The search for sustainable solutions: The use of waste tires in the production of nanocomposites for electrochemical storage of hydrogen

• Grant number: 23/06036-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Lataro Paim
• Grantee: Vinícius Pizzi de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia e Ciências (FEC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rosana. Rosana , SP, Brazil

Abstract

With the increasing demand for new energy sources and the need to search for alternatives to fossil fuels, there is a need to develop new renewable energy generation and storage systems. Hydrogen presents itself as an alternative, but current storage methods are ineffective and expensive. Therefore, we present an alternative based on the hydrogen electrochemical storage process in this project. With a focus on a sustainable solution, the carbon black from waste tires will be used as a precursor in the production of nanocomposites for the electrochemical storage of hydrogen. Therefore, the nanocomposites will consist of carbon black recovered from scrap tires, bismuth (III) sulfide particles, and multi-walled functionalized carbon nanotubes (FMWCNT). The hydrothermal method will synthesize the bismuth sulfide anchored in functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (Bi2S3-FMWCNT). The impregnation method will prepare the FMWCNT/NF and Bi2S3-FMWCNT/NF nanocomposites. The nanocomposites will be characterized by SEM-FEG, EDS, BET, TG, DSC, FTIR, and EIS and evaluated for the performance of electrochemical hydrogen storage using cyclic voltammetry, charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance techniques. In this way, it will be possible to determine the specific capacitance (Fg-1) and the specific hydrogen discharge capacity (mAh g-1).