Jeonbuk National University team develops bifunctional material for energy production, storage
Kim Hee-dae, a professor in Jeonbuk National University’s Department of Semiconductor Science and Technology / Courtesy of Jeonbuk National University
Researchers analyze technologies for converting biowaste into quantum dots
A Jeonbuk National University research team has developed a bifunctional energy material that can both produce hydrogen and store energy.
The university said Monday that the team, led by professor Kim Hee-dae of the Department of Semiconductor Science and Technology, synthesized a heterostructured composite by combining nickel-cobalt selenide with titanium carbide MXene, a two-dimensional material known for its excellent electrical conductivity.
The team also systematically analyzed technologies for converting biowaste into high-value quantum dots and explored their potential applications.
The findings were published in the international journals Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews and Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials, respectively.
Researchers Kirti Bhardwaj and S. R. Shingte of Jeonbuk National University were the first authors of the two papers, respectively. Kim served as the corresponding author.
According to the university, the study was conducted as an international collaborative project involving researchers from Shivaji University and the New College in India, as well as the University of Mons in Belgium.
“This research is significant in that it demonstrates the potential to improve energy production and storage performance by precisely controlling the structure and interfacial properties of nanomaterials, while also converting discarded biowaste into high-value nanomaterials,” Kim said.
He added, “Going forward, we will expand the application of environmentally friendly materials technologies beyond hydrogen production and energy storage to the biomedical, environmental and optoelectronics fields.”
While developing the bifunctional energy material, the researchers precisely controlled the nanostructures and pore characteristics formed during the synthesis process by using different solvents, including a water-ethanol mixture, ethylene glycol and acetone.
As a result, the composite, synthesized using a water-ethanol mixture, exhibited the best performance, forming a uniformly interconnected nanoflake structure.
The material’s large surface area and interconnected microporous structure facilitated the movement of electrolyte ions and increased the number of active sites for electrochemical reactions.
The composite improved the energy efficiency of hydrogen production. It also maintained its performance with almost no degradation over 50 hours.
The research team drew attention by presenting a comprehensive analysis of the potential and applications of technologies for converting biowaste into quantum dots.
The team analyzed various synthesis techniques, including hydrothermal synthesis, pyrolysis, microwave-assisted synthesis and chemical oxidation.
It found that the photoluminescence properties of biowaste-derived quantum dots are determined not only by particle size but also by the combined effects of surface functional groups, structural defects, heteroatom doping and molecular luminophores.
Based on these findings, the researchers demonstrated that biowaste-derived quantum dots can be applied in a wide range of fields, including biosensing, bioimaging, medical diagnostics, environmental pollutant detection, photocatalysis, drug delivery and optoelectronic devices.
The findings highlight the potential of these technologies to contribute to a circular economy and the development of environmentally friendly advanced materials.