Browsing by Author "Andrews, Anthony"

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    MXene: fundamentals to applications in electrochemical energy storage
    (Discover Nano, 2023-02-03) Ampong, Daniel Nframah; Agyekum, Emmanuel; Agyemang, Frank Ofori; Mensah-Darkwa, Kwadwo; Andrews, Anthony; Kumar, Anuj; Gupta, Ram K.
    A new, sizable family of 2D transition metal carbonitrides, carbides, and nitrides known as MXenes has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. This is because MXenes exhibit a variety of intriguing physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical characteristics that are closely linked to the wide variety of their surface terminations and elemental compositions. Particularly, MXenes are readily converted into composites with materials including oxides, polymers, and CNTs, which makes it possible to modify their characteristics for a variety of uses. MXenes and MXene-based composites have demonstrated tremendous promise in environmental applications due to their excellent reducibility, conductivity, and biocompatibility, in addition to their well-known rise to prominence as electrode materials in the energy storage sector. The remarkable characteristics of 2D MXene, including high conductivity, high specific surface area, and enhanced hydrophilicity, account for the increasing prominence of its use in storage devices. In this review, we highlight the most recent developments in the use of MXenes and MXene-based composites for electrochemical energy storage while summarizing their synthesis and characteristics. Key attention is paid to applications in supercapacitors, batteries, and their flexible components. Future research challenges and perspectives are also described.
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    MXene: fundamentals to applications in electrochemical energy storage
    (Discover Nano, 2023-01-31) Ampong, Daniel Nframah; Agyekum, Emmanuel; Agyemang, Frank Ofori; Mensah‑Darkwa, Kwadwo; Andrews, Anthony; Kumar, Anuj; Gupta, Ram K.
    A new, sizable family of 2D transition metal carbonitrides, carbides, and nitrides known as MXenes has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. This is because MXenes exhibit a variety of intriguing physical, chemical, mechanical, and electrochemical characteristics that are closely linked to the wide variety of their surface terminations and elemental compositions. Particularly, MXenes are readily converted into composites with materials including oxides, polymers, and CNTs, which makes it possible to modify their characteristics for a variety of uses. MXenes and MXene-based composites have demonstrated tremendous promise in environmental applications due to their excellent reducibility, conductivity, and biocompatibility, in addition to their well-known rise to prominence as electrode materials in the energy storage sector. The remarkable characteristics of 2D MXene, including high conductivity, high specific surface area, and enhanced hydrophilicity, account for the increasing prominence of its use in storage devices. In this review, we highlight the most recent developments in the use of MXenes and MXene-based composites for electrochemical energy storage while summarizing their synthesis and characteristics. Key attention is paid to applications in supercapacitors, batteries, and their flexible components. Future research challenges and perspectives are also described.
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    Preliminary Study on the Use of Reverse Osmosis Brine and Mine Tailings as Cement Paste Mixtures for Mine Backfilling Application
    (Springer Nature, 2022-11-24) Opong, Rachael Wereko; Nsiah‑Baafi, Elsie; Andrews, Anthony; Koomson, Bennetta
    The processing of low-grade gold ores generates a significant volume of tailings and wastewater that impacts the environment. The treatment of wastewater using reverse osmosis (RO) produces brine as a by-product with high salinity levels. Improper disposal of mine wastes can significantly pollute water bodies and soils. A novel and sustainable method for managing, disposing, and handling these wastes is vital. The use of RO brine and mine tailings to produce cement paste mixtures for backfilling applications has been investigated. Sulfide gold mine tailings and RO brine were characterized, and cement paste backfill (CPB) mixtures were prepared by mixing varying proportions of cement and RO brine. The CPB cubes were cured for a specified number of days, and their physical and mechanical properties were determined. The results indicate a decrease in slump value with increasing cement content, whilst the slump increased with RO brine content. The compressive strength at 28 days increased with binder content reaching a maximum of 1.83 MPa using 50% RO brine. The CPB cubes produced with 50% RO brine and 12 wt.% cement possessed the required combination of fluidity and strength for mine backfilling applications.