Anode electrodeposition of 3D mesoporous Fe2O3 nanosheets on carbon fabric for flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor

Novel nanostructured Fe₂O₃ with a network of 3D mesoporous nanosheets was synthesized by depositing on carbon fabric (Fe₂O₃@CF) for use as an anode using a potentially low-cost electrodeposition technique. The electrode with freestanding binder-free Fe₂O₃@CF of high surface area displayed an exceptional specific capacitance of 394.2?F?g^?1. Moreover, a flexible solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated with a negative electrode based on Fe₂O₃@CF and a positive electrode based on MnO₂@CF in the presence of PVA-LiCl as gel electrolyte. The above ASC exhibited a high operating potential up to 1.8?V, a favorable specific capacitance of 93.5?F?g^?1 (2.92?F?cm^?3), long-term stability (91.3% retention of initial value over 5000 cycles), and remarkable mechanical stability and flexibility, suggesting its potential application for wearable electronics.     

Tripotassium citrate monohydrate derived carbon nanosheets as a competent assistant to manganese dioxide with remarkable performance in the supercapacitor

Production cost,capacitance,and electrode materials safety are the key factors to be concerned about for supercapacitors.In this work,a type of carbon nanosheets was produced through the carbonization of tripotassium citrate monohydrate and nitric acidification.Subsequently,a well-designed manganese dioxide/carbon nanosheets composite was synthesized through hydrothermal treating.The carbon nanosheets served as the substrate for growing the manganese dioxide,regulating its distribution,and preventing it from inhomogeneous dimensions and severe agglomeration.Many manganese dioxide nanosheets grew vertically on the numerous functional groups generated on the surface of the carbon nanosheets during acidification.The synergistic combination of carbon nanosheets and manganese dioxide tailors the electrochemical performance of the composite,which benefits from the excellent conductivity and stability of carbon nanosheets.The carbon nanosheets derived from tripotassium citrate monohydrate are conducive to the remarkable performance of manganese dioxide/carbon nanosheets electrode.Finally,an asymmetric supercapacitor with active carbon as the cathode and manganese dioxide/carbon nanosheets as the anode was assembled,achieving an outstanding energy density of 54.68 Wh·kg^?1 and remarkable power density of 6399.2 W·kg^?1 superior to conventional lead-acid batteries.After 10000 charge-discharge cycles,the device retained 75.3%of the initial capacitance,showing good cycle stability.Two assembled asymmetric supercapacitors in series charged for 3 min could power a yellow light emitting diode with an operating voltage of 2 V for 2 min.This study may provide valuable insights for applying carbon materials and manganese dioxide in the energy storage field.     

免黏结剂V2O5和Fe2O3柔性电极的构建及在超级电容器中的应用

近年来,越来越多的研究致力于开发新型、超高能量密度、高法拉第反应活性的电极材料,尤其将其应用于新一代超级电容器储能系统。通过水热法直接在柔性基质碳布上生长海胆状V₂O₅纳米球和十四面体Fe₂O₃纳米盒子。V₂O₅微观结构和储能性能可通过改变水热时间进行调控。海胆状V₂O₅纳米球正极材料具有最高比容量535 F·g^-1。以十四面体Fe₂O₃纳米盒子作为负极材料组装的新型结构V₂O₅-CC//Fe₂O₃-CC柔性超级电容器,在功率密度为699.49 W·kg^-1时,能量密度可达46.06 W·h·kg^-1。而且具有良好的机械柔韧性,在180°弯曲循环测试5000次,比容量保持率仍高达83.4%。研究为开发下一代超高能量密度、柔性电子器件提供了一种通用而有效的策略。     

Construction of free binder V2O5 and Fe2O3 flexible electrode and its application in supercapacitor

In recent years, more and more research has been devoted to the development of new electrode materials with ultra-high energy density and high Faraday reaction activity, especially applying them to a new generation of supercapacitor energy storage systems. In this study, sea urchin-shaped V₂O₅ nanospheres and tetrakaidecahedron Fe₂O₃ nano boxes have been grown directly on flexible matrix carbon cloth by hydrothermal method. The hydrothermal time can control the microstructure of V₂O₅, and the morphology determines the performance of energy storage, the positive electrode material of sea urchin-shaped V₂O₅ nanosphere exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 535 F·g^-1. In addition, the tetrakaidecahedron Fe₂O₃ nano box is used as the negative electrode, and a new structure V₂O₅//Fe₂O₃ flexible supercapacitor is assembled. When the power density is 699.49 W·kg^-1, the energy density can reach 46.06 W·h·kg^-1. Moreover, it also has good mechanical flexibility, and the specific capacity retention rate is still as high as 83.4% after 5000 times of 180° bending cycle tests. This work provides a general and effective strategy for developing the next generation flexible electronic devices with ultra-high energy density.     

Development of bifunctional Mo doped ZnAl2O4 spinel nanorods array directly grown on carbon fiber for supercapacitor and OER application

Electrochemical energy storage and water splitting strategies may be greatly improved with proper structural design and doping techniques. In the present study, molybdenum-doped ZnAl₂O₄ loaded on carbon fiber (Mo–ZnAl₂O₄/CF) was fabricated via a simple hydrothermal synthetic approach. Due to its unique hierarchical nanostructures and enhanced electrical, structural topologies, Mo-doped ZnAl₂O₄ demonstrates exceptional supercapacitor performance and electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction activity. The Mo-doped ZnAl₂O₄ electrode material exhibited 1477.63 F g^?1 specific capacitance, 46.57 Wh Kg^?1 specific energy and specific power of 476.4 W kg^?1 at 1 A g^?1. After 5000 cycles, the pseudo supercapacitor retains 97.46% of its capacitance and displays stable behavior over 50 h. During the OER reaction, the Mo–ZnAl₂O₄/CF as an electrocatalyst rapidly self-reconstructs, resulting in many oxygen vacancies, and causes a lower 38 mV dec^?1 Tafel slope and overpotential potential of 255 mV to achieved 10 mA cm^?2 current flow and responsible for the excellent stability of the electrocatalyst. These findings suggest that multifunctional materials based electrode for electrical energy conversion and storage become more efficient and stable by using Mo for doping to generate porous hierarchical structures and local amorphous phases.     

Anchoring 2D NiMoO4 nano-plates on flexible carbon cloth as a binder-free electrode for efficient energy storage devices

The energy security and mounting environmental issues compel the scientific community to allocate greatly efficient and economical energy renovation and storage systems. Among the energy storage devices, supercapacitors have become the forefront in energy storing systems in recent decades. The efficiency of supercapacitors mainly depend on the electrode's material and they usually suffer from a quick reduction in specific capacitance at higher current densities. Herein, we combined the nano-plates like bimetallic oxides (NiMiO₄) with mixed valence states on the surface of a conductive substrate (carbon cloth) without any binder and additives (denoted NMO@CC). The as-prepared electrode NMO@CC showed marvelous electrochemical properties in the aqueous basic electrolyte by achieving a high capacity of 1500 C g⁻¹ at current density of 5 A g⁻¹ with high degree of rate capability. More interestingly, the NMO@CC electrode demonstrated excellent cycling stability of 94.63% after 5000 cycles during charge-discharge process. Further, the charge storage mechanism of NMO@CC electrode is investigated by analyzing the surface capacitive and diffusion controlled processes and it shows high surface capacitive storage (71%). These admirable results are based on the highly open channels for efficient diffusion of electrolyte ions and electronic transmission through the NMO and backbone carbon cloth, respectively. Therefore, accurate morphology and surface manufacturing engineering are highly appreciated to enhance the active surface area and inherent conductivity of electrode materials.     

Conformal coatings of NiCo2O4 nanoparticles and nanosheets on carbon nanotubes for supercapacitor electrodes

NiCo₂O₄ is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors and it has been widely investigated. However, its low conductivity restricts the reaction kinetics. Combining it with carbon materials can efficiently overcome the issue. But, very limited research about the homogenous coatings of NiCo₂O₄ nanocrystals on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is reported. In this work, thin nanosheets and small nanoparticles of NiCo₂O₄ densely coated on CNTs are synthesized by tuning the annealing time with a hybrid of metal hydroxide@CNTs as a precursor. In the precursor, core−shell structures are formed by conformally coating 2D metal hydroxides on CNTs. After annealing it at 300 °C for different time, NiCo₂O₄ nanosheets or nanoparticles are then obtained and the core−shell structure is remained. Due to the reduced crystal size of NiCo₂O₄ and the high conductivity of CNTs, the composites have large specific capacitances, excellent rate performances, and good stability. The composite of NiCo₂O₄ nanoparticles on CNTs has a higher specific capacitance, about 1786 F g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹, than the hybrid of NiCo₂O₄ nanosheets on CNTs due to their different morphologies. Using the composite as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode, a hybrid capacitor cell can work in a voltage of 1.6 V, delivering an energy density of 32.5 Wh kg⁻¹ at 800 W kg⁻¹, showing a large potential for supercapacitors.     

ZIF-derived wrinkled Co3O4 polyhedra supported on 3D macroporous carbon sponge for supercapacitor electrode

Co₃O₄/melamine-derived carbon sponge (MCS) nanocomposite in which wrinkled ball-in-dodecahedral Co₃O₄ nanoparticles derived from ZIF-67 were homogeneously dispersed on the interconnected MSC was fabricated via a simple immersion and thermolysis route. As-prepared ultralight Co₃O₄/MCS possessed mechanically robust characteristic and unique 3D macroporous framework anchored with corrugated Co₃O₄ dodecahedra. Utilized as a pseudocapacitor electrode, Co₃O₄/MCS hybrid exhibited a great specific capacitance of 1409.5 F g⁻¹ at the current density of 0.5 A g⁻¹ and excellent long-term cycling stability of 93.2% after 1000 charge/discharge cycles, which might be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the inherent high redox activity from Co₃O₄ polyhedra combined with excellent electrical conductivity of MCS. This work demonstrates that tunable structure design and rational morphology control are efficient approaches for manufacturing novel electrode materials with extraordinary electrochemical performance.     

High-performance supercapacitor based on V2O5/carbon nanotubes-super activated carbon ternary composite

A ternary composite of V₂O₅/carbon nanotubes/super activated carbon (V₂O₅/CNTs–SAC) was prepared by a simple hydrothermal method and used as a supercapacitor electrode material. The electrochemical performance of the electrode was analyzed using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which were performed in 2 M NaNO₃ as the electrolyte. The V₂O₅/CNTs–SAC nanocomposite exhibited a specific capacitance as high as 357.5 F g⁻¹ at a current density of 10 A g⁻¹, which is much higher than that of either bare V₂O₅ nanosheets or a V₂O₅/CNTs composite. Furthermore, the capacitance increased to 128.7% of the initial value after 200 cycles, with 99.5% of the maximum value being retained after 1000 cycles. These results demonstrated that the V₂O₅/CNTs–SAC ternary composite is suitable for use as an electrode material for supercapacitors.     

Manganese dioxide nanosheets decorated on MXene (Ti3C2Tx) with enhanced performance for asymmetric supercapacitors

