Amorphous Cobalt Boride Alloy Synthesized by Liquid Phase Methods as Electrode Materials for Electrochemical Capacitors

An amorphous cobalt boride alloy with high electronic conductivity is fabricated through the liquid-phase reduction method. Benefiting from large specific surface area and hierarchical pore structure, the as-synthesized Co-B nanoflakes expose substantial electrochemical active sites, promote the transfer of electrons and ions, and accelerate the redox kinetic process. The as-obtained amorphous Co-B alloy sample displays a specific capacitance of 411 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹, and with the current density increased to 10 A g⁻¹, it maintains 69% of the initial capacitance. The as-assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device reveals electrochemical properties comprising an excellent specific capacitance of 64.3 F g⁻¹ at 0.25 A g⁻¹, superior cyclical stability of 105% after 20,000 cycles at 3 A g⁻¹, and maximum energy density of 22.9 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 200.3 W kg⁻¹. This study demonstrates great potential in developing high-conductivity materials for an asymmetric supercapacitor through utilizing an amorphous cobalt boride alloy as a promising electrode material.     

Synthesis and performance of nickel hydroxide nanodiscs for redox supercapacitors

Herein, we report the facile synthesis of β-Ni(OH)₂ nanodiscs by chemical precipitation method and their use in supercapacitors. β-Ni(OH)₂ nanodiscs are characterized by FTIR, XRD, FESEM, XPS and TGA analysis. Morphological analysis revealed the uniform nanodisc morphology of β-Ni(OH)₂. The supercapacitor behavior is evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in 1-M aqueous KOH solution with 0- to 0.6-V potential window. The specific capacitance of β-Ni(OH)₂ nanodiscs is found to be 400 F g⁻¹. The energy and power densities of the β-Ni(OH)₂ nanodiscs are found to be 7.15 W h kg⁻¹ and 1716 W kg⁻¹, respectively, at the current density of 1 A g⁻¹. The cycle life test shows the good stability of the electrode with 83 % retention capacitance even after 1500 cycles.

     

Free-standing 3D Co3O4@NF micro-flowers composed of porous ultra-long nanowires as an advanced cathode material for supercapacitor

The development of smart structured cathode materials for supercapacitors (SCs) has sparked tremendous interest. However, the appropriate design to achieve high capacitance and energy density-based cathode materials remains a major problem for energy storage systems. This article describes the effective synthesis of self-supported 3D micro-flowers composed of ultrathin nanowires array of Co₃O₄ on Ni foam (NF) using hydrothermal conditions (Co₃O₄@NF). The mesoporous Co₃O₄@NF with a high surface area, providing a rich active state for the Faraday redox reaction and increasing the diffusion rate of the electrolyte ions. The optimized Co₃O₄@NF-16h electrode exhibited supreme electrochemical performance by delivering a high specific capacitance of 1878, (1127) and 1200 (720 C g⁻¹) F g⁻¹ at 1.0 and 20 A g⁻¹, respectively. The Co₃O₄@NF electrode retained good capacitance stability of 91% over 10000 cycles at 20 A g⁻¹ with excellent rate-performance of 67% at 20 folded high current values. The obtained results for the Co₃O₄@NF electrode are presented the enhanced pseudocapacitive performance, indicating the substantial potential for high-performance supercapacitor applications.     

Longitudinal unzipping of carbon nanotubes and their electrochemical performance in supercapacitors

The capacitive properties of graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with different reduction levels were investigated. GNRs have been synthesized through thermal reduction of oxidized GNRs in the temperature range 100–400 °C. Oxidized GNRs were synthesized by longitudinal unzipping of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by means of chemical treatments. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations showed, that the efficient tube unzipping yielded improved effective surface area without any tube annihilation by the unzipping process of MWCNTs. Electrochemical studies indicated that through unzipping of MWCNTs, specific capacitance increased from 8 to 28 F g⁻¹ at discharge current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹, confirming increased active surface area and increased defect density in the MWCNTs surface. Unzipping of MWCNTs resulted in decreased rate capability of the electrode because of low electrical conductivity due to oxidization during the unzipping process. Thermal reduction of unzipped sample affected both specific capacitance and rate capability of electrodes. The highest specific capacitance of 62 F g⁻¹ at discharge current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹ was obtained for the sample unzipped and thermally annealed at about 150 °C. The amount of oxygen-containing groups was shown to be an important factor influencing the performance of the GNRs. These results make unzipped MWCNTs promising electrode materials for supercapacitor applications.     

