Research group The research of our group is aimed on synthesis of new 2D materials, study of their fundamental properties and energy storage applications. Our interests include synthesis and characterization of graphene-related materials, fundamental properties of these materials and applications in supercapacitors and for hydrogen storage. We are participating in EU Graphene Flagship project (2012-2023) in Energy Storage Work Package.
Carbon nanomaterials have been a part of research interest of our group during last 10 years. It started with fullerenes, later included carbon nanotubes and graphene related materials. Currently active projects include following research directions:
- Synthesis and characterization of porous carbon materials based on graphene and other 2D materials (graphene oxide, Mxenes, COFs etc)
- Applications of porous materials as electrodes in supercapacitors
- Liquid dispersions of high surface area materials for spray deposition of supercapacitor electrodes (in collaboration with THALES)
- In situ experiments with supercapacitors by variety of methods.
- Fundamental studies of swelling in 2D materials: graphite oxides, graphene oxide laminates, Mxenes. Pressure and temperature dependent experiments.
- Using synchrotron radiation methods.
Some past projects:
- Formation of graphene nanoribbons inside of carbon nanotubes using fusion of PAHs molecules (coronene and perylene), 2010-2013
- Hydrogen storage in carbon materials. The group has laboratory for hydrogen sorption measurements with gravimetric and volumetric systems.
- Hydrogenation of fullerenes and CNTs at extreme conditions. Chemical modification of fullerenes and CNTs under condition of high temperature and high pressure reactions with pure hydrogen gas was studied in our group for many years. Fragmentation and collapse of fullerenes under conditions of hydrogenation was discovered and studied in our group in 2004-2010. Hydrogenation of fullerenes inside of carbon nanotubes was studied in 2009-2012
Annealing in pure hydrogen at temperature sup to 5000C is still a treatment available in our group to modify properties of carbon materials.
- High pressure studies of phase transitions in variety of materials. Phase transitions in alanates and borohydrates were first discovered in our group.
- Pressure induced swelling as a phenomenon was discovered in our group in 2008 for Graphite oxide, later found in clay minerals (2013).
Pine cones can be a cheap raw material for supercapacitors, according to a new thesis.
