Engineering of Functional Hybrid Nanocomposites for Renewable Energy Applications via Laser Ablation

Carbon-based hybrid nanocomposites (HNCs) have increasingly gained prominence in the materials science community due to their widespread applications in advanced energy storage and conversion devices. Yet, current, and conventional methods to synthesize tailored HNC structures involve complex and multi-step processes that often require harsh chemical reagents. To address the majority of these shortcomings, this thesis proposes Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution (LASiS) as a rapid, inexpensive, and facile technique for synthesis of Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)–derived and Metal Oxide/reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) HNCs in an environmentally friendly fashion. These engineered composite nanomaterials show superior properties as (1) non-precious medal based electrocatalysts in electrochemical energy conversion systems, namely, Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) at the cathode of Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFCs), and (2) high-performance electrode material comprised of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) interfaced with metal oxide nanostructures (rGO/MOx) for Faradaic super capacitive (SC) energy storage devices. To that end, this thesis focuses on the synthesis-structure-property relations of these functional HNCs synthesized via LASiS with particular emphasis on high-performance supercapacitors and electrocatalysts. This, combined with precision, customization, and scalability, of current additive manufacturing technologies, allows three-dimensional (3D) printing of high performance SCs. Hence, electrode printing is employed in optimizing 3D printed electrode designs, paving the way for advancements in energy storage technology.