Ultrasound-assisted facile one-pot synthesis of ternary MWCNT/MnO2/rGO nanocomposite for high performance supercapacitors with commercial-level mass loadings

Commercial application of supercapacitors (SCs) requires high mass loading electrodes simultaneously with high energy density and long cycle life. Herein, we have reported a ternary multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/MnO₂/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite for SCs with commercial-level mass loadings. The ternary nanocomposite was synthesized using a facile ultrasound-assisted one-pot method. The symmetric SC fabricated with ternary MWCNT/MnO₂/rGO nanocomposite demonstrated marked enhancement in capacitive performance as compared to those with binary nanocomposites (MnO₂/rGO and MnO₂/MWCNT). The synergistic effect from simultaneous growth of MnO₂ on the graphene and MWCNTs under ultrasonic irradiation resulted in the formation of a porous ternary structure with efficient ion diffusion channels and high electrochemically active surface area. The symmetric SC with commercial-level mass loading electrodes (∼12 mg cm⁻²) offered a high specific capacitance (314.6 F g⁻¹) and energy density (21.1 W h kg⁻¹ at 150 W kg⁻¹) at a wide operating voltage of 1.5 V. Moreover, the SC exhibits no loss of capacitance after 5000 charge−discharge cycles showcasing excellent cycle life.     

Mechanochemical synthesis of poly(2,5-dimethoxy aniline) nanobelts and its electrochemical performance in hybrid supercapacitors

A solvent-free mechanochemical route for the preparation of poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline) hydrochloride nanostructures is developed and reported in the article. High conductivity, good crystallinity, and nanostructured morphology are observed for the prepared polymer. This polymeric powder is utilized as a cathode material in hybrid supercapacitor and its electrochemical performance is evaluated and discussed in this short report. The maximum specific capacitance of the poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline) hydrochloride/activated carbon hybrid supercapacitor is found to be 125 F g⁻¹ at 1 mA cm⁻² current density. The cell delivers a specific energy as high as 50 Wh kg⁻¹ at a specific power of 97 W kg⁻¹ and also exhibits an excellent cycle performance with more than 99% coulombic efficiency and the maintenance of 85% of its initial capacitance after 1,000 cycles.     

Facile Construction of 3D Reduced Graphene Oxide Wrapped Ni3S2 Nanoparticles on Ni Foam for High‐Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor Electrodes

3D reduced graphene oxide (rGO)‐wrapped Ni₃S₂ nanoparticles on Ni foam with porous structure is successfully synthesized via a facile one‐step solvothermal method. This unique structure and the positive synergistic effect between Ni₃S₂ nanoparticles and graphene can greatly improve the electrochemical performance of the NF@rGO/Ni₃S₂ composite. Detailed electrochemical measurements show that the NF@rGO/Ni₃S₂ composite exhibits excellent supercapacitor performance with a high specific capacitance of 4048 mF cm^?2 (816.8 F g^?1) at a current density of 5 mA cm^?2 (0.98 A g^?1), as well as long cycling ability (93.8% capacitance retention after 6000 cycles at a current density of 25 mA cm^?2). A novel aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor is designed using the NF@rGO/Ni₃S₂ composite as positive electrode and nitrogen‐doped graphene as negative electrode. The assembled device displays an energy density of 32.6 W h kg^?1 at a power density of 399.8 W kg^?1, and maintains 16.7 W h kg^?1 at 8000.2 W kg^?1. This outstanding performance promotes the as‐prepared NF@rGO/Ni₃S₂ composite to be ideal electrode materials for supercapacitors.     

Fabrication of Ni-Co binary oxide/reduced graphene oxide composite with high capacitance and cyclicity as efficient electrode for supercapacitors

Nickel-cobalt binary oxide/reduced graphene oxide (G-NCO) composite with high capacitance is synthesized via a mild method for electrochemical capacitors. G-NCO takes advantages of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and nickel-cobalt binary oxide. As an appropriate matrix, RGO is beneficial to form homogeneous structure and improve the electron transport ability. The binary oxide owns more active sites than those of nickel oxide and cobalt oxide to promote the redox reaction. Attributed to the well crystallinity, homogeneous structure, increased active sites, and improved charge transfer property, the G-NCO composite exhibits highly enhanced electrochemical performance compared with G-NiO and G-Co₃O₄ composites. The specific capacitance of the G-NCO composite is about 1750 F g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 together with capacitance retention of 79 % (900/1138 F g^?1) over 10,000 cycles at 4 A g^?1. To research its practical application, an asymmetric supercapacitor with G-NCO as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode was fabricated. The asymmetric device exhibits a prominent energy density of 37.7 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 800 W kg^?1. The modified G-NCO composite shows great potential for high-capacity energy storage.     

Liquid Crystalline Dispersions of Graphene‐Oxide‐Based Hybrids: A Practical Approach towards the Next Generation of 3D Isotropic Architectures for Energy Storage Applications

We report the use of the spray pyrolysis method to design self‐assembled isotropic ternary architectures made up of reduced graphene oxide (GO), functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and nickel oxide nanoparticles for cost‐effective high‐performance supercapacitor devices. Electrodes fabricated from this novel ternary system exhibit exceptionally high capacitance (2074 Fg^?1) due to the highly conductive network, synergistic link between GO and carbon nanotubes and achieving high surface area monodispersed NiO decorated rGO/CNTs composite employing the liquid crystallinity of GO dispersions. To further assess the practicality of this material for supercapacitor manufacture, we assembled an asymmetric supercapacitor device incorporating activated carbon as the anode. The asymmetric supercapacitor device showed remarkable capacity retention (>96%), high energy density (23 Wh kg^?1), and a coulombic efficiency of 99.5%.     

Investigation of electrochemical performance of sol-gel derived MgFe2O4 nanospheres as aqueous supercapacitor electrode and bi-functional water splitting electrocatalyst in alkaline medium

Herein this work, we have used the sol-gel chemical synthesis method to prepare spherical shaped MgFe₂O₄ nanoparticles having size 45–50 nm. Using 1 mol L⁻¹ Sodium Perchlorate (NaClO₄) electrolyte, a capacitance of 61 F/g, a capacitance retention of 82.91% (after undergoing 1000 cycles), and an energy density of 41 Wh/kg have been achieved. Using 1 mol L⁻¹ Magnesium Perchlorate (Mg(ClO₄)₂) as electrolyte, a capacitance of 43 F/g, a capacitance retention of 82.15%, and an energy density of 29 Wh/kg have been realized. Furthermore, MgFe₂O₄ nanospheres exhibited an overpotential (η) = 1.09 V, a Tafel slope (b) = 317 mV/dec in regard to alkaline Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) electrocatalyst. It also achieved η = 402 mV and b = 241 mV/dec in regard towards alkaline Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER) electrocatalyst. These results signify the suitability of MgFe₂O₄ nanoparticles for high energy density aqueous supercapacitor and water splitting electrocatalyst applications.     

Electrochemical redox supercapacitors using PVdF-HFP based gel electrolytes and polypyrrole as conducting polymer electrode

Electrochemical redox supercapacitors have been fabricated using polymeric gel electrolytes polyvinylidene fluoride co-hexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP)–ethylene carbonate (EC)–propylene carbonate (PC)–MClO₄: M = Li, Na, (C₂H₅)₄N and electrochemically deposited polypyrrole as conducting polymer electrode. The performance of the capacitors have been characterized using a.c impedance spectroscopy, cyclic linear sweep voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge techniques. The capacitors shows larger values of overall capacitance of about 14–25 mF cm^− 2 (equivalent to a single electrode specific capacitance of 78–137 F g^− 1 of polypyrrole), which corresponds to the energy density of 11–19 W h kg^− 1 and power density of 0.22–0.44 kW kg^− 1. The values of capacitance have been found to be almost stable up to 5000 cycles and even more. A comparison indicates that the capacitive behaviour and the capacitance values are not much affected with the size of cations of the salts incorporated in gel electrolytes, rather predominant role of anions is possible at the electrode–electrolyte interfaces. Furthermore the coulombic efficiencies of all the cells were found to be nearly 100% that is comparable to the liquid electrolytes based capacitors.     

Electrical studies on ionic liquid-based gel polymer electrolyte for its application in EDLCs

Ionic liquid-based gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) has been synthesized using standard solution cast technique. Different weight percent of ionic liquid, 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) and liquid electrolyte, ethylene carbonate (EC)–propylene carbonate (PC)–tetra ethyl ammonium tetra fluoro borate (TEABF₄) was incorporated in polymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene (PVdF-HFP) to obtain mechanically stable gel polymer electrolyte film (GPE) having maximum conductivity of ~10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature, which is acceptable from device fabrication point of view. Potential window and ionic transference number has been obtained to examine the potential limit and ionic characteristics of optimized GPE system. Temperature dependence behavior of electrical conductivity curve follows Arrhenius nature in the temperature range of 303–373 K. Pattern of dielectric constant and its loss as a function of frequency and temperature have been studied and is being explained on the basis of electrode interfacial polarization effect. Frequency-dependent conductivity spectra obey the Jonscher’s power law. Further, optimized composition of GPE has been tested successfully for its application in supercapacitor fabrication with activated charcoal as an electrode material. Maximum specific capacitance of 118.6 mF cm⁻² equivalent to single electrode specific capacitance of 61.7 F g⁻¹ have been observed for the optimized GPE film.

     

Lithium Ferrites@Polydopamine Core–Shell Nanoparticles as a New Robust Negative Electrode for Advanced Asymmetric Supercapacitors

Spinel ferrites hold great promise as attractive electrode materials for high‐performance supercapacitors owing to their multiple valence states and abundant choice of metal cation. However, the main bottleneck for most of the currently reported spinel ferrite‐based electrodes is relatively low specific capacitance. Herein, a new kind of lithium ferrites (Li_0.5Fe_2.5O₄, LFO)@polydopamine (PDA) (denoted as LFO@PDA) core–shell nanoparticles with extraordinary capacitive performance as negative electrodes for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) are reported first. Taking advantage of increased active sites, improved conductivity, enhanced hydrophilicity, and good strain accommodation in terms of the interesting core–shell architecture and PDA shell, the as‐obtained LFO@PDA electrode reaches a remarkable capacitance of 276.4 F g⁻¹ and prominent durability (no any capacitance loss after 15 000 cycles). Moreover, a robust aqueous 1.8 V‐ASC device with a preferable energy density of 33.9 Wh kg⁻¹ is also achieved based on the LFO@PDA electrode as negative electrode.     

Electrochemical characterization on layered lithium ruthenate for electrochemical supercapacitors

Electrochemical characteristics of lithium ruthenate (Li_xRuO_2+0.5x·nH₂O) for electrochemical capacitors' electrode material were first examined in this paper by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests. Results show that Li_xRuO_2+0.5x·nH₂O has electrochemical capacitive characteristic within the potential range of − 0.2–0.9 V (vs. SCE) in 1 M Li₂SO₄ solution. The capacitance mainly arises from pseudo-capacitance caused by lithium ions' insertion/extraction into/out of the Li_xRuO_2+0.5x·nH₂O electrode. The specific capacitance of 391 F g^− 1 can be delivered at 1 mA charge–discharge current for Li_xRuO_2+0.5x·nH₂O electrode with an energy density of 65.7 W h kg^− 1. This material also exhibits an excellent cycling performance and there is no attenuation of capacitance over 600 cycles.     

Sensible design of open-porous spherical architectures for hybrid supercapacitors with improved high-rate capability

Hybrid supercapacitors show high energy densities with good long-term cycling stability when used as energy sources. However, their poor rate performance as a consequence of their low ionic diffusion capability at high currents during cycling should be improved. Here, we propose using a spray-drying process to fabricate a novel structure comprising open-porous spherical lithium manganese oxide as an electrode material for hybrid supercapacitors. The resultant hybrid supercapacitor comprising full-cell systems shows a high specific capacitance (33.8 F cm⁻³ at a current of 1 A) and remarkable high-rate performance (25.6 F cm⁻³ at a current of 16 A). Moreover, outstanding cycling stability of 83% was attained at a current of 2 A after 5400 cycles. Our new strategy provides a useful methodology to increase the abundance of electrochemically active sites by fabricating a spherical structure using nanosized primary particles, which also leads to shorter diffusion pathways and to improved ionic electron transport because of the open-porous structure of the electrode materials.     

Enlarging Surface/Bulk Ratios of NiO Nanoparticles toward High Utilization and Rate Capability for Supercapacitors

Reasonable design and delicate control of microstructures are critical to achieve high energy density of active materials for pseudocapacitors that seriously depend on usable reaction interface. This work shows the effect of ultrasmall particle size on enhancing utilization and rate performance of active materials. Three types of NiO nanocrystals with different sizes of 3.36, 6.24, and 7.18 nm in average diameter are uniformly distributed on mesoporous carbon nanosheets derived from corn straw piths. The nanosheets with 3.36 nm NiO particles present an extremely high NiO utilization of 93.4% (2404 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹), which is 2–2.5-fold higher than materials with large sizes (6.24 and 7.18 nm). This enhancement is ascribed to more complete conversion and higher ionic/electronic conductivity from a preferable surface/bulk ratio of NiO. By coupling with commercial activated carbon, the asymmetric supercapacitors present high energy and power densities (28.53 Wh kg⁻¹ at 375 W kg⁻¹), with 78.3% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g⁻¹.     

