Metal Oxide Hollow Microsphere: Design, Synthesis & Applications
Dan Wang
State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex System, Institute of Process Engineering
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
E-mail: danwang@mail.ipe.ac.cn
In recent years, nanostructured materials with hollow structure have attracted much
attention because of their special physical and chemical properties with respect to solid
materials, which are potentially applicable in photocatalysis, drug delivery, energy
conversion and storage systems, chemical sensors, biotechnology, and so on. [1] Herein,
we report a simple and general synthesis of multiple-shell hollow microspheres such as αFe2O3, Co3O4, NiO, CuO, ZnO, and ZnFe2O4, [2-5] with single, binary metal oxides, even
heterogeneous shell compositions by using carbonaceous microsphere as template. To our
knowledge, this is the first report that the synthesis method for fabricating multiple-shell
hollow microsphere could be applied to more than one kind metal oxide and the number
and size of shells were also tunable. Moreover, the structural effect of ZnO hollow
microspheres on the energy conversion efficiency is investigated in detail when they are
used as photoanodes in DSSC. [5] We demonstrate that, except for increasing the number
of shells, manipulating the inter-shell spacing can remarkably improve the energy
conversion efficiency. This is especially true for quadruple-shelled hollow microspheres
with close double shells in the exterior and double-shelled hollow core. These have large
surface area and the ability to reflect and scatter light and thus show a high energy
conversion efficiency of 5.6%. This work may open up new opportunities for fabricating
high efficiency DSSC based on structural design and manipulation of hollow
microspheres. [6,7]
References:
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X. Lai, J. Halpert, D. Wang, Energy Environ. Sci. 2012, 5, 5604 – 5618
X. Lai, J. Li, B. Korgel, Z. Dong, Z. Li, F. Su, D. Wang, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 2738-2741.
J. Wang, N. Yang, H. Tang, Z. Dong, Q. Jin, M. Yang, D. Kisailus, H. Zhao, Z. Tang, D. Wang,
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 6417–6420.
S. Xu, C. Hessel, H. Ren, R. Yu, Q. Jin, M. Yang, H. Zhao, and D. Wang, Energy Environ. Sci. EECOM-10-2013-043319, In press.
Z. Dong, X. Lai, J. Halpert, N. Yang, L. Yi, J. Zhai, D. Wang, Z. Tang, L. Jiang, Adv. Mater. 2012, 24,
1046–1049.
J. Du, J. Qi, D. Wang, Z. Tang, Energy Environ. Sci., 2012, 2012, 5, 6914-6918
Z. Dong, H. Ren, C. Hessel, J. Wang, R. Yu, Q. Jin, M. Yang, Z. Hu, Y. Chen, Z. Tang, H. Zhao, D.
Wang Adv. Mater. 2013, adma.201304010, in press.
Dan Wang
Education
1998–2001 Ph.D., Materials Science & Technology,
Yamanashi University, Japan
1994-1997 M.D., Inorganic Chemistry, Jilin University
1990–1994 B.S., Inorganic Chemistry, Jilin University
Professional Career
2004Professor, Institute of Process Engineering,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
2003-2004 JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow,
Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Japan
2001-2003 Researcher,
Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, Japan.
2001
Postdoctoral Researcher, Kochi University, Kochi, JAPAN
Editorial Board Memberships
Advisory Board Member of Energy & Environmental Science.
Editor Board of Materials Research Innovation,Chinese Journal of Process Engineering,
International Solvothermal & Hydrothermal Association, Executive Member
Chinese Society of Particuology, Council Member and Vice Secretary General
Research Interests
Inorganic chemistry and materials, focusing on clean environment and energy related
nanotechnology and nanoscience, including:
1. Self-assembly of nanomaterials
2. Solar energy conversion & photocatalysis
3. Energy storage materials & secondary batteries
Selected publications:
1. Jiangyan Wang, Nailiang Yang, Hongjie Tang, Zhenghong Dong, Quan Jin, Mei Yang,
David, Kisailus, Huijun Zhao, Zhiyong Tang, Dan Wang* “Accurate Control of Multishelled Co3O4 Hollow Microspheres for High-Performance Anode Materials in
Lithium Ion Batteries”, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 6417–6420.
2. Hongjie Tang, Huajie Yin, Jiangyan Wang, Nailiang Yang, Dan Wang* and Zhiyong
Tang* “Molecular Architecture of Cobalt Porphyrin Multilayers on Reduced
Graphene Oxide Sheets for High Performance Oxygen Reduction Reaction”, Angew.
Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52, 5585 –5589.
3. Hang Sun, Jiating He, Jiangyan Wang, Shuang-Yuan Zhang, Cuicui Liu, Thirumany
Sritharan, Subodh Mhaisalkar, Ming-Yong Han, Dan Wang*, Hongyu Chen*
“Investigating the Multiple Roles of Polyvinylpyrrolidone for A General Methodology
of Oxide Encapsulation”, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135 (24), pp 9099–9110.
4. Z. Dong, X. Lai, J. Halpert, N. Yang, L. Yi, J. Zhai, D. Wang,* Z. Tang,* and L.
Jiang, “Accurate Control of Multi-Shelled ZnO Hollow Microspheres for DyeSensitized Solar Cells with High Efficiency”, Adv. Mater., 2012, 24, 1046–1049.
5. J. Li, X. Lai, B. Korgel, Z. Dong, Z. Li, F. Su and D. Wang* “General Synthesis and
Unique Gas-sensing Properties of Multiple-Shell Metal Oxide Hollow Microspheres”,
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2011, 50, 2738-2741.