Zn-BTC (H3BTC refers to 1, 3, 5-benzoic acid) MOF was used as a self-template and a zinc source to prepare ZnS/NiS₂ with a layered heterogeneous structure as a promising electrode material using cation exchange and solid-phase vulcanization processes. The synergistic effect of the two metal sulfides enhances the application of ZnS/NiS₂. And the high specific surface area and abundant active sites further promote the mass/charge transfer and redox reaction kinetics. In the three-electrode system, the specific capacitance was as high as 1547 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g, along with satisfactory rate capability (1214 F/g at 6 A/g) and cycling performance. Coupled with activated carbon (AC), the prepared hybrid device (ZnS/NiS₂ as the positive electrode and AC as the negative electrode) (ZnS/NiS₂/AC) can be operated under a potential window of 1.6 V and provides a high energy density of 26.3 Wh/kg at a power density of 794 W/kg. Notably, the assembled ZnS/NiS₂//AC showed little capacity degradation after 5000 charge/discharge cycles.

Real-time strain monitoring of large composite structures such as wind turbine blades requires scalable, easily processable and lightweight sensors. In this study, a new type of strain-sensing coating based on 2D MXene nanoparticles was developed. A Ti₃C₂T_z MXene was prepared from Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase using hydrochloric acid and lithium fluoride etching. Epoxy and glass fibre–reinforced composites were spray-coated using an MXene water solution. The morphology of the MXenes and the roughness of the substrate were characterised using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. MXene coatings were first investigated under various ambient conditions. The coating experienced no significant change in electrical resistance due to temperature variation but was responsive to the 301–365 nm UV spectrum. In addition, the coating adhesion properties, electrical resistance stability over time and sensitivity to roughness were also analysed in this study. The electromechanical response of the MXene coating was investigated under tensile loading and cyclic loading conditions. The gauge factor at a strain of 4% was 10.88. After 21,650 loading cycles, the MXene coating experienced a 16.25% increase in permanent resistance, but the response to loading was more stable. This work provides novel findings on electrical resistance sensitivity to roughness and electromechanical behaviour under cyclic loading, necessary for further development of MXene-based nanocoatings. The advantages of MXene coatings for large composite structures are processability, scalability, lightweight and adhesion properties.

Thick ZnO/ZnAl₂O₄ coatings were synthesized on zinc alloy Z1 substrates through plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) for different anodization times. The prepared coatings were characterized by scanning SEM, XRD, diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopy in order to establish the relationship between their structural and optical properties and PEO processing parameters. Under different PEO processing conditions (anodization time—1–10 min and applied voltage—370 and 450 V) ceramic coatings with a mean thickness of 2–12 μm were prepared. XRD analysis explored the coating structure composed of zinc oxide (wurtzite) and zinc aluminate spinel. The content of ZnAl₂O₄ in the coatings grows with increasing the applied voltage and anodization time. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed that the PEO coatings have several bands in the visible and near-infrared regions associated with their composite structure. The PL spectra significantly depend on the PEO processing parameters due to varying ZnO and ZnAl₂O₄ content in the coatings. The insight in the relationship between the ZnAl₂O₄ structure and the photoluminescent properties of ZnO/ZnAl₂O₄ coatings has been provided using the combination of XRD and luminescence spectroscopy.