The incorporation of nanosized pseudocapacitive materials and structure design are general strategies to enhance the electrochemical performance of MXene-based materials. Herein, the decoration of manganese dioxide (MnO₂) nanosheets on MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) surfaces was prepared by a facile liquid phase coprecipitation method. Ti₃C₂T_x is initially modified by polydopamine (PDA) coating to ensure the homogeneous distribution of MnO₂ nanosheets and tight and close connections between MnO₂ and the Ti₃C₂T_x backbone. Due to the obtained three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure, facilitating electron transport within the electrode and promoting electrolyte ion accessibility, the δ-MnO₂@Ti₃C₂T_x-0.06 electrode yields superior electrochemical performances, such as a rather large areal capacity of 1233.1 mF cm^?2 and high specific capacitance of 337.6 F g^?1 at 2 mV s^?1, as well as high cyclic stability for 10000 cycles. Furthermore, δ-MnO₂@Ti₃C₂T_x-0.06 composites are employed as positive electrodes, and activated carbon (AC) materials act as negative electrodes with an aqueous electrolyte of 1 M Na₂SO₄ to assemble asymmetric supercapacitors. The prototype device is reversible at cell voltages from 0 to 1.8 V, and manifests a maximum energy density of 31.4 Wh kg^?1 and a maximum power density of 2700 W kg^?1. These encouraging results show enormous possibilities for energy storage applications.     

Promising electrode material of Fe3O4 nanoparticles decorated on V2O5 nanobelts for high-performance symmetric supercapacitors

Bundled V₂O₅ nanobelts decorated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (F3V nanostructures) were successfully synthesized to develop a low-cost electrode material for energy storage applications. The synthesized samples were subjected to structural, morphological and electrochemical studies. The Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles decorated over bundled V₂O₅ nanobelts exhibited better electrochemical properties than the pristine Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and V₂O₅ nanobelts. The electrochemical behavior of the fabricated electrodes was investigated in an electrolyte of 3 M KOH, demonstrated an exceptional specific capacity values of 750.1, 660.3, and 1519 F g^–1 for V₂O₅, Fe₃O₄, and F3V respectively at a current density of 15 A g^–1. The assembled F3V symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device exhibited an excellent specific capacitance of 93 F g^–1 at a current density of 0.5 A g^–1, delivering energy and power densities of 13 Wh.kg^–1 and 1530 W kg^–1, respectively, and superior long-term cycling stability of ～84% capacity retention over 5000 galvanostatic charge–discharge cycles. These findings demonstrate the extraordinary electrochemical characteristics of the F3V nanostructures, indicating their potential use in energy storage applications.     

High performance fiber-shaped flexible asymmetric supercapacitor based on MnO2 nanostructure composited with CuO nanowires and carbon nanotubes

The demand for wearable electronics has greatly promoted the development of flexible supercapacitors. Herein, we develop a series of approaches to fabricate a fiber-shaped supercapacitor with flexibility. In the device, CuO@MnO₂, carbon nanotube (CNT)@MnO₂ and PVA-KOH are respectively used as inner electrode, outer electrode and gel electrolyte. The approaches including in-situ growth of CNTs, in-situ etching removal of SiO₂ template and in-situ filling of gel electrolyte via hydrothermal process are explored to protect the device from structure damage caused by external forces and to maximize effective contact areas between active electrode materials and gel electrolyte. The optimized supercapacitor of copper wire@CuO@MnO₂//PVA-KOH//CNT@MnO₂ demonstrates a good capacitive performance (5.97 F cm^?3) and exhibits a high energy density (0.38 mWh cm^?3) at a power density of 25.5 mW cm^?3. In addition, it has perfect cycling stability (77% after 2000 cycles) with excellent flexibility. Therefore, this work will provide desirable processes to construct fiber-shaped supercapacitors as flexible and wearable energy storage devices.     

High performance asymmetric supercapacitor based on 3D microsphere-like 1T-MoS2 with high 1T phase content

1T phase molybdenum disulfide (1T-MoS₂) has aroused extensive concern in energy storage devices such as supercapacitors due to its large interlayer spacing, high conductivity and good hydrophilicity. However, it is struggle to synthesize 1T-MoS₂ with stable 1T phase with high content. Herein, Ammonium ion intercalation molybdenum disulfide (A-MoS₂) with high 1T content and stable 3D microsphere structure was successfully synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method. We explained the feasibility of ammonium ion (NH₄⁺) intercalation through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and proved the successful intercalation of NH₄⁺ by XRD and XPS. Through XPS fitting, the 1T phase content is calculated as high as 83.1%. The as-prepared A-MoS₂ presents a stable 3D microsphere structure with the interlayer spacing expanded to 0.93 nm, which provides a wide ion diffusion channel that allows ions to pass through quickly. Moreover, the high 1T content increases the hydrophilicity of MoS₂, thereby improving the wettability of the electrode, which contributes to the interaction between the electrolyte and electrode. In 1 M Na₂SO₄, A-MoS₂ electrode material displays high specific capacitance of 228 F g^?1 at 5 mV s^?1 and retains 127 F g^?1 at 80 mV s^?1, which proves the good rate capability. Furthermore, the assembled α-MnO₂//A-MoS₂ asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) displayed a wide operating voltage of 2.1 V. The assembled ASC displays a high energy density of 35.8 Wh?kg^?1 at a power density of 525.0 W kg^?1, which indicates excellent energy storage performance.     

Fibrous MnO2 electrode electrodeposited on carbon fiber for a fuel cell/battery system

A novel fibrous MnO₂ electrode for a fuel cell/battery system is fabricated on carbon fiber by the electrodeposition method. The characteristics of the fibrous MnO₂ electrode are examined by electrochemical impedance spectra, galvanostatic performance and cyclic voltammetry. The experimental results indicate that the fibrous MnO₂ electrodes are superior to pasted electrodes because of the following: (i) better contact between MnO₂ and the electrical conducting material; (ii) high charge-transfer rate because of a smaller diameter than conventional electrodeposited MnO₂ particles (thus it is expected that the specific surface area would be higher); and (iii) a low overpotential. The morphology and the crystal structure of the fibrous MnO₂ electrode are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The entire surface of the carbon fiber is found to be coated with γ-MnO₂ after 2 h of electrodeposition at 0.01 A dm⁻² current density.     

Ti3C2Tx-foam as free-standing electrode for supercapacitor with improved electrochemical performance

To prevent restacking of the Ti₃C₂T_x layers, the Ti₃C₂T_x-foam has been successfully synthesized through thermal treatment of Ti₃C₂T_x-film with the hydrazine monohydrate. The interconnected porous structure of Ti₃C₂T_x-foam could effectively reduce the restacking of the Ti₃C₂T_x sheets and shorten the diffusion path of ions and accelerate the intercalation/de-intercalation of ions. The Ti₃C₂T_x-foam-80 used as free-standing electrode achieves a high areal capacitance of 271.2 mF/cm² (122.7?F/g) at a scan rate of 5?mV/s in 1?M KOH electrolyte. It also exhibited a high capability rate of 65.5% from 5?mV/s to 100?mV/s and good cycle life with 88.7% retention of its initial after 10,000 cycles at a scan rate of 50?mV/s.     

Dielectric constant and energy density of poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposites filled with core-shell structured BaTiO3@Al2O3 nanoparticles

Ceramics-polymer nanocomposites consisting of core-shell structured BaTiO₃@Al₂O₃ (BT@Al₂O₃) nanoparticles as the filler and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as the polymer matrix were fabricated by solution casting. At the same volume fraction, the BT@Al₂O₃/PVDF nanocomposites, with larger dielectric constant and higher energy density, outperformed the BT/PVDF nanocomposites. The 2.5 vol% BT@Al₂O₃/PVDF nanocomposites at 360 MV/m had a double more energy density than pure PVDF at 400 MV/m (6.19 vs. 2.30 J/cm³), and a remarkably 42% lower remnant polarization than the 2.5 vol% BT/PVDF nanocomposites (0.99 vs. 1.69 μC/cm² at 300 MV/m). Such significant enhancement was closely related to the surface modification by Al₂O₃, which improved the insulation of BT nanoparticles and reduced the contrast of dielectric constant between the filler and the PVDF matrix.     

