4 research outputs found
The Mediterreanean We Share: Enhancing the EU-Mediterranean Cooperation in Education and Capacity Building for a Resilient Climate Action
No full textThe Euro-Mediterranean region is facing growing inequalities, and regional resilience is being put to the test as we deal with escalating climate challenges. Although the significance of education and capacity building is emphasized by frameworks like SDG 4 and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, regional efforts are still dispersed, short-term, and frequently not monitored and evaluated. Through inclusive education, the development of green skills, and regional cross-border collaboration, this policy paper highlights that people, especially youth, must be at the center of climate strategies. Strong monitoring and evaluation systems are necessary, though, to guarantee the long-term viability of these initiatives. The study highlights a prevalent deficiency in follow up data, transparency, and impact assessment in ongoing initiatives by referencing case studies like Erasmus+, Clima-Med, and Med-EcoSuRe. In response, it proposes the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation on Education, Capacity Building, and Climate Action (EU-MEDECCA), a strategic framework designed to operationalize Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) through eight recommendations. One of the most important recommendations is the establishment of a Regional Observatory to follow up on the implementation of initiatives. EU-MEDECCA integrates M&E systems within all programs to ensure that building capacities, particularly among youth, result in sustainable climate resilience across the Mediterranean
Proof of concept of flexible supercapacitors fabricated with carbon gels and MnO2 printed on carbon cloth
No full textUp to now, the scientific community has achieved a significant progress in designing innovative, flexible and conductive materials, paving the way for the advancement of cutting-edge electronic devices dedicated for smart wearable applications. Herein, the introduction of carbon cloth (CC)-based platform for energy storage devices was adopted for nanomaterial coating and improved multilayer adhesion. Using carbon xerogel (CX) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) printed on CC, an asymmetric supercapacitor was developed, achieving a high specific capacitance of 213 F g−1, energy density of 24 Wh·kg−1, at a power density of 180 W kg−1, and low self-discharge rate with a voltage retention of 72 % after 22 h. This work paves the way for the adoption of carbon cloth thanks to its outstanding features as a promising and flexible platform to drive the development of next-generation smart and wearable electronic devices dedicated for healthcare and environmental monitoring applications.This research was funded by ERA.NET Network (www.m-era.net/) through INNENERMAT project, and from grants PID2020-113001RB-I00 and PCI2020-112039 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The author Achref Chebil thanks the European Union – Next Generation EU from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security POR H2 AdP MMES/ENEA with involvement of CNR and RSE, PNRR - Mission 2, Component 2, Investment 3.5 "Ricerca e sviluppo sull'idrogeno", CUP: B93C22000630006.Peer reviewe
Design, development and optimization of highly reliable 2 V solid-state supercapacitor device based on graphene-doped carbon gel and MnO2 electrodes
No full textSupercapacitors are revolutionising smart electronics devices by offering an excellent lifetime, outstanding energy and high power densities. In this context, we report on the synthesis of manganese dioxide using a convenient co-precipitation method, exploring its application as a positive pseudocapacitive electrode material, as well as the synthesis of carbon xerogel for use as a negative electrode, alongside the use of a solid-state electrolyte based on Na+-form Aquivion membrane. When the device is merged in an asymmetric external configuration, the resulting solid-state supercapacitor exhibits good electrochemical performance, as demonstrated by: i) a high specific capacitance of 110 F·g−1, ii) a high energy density of 16.7 Wh·kg−1 at a power density of 207 W·kg−1; and iii) an outstanding capacitance retention of 78 % after 50,000 cycles with an expanded voltage window of 2 V. To demonstrate their practical applicability, the developed devices were connected in series to power a fan and red LEDs with an external and internal configurations (up to 4 V), successfully powering them for several minutes. The proposed fabrication approach is simple to scale up and provides a sustainable, cost-effective manufacturing process for freestanding electrodes based on carbon xerogel/MnO2 nanocomposites towards next generation smart electronic devices.This research is funded by M-ERA.NET Network through INNENERMAT project, and from grants PID2020-113001RB-I00 and PCI2020-112039 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. The author A.C. thanks the European Union – Next Generation EU from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security POR H2AdP MMES/ENEA with involvement of CNR and RSE, PNRR - Mission 2, Component 2, Investmento 3.5, CUP B93C22000630006 “Ricerca e sviluppo sull' idrogeno”, for his postdoc position.Peer reviewe
Insight into iodine-doped carbon xerogel electrodes on the capacitance and long-term stability of quasi-solid-state supercapacitors
No full textCurrent efforts to enhance the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors are primarily driven by advancements in nanostructured electrode materials, particularly through the optimization of electrical double-layer capacitance and pseudo-capacitance mechanisms. In this context, we demonstrate the feasibility of developing a supercapacitor employing carbon xerogel (CX)-based electrodes, a sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) (SPEEK) membrane, and a potassium iodide (KI) redox additive in a sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) electrolyte. The Na+-form SPEEK membrane acting as an ion conductor and electronic insulator, while the incorporation of potassium iodide (KI) at positive electrode significantly enhances the device's electrochemical metrics, achieving a high specific capacitance of 200 F·g−1, an energy density of 18.5 Wh·kg−1 and low self-discharge rates. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy further revealed outstanding stability, low resistance, and high capacitance retention over 20,000 charge–discharge cycles and additional 300 h of voltage-hold (floating) within a wide voltage window from 0 to 1.6 V. These findings highlight the strong potential of the developed quasi-solid-state supercapacitors as promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices.The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Pietro Staiti for conceiving the initial ideas, designing and implementing the carbon–iodine structure, and conducting the first set of experiments on this system.
The author A.C. thanks the European Union – Next Generation EU from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security POR H2 AdP MMES/ENEA with involvement of CNR and RSE, PNRR - Mission 2, Component 2, Investment 3.5 “Ricerca e sviluppo sull’idrogeno”, CUP: B93C22000630006 for his postdoc position.Peer reviewe
