Synthesized, surface-functionalized, acidified metal oxide materials for energy storage, catalytic, photovoltaic and sensor applications
An acidified metal oxide (“AMO”) material, preferably in monodisperse nanoparticulate form 20 nm or less in size, having a pH<7 when suspended in a 5 wt % aqueous solution and a Hammett function H 0 >−12, at least on its surface. The AMO material is useful in applications such as a battery electrode, catalyst, or photovoltaic component.
1. A battery electrode comprising at least one solid metal oxide nanomaterial including a surface that is acidic but not superacidic, the surface having a pH<5 when re-suspended, after drying, in water at 5 wt % and a Hammet function H 0 >−12.
2. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the solid metal oxide nanomaterial including at least one particle dimension <100 nm in size.
3. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the solid metal oxide nanomaterial including at least one particle dimension <20 nm in size.
4. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the solid metal oxide nanomaterial including at least one particle dimension <10 nm in size.
5. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the solid metal oxide nanomaterial includes a substantially monodisperse nanoparticulate form.
6. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the pH<4.
7. A battery electrode according to claim 1 , the pH<3.
8. A material according to claim 1 further comprising the solid metal oxide nanomaterial being tin oxide.
9. A battery electrode according to claim 1 further comprising a non-acidified solid metal oxide nanomaterial.
10. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial being in a form M m O x /G, where M m is a metal, O x is total oxygen, M m O x is a metal oxide, G is at least one electron-withdrawing surface group, and “/” makes a distinction between the metal oxide and the electron-withdrawing surface group, the battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial having a pH<5 when re-suspended, after drying, in water at 5 wt % and a Hammet function H 0 >−12, at least on its surface.
11. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising the metal oxide including a second different metal “N n ”, where n is greater than zero and no greater than 5.
12. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 11 further comprising the metal oxide including a third different metal “R r ”, where r is greater than zero and no greater than 5.
13. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising m being at least 1 and no greater than 5.
14. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising x being at least 1 and no greater than 21.
15. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising at least one particle dimension <100 nm in size.
16. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising at least one particle dimension <20 nm in size.
17. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising at least one particle dimension <10 nm in size.
18. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 further comprising a substantially monodispersed nanoparticulate form.
19. A battery electrode solid metal oxide nanomaterial according to claim 10 , the at least one electron-withdrawing surface group being selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, BO 3 , SO 4 , PO 4 , CH3COO, C 2 O4, and C 6 H 5 O 7 .
20. A battery electrode according to claim 1 further comprising the surface being functionalized with at least one electron withdrawing group selected from the group consisting of Cl, Br, BO 3 , SO 4 , PO 4 , CH3COO, C 2 O 4 , and C 6 H 5 O 7 .