Magnetic and microwave absorptive properties of electrophoretically deposited nano-CoFe2O4 as a 3D structure on carbon fibers

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were successfully deposited on carbon fibers as a 3D structure using electrophoretic method to study magnetic and microwave absorption properties. Three well stabilized suspensions from cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were prepared in acetone, ethanol and acetone-ethanol media: and iodine was used as a stabilizing agent. Constant voltage and time were taken into account to investigate their influence on coating morphology and thereafter microwave absorption property. Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Differential Thermal Analysis and X-ray Diffractometer were employed to study morphology, thermal behavior and structure of powder, respectively. To investigate magnetic and reflection loss properties, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer and Vector Network Analyzer were used. Particle size distribution and zeta potential was obtained by Dynamic Light Scattering device. It was observed that by optimizing voltage amount and time to 25 V and 6 min, respectively; uniformity of coating was improved and this led to the highest attenuation of −10.25 dB in vicinity of 8–12 GHz.     

Molybdenum carbide embedded in carbon nanofiber as a 3D flexible anode with superior stability and high-rate performance for Li-ion batteries

The fabrication process and material design of flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are essential in flexible portable devices. In particular, the carbon nanofiber (CNF)-based active anodes with flexibility synthesized using an electrospinning technique showed fairly stable cycling performance in the LIBs. In this study, we synthesized the molybdenum carbide (MoC) embedded in CNFs as an anode for LIBs (MoC/CNF) using an electrospinning technique with amorphous Mo precursor and polyacrylonitrile as the molybdenum and carbon sources, respectively, and using a heating process under an N₂ atmosphere. The as-prepared flexible MoC/CNF showed a 3D porous structure consisting of crystalline MoC and amorphous CNF. MoC/CNF, directly utilized as an active electrode without binder, conductor, or current collector, exhibited superior LIB performance, i.e. high capacity, cyclability, and high-rate properties. In particular, at a considerably high charge/discharge rate of 10?A?g^?1, the specific capacity of MoC/CNF (109?mAh?g^?1) was significantly higher than that of pure CNF electrode (3?mAh?g^?1).     

Three-dimensional AlZnO/Al2O3/AlZnO nanocapacitor arrays on Si substrate for energy storage

High density three-dimensional AZO/Al₂O₃/AZO nanocapacitor arrays have been fabricated for energy storage applications. Using atomic layer deposition technique, the stack of AZO/Al₂O₃/AZO has been grown in the porous anodic alumina template which is directly formed on the Si substrate. The fabricated capacitor shows a high capacitance density of 15.3 fF/μm² at 100 kHz, which is nearly 2.5 times over the planar capacitor under identical conditions in theory. Further, the charge-discharge characteristics of the capacitor are characterized, indicating that the resistance-capacitance time constants are equal to 300 ns for the charging and discharging processes, and have no dependence on the voltage supply. This reflects good power characteristics of the electrostatic capacitor.     

Paper-structured fiber composites impregnated with platinum nanoparticles synthesized on a carbon fiber matrix for catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides

Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) were synthesized on surface-activated carbon fibers with high thermal conductivity, and paper-structured composites were fabricated by a papermaking technique, using the PtNPs-supported carbon fibers and ceramic fibers as matrix materials. As-prepared materials, denoted paper-structured PtNPs catalyst, possessed a unique porous microstructure derived from entangled inorganic fiber networks on which PtNPs were well dispersed. In catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO_X) in the presence of methane (CH₄), both of which are model exhaust gas components of combustion engines, paper-structured PtNPs catalyst demonstrated excellent NO_X and CH₄ removal efficiency and rapid thermal responsiveness by comparison with the PtNPs-supported carbon fibers, commercial Pt catalyst powders and a monolithic Pt-loaded honeycomb. These features of the new catalyst material are thought to arise from synergistic effects of the highly active PtNPs in association with the unique paper-like microstructure, in promoting effective transfer of heat and reactants to the active sites of the Pt nanocatalysts. The paper-structured PtNPs catalyst with paper-like practical utility is expected to be a promising catalytic material for efficient NO_X gas purification.