New paper published in Nature Communications!
We have identified the use of nozzle-free electrospinning, a method that applies high voltage on a rotating electrode as a way to spontaneously produce nanoparticles on the surface of nanofibres. Our process could potentially speed up the commercial development of devices, materials and technologies that exploit the physical properties of nanoparticles and nanofibres, which are thousands of times thinner than a human hair. The particles’ small size means they behave differently compared with conventional materials, and their unusual properties are inspiring research towards new applications. By incorporating nanoparticles on the surface of nanofibres, they offer a high contact area between the catalyst, the electrolyte and the oxygen in the air, making the device more efficient. Due to the nanofibrous structure, the interface between the electrode and electrolyte is also enhanced. We have fabricated fuel cell electrodes with this process, which outperform the state-of-the-art commercial fuel cells of this type.The study, published in Nature Communications, can be downloaded from here: