Facile one pot sonochemical synthesis of CoFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids with well-dispersed MWCNTs for asymmetric hybrid supercapacitor applications

In this study, a facile sonochemical strategy is used for the fabrication of CoFe₂O₄/MWCNTs hybrids as an electrode material for supercapacitor applications. FE-SEM image demonstrates the uniformly well-distributed MWCNTs as well as porous structures in the prepared CoFe₂O₄/MWCNTs hybrids, suggesting 3D network formation of conductive pathway, which can enhance the charge and mass transport properties between the electrodes and electrolytes during the faradic redox reactions. The as-fabricated CoFe₂O₄/MWCNTs hybrids with the MWCNTs concentration of 15 mg (CFC15) delivers maximum specific capacitance of 390 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 mA cm⁻², excellent rate capability (275 F g⁻¹ at 10 mA cm⁻²), and outstanding cycling stability (86.9% capacitance retention after 2000 cycles at 3 mA cm⁻²). Furthermore, the electrochemical performance of the CFC15 is superior to those of pure CoFe₂O₄ and other CoFe₂O₄/MWCNTs hybrids (CFC5, CFC10 and CFC20), indicating well-dispersion MWCNTs and uniform porous structures. Also, as-fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor device using the CoFe₂O₄/MWCNTs hybrids as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode materials shows the outstanding supercapacitive performance (high specific capacitance, superior cycling stability and good rate capability) for energy storage devices. It delivers a capacitance value of 81 F g⁻¹ at 3 mA cm⁻², ca. 92% retention of its initial capacitance value after 2000 charge-discharge cycles and excellent energy density (26.67 W h kg⁻¹) at high power density (~319 W kg⁻¹).     

Simple synthesis of honeysuckle-like CuCo2O4/CuO composites as a battery type electrode material for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors

In this paper, porous CuCo₂O₄/CuO composites with novel honeysuckle-like shape (CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs) have been prepared for the first time by a simple hydrothermal method and followed with an additional annealing process in air. The unique CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs consisted of dense and slender petals with length of 1.3–1.5 μm and width of about 50 nm, and possessed a specific surface area of 36.09 m² g^?1 with main pore size distribution at 10.63 nm. When used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors, the CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs exhibited excellent electrochemical performances with a high specific capacity of 350.69 C g^?1 at 1 A g^?1, a rate capability of 78.6% at 10 A g^?1, and 96.2% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g^?1. In addition, a hybrid supercapacitor (CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs//AC HSC) was assembled using the CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs as positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as negative electrode. The HSC device delivered a specific capacity of 187.85 C g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and a superior cycling stability with 104.7% capacity retention after 5000 cycles at 5 A g^?1, and possessed a high energy density of 41.76 W h kg^?1 at a power density of 800.27 W kg^?1. These outstanding electrochemical performances manifested the great potential of CuCo₂O₄/CuO HCs as a promising battery-type electrode material for the next-generation advanced supercapacitors with high-performance.     

Fabrication of a ternary PANI@Fe3O4@CFs nanocomposite as a high performance electrode for solid-state supercapacitors

In this work, a solid-state high performance supercapacitor is fabricated based on a ternary polyaniline@Fe₃O₄@carbon fibers nanocomposite. To prepare the polyaniline@Fe₃O₄@carbon fibers electrodes, a two-step method including electrophoretic deposition of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles on carbon fibres followed by an in situ polymerization process of polyaniline is utilized. The results show that the polyaniline@Fe₃O₄@carbon fibers nanocomposite with a layer by layer microstructure is successfully formed. The fabricated nanocomposite represents a specific surface area of 3.12 m² g⁻¹. The electrochemical measurements in a three-electrode configuration reveals a high specific capacitance of 245.5 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ and an excellent cycle stability (82.44% after 1000 cycle) of the polyaniline@Fe₃O₄@carbon fibers electrode. The as-fabricated solid-state supercapacitor based on the polyaniline@Fe₃O₄@carbon fiber nanocomposite cloth with a surface area of 25 cm² powers up a blue light-emitting diode for 4 min and delivers a high energy density of 78.6 Wh.kg⁻¹ at a power density of 1047.5 W kg⁻¹.     

Polyaniline-silver-manganese dioxide nanorod ternary composite for asymmetric supercapacitor with remarkable electrochemical performance

Metal oxide incorporated with a conductive polymer have shown great potential as high-performance energy storage devices. In this report, polyaniline wrapped silver decorated manganese dioxide (PANI/Ag@MnO₂) nanorods were successfully synthesized and used as positive electrode material. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed to investigate the electrochemical activities. The overall result demonstrates that as prepared PANI/Ag@MnO₂ nanorod performed better supercapacitor activities compared to Ag@MnO₂ and pure MnO₂. The PANI/Ag@MnO₂ nanocomposite exhibited a high specific capacitance of 1028.66 F g^?1 at a current density of 1 A g^?1 (nearly close to the theoretical capacitance of MnO₂). A detail investigation of the synergic effect of PANI, Ag and MnO₂ on electrochemical properties is presented sequentially. The assembled (PANI/Ag@MnO₂//AC) asymmetric supercapacitor device showed a high energy density of 49.77 W h kg^?1 at power density of 1599.75 W kg^?1. The facile and cost-effective production of PANI/Ag@MnO₂ demonstrates a high specific capacitance and energy density with long life cycle introduces this material as a prospective candidate for energy management.     

Chicken nuggets-like core/shell nanosheet arrays as high performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor cathode and buckwheat shell as anode

The energy density of a flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor (ASC) requires new electrode material with special structure and morphology as a prerequisite for its secured improvement. In this paper, a new morphological exploration of chicken nuggets-like core/shell NiCo₂O₄/MnO₂ (NCM) nanosheet arrays on Ni foam was employed. The application of this special morphology aims to greatly improve the electrochemical performance of the cathode electrode. Additionally, Buckwheat Biochar (BBC) is utilized as the anode while the PVA/KOH thin film is prepared as the separator. The chicken nuggets-like core/shell NCM nanosheet arrays were obtained by a two-step hydrothermal method. A series of characterization methods were carried out to further support the core/shell's well-designed structure and precise composition. The tests exhibited excellent specific capacitance of 593.3 F g^?1 at 5 mA cm^?2 and outstanding cycling stability with a retention of 90% after 10000 cycles. Furthermore, the assembled NCM//BBC ASC device indicated a high specific capacitance (239 F g^?1 at the current density of 5 mA cm^?2), this is in due part of the unique architecture of NCM nanosheet arrays and interconnected special porous structure of the BBC and the thin film PVA/KOH. Hence, the assembled ASC device exhibited high energy density (an energy density of 58 Wh·kg^?1 at 3263 W kg^?1) and remarkable cycling stability.     

Battery-type and binder-free MgCo2O4-NWs@NF electrode materials for the assembly of advanced hybrid supercapacitors

In this study, the hetero-structure of MgCo₂O₄ nanowires (MCO-NWs) and microcubes (MCO-MCs) on the skeleton of nickel foam (NF) was realized through a simple hydrothermal method and subsequent annealing treatment, and then served as a binder-free cathode for assembly of high-performance hybrid supercapacitor (HSC). Such synthetic methodology avoided the traditional usage of conductive and binder reagents for the electrode fabrication. The electrochemical tests indicated its battery-type characteristics, and the MCO-NWs@NF exhibited a huge specific capacity (C_s) of 389.0 C g^?1 as well as 86.2% capacity retention when the current density boosted from 1 to 10 A g^?1. The assembled HSC with activated carbon (AC) as anode further demonstrated the advantages of this electrode material. After 5000 cycles at 6 A g^?1, the MCO-NWs@NF//AC HSC showed good long-term cycling stability without any decay in capacitance, and could deliver an energy density (E_d) of 37.9 W h kg^?1 at the power density (P_d) of 958.1 W kg^?1, higher than the 30.4 W h kg^?1 of MCs-based HSC. These impressive results regarding electrochemical performance suggest that MCO-NWs@NF may be a promising candidate to serve as a battery-type material in electrochemical energy storage applications such as HSCs, batteries, and so on.     

Facile fabrication of comb-like porous NiCo2O4 nanoneedles on Ni foam as an advanced electrode for high-performance supercapacitor

It is very desirable to develop the high-performance supercapacitors to meet the rapidly growing demands for energy-autonomous operation and miniaturization of devices. Herein, comb-like porous NiCo₂O₄ nanoneedles on the three-dimension (3D) nickel foam (NF) have been successfully synthesized through a facile pulsed laser ablation (PLA) approach without any post-treatments and surfactant (denoted as NiCo₂O₄-PLA). The influence of working solution during the fabricated process on the properties of NiCo₂O₄-PLA has been demonstrated in detail in terms of the crystalline structure, specific surface area, morphology, and electrochemical performance. Benefiting from the large specific surface (261.4 m² g⁻¹), abundant pores, and highly conductive scaffold, the NiCo₂O₄-PLA binder-free electrode exhibits an outstanding specific capacitance (1650 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹) and eminent cycling performance (91.78% retention after a 12,000-cycle test at a current density of 10 A g⁻¹) compared with the control samples. The assembled asymmetric device (NiCo₂O₄-PLA//AC-ASCs) delivers the high specific capacitance of 126.9 F g⁻¹ at the current density of 1 A g⁻¹, the large energy density of 56.7 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 756 W kg⁻¹, and the low internal resistance. The attractive results strongly prove that it is an ideal candidate for advanced supercapacitor application.     

Multifunctional Co3O4/Ti3C2Tx MXene nanocomposites for integrated all solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors and energy-saving electrochemical systems of H2 production by urea and alcohols electrolysis

Co₃O₄/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanocomposites have been fabricated by vacuum filtration and hydrothermal-annealing methods, and their electrochemical performance were investigated for energy storage and conversion, systematically. As electrode materials, Co₃O₄/Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanocomposites in 6 M KOH solution demonstrated the specific capacitance of 240.1 F g^?1 at 0.1 A g^?1 and the long-term cycle stability. The solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors exhibited an operating potential window of 1.4 V, a specific capacitance of 97.9 F g^?1at 0.25 A g^?1, an energy density of 95.9 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 630.4 W kg^?1, and excellent long-term durability. Furthermore, the connected solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors inseries and parallels presented the promising practical applications. Besides, Co₃O₄/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites displayed outstanding catalytic behaviors for energy-saving H₂ generation by urea and alcohols electrolysis. The electrolyzer in KOH + CH₃CH₂OH electrolyte required only 1.33 V potential to deliver the current density of 0.5 A g^?1. Especially, the elctrochemical system of H₂ production by The electrolyzer and the powered solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors based on Co₃O₄/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites was constructed, demonstrating outstanding properties of H₂ production. Therefore, this study not only shows enormous potential of Co₃O₄/Ti₃C₂T_x nanocomposites as a portable power supply but also indicates its great opportunities in energy-saving H₂ production in practical applications.     

Dual carbon source method to fabricate hierarchical porous carbon with three-dimensional interconnected network structure toward advanced energy storage device

Selective fabrication of carbon materials with developed specific surface area and hierarchical porous structure is essential for high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors. Direct carbonization of organic acid salts represents a strategy that can produce porous carbon with high specific surface area, but it is still hindered by low carbon yield, impeding its large-scale application. Herein, a biomass-derived hierarchical porous carbon with large specific surface area is prepared via a facile one-pot calcination method. The optimal SCPC-4 sample presents three-dimensional interconnected network structure and plentiful heteroatom content. Hence, it delivers a large specific capacitance of 321 F g^?1 at a current density of 1 A g^?1, and negligible capacitance loss after 10,000 cycles at 10 A g^?1. In addition, the assembled SCPC-4 based symmetric supercapacitor exhibits an energy density of 21.2 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 900 W kg^?1. This cost-effective binary biomass carbon source route provides a great possibility for the mass production of high-yield porous carbon materials.     

Electrodeposited nickel nanocone/NiMoO4 nanocomposite designed as superior electrode materials for high performance supercapacitor

A nickel nanocone-modified NiMoO₄ hybrid (NiMoO₄/NNC) on Ni foam (NF) substrate is engineered to enhance the capacitance performance of NiMoO₄ via facile and convenient electrodeposition strategy, followed by hydrothermal method. The presence of nickel nanocone (NNC) increases the density of reaction active sites of NiMoO₄/NNC/NF, which can shorten the charge diffusion pathway and boost ionic/electronic conductivities. As expected, the NiMoO₄/NNC/NF, as a prospective electrode material, presents appreciable electrochemical properties. Remarkably, the NiMoO₄/NNC/NF electrode demonstrates a high specific capacitance of 2813 F g^?1 at 3 A g^?1 and manifests considerable cycling durability with a retention of 94% of the initial capacitance over consecutive 5000 cycles. Furthermore, a NiMoO₄/NNC/NF//AC/NF asymmetric supercapacitor displays a great electrochemical performance by delivering high energy density (43 Wh kg^?1) and power density (821 W kg^?1) as well as notable durableness (10% decay after 5000 cycles). The presented results suggest that NiMoO₄/NNC/NF can be considered as a binder-free electrode for highly stable supercapacitors.     

Nickel–cobalt layered double hydroxide/NiCo2S4/g-C3N4 nanohybrid for high performance asymmetric supercapacitor

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) with semiconducting nature can be considered for energy storage system by modifying its electrical conductivity and structural properties through formation of hybrid with materials such as bimetallic metal sulfide and nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide (LDH). g-C₃N₄ as a N-rich compound with basic surface sites can change the surface properties of nanohybrid and impress the charge transfer. In this study, a nanohybrid based on nickel-cobalt LDH and sulfide and graphitic carbon nitride (NiCo LDH/NiCo₂S₄/g-C₃N₄) was synthesized through a three-step method. At first, Ni doped ZIF-67 was formed at the surface of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets and then the product was calcined in a furnace to form NiCo₂O₄/g-C₃N₄. At next step, the sample was hydrothermally converted to NiCo₂S₄/g-C₃N₄ using thioacetamide and finally modified with NiCo LDH nanoplates to form porous structure with high surface area. The NiCo LDH/NiCo₂S₄/g-C₃N₄ nanohybrid showed high specific capacitance of 1610 F g^?1 at current density of 1 A g^?1 and also excellent stability of 108.8% after 5000 cycles at potential scan rate of 50 mV s^?1, which makes it promising candidate for energy storage. An asymmetric system was prepared using nickel foams modified with NiCo LDH/NiCo₂S₄/g-C₃N₄ and g-C₃N₄ as positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The specific capacitance of 246.0 F g^?1 was obtained at 1 A g^?1 in 6 M KOH solution and system maintained 90.8% cyclic stability after 5000 cycles at potential scan rate of 50 mV s^?1. The maximum energy density and power density of the system were calculated as 82.0 Wh kg^?1 and 12,000 W kg^?1, respectively, which demonstrate its capability for energy storage.     

Embedding Co2P nanoparticles into N&P co-doped carbon fibers for hydrogen evolution reaction and supercapacitor

The demands for highly efficient and low-cost electrochemically active materials are still urgent needs for the fields of electro-catalysis and supercapacitor. Herein, a facile strategy for preparing high-efficient bi-functional electrode material was reported. The electrode material was prepared through embedding Co₂P nanoparticles in the binary co-doped carbon nanofibers (Co₂P@N&P-CNFs). This unique structure can effectively prevent the Co₂P from detaching and provide abundant active sites. Materials prepared in this work showed the superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with overpotential of 192 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^?2 and remarkable stability for 20 h. Moreover, the asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated using the Co₂P@N&P-CNFs as the positive electrode material and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as the negative electrode material, which shows an outstanding cycle stability (91.5% of the initial capacitance is retained throughout 10,000 charge-discharge tests) and a high E of 22.31 Wh kg^?1 at the P of 225.02 W kg^?1 at 0.3 A g^?1. This work offers an effective route in designing bi-functional active materials for HER and supercapacitor.     

Controlled growth of hierarchical FeCo2O4 ultrathin nanosheets and Co3O4 nanowires on nickle foam for supercapacitors

In recent years, the tenable design and synthesis of the core/shell heterostructure as electrode for the supercapacitor, have attained a huge attention and concerns. In this article, the three-dimensional heterostructure consisting of FeCo₂O₄ ultrathin nanosheets grown on the space of vertical Co₃O₄ nanowires has been designed and synthesized onto nickel foam (NF) for pseudocapacitive electrode applications. According to previous research, the NF@ FeCo₂O₄ electrodes can only exhibit specific capacity of 1172 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹. In addition, although the capacity of the NF@Co₃O₄ electrodes can reach to 1482 F g⁻¹ and it has the disadvantage of agglomeration, which restricts the diffusion of ions and has a negative effect on the progress of electrochemical reactions. Therefore, a core-shell nanostructure is fabricated by an improved two-step hydrothermal process, which improves the probability of ion reaction with more efficient charge transfer. Furthermore, in as-prepared unique core/shell heterostructure, the resultant electrode possesses the merits of large capacitance of 1680 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹, an excellent rate capability of 70.1% at 20 A g⁻¹ and only 9.8% loss of initial capacitance at a high charge/discharge current density after 2000 cycles. These results demonstrate that this kind of distinct electrode has potential utilization for supercapacitor.     

Synthesis of Fe3O4 nanocubes anchored in MgCo2O4 nanoneedle arrays for flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor

The design of novel heterostructure with multifunctional characteristics is of great technical significance for the development of new energy storage devices. However, the lower conductivity of metal oxides and the accumulation caused by irreversible phase transition after multiple cycles are the main reasons for the low specific capacitance and cycle life. Herein, we synthesized bimetallic oxide MgCo₂O₄ nanoneedles with a spinel structure, and firmly anchored Fe₃O₄ nanocubes on MgCo₂O₄ nanoneedles by ion-exchange strategy. Thanks to the constructed heterostructure of nanoneedles/nanocubes, the introduction of Fe₃O₄ effectively improves the electron transport path in MgCo₂O₄ during repeated charging and discharging, and increases the effective activation sites involved in electron transfer. As a result, a higher specific capacitance of 1648 F g^?1 at 1 A g^?1 and an ultra-long cycle life of 78.6% capacitance retention after 6000 continuous charge/discharge cycles are obtained. A flexible all-solid-state asymmetric supercapcitor assembled with MgCo₂O₄-Fe₃O₄ as positive electrode and AC as negative electrode can deliver an ultra-high energy density of 78 Wh kg^?1 and maximum power density of 1.2 kW kg^?1, as well as extraordinary capacitive retention of 75.2% after 10,000 cycles. These excellent properties reveal the potential and application value of MgCo₂O₄-Fe₃O₄ in the development of high-performance supercapacitors.     

Hybrid high performance supercapacitor based on zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-67-derived nano-structure NiCo2S4

In this work, NiCo₂S₄, nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxides (NiCo-LDH) and CoS₂ electrodes are successfully prepared by using ZIF-67 as the precursor, the results show that NiCo-LDH and NiCo₂S₄ are nano-flower-like structures and CoS₂ exhibits a nano-cage structure. The electrochemical properties of the hybrid supercapacitor assembled with NiCo₂S₄ and activated carbon (AC) as electrodes were tested. As the positive electrode of NiCo₂S₄//AC hybrid supercapacitor, the NiCo₂S₄ electrode has the largest specific capacity of 2934 mAh g^?1 at a current density of 1 A g^?1. The NiCo₂S₄//AC capacitor generates the highest energy density of 38.8 Wh kg^?1 when the power density is 993.0 W kg^?1 and has a nice cycling performance with a capacity retention rate of 81.2% after 10,000 cycles at 5 A g^?1.     

Enhanced electrochemical performance of supercapattery derived from sulphur-reduced graphene oxide/cobalt oxide composite and activated carbon from peanut shells

Sulphur-reduced graphene oxide/cobalt oxide composites (RGO-S/Co₃O₄) were successfully synthesized by varying mass loading of Co₃O₄ through a simple hydrothermal method. Structural, morphological, chemical compositional and surface area/pore-size distribution analysis of the materials were obtained by using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, EDX, FTIR, XPS and BET techniques, which reveal an effective synthesis of the RGO-S/Co₃O₄ composites. Electrochemical performance of the materials was evaluated using a three- and two-electrode system in 1 M KOH electrolyte. An optimized RGO-S/200 mg Co₃O₄ composite displayed the highest specific capacity of 171.8 mA h g⁻¹ and superior cycling stability of 99.7% for over 5000 cycles at 1 and 5 A g⁻¹, respectively, in a three-electrode system. A fabricated supercapattery device utilizing RGO-S/200 mg Co₃O₄ (positive electrode) and activated carbon from peanut shells (AC-PS) (negative electrode), revealed a high specific energy and power of 45.8 W h kg⁻¹ and 725 W kg⁻¹, respectively, at 1 A g⁻¹. The device retained 83.4% of its initial capacitance for over 10, 000 cycles with a columbic efficiency of 99.5%. Also, a capacitance retention of 71.6% was preserved after being subjected to a voltage holding test of over 150 h at its maximum potential of 1.45 V.     

Solvothermal synthesis of novel pod-like MnCo2O4.5 microstructures as high-performance electrode materials for supercapacitors

MnCo₂O_4.5 pod-like microstructures were successfully prepared through an initial solvothermal reaction in a mixed solvent containing water and ethanol, and combined with a subsequent calcinations treatment of the precursors in air. The total synthetic process was accomplished without any surfactant or template participation. The MnCo₂O_4.5 pods possessed a specific surface area as high as 73.7 m²/g and a mean pore size of 12.3 nm. The electrochemical performances were evaluated in a typical three-electrode system using 2 M of KOH aqueous electrolyte. The results demonstrated that such MnCo₂O_4.5 pods delivered a specific capacitance of 321 F/g at 1 A/g with a rate capability of 69.5% at 10 A/g. Moreover, the capacitance retention could reach 87% after 4000 cycles at 3 A/g, suggesting the excellent long-term cycling stability. Furthermore, the asymmetric device was fabricated by using MnCo₂O_4.5 porous pods as anode and active carbon as cathode. It could deliver a specific capacitance of 55.3 F g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹ and an energy density of 19.65 W h kg⁻¹ at a power density of 810.64 W kg⁻¹. Such superior electrochemical behaviors indicate that the MnCo₂O_4.5 pods may be served as a promising electrode material for the practical applications of high-performance supercapacitors. The current synthesis is simple and cost-effective, and can be extended to the preparation of other binary metal oxides with excellent electrochemical properties.     

Photocatalytic hydrogen evolution of nanoporous CoFe2O4 and NiFe2O4 for water splitting

The spinels CoFe₂O₄ and NiFe₂O₄ of nanoporous photocatalysts were prepared by dealloying and calcination. The photocatalytic performance for the hydrogen generation rate via water splitting was measured. The results revealed that CoFe₂O₄ exhibits a sheet-like nanoporous structure and that abundant mesopores are distributed in the nanosheets. NiFe₂O₄ shows a typical pore-ligament structure. The measurements show that hydrogen generation is exhibited by both oxides because the bandgap of CoFe₂O₄ and NiFe₂O₄ is higher than the water oxidization potential. The hydrogen generation rate is approximately 0.088 mmol h^?1g^?1 for CoFe₂O₄ and 0.026 mmol h^?1g^?1 for NiFe₂O₄ when the TEOA (10 vol%) sacrificial agent is adopted. This performance is significantly higher than that of methanol as the scavenger because TEOA increases the pH value of the solution, changes the negative shift in the conduction band energy level and improves the electron transport efficiency. The higher performance of CoFe₂O₄ is attributed to its larger specific surface area, ample unimpeded penetration diffusion paths and higher electron transfer rate.     

A comparative study of various polyelectrolyte/nanocomposite electrode combinations in symmetric supercapacitors

A more practical, nontoxic and cheaper electrolyte, poly(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) was used to construct supercapacitors with different nanocomposite electrodes. The flexible devices were fabricated including active carbon (AC) electrode and nanocomposites electrodes of AC/nano-silica (nano-SiO₂) and AC/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at various weight percentages. The symmetrical cell made from AC electrodes generated a maximum specific capacitance (Cs) of 315 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹. The energy density of this device was 55.5 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 690 W kg⁻¹. Excellent performance was achieved after 5000 charge-discharge cycles where the supercapacitor maintains 92% of its activity. The energy storage capability of the supercapacitors was also investigated with the addition of nano-SiO₂ and MWCNTs. The Cs of the supercapacitors made with the electrodes AC/nano-SiO₂ (5%, 10%, 25% and 50%) were 172, 228, 247 and 55 F g⁻¹, respectively. Similarly, the capacity of the device including the electrodes of AC/MWCNTs (5%, 10%, 25% and 50%) varied as 191, 244, 93 and 20 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹. The maximum energy density of the devices having nano-SiO₂ and MWCNT were 44.4 Wh kg⁻¹ and 43.8 Wh kg⁻¹, respectively at a power density of 520 W kg⁻¹. A supercapacitor with certain dimension successfully operated a light-emitting diode (LED).     

Core-shell structured ZIF-7@ZIF-67 with high electrochemical performance for all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are considered as a promising material for energy storage in recent years. Here, core-shell structured ZIF-7@ZIF-67 is synthesized in this work. The core-shell structured material can promote electron transfer of inner-outer metals ions of ZIF-7@ZIF-67, quicken diffusion of electrolyte ions and improve the capacitance performance compared to the ZIF-7 and ZIF-67. ZIF-7@ZIF-67 delivers good energy storage ability with a specific capacitance of 518.9 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 1 A g⁻¹ and remarkable stability with a retention of 99.6% after 4000 cycles in the three-electrode system. Furthermore, an all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device is assembled based on core-shell structured ZIF-7@ZIF-67 as positive electrode. Impressively, the ASC device displays an energy density of 31 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 400 W kg⁻¹ and an excellent cyclic stability with 99.5% retention after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g⁻¹. Finally, two all-solid-state ASCs are contacted to power various lighting-emitting diodes (LED). The red LED can be kept glowing for over 10 min. These electrochemical characteristics suggest that core-shell structured ZIF-7@ZIF-67 is a potential material for energy storage device with long-life cyclic stability.