The In Situ Synthesis of Fe(OH)3 Film on Fe Foam as Efficient Anode of Alkaline Supercapacitor Based on a Promising Fe3+/Fe0 Energy Storage Mechanism

Herein, a simple in situ charge/discharge activation strategy is proposed to synthesize Fe(OH)3 film on Fe foam as an efficient anode of supercapacitors. The physical characteristics of electrodes are characterized and the electrochemical energy storage performances are investigated. Importantly, it is demonstrated the as‐synthesized Fe(OH)3@Fe foam electrode adopted a novel Fe³⁺/Fe⁰ redox reaction mechanism for energy storage in alkaline electrolytes. Compared with previously reported Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ mechanisms, the Fe³⁺/Fe⁰ redox couple shows a more promising application value (e.g., higher theoretical‐specific capacitance, excellent conductivity of its reduction state). As for supercapacitor anodes, the electrode achieves high areal capacitance of 5.55–3.94 F cm⁻² at a current range of 20–200 mA cm⁻² and shows good stability for high‐rate and long‐term cycling. The assembled single supercapacitor device gives a high energy density of 11.64–7.43 Wh m⁻² at a power density of 157–1461 W m⁻². More importantly, the as‐adopted in situ activation strategy may also have potential value for synthesizing other transition metal oxide‐based products.     

Amorphous Cobalt Coordination Nanolayers Incorporated with Silver Nanowires: A New Electrode Material for Supercapacitors

The 2D amorphous cobalt coordination framework/silver nanowires nanocomposites (A‐CoL/Ag NC) are successfully synthesized by one‐step solution agitation at room temperature. The experimental data reveal that the hybrid provides sufficient contact between active materials and electrolyte, and facilitates the transfer of ions/electrons, resulting in high specific capacitance, high output potential, great rate capacity at high current density, and good cycle stability. As supercapacitor electrode materials, the as‐prepared A‐CoL/Ag NC electrode exhibits a great specific capacitance which can reach up to 1467 mF cm^?2 at 1.0 mA cm^?2, and 1060 mF cm^?2 even at 10.0 mA cm^?2. The A‐CoL/Ag NC// activated carbon asymmetric supercapacitor (AC ASC) displays a maximum energy density (110 W h kg^?1 at 760 W kg^?1) and maximum power density (6410 W kg^?1 at 63 W h kg^?1) in 3.0 m KOH. Moreover, the developed solid‐state A‐CoL/Ag NC//AC ASC has a broad operated potential window within 0–1.6 V, long cycle life (95.2% after cycling 7000 cycles), delivering an energy density of 151 W h kg^?1 (at 790 W kg^?1), and a power density of 7972 W kg^?1 (at 70 W h kg^?1). The well‐synthesized nanocomposite provides a novel way to synthesize prominent electrode materials for supercapacitors.     

Facile hydrothermal synthesis of ultrahigh-aspect-ratio V2O5 nanowires for high-performance supercapacitors

Ultrahigh-aspect-ratio V₂O₅ nanowires were successfully prepared using [VO(O₂)₂(OH₂)]⁻ as the starting material by a template-free hydrothermal route without the addition of organic surfactant or inorganic ions. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD). The results revealed that the peroxovanadium (V) complexes can be easily transformed to V₂O₅ nanowires by this hydrothermal route. The uniform nanowires were with width about 50 nm and length about dozens of micron. The BET analysis showed the V₂O₅ nanowires had a high specific surface area of 25.6 m² g⁻¹. The synthesized V₂O₅ nanowires performed a high capacitance of 351 F g⁻¹ when used as supercapacitor electrode in 1 mol L⁻¹ LiNO₃.     

Tailoring MoS2 Ultrathin Sheets Anchored on Graphene Flexible Supports for Superstable Lithium‐Ion Battery Anodes

2D MoS₂ has a significant capacity decay due to the stack of layers during the charge/discharge process, which has seriously restricted its practical application in lithium‐ion batteries. Herein, a simple preform‐in situ process to fabricate vertically grown MoS₂ nanosheets with 8–12 layers anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flexible supports is presented. As an anode in MoS₂/rGO//Li half‐cell, the MoS₂/rGO electrode shows a high initial coulomb efficiency (84.1%) and excellent capacity retention (84.7% after 100 cycles) at a current density of 100 mA g^?1. Moreover, the MoS₂/rGO electrode keeps capacity as high as 786 mAh g^?1 after 1000 cycles with minimum degradation of 54 µAh g^?1 cycle^?1 after being further tested at a high current density of 1000 mA g^?1. When evaluated in a MoS₂/rGO//LiCoO₂ full‐cell, it delivers an initial charge capacity of 153 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 100 mA g^?1 and achieves an energy density of 208 Wh kg^?1 under the power density of 220 W kg^?1.