. The fabricated TiO2/PVDF membrane served as the negative electrode for supercapacitors (SCs). The electrochemical properties of a TiO2/PVDF membrane were explored in an aqueous 6 M KOH electrolyte that exhibited good energy storage performance. Precisely, the TiO2/PVDF membrane delivered a high specific capacitance of 283.74 F/g at 1 A/g and maintained capacitance retention of 91% after 8000 cycles. Thanks to the synergistic effect of TiO2 and PVDF, the TiO2/PVDF membrane provided superior electrochemical performance as an electrode for a supercapacitor. These superior properties will likely be used in next-generation energy storage